Today

Today is a very special day. There's no great name for it and no big celebration. It will only happen one time so there will be no anniversary of it, but today is a very special day. As of about nine or 10 this morning, our daughter has been in our care longer than not. As of today our daughter has been in our arms, felt our love for her expressed through hugs and kisses and cleaning diapers, longer than not. Today our daughter has been in our home longer than any other home she lived in. It seems like such a short time to have known her, and it is, but today our daughter has known us as Mom and Dad longer than anybody else. Today my heart soars and is humbled by God's goodness. Today I have pondered on and been thankful for God's perfect, sovereign plan for our lives. Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow.

-amory

Taking A into my arms permanently

Leaving Hannah's Hope

My wild child now!

Dear birth mother

Dear birth mother,
I wish I could write this letter and know that it would get to you. I wish that I could find some way to tell you about our daughter's first year of life. Instead I will just have to write what I have to say and pray that God writes it on your heart all the way across the world. Our daughter is resilient and amazing. She has now been in our home for six months. It has been the most beautiful, sweet, happy six months. She has gone through more change in her first year of life than some people go through in their entire lives and has handled it like a champ. Not having heard much English before she was seven months old, she said her first words the week before she turned nine months old. She started walking at ten months old and by a year old she was practically running. At 13 months old she has over 30 words, about 40 if you include animal sounds. She can point out the color yellow and tell you that it is yellow. She has a sweet, obedient spirit, but is also passionate with a temper at times. She says please and thank you and likes to know that she has done something good. Our daughter LOVES books and would sit in your lap and let you read to her for hours if she could. Every now and then she'll read the book to you, which just might be the cutest thing ever, though completely unintelligible. She loves to dance to music and will randomly break out singing "lalalala". She is above the growth curve and according to the pediatrician is very muscular. Our daughter is thriving. Our daughter is a survivor and has fight in her. God has used our daughter to break down walls and heal hurts. Our daughter is loved.