Just Because I Want To

Elliot and Gavin likely still have aching cheeks from smiling all Saturday at the church festival.  For the cost of a $10 wristband, they had unlimited pony rides, rock climbing, bungee jumps on the trampoline, and bounce house access.  What more could a little dude ask for?  If only our church had a festival EVERY weekend!  When we went to church on Sunday morning and saw the field empty, Gavin said, "Oh, no!  The party is gone!"

Well, the party may be gone until next year, but I have a zillion pictures to remind us of the fun!  Yes, Elliot reached the top of the climbing mountain to ring the bell...numerous times!  Yes, Gavin rode all four of the ponies at least once.  So what was missing?  A "who" actually.  We are eager to have a little dude from Moldova join our crazy family.  George and I daydream about what our little one will be like.  Will he run first to the train? Will he break his mama's heart and be disinterested in the horses?  Will he make his dad proud and go directly to the dunking booth to throw out a pitch?  Will he only notice the big puddle in the middle of the field, and jump in like his big brother Gavin (true story)?  Who knows?  Who cares?  Not us!  We are going to love him whether he dives in or watches and absorbs it all.  We're just gonna love him!

My friend Cari visited last week and reminded me of a story I once shared about Elliot.  He often asked me why I loved him, and I worked harder each time to come up with a more original, creative answer. "Because you make my heart smile...because you teach me to appreciate spider webs...because you could talk about snakes for as long as someone will listen...because you hug better than any little dude ever..."

Exasperated with this one day, I turned the tables and asked him, "Why do you love me?"  He paused for a brief moment and simply replied, "Just because I want to."  Really?  I could have been using this answer the whole time?  Ah, the young grasshopper had put me in my place.  Not only is that why Elliot loves me, but I think that is how God would respond...just because He wants to.  That is exactly how we are going to love the little dude God made to be with us but chose to stick in Moldova initially.  Why would God choose to put our babe on the other side of the ocean, I wonder.  Maybe just so I would work on my Romanian phrases...maybe just so we would be forced to educate our loved ones on the geographic location of a little-known country (a very, very, very little-known country, I should say)...maybe just so we would be forced to reflect upon our marriage, our childhood, and the way we choose to parent (through questionnaires during the application process that could be a post in itself)...  Who knows, but I am grateful God put a little critter in Moldova for us.

Why do I love Elliot?  Why do I love Gavin?  Why do I already love the babe who just needs a ride home from Moldova?  Honestly, I can't help it.  I just want to.

"We love each other because He first loved us."

I John 4:19