Tuesday, September 7, 2010

guest blogger

Hi, I'm Tyson Griffin.  You will know me in the virtual world as "a guest blogger".  I was politely asked by my internet savvy wife, Renee, to be "a guest blogger".  I feel privileged. I feel important. I thought I’d start out similar to Renee’s polished blogging style using scripture to eloquently hone my point of truth.  2 Samuel 15:11b says: "They were invited as guests knowing nothing of the matter."  Taking this verse strangely out of context and stretching it's meaning to mean exactly nothing pertaining to the original...I, having been invited as a guest, know nothing of the matter of blogging.  I do however know that God has blessed this guest blogger with a beautiful, intelligent, godly, and thorough wife who has been planning this trip for four almost five years now.  I signed my name a few times, but Renee has been compiling, filing, reading, praying, dreaming, re-filing, re-reading, and organizing the mounds of paperwork needed for this trip.  A trip that has brought me to realize how blessed I am to have a wife, partner, co-minister and friend like Renee.  I guess the weird reality is that while I was here to fall in love with a daughter I had never met, I fell in love with a spouse I already knew all over again in a fresh realization of just how wonderful she is.  …By the way Ren-boo is also stealing my heart at a record pace. 
The paperwork says that Ren is officially a Griffin now.  How do you tell that to a Chinese speaking, crooked nosed, 21 month old who knows nothing about legal documentation, notary seals, Consulate appointments, i-600 forms or even a real family?  “Officially a Griffin” to Ren means practically separated from everything familiar and comfortable.  So…It’s fun to watch as every day she gets a bit more comfortable, a bit more real, a bit more founded, a bit more “official” in our family.   You can tell by watching her react to life.  At first her smiles were absent.  She didn’t laugh or cry.  She didn’t really do much of anything other than hold tightly to Renee and her orphanage sheep toy called “Shi-yang yang.”  Her heart melting smiles and laughs are more frequent now. The “I’m a princess fits” are also becoming noticeable.  She cries when mom is busy and can’t hold her.  She whines when she drops her toys or wants out of her stroller.  She stomps her feet (in her squeaky shoes) and shakes her head when she reaches the peak of her fits now (like real fits should be).  She reaches for my hand now as we walk down the street when I offer her my finger. 
We can do the two parent arm swing thing and she laughs and smiles.  She brings me toys to fix with a confident smile.  She laughs spontaneously at nothing apparently funny.  She even leans in when her daddy bends over and says “kiss kiss.” Her cute head movements (twisting like a puppy when she admires something she’s holding) are beginning to be the norm. She says “momma” quite often and I’m fairly certain she said “dadda” the other day while in a good mood.  She is letting us see much more of her personality as she feels more “officially” part of our family.  My prayer is that the fits, stomps, laughs and smiles keep coming as she continues to learn that she’s a Griffin like it or not. One day I hope she realizes that she is loved with a father’s love that will always be there for her, always seek to protect her, always help her, and always seek her highest good.  And as she grows, I hope she never feels…well…like a guest. 
Ephesians 1:3-5
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 

2 comments:

  1. I love your guest writer...he can guest on my blog anytime! :)

    I think his comment about falling more in love with you now is sssssssssooooooooooo sweet!

    And I love that Ren feels comfortable enough to pitch fits! :)

    Ty was dancing in car rider line today! So cute! Totally at the wrong post, but no one cared! :)

    Love you guys!
    paige

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  2. I can tell you that your "guest writer" is a favorite of mine! I am so blessed each time I see new pics. We are just overjoyed at what God is doing in the Phillips/Griffin family. We continue to pray for our "Georgia family".

    We love you!
    Vicki and Deryle

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