18 months

  Today our sweet girl is 18 months old.  I can hardly believe it.  A year ago at this time we were screaming in despair as our daughter, our heart, our love was all the way on the other side of the world and we couldn't get to her.  I secretly grieved on the 4th of July as I watched fireworks with my nephew, every inch of me aching to celebrate with my daughter.  We had already met her, already snuggled and fallen in love.  Most of the other families we had traveled to court with had already brought home their children, but we had no answers as to when we might be united again with our daughter.  The pain was nearly unbearable.
  This year our daughter has been home for 11 months.  We enjoyed a barbecue with good friends and watched our children run around wearing their red, white, and blue.  We were finally able to celebrate with our daughter.  God has healed our wounds and brought us joy.
  To our friends that are still in the midst of the all consuming ache to be united with your child, God WILL bring healing.  The ache will leave in an instant and God will bring joy and peace that passes all understanding.  The holidays that bring even more pain will soon bring more joy than you could ever have imagined.
  Happy 18 months old, my beautiful A.F.T.  You're presence brings me joy and your infectious laugh makes my heart soar.  Ewedeshalo!

-amory

Happy Mother's Day

  One year ago today I rejoiced with my husband over my "first" Mother's Day.  We celebrated the gift God had given us of a little girl still on the other side of the world that we had never met.  It was such a special day to me, but this year, I celebrated my first Mother's Day with my daughter home. This morning I was met by my sweet girl bringing me a present and showering me with hugs and kisses.  Oh what a year it has been.
  Last year at this time we were packing and preparing to meet our daughter.  Little did I know how my world would change that moment.  Little did I know about being a mother that Mother's Day.
  This year I better understand.  In the last year I have gone from a still quiet home to a home bursting with joy. In the last year I have gone from sleepless nights because of insomnia and stress to sleepless nights because of teething and fevers.  In the last year I have learned the inexplicable joy that comes from two little arms squeezing me tight and slobbery sweet kisses.  But this year I also remember what was happening to a mother on the other side of the world at the same time last year.
  Last year on Mother's Day a woman on the other side of the world found out when she would have to go to court to terminate her rights to her daughter. This year I better understand the sacrifice of that mother and stand in awe and gratitude of the great strength it took for that mother to make such a difficult decision to give her child life, hope, and a future.  So, this year on Mother's Day we also celebrate and thank God for that mother through whom God made me a mother.

-amory

Can I just take a moment to say how NICE it is to be one week into our adoption and already be where we were two months into our last adoption.  Oh happy day!

We're adopting again!

  You read it right!  We have just started our second adoption from Ethiopia!  We are excited to see what God has in store for our family next.  Why Ethiopia again?  Our answer is kind of the same as last time.  We just feel like this is how God wants us to grow our family.  It's that simple.  However, this time God has moved in our hearts in a way we would have never dreamed possible 3 years ago when we started our first adoption.  We are opening our parameters to include two siblings up to three years old.  We're expecting this adoption to take three or four years at least to complete so...you've guessed it right.  I could have three children under 5 years old.  YIKES!!!  

  It is a bit scary knowing that God is going to prepare us to parent that bunch of kiddos.  However, we are thrilled and humbled to see God move in our lives, yet again.  Thank you for all of your prayers and support as we walk down another road to Ethiopian adoption.  God is good!

-Bryan and Amory

STAY TUNED......

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.