These won't be chronological; we'll write them as we're able. But I've been wanting to write this one down for a while.
In the private adoption world, it is customary to bring the birth-mom a small gift when you visit her in the hospital when she is having the baby. We have some basic guidelines from Christian Adoption Consultants with gift ideas. It is usually something small, a silver bracelet or charm, flowers or almost anything you think she might like that is less than $50. The $50 cap is because we can't in any way insinuate we are buying a baby - that is bad.
Honestly, on our budget $50 is a big deal. We are a single income household in the silicon valley. Things are kinda tight.
I wanted to be proactive about getting something for the birth-mom because I would love to give her something personal. However, this presented many questions: How do you buy for someone you haven't met yet? What's her style? What in the world would someone like as a gift when they have just given birth and are probably really emotional? What would be meaningful to her?
So, all these thoughts were bouncing around my brain late last year as I was perusing Etsy, magazines, pinterest, etc.
Then, BAM! the perfect flyer came in the mail! It was a $50 coupon to use in store at a high end jewelry store with no minimum purchase! So, I could spend $50 for free!! Yay God!!
Side note: This flyer came because two years ago the necklace I wear every day broke. I was at the mall, passed this store and just popped in to have it fixed. I maybe spent $12 for them to fix my chain and I signed up for their newsletter!
I jumped on the jewelry store website and started looking at what they had. I was praying the whole time that God would make it clear what she would like and that it would be $50 or less. I had looked at just about everything without falling in love when I saw this necklace.
I liked the LOVE design and thought it was a simple, understated nod to the LOVE she would always have for her baby. I also liked the arrow because of this verse, "Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth," Psalm 127:3-4.
I thought this was worth seeing in person. Miracle #2, I found easy parking at the mall the week before Christmas!
When I got there the very nice sales guy had no idea what I was talking about, had never seen the necklace before. Ugh!! I walked around and around, not seeing anything similar. Then, his shift ended and the new sales lady came to check in on me. She asked me lots of questions about what the person I'm buying the gift for is like. What was the occasion, etc. I felt so awkward. I didn't want to launch into my whole story, but she wasn't leaving me much option with all of her questions. I ended up telling her all about our adoption and she was nearly moved to tears! Also, she had seen the necklace before and eagerly took up the hunt with me, looking in all the numerous glass display cases.
Then she called from a few cases over from me, "I found it!" I rushed over and saw this.
I had no idea this message was inscribed on the back of the LOVE charm! Honestly, if I had known when I looked online I probably would have passed it up as being too direct to the birth-mom's pain or emotions. However, given the circumstance this seemed like the perfect gift!
The necklace was $49.99 and somehow I wasn't charged tax. I walked away paying nothing, and believing God picked out just the right present for our precious, brave birth-mom! I can't wait to meet her.
