"Adopted"?

January 2013 we went to the Des Moines airport to pick up this kid from China.

We figured he would stay in our home as an international student for a semester.

 

He was going to move to another family in Pella for the 2013-2014 school year, but then he decided to stay with us another year.

So Tony stayed and that was a good thing

he stayed for the 2014-15 school year also.

He became a part of our family

He learned that it snows in Iowa.

And sometimes it snows a lot.

He made himself at home in our basement even after Micah and Matthew had gone off to college. Then Tony went to college at the same college where Micah and Matthew went. Up in Sioux Center Iowa where it snows. 

Tony graduated this Friday

When Tony was at Dordt he would tell other students he had a brother at Dordt. They would be a bit surprised when he would later point our Matthew as his brother. Not a lot of family resemblance. We are friends with one of the professors. When Matthew and Tony were both at Dordt she would tell people that she taught our sons. It seems we weren't the only ones who considered Tony part of our family.

Sharon and I did the Dordt graduation stuff for the third time this week. It was just as much fun doing it with Tony as it was with Micah and Matthew.

Although I did notice crossing campus we were stopped by young ladies wanting to talk to Tony. I may have to sit him down and explain about girls,um they might be interested Tony.

 Walked across Dordt campus for the last time with Tony

And then loaded some of his stuff in our car for the trip back to Oskaloosa. Tony starts a job in Pella on May 29 at the accounting firm where Micah works. He is moving back into our basement until he finds an apartment. No hurry Tony, it will be great to have you back for a while. We kinda consider Tony our 4th son. He is in the family pictures taken at the weddings in January and March. I told the photographer at Matthew's wedding he was our adopted son. 

Kinda reminds me of the family of God. We are adopted into God's family. Tony has joined our family and he is one of us. Do you feel the same way about the family of God?