full sky double promise

this is what was outside my window this morning.  this full sky double rainbow.  and it was as if it was put there just for me.  God's promise.  a symbol of His love.  a symbol of his commitment. of non-abandonment.  and it came after the 'storm' of yesterday (see post nonverbal learning disorder sucks!)

but it was more than that to me.  this rainbow had the most amazing light- that is how we noticed it.  jude called us to come outside and see the light- everything was bathed in yellow- this soft, glowing yellow- and then we looked up and saw this.  a reminder of not just a future promise, but of the extraordinary provision we've felt since moving to uganda.  really. 

i wasn't counting on an easy transition.  in fact i was counting on hitting the ground hard.  i was expecting zoe to disconnect for  a while, to retreat into the safety of her mind and pull up the ladder behind her.  i was expecting meltdowns and massive sticky thoughts and anger and 'i want to go home!'.  and i was assuming that after a few days, after the initial shock and jet lag and initial excitement wore off, that i'd wake up and think- 'oh my word, what have we done! and how can we undo it.'

but that is not how it's been at all.  in fact, very much the opposite.  it was a soft landing, zoe has not retreated but engaged, if anything there have been less sticky thoughts and meltdowns and no one has asked to go home.  i wake up and thank God for getting us here because it feels so right.  not only that, but we've made friends (with people we actually like!), and so have the kids, and people have been brought into our lives, specifically zoe's life, that we couldn't have imagined.  the ugandan people as a group are joyful and loving and forgiving and optimistic and don't notice the differences with zoe, or if they do, they embrace her anyway.  

so that glorious double rainbow spoke to me.  and as it stretched across the sky, i'm sure it spoke to many people who gathered beneath, knowing, God is here. He cares.  and it's above and beyond what we can even ask or imagine.