Travelers on a Journey

     The following blog was written by my awesome husband Jim.  He was inspired to write this after a walk we took a few days ago.  Waiting for our birthmother and our match to come along has been difficult, but we are both learning so much along the way.  Hope this encourages you as much as does me!

     We went for a walk a few days ago.  It was a longer walk, inspired by the cooler air, the changing of the seasons.  It was relaxing.  It was a chance for us to talk, to destress, to bond.
     At first we mostly just enjoyed being back outside, the cool breezes, the falling leaves, a dozen deer slowly crossing the road in front of us, the ensuing stopped traffic.  The leaves were starting to turn colors, the trees entering a new stage of life.  Clouds checkered the normally blue sky.  A few birds were singing and rustling in the sagebrush.
     We started down the hill of Skyline Park and headed into the valley.  We crossed the bridge over the stream and continued to reminisce.  As we advanced along the foot path flanked by juniper trees we began to leave the shadow of the hillside we were rounding.  A few more steps and then...something moved by Amy's feet as we walked by.
     I am not always the most perceptive person, but somehow this caught my attention.  A stick moved as we walked by it.  We stopped and looked at it, even took a couple of pictures.  The natural light was just perfect to accentuate the moment.  We were walking our paved path and this little traveler was just trying to get across it.




Our little walking buddy

      We walked a few more feet and saw more fellow travelers.  We took a really good picture of one with its shadow just right.  They were "walking sticks", a type of creature I do not notice very often.  But, on this pre-twilight stroll Amy and I saw NINE of them.  Some others had been stepped on.  They had not been seen. 
     As we started to reach level ground near the top of the valley, I had a thought.  How often have I walked by these creatures and not seen them?  How often have I been unaware of fellow travelers along my journey?  Sometimes I have been convinced I was alone when I clearly was not.  Others have journeyed with me; on this walk just a few days ago I began to be more aware of their company, more thankful for our shared space.
     Our conversation changed to the adoption process as we began to climb the final hill on our walk.  We talked about some of the phone calls.  We had heard about two of our birthmother contacts who had given birth.  We wondered how their journeys were progressing.  We even breathed out a prayer for them as we walked.  May they complete their journeys and arrive safely home.  May they not get stepped on; may their journeys be seen by other fellow travelers who can help them along their way.  May the mothers and babies find happiness. 
     As we crested the final hill our thoughts were on the road ahead.  We still had a journey ahead, but there would now be a downhill slope into the home stretch.  Conscious of those who have already walked with us along our adoptive journey, Amy and I offered one more prayer:  "God, be with our birthmother and let us all make it home safely...and soon."