Yahweh Remembers

Hi Again, Friends!

My last post wasn’t super personal, but mostly just about some of the amazing products we have here at Addie’s Good(s).  I feel like we need to update you a bit on the Baker Family, too, though. 

If you’re reading this blog, there’s a good chance you know some or most of our story, but just in case, let me back up a bit from today in order to better fill you in on what’s going on now.

Billy and I started the adoption process in fall of 2010.  Two years later, in August of 2012, we were overjoyed to be matched with a precious Ethiopian baby girl named Mihret.  We named her Addie and were over-the-moon excited and in love with this child.  We met her in October 2012, and she legally became ours.  Because Ethiopian International adoption is a two trip process, we had to leave her there and wait for the US Embassy to clear us to bring her home.  We received copies of her birth certificate and passport with “William and Jodi Baker” listed as mother and father.   Her room was painted bright pink and decorated with a giant “A” for Addie.  Christmas presents were stacked under the tree for her.  She was completely covered in prayer by us and our then four-year-old daughter, Payton. 

Fast forward through some unpleasant drama and heartache, and on December 31^st, 2012, the Ethiopian court revoked the adoption, and placed her in the custody of an Ethiopian man claiming to be her biological father.  I won’t go in to all the details of why, but just know that although we are absolutely for first families staying together whenever possible (the primary purpose of Addie’s Good(s) is to keep first families together), this particular situation was an exception, and we were devastated at the loss of our daughter and the future that appeared to await her.  We grieved deeply, and wept many, many tears for our Addie.

A mere 18 days after we lost our girl, we sat and prayed the Lord would open our hearts to another child when the time came- and the time quickly.  That day, January 18^th, 2013, we received pictures of another precious girl named Yetnayet, (whom we named Ellie).  We were still painfully mourning our loss, but able to rejoice over this new little life the Lord was entrusting to us.  We began the almost unbearable wait to hear when we would get the opportunity to meet our baby and go to court to again make the adoption legal. 

On April 3^rd, 2013, I woke up with a feeling of despair and heartache, as Addie was turning one year old on this very day.  I hated that I wasn’t celebrating with her, and I hated not knowing if anyone was celebrating with her.  I was prepared for a pretty terrible day, just wanting to get it over with.  God remembered me, though.  He remembered Addie.  He gave us a reason to celebrate- On this very day, we received the call we’d been waiting for, with news of a court/travel date set for Ellie. On a day I was dreading, the Lord blessed us with knowing we were going back to our beloved Ethiopia to meet our daughter.  Ellie came home on July 4^th, 2013, with much rejoicing and many happy, relief-filled tears.  It had been such a long, hard battle to become a family of four, and we were beyond thankful the Lord had blessed us with this child. 

A mere nine months later, Addie’s second birthday rolled around, and once again, I was prepared to be filled sadness at another birthday come and gone without her.   But God- God remembered again.  On April 3^rd, 2014, Addie’s 2^nd birthday, we were surprised (and thrilled) to find out I was pregnant with our third child, a son we named Cole.

Two years later, some of the pain has eased, but we still miss our Addie.  I still find myself searching for her on sponsorship websites- but only finish with tears at realizing I have no idea what she looks like past her baby years.  Her birthday still stings as it reminds us that more time has passed since we last heard her laugh and saw her big, wide eyes.  I don’t know why I was shocked, but this year, on April 4^th, 2016 (the day after Addie’s 4^th birthday), God remembered us- remembered  her- again.  It was on this day that we were surprised again with a positive pregnancy test.  I am four months pregnant with another sweet gift from God, and we are rejoicing that the Lord has chosen to bless us again. 

And today, we found out that this sweet gift is a boy!!!! We are so excited to tell you that Knox Zechariah Baker will be born in early December.   The girls are so happy, and Cole has yet to express his opinion, but we feel certain he will be glad to have a brother with whom he can grow up. 

His first name, Knox, has no particular meaning- we just liked it.  All of our kiddos' middle names have significance, though, and this baby’s is no exception.  Zechariah means “Yahweh Remembers.”  And He does, friends.  He remembers His children, and He is kind and good.  It's as if He keeps saying, "Just in case you were wondering, I haven't forgotten your pain.  I haven't forgotten your girl- my girl- in Ethiopia.  I never will."  We are beside ourselves with thankfulness that He has remembered us and blessed us again.

When we lost Addie, I remember being worried that Payton’s faith would be negatively impacted.  She had prayed for months for her sister, and the Lord had allowed her to be taken from us.   Billy and I, though grieving, could recognize that God’s ways are not our ways, and that He is sovereign and good, and trustworthy- but could Payton’s young faith survive this loss? We pray constantly that our children will trust the Lord, but sometimes I fail at trusting Him with them- but y'all, He remembers Payton, too.

To tell Payton’s grandparents that I was pregnant, she and I sat and made a book together.  It said, “On April 3^rd, 2012, Addie was born.  On April 3^rd, 2013, we received a court date for Ellie’s adoption.  On April 3^rd, 2014, we found out Mommy was pregnant with Cole.  On April 4^th 2016, we found out…. There’s going to be another Baker baby!!!”  I told Payton I was going to put a scripture at the end and she said, “I think it should say something about blessing, because He just keeps blessing us.” 

I can not tell you what that did for this mama’s heart- to know that she recognizes God’s hand on our family, and that she sees His goodness to us- to know that she sees that only God could orchestrate those dates.   I didn’t use a verse with “blessing,” but she did approve of what I chose-

“You did it:  You changed wild lament into whirling dance;

You ripped off my black mourning band

And decked me with wildflowers.

I’m about to burst with song;

I cant keep quiet about you.

God, my God, I can’t thank you enough.”

Psalm 30:11-12