My Address Book

Once upon a time the address book in my planner contained the names and phone numbers of my closest friends, our siblings and their spouses, and the scheduling number for our pediatrician and dentist. That was it! It was all the numbers I needed to be connected. It was so easy!

Now, the address book in my planner contains the names and phone numbers of county case managers, adoption social workers, in-home therapists, behavioral analysts, attachment therapists, contact people for MN FASD and RAD resources, nurses from MVNA, psychiatrists from a variety of different clinics that we utilize, psychologists, contact info for our son's new family, emergency respite providers, pediatrician, eye doctor, dentist, and school contact info.

Yes, there are still names and phone numbers in my address book for family and close friends, though that has changed, too. The numbers are now those of close friends who I can trust to listen to a crisis prayer request rather than with whom we might share a normal play date. They are friends who know and understand the large place that past trauma has played in our children's lives. They are friends who believe that God is bigger than the past trauma and yet show us empathy when our days, weeks, months... seem overwhelming.

I had to look up several phone numbers today for different "resource providers" and was struck by the contrast of my address book compared to a few years ago. It is not an easy address book. It's full of hard stuff! Even still, it is good to know that God provides the names and numbers to fill up the address book for every season, even if some seasons are more intense, more grief-filled, or more rest-filled. We are thankful for His provision in everything, even in this way.