{January 27, 2010}

Two years ago I wrote a five-part series about how January changed me. Big things have happened in Januarys past and I want to share them again this year as a reminder that God moves. He works when we don't realize how things will come together.

Ben has kept us on our toes before he was even born.

We were going to use a placement agency for our second adoption, but we met Ben's birth mom just before we really committed. He wanted to come into the world early, forcing his birth mom to take it easy for months before he was born, just eight days early. Once we had him home, he spit up often and was quick to express his discontentment. Let's just say, once Ben was sleeping through the night, momma and Ben were both more pleasant people.

And then, thankfully, his adoption process went even faster than we expected. The hearing was just an informal formality, but it was an important step in creating our family of four. And we wouldn't change Ben's second-child ways that disrupted what we were used to and made our family even better.

He's 3 now. And he's still loud and messy. But he's really funny and joy-filled too. He's fearless, always looking for an adventure. He likes his cup and sister near. He loves watching movies and swinging at the park, but he doesn't sit still for much of anything else. As his momma, I hope I can help him channel that energy and not squash his spirit.
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You can see pictures from the final adoption hearing here. This is the fourth in a five-part series about how various events in January changed my life. Want more? Subscribe to get "Insights" in your inbox. Or follow me on Twitter.