Today, November 13th, 2011, we dedicated our son – Dylan YuHai – to the Lord. He was prayed for, prayed over, and shown lots of love from our church family…
What made it even more special is that November is Adoption Appreciation Month. Our friends were with us on stage, dedicated their adopted daughter.
Our church is very diverse, and adoption and foster care is just about rampant! Many of our friends have adopted or are currently doing foster care. Many have adopted through foster care, and we also have several friends with children from China, Ethiopia, Latvia, etc. Our pastor and his wife have 2 children, both adopted. This church-wide mindset is one of the reasons we love Grace Covenant like we do.
Adoption is a perfect picture of Jesus’ love for us. We, as believers, are all grafted in (adopted) into the family of Christ. We’ve done nothing to deserve this, it’s done out of pure and honest love for us, His children. Lainey and Dylan aren’t ours by birth, but they are truly loved by us, just as if they were. God ordained that the would be in our family, long before the idea of adoption was even on our radar. Thankfully, God’s plans are so much better than ours!
During worship, right before we headed to the stage.
A full stage! Our friends have 3 bio children, and have foster/adopted their youngest 3.
Dylan had no problems going to Pastor Farrell, and loved seeing his picture on the screen in front of him…
Is that me?!
I love how Lainey has her hands over her eyes, and someone forgot to tell Dylan to close his!
After the dedication, the Pastor asked us a few questions about our adoptions…thankfully, we knew the questions ahead of time and could kind of plan out our answers! Randy is completely comfortable talking in front of people. Me, not so much. But, I somehow made it through and was told I didn’t even sound nervous. They’re just being nice.
I made sure to put in a “plug” for the many SN children in China needing a forever family…I hope I planted a seed or two :)
This is the verse written on the card that we received at his dedication today… “Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and everything that moves in them.” Psalm 69:34
Yu Hai means “of the sea” – Dylan means “son of the sea”.
We love you, Dylan, and are so very blessed to be your family!
November 14th, 2011 at 6:25 am
Absolutely beautiful! Dylan is a beautiful little boy and I have to say my favorite pic is of the Pastor holding him and he has the biggest smile on his face. God has so blessed your family! Congrats..
November 14th, 2011 at 9:04 am
AWESOME! Thank You, Lord!!!
November 14th, 2011 at 10:50 am
What a blessing sweet Dylan is! And what a blessing that you go to a church where adoption is brought to the forefront by the preacher!!! That is,unfortunately, somewhat rare among our churches here.
November 14th, 2011 at 1:45 pm
I love you Dylan. :)
November 14th, 2011 at 4:34 pm
I checked my Emails before coming to your blog and Mary had already sent me a message saying how much she loved your blog today. I can see why. I love how the scripture confirms Dylan’s name, but I love how the “God” love from you, Randy, Abbey, Marley, Ethan and Payton opened your hearts to bring Lainey and now Dylan into our family. I can’t imagine our family without either of them.
I know Randy did great in the talking department and I suspect that you did, too. When you are so convicted in what you believe to be right, you don’t have problems getting those convictions across to others. God planned before Dylan and Lainey were born that they would be in your “forever” family. But then God planned years and years ago that I would have two wonderful sons who married two wonderful women and that I would have my awesome dozen grandchildren !! I have a lot to be thankful for…
November 14th, 2011 at 6:24 pm
This is absolutely beautifully written and the photos are awesome. It made us feel like we were there with you celebrating such a special ocassion. How appropriate that it was done just before Thanksgiving…and right before Dylan’s 1 year anniversary in our family. I find it difficult to believe that it will soon be a year since you walked in the house with our beautiful grandson…my first impression: “He’s even more handsome than his pictures!!”
Thank you, Lord for blessing us with such a wonderful, loving, dedicated family. Can’t wait to see all of you at Thanksgiving!!!!!
November 15th, 2011 at 8:54 pm
Donna . . . great post. I love the way you have turned what started as an inside joke between you and I into something that I sincerely value and appreciate. Love you !