It is a rainy weekend. After a going to a lovely wedding of friends on Friday, and a rainy Saturday which included Annabelle's soccer game, afternoon naps for the whole family (rare and wonderful) and an evening of errands and what not, Sunday came. We enjoyed Sunday morning at our church - we love our church - Faith Baptist Church in Rexford, NY (www.faithcrossroads.org) with a sermon about 1 Peter 2 and our identity in Christ, and a great Sunday School lesson - Adam and I are going to a marriage class, that we are enjoying (quite enlightening)! As Fall tradition has it, we naturally get in the car after church and despite the rain (third day in a row!) we head to Lakeside Farms. Oh Lakeside Farms - best cider donut around! (http://www.lakesidefarmscidermill.com/) And of course, hot apple cider, yummmmm.... Annabelle and Oliver got the cider donut gene, unavoidable, and ate 2 each! Then home to paint pumpkins -Annabelle loves this, and Oliver was quite into it too! After a nice painting session, Oliver was gladly off to naptime, and Annabelle and I had much needed cuddle time in the BIG chair I call it (a.k.a. The Laundry Chair) with bowls of popcorn (mine with butter and salt, Annabelle's with Soy Sauce, yes Soy Sauce, this would be the Adam gene).
Under a blanket, cozy-wozy, we watched The Lorax - great movie! We saw it months ago at the beloved Scotia Cinema. I rented it again, remembering it was a good one, and we enjoyed it. Popcorn in hand, we enjoyed the tale of the Lorax, Guardian of the Forest who Speaks for the Trees, as he warned The Once-ler not to cut down the trees of the forest. Well, the Once-Ler needed the trees as material for his invention - the "Thneed". Sadly, ALL the trees were cut down and the Once-ler was left alone in his house, as the cute, friendly forest animals were forced to leave, and the people who once fulfilled the Once-ler with their desire for his invention, moved on to other things. The Lorax reminded him he did not listen to his warning, and flew away leaving a stone circle with the word "Unless". Well, over time, a young boy became interested in trees, long-forgotten, dirty trees and by his Grandma's recommendation found the Once-Ler, who told the boy his story and after time, gave the boy the only remaining seed for the Trumbula Tree with the thought,
"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,
nothing's going to get better.
It's not."
When I saw this movie back in the spring, I was struck by this quote and tearful (of course), thinking of how God placed the seed of desire to adopt long ago in my heart. He watered this seed over the years and my desire to adopt grew and grew until it overflowed and God planted this seed in Adam's heart as well. So here we are, caring a whole awful lot, and hoping that through finding and loving our son, the world might be a bit sweeter, as love love love is spread across the ocean to our son, and the love of orphans is shared when we talk about our son and the many other little ones waiting to come home.
And since we're talking about seeds...Seeds are so cool. They fall out of flowers and trees, and the wind carries them to other places to grow. I love that.
