Mothering Lucy

Lucy asked about her Birthmother today, and the circumstances surrounding her 'being an orphan'. We've told her 'her story' before, in simplified terms. It goes like this;

Her mother went from her remote home village into the big busy city hospital to give birth.
Then, when baby was taken to the hospital nursery, mother slipped away.
Baby became a ward of the state, and went to live in the orphanage nursery.
Far across the world, we prayed for baby.
When it was time, we came for her, and as we lifted her from her crib her face lit up and she looked at us as if to say "I knew you were coming, I've just been waiting for you here, lets go home!"

But today Lucy told her story differently. In today's version, she was taken-kidnapped so to speak-and then abandoned in the orphanage.

Because why would a mother ever leave her baby?

Today for the first time Lucy understood that 'birthmom' means that another woman actually gave birth to her-she lived in a body she has never known.

She felt the loss acutely.

I held her as she cried. "I'm afraid. I'm afraid I'll never see her again. And she is my birthmom!"

I cried with her. How confusing. How difficult a thing to grasp at such a tender age, and with such a tender spirit as Lucy's.

I prayed as we cried, for help to help her. All I could do was tell her that I believe Lucy's birthmom is a good person. She wanted what was best for the baby she loved. In my own heart (I couldn't say this to Lucy, not yet, but someday) I believe so simply that she was prompted as to which hospital, what part of the city, how to place her baby in the best care possible until we could find her. All of the subtle promptings that were part of Lucy's welcome as an eternal member of our family scream to me that in some way God's eye was watching over this young, scared mother.

All I could say was "Heavenly Father is watching over her, and I know He loves her."
Lucy asked simply "is Heavenly Father watching me too?"
And I could simply answer "I know that He is".

And I do.