Been awhile...

You could read a million books, get you bachelors and masters in counseling, prepare for over four years and still be so unprepared to bring home a sweet, innocent little seven year old girl.  This has been the most humbling, heartbreaking, honoring, and happy experience of our lives.  No one could ever prepare you enough to bring a little child into your family one who can't trust, speak your language, understand your habits and ways, who doesn't understand love, who has survived seven years with coping habits, and so much more.  No one could!  Only God!  And still we are not doing this on our own every second of the day we have to remind ourselves about our calling.  We are called to our girl. Jesus made her for us.

Please remind me of this Lord when I don't get any sleep, when I have to lovingly disapline a child who has been physically and emotionally scarred throughout her young life,  when I get so frusterated with myself for my own stubbornness and selfishness, when all I can do is hold her even though she is mad and rebelling against me, and when all I can do is stare at her face and wonder what she has seen.

Haddie girl you are loved, have been by our God since birth and by us for over 5 years now.  You are worth the sleepless nights, the humbling on our own parts, and change that happens with a new child. You are worth it all and so much more.  Thank you for being so brave.