A Mitchell Thanksgiving Update (2009): Introducing Baby Nate!
What a Thanksgiving it has been! As I write, it is Saturday morning (about 5:am). I couldn’t sleep, although our two boys are fast asleep. Praise God! I couldn’t sleep probably due to excitement and also because I just knew that my God deserved a lot more than a “Face book status change” =) plus you all needed to know (or know more)!
Thursday afternoon I (Alair) received word from a friend of an abandoned baby in a nearby district- she was 3-4 months old and in need of a foster placement. As soon as Caleb walk in the door from his “American Football” game with the other U.S. missionary guys, I began my mile a minute- “We could do this”, “We should do this”, “Should we do this?” rambling. The same friend, who had informed me of the desperate situation of the baby being cared for @ the Luwero police station, had already alerted Caleb. As Caleb went to clean up for our awaiting feast (about 50 of us gathered to enjoy food and fellowship and offer thanks to our Lord), I asked “Would you pray about it in the shower and then tell me what God says?”
Over the next hour or so we talked, reminding ourselves that this baby’s birthmother could be found at any time, that we were just “fostering” unless or until God tells us otherwise. And so it was decided, after dinner I would call the probation officer and inquire about the baby girl. As we went round the circle announcing what one thing we were most thankful for I couldn’t help but think “family.” Not just in the casual way we sometimes say we are thankful for those we love and call family, but as we, the Mitchells, and even our friends the Zimmermans stood at the edge of a possible growing family, my heart was overwhelmed with thanksgiving for how God uniquely creates family.
After the meal, and as Caleb limped off (due to a football injury just a bit earlier) to put Nico to bed, and down some Ibuprofen, he said, “Hey, let me know if we’re getting a baby tomorrow.” =). I made the call- yes the next morning we’d pick her up! I was so excited as I told everyone we had shared our Thanksgiving with that we’d be picking up a baby girl. So excited that someone had to remind me to call Caleb!
We were up late trying to get in touch with family and deciding on 2 name options. I was to decide if she was an Alaina Jean or an Abrielle Renee, once I saw her. I could hardly sleep. Up at 4: am, I cleaned the house and picked out the dress I would change her into when I would pick her up. Since we started praying about a second addition to our family I had begun buying boy clothes (thinking Nico needed a brother=), so a few girl items, courtesy of a friend, were much appreciated.
After a bit of organization and a stop to purchase formula, I arrived with two dear friends who had volunteered to drive and be a support as Caleb would be gone on Safari until late Saturday evening with a team. My first two days with Nico and the new baby would be as a single mom with an incredible group of friends as supports. (Every time Caleb is gone I say many prayers of blessing and for encouragement for my friends who are single moms.
Jehovah Shammh- He is with you!
I never thought it would happen so fast, but before I knew it we had some questions answered by the police officer who was caring for her, and she was in my arms. This fat, breast fed- looking baby was darling, but as I announced “She is definitely not an Abrielle (far too dainty of a name). Lainy it would be! After a minute or so of Courtney & Constance snapping pictures and asking a few more questions (thanks you two for being my brain for me when I could hardly think straight let alone ask any relative and possibly crucial questions), Constance glanced at a paper on the desk in the small office that said the words “baby boy,” and asked in a surprised voice, “Is it a boy?” “Yes, she’s a boy,” the officer said. In the Ugandan languages, the descriptive terms: she, he, him or her, are not used, rather a more generic “that one there” type of statement is used. So when many Ugandans attempt to use gender specific tags while speaking English (most often a second language to a tribal language, although it is the national language) the words are often used incorrectly.
So after a moment of, “Oh… Um… O.K.” type of thinking I said, “She’s a He. I guess he shouldn’t be Alaina or Abrielle!” I didn’t think twice, he was Nathaniel James, a name we had discussed years ago and decided on while filling out our application and paperwork for a baby house in Kampala ready and waiting for this coming Monday morning when we had planned to turn it in.
And so there it is the story to introduce to you our smiley, laughing, cuddly Nate, now in my arms as I type with one hand! But there is more to the story of what our God who desires our intimacy with Him above all else, has been doing in my heart. If you’re interested more than an introduction to baby Nate read on.
I am sure that many of you know that we have, over several years prayed for a baby, and as I think of my sweet, sweet, Nico, still sleeping and recovering from being sick again, I with tears in my eyes, I thank God for Kisakye (Nicolas’ middle name which means God’s grace). What an immense joy the Lord’s answer to prayer has been to us both! But when we first began to pray for a baby, biology played a much bigger element than it did in our later years.
Recently I was challenged to pray that God would give me a baby “born from my womb,” (Thanks friends who challenge me and who have prayed with and for me!) I did not pray in this way because of any feelings of dissatisfaction with God’s answer to our prayers, on the contrary I “masked” my unwillingness to pray, with my absolute gratitude for His answer to my heart’s desire for Caleb and me to be parents. I began rather, to pray in this way because of my symptomatic calloused heart, that had begun to doubt that God was attentive to the desires of my heart, or was a God who actively, personally, and recognizably works and answers prayer(s). Instead I had allowed a view of the omnipotence and sovereignty God to overshadow His love.
He is a God who lovingly answered the prayers of Hagar (Gen. 21), and Hannah (I Sam. 1) and who intimately loves us (John 15) who became Emanuel, God with us, who’s love for us determined that Christ would suffer death “so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone,” and who, because of His love refused to “leave us as orphans,” (John 14: 18). My God is love (I John 4: 16). My God who, with His perfect love, “casts out fear,” even would cast out the fear of unanswered prayers. In casting out that fear in me that had begun causing me to follow in the steps of my “Mother Eve” and doubt His goodness to me, He has freed my heart to trust Him more.
As we began making steps to adopt a 2nd Mitchell boy, I began, with freedom to pray for God to bring us our next child, I didn’t hide my desire for a baby from my womb, or a child born of my heart, for a brother for Nicolas, or even specifically for a baby, if brought to us through adoption, that was 3-6 months old and in our home before my sister and dad come to visit (on Christmas=).
I am praising God because He reveals Himself as a listening and loving Father who has blessed us with Nathaniel, who as Nicolas is, a child born of my heart!
I am praising God who met my fear and encroaching doubt with specific answers to my prayers-We have another son, for however long God lends him to us as with Nicolas, or any of our children.
I am praising God that Nate is brother for Nico, who is 3 or 4 months old and is in our family before my dad and sister come to visit!
“Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being praise his holy name.” Ps. 103:1
Alair Mitchell
What a Thanksgiving it has been! As I write, it is Saturday morning (about 5:am). I couldn’t sleep, although our two boys are fast asleep. Praise God! I couldn’t sleep probably due to excitement and also because I just knew that my God deserved a lot more than a “Face book status change” =) plus you all needed to know (or know more)!
Thursday afternoon I (Alair) received word from a friend of an abandoned baby in a nearby district- she was 3-4 months old and in need of a foster placement. As soon as Caleb walk in the door from his “American Football” game with the other U.S. missionary guys, I began my mile a minute- “We could do this”, “We should do this”, “Should we do this?” rambling. The same friend, who had informed me of the desperate situation of the baby being cared for @ the Luwero police station, had already alerted Caleb. As Caleb went to clean up for our awaiting feast (about 50 of us gathered to enjoy food and fellowship and offer thanks to our Lord), I asked “Would you pray about it in the shower and then tell me what God says?”
Over the next hour or so we talked, reminding ourselves that this baby’s birthmother could be found at any time, that we were just “fostering” unless or until God tells us otherwise. And so it was decided, after dinner I would call the probation officer and inquire about the baby girl. As we went round the circle announcing what one thing we were most thankful for I couldn’t help but think “family.” Not just in the casual way we sometimes say we are thankful for those we love and call family, but as we, the Mitchells, and even our friends the Zimmermans stood at the edge of a possible growing family, my heart was overwhelmed with thanksgiving for how God uniquely creates family.
After the meal, and as Caleb limped off (due to a football injury just a bit earlier) to put Nico to bed, and down some Ibuprofen, he said, “Hey, let me know if we’re getting a baby tomorrow.” =). I made the call- yes the next morning we’d pick her up! I was so excited as I told everyone we had shared our Thanksgiving with that we’d be picking up a baby girl. So excited that someone had to remind me to call Caleb!
We were up late trying to get in touch with family and deciding on 2 name options. I was to decide if she was an Alaina Jean or an Abrielle Renee, once I saw her. I could hardly sleep. Up at 4: am, I cleaned the house and picked out the dress I would change her into when I would pick her up. Since we started praying about a second addition to our family I had begun buying boy clothes (thinking Nico needed a brother=), so a few girl items, courtesy of a friend, were much appreciated.
After a bit of organization and a stop to purchase formula, I arrived with two dear friends who had volunteered to drive and be a support as Caleb would be gone on Safari until late Saturday evening with a team. My first two days with Nico and the new baby would be as a single mom with an incredible group of friends as supports. (Every time Caleb is gone I say many prayers of blessing and for encouragement for my friends who are single moms.
Jehovah Shammh- He is with you!
I never thought it would happen so fast, but before I knew it we had some questions answered by the police officer who was caring for her, and she was in my arms. This fat, breast fed- looking baby was darling, but as I announced “She is definitely not an Abrielle (far too dainty of a name). Lainy it would be! After a minute or so of Courtney & Constance snapping pictures and asking a few more questions (thanks you two for being my brain for me when I could hardly think straight let alone ask any relative and possibly crucial questions), Constance glanced at a paper on the desk in the small office that said the words “baby boy,” and asked in a surprised voice, “Is it a boy?” “Yes, she’s a boy,” the officer said. In the Ugandan languages, the descriptive terms: she, he, him or her, are not used, rather a more generic “that one there” type of statement is used. So when many Ugandans attempt to use gender specific tags while speaking English (most often a second language to a tribal language, although it is the national language) the words are often used incorrectly.
So after a moment of, “Oh… Um… O.K.” type of thinking I said, “She’s a He. I guess he shouldn’t be Alaina or Abrielle!” I didn’t think twice, he was Nathaniel James, a name we had discussed years ago and decided on while filling out our application and paperwork for a baby house in Kampala ready and waiting for this coming Monday morning when we had planned to turn it in.
And so there it is the story to introduce to you our smiley, laughing, cuddly Nate, now in my arms as I type with one hand! But there is more to the story of what our God who desires our intimacy with Him above all else, has been doing in my heart. If you’re interested more than an introduction to baby Nate read on.
I am sure that many of you know that we have, over several years prayed for a baby, and as I think of my sweet, sweet, Nico, still sleeping and recovering from being sick again, I with tears in my eyes, I thank God for Kisakye (Nicolas’ middle name which means God’s grace). What an immense joy the Lord’s answer to prayer has been to us both! But when we first began to pray for a baby, biology played a much bigger element than it did in our later years.
Recently I was challenged to pray that God would give me a baby “born from my womb,” (Thanks friends who challenge me and who have prayed with and for me!) I did not pray in this way because of any feelings of dissatisfaction with God’s answer to our prayers, on the contrary I “masked” my unwillingness to pray, with my absolute gratitude for His answer to my heart’s desire for Caleb and me to be parents. I began rather, to pray in this way because of my symptomatic calloused heart, that had begun to doubt that God was attentive to the desires of my heart, or was a God who actively, personally, and recognizably works and answers prayer(s). Instead I had allowed a view of the omnipotence and sovereignty God to overshadow His love.
He is a God who lovingly answered the prayers of Hagar (Gen. 21), and Hannah (I Sam. 1) and who intimately loves us (John 15) who became Emanuel, God with us, who’s love for us determined that Christ would suffer death “so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone,” and who, because of His love refused to “leave us as orphans,” (John 14: 18). My God is love (I John 4: 16). My God who, with His perfect love, “casts out fear,” even would cast out the fear of unanswered prayers. In casting out that fear in me that had begun causing me to follow in the steps of my “Mother Eve” and doubt His goodness to me, He has freed my heart to trust Him more.
As we began making steps to adopt a 2nd Mitchell boy, I began, with freedom to pray for God to bring us our next child, I didn’t hide my desire for a baby from my womb, or a child born of my heart, for a brother for Nicolas, or even specifically for a baby, if brought to us through adoption, that was 3-6 months old and in our home before my sister and dad come to visit (on Christmas=).
I am praising God because He reveals Himself as a listening and loving Father who has blessed us with Nathaniel, who as Nicolas is, a child born of my heart!
I am praising God who met my fear and encroaching doubt with specific answers to my prayers-We have another son, for however long God lends him to us as with Nicolas, or any of our children.
I am praising God that Nate is brother for Nico, who is 3 or 4 months old and is in our family before my dad and sister come to visit!
“Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being praise his holy name.” Ps. 103:1
Alair Mitchell
