Thursday, January 10, 2013

Mom

Rebekah sent Ty a photobook for Christmas. It's Ty's favorite gift.

Every day he says, "Mom, can I look at my special book?" or "I'm going to put my special book in my special box."

Ty and I have gone to a deeper level in our mother/son relationship.


It was during the week of Christmas. We were sitting on the couch and I was dialing Rebekah when I said, "Come here, babe, we're gonna call Miss Rebekah."

He looked right in my eyes and said, "Mom, I'm going to call her Mom, now, because she's my first mom."

If words could, physically, touch my heart, his did.

All our moments came rushing to me...

I was not envious or insecure or hurt.

I was proud.

In that instant, my baby boy stood as tall as a man. He was secure in my love for him and expressing his love for Rebekah.

I know my job is far from done, but in that moment I felt it was.

Despite our weakness and impatience and miss-the-mark days, Ben and I managed to teach our son how to love beyond himself.

In just a few weeks we will board a plane to Colorado and my sweet Ty will get to call Rebekah "Mom", in person.

The thought brings tears to my eyes.

I will never forget the day we stood in Rebekah's apartment. I watched her say goodbye to her son and kiss every part of his exposed skin. We hugged each other, tightly...afraid to let go. With tears in our eyes, we stood still for a moment and I said, "I will thank you with his life."

She nodded, overtaken with sadness, and let us go.

All of the kind words in the world could never thank Rebekah, enough, for allowing us to raise her son. I am hoping this visit, more than the ones that have been before it, will prove our love for her through Ty's thoughtful words and tender heart.

I know it's our story, but somedays I still can't believe I'm living it.

My mama heart is so full of love for my family.





29 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Well done Mama! Ty is so very blessed to be able to love both his mamas without hesitation. Have a great trip!

      -SW24/7

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  2. This is something beyond anything I have ever seen or heard. Your life and your love - the love in your family - are a pure and true reflection of God's love for his children. I am so thankful to know you and to witness your amazing story. Love you. -Karen

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  3. Very sweet! Hope you all have a nice visit next month.

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  4. Amazing.. tears running down my face.. so happy for your family..

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  5. MamaFoster nailed it. Adoption done so, so right. You inspire me.

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  6. Such a beautiful story! Thank you so much for sharing!

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  7. I'm speechless, this is truly amazing!!

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  8. You are the most amazing mother and follower of Christ that I know. You inspire me to seek Christ's plan for my life and not what I think is best.

    Thank you for being so amazing. And such an example of unconditional love.

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  9. Wow! Your love for your son is so beautiful! You are so secure in the Lord! You are amazing and strong...your sons are so blessed! Your story is so encouraging and inspiring...Ty is an amazing little boy!

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  10. Absolutely beautiful and amazing!!!

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  11. As a birth mom myself, this brought tears to my eyes and warmth to my heart. I love this. Thank you for sharing and thank you from the bottom of my heart for forwarding the message that it's okay for adoptees to love more than one set of parents. <3

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  12. You are a true example of everything that open adoption can and should be! The love you have for your children is beyond amazing.

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  13. Wow!!!! So wonderful to read your story!

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  14. Beautiful. We struggled as we planned to call E's birthmom "mommy_____" (her first name) and she wasnt comfortable with that. Maybe someday she will be. Have a great visit!!

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  15. Beautiful post! Love yours and your families' hearts!

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  16. This really made me smile. I love how you let Ty lead and live his own adoption experience. How wonderful that he can love freely and claim everybody who is "his" and not have to worry that in doing so he would be loved any less by you, his mother. In loving freely yourself, you teach your son that he can do the same. :)

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  17. Quite possibly the most touching thing I have ever read in my entire life. Wow. I stand in awe of your heart. I stand in awe of your beautiful son and his heart too!

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  18. Ty is so sweet and perceptive. I see his heart grow bigger every time I'm there.

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  19. So touching. Made me get tears in my eyes to think of not only the sweet, full-hearted love of your son towards his first mom, but your love and selflessness as a Mom.

    This also touched me personally, because as an adopted child, I was never afforded the freedom to discuss my first mother EVER. She was never mentioned, and was a taboo topic that was only brought up in a rare case when I worked up enough nerve to chance it. I was never allowed to honour her and make room in my heart for her the way I needed to as a little girl. My parents just didn't know better. It is a blessing to see you give that freedom and right to your son to love you both, that you don't take it as some threat to your place in his life, and that you recognize that his needs come before your needs as his mom. Beautiful. :)

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  20. I so needed to read this today. Thank you. We adopted our son 4 years ago at birth. We have a very open relationship with his birth mom, and she is part of our family. We wouldn't have it any other way. However, I was thrown for a loop when out of the blue yesterday he said I was in T's belly, so I should live with T. I never thought I would hear this from my 4 year old. A part of my heart broke for me, but my husband gently reminded me that this is why we chose open adoption. This was his way of saying he missed her, and his birth sister. I love knowing that he feels comfortable enough to share this with us. I tell him the story of his birth every night, and how he came to be in our family. I guess he has been listening. :)
    Stacy
    www.stacyandguy.com

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  21. This gives me hope as a birthmom that maybe my daughter will one day call me Mom, and I would cherish it forever. Thank you for sharing!

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  22. I clearly remember when S started calling her first mom Momma A, and she still does. Like you I've never been jealous. I love that she loves us both, knows who we are individually and our relationship and love for each Mother God has given her. It's so comforting to "know" others who get it. :) I hope you have a wonderful visit in Colorado!!

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  23. Hi, this is Tracy, formerly from Iowa, now from Delaware. I call my birth mom by her first name since I did not meet her until I was 40 years old. Unfortunatly, open adoption was not an option in the 60's. I do send my birth mom "Mother" cards for her B-day and ValentinesDay and I do sometimes write "Your daugher." Hope all is well with your family! Tracy

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