Great is Thy Faithfulness!

Today is a very special day. Today is the day our family grew. We have added two children to our family on this special day.

July 1, 1997 - Allyssa Hope Spurgeon joined our family. Even though her stay was brief - this day is still special for it is a day that helps us to remember that she was - and *is* - just not here.
July 1, 2003 - The little boy we had been waiting to adopt for 2 years finally became what he had been in our hearts from the first day we brought him home - a Spurgeon!

His adoption was such a beautiful picture of God's graciousness and sovereign working in our lives. How special it was to me as a Mom to have Ally's birthday be Zak's adoption day.

So many of our friends and relatives joined us at the courtroom that day. Zak was just hamming up all of the attention and both his Mom and his Dad had butterflies in our stomachs. We had waited for this day for so long and now it was finally here.

The judge had me come to the stand - raise my right hand and swear in that my testimony was true and accurate. I sat there and listened to the questions - answered them as accurately as I could. They went something like this:

JUDGE: Do you understand that this adoption will make him legally and solely your responsibility to care for and provide for him to meet his needs?
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ME: Yes, sir.

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JUDGE: Do you realize that any problems are issues that may come up in the future with his health and well being will be your responsibility?

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ME: Yes, sir.

~~~

He then commented on all the support that we had in the courtroom with us that day and that he was sure with this much love - our new little guy would have a high potential to grow and mature and be a real part of our family.

It was then that he asked us what his name would be from then on out. We told him Zechariah Robert Spurgeon . It was important to us that he had part of his Dad's name for his very own. It was at this time that the judge used his gavel - and declared him to be what we had known him to be in our hearts for months before then - a Spurgeon.


On July 1, 2003 - my life long dream of adopting a child came true. I had always - for as long as I could remember - wanted to adopt someday. I left the courtroom that day blessed. God had heard my prayers - and answered them. He also had done it on a very meaningful day. It made me realize anew that God' plans are not my plans - His thought are not my thoughts - but His way is ALWAYS best. Somehow, adopting Zak on Ally's birthday brought such significance to her life.

"The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, blessed be the name of the Lord..."

Now, we await yet another adoption. We are so excited that the Lord has given us yet another child to love and raise for Him. I look forward to posting adoption photos this fall when our new little one becomes what she already is in our hearts - a Spurgeon.

"For this child I prayed..."

Rejoicing in His Faithfulness,

~Martie