The other night, I wondered back to our blog and started reading through the posts from a year ago. So much has changed in the past year. So many answered prayers and blessings. A year ago, I was teaching. Kaleb and I did the commute in the car with our waffles, coffee and KSLT playing. I remember a year ago yesterday, that Kaleb asked me in the car 'Momma, when will we get a picture of my sister'. To which I would always reply- God's not ready yet Kaleb but it's really, really soon. That the last morning I answered not knowing when God would reveal our sweet baby girl. A year ago this morning... we got 'the call'. It was there in the car with our waffles and coffee and KSLT playing that God introduced me to my daughter. Here's the post from last year- Praise the Lord...
I had kind of forgotten about ditching the computerized dolls in the hallway and all the craziness of that day! What I didn't mention in the post is how incredibly impossible it was to pay attention to the professional development meetings that day. What a day it was!! And, then there was the telling to family...oh, what precious fun & memories- Start Spreadin' the News. And, then the real craziness began!!
As I kept reading my way back down memory lane, I came to the post about her name. And, we named her- we didn't know how much God would show His abundance! E is for...
The abundance of God has been poured out into our lives this past year. Financial abundance when were out of money and there was a trip to China coming fast. An abundance of prayer for her, our travel, our transition and our family. An abundance of help from family who loved on Kaleb for 16 days while we journeyed to pick up our Elsie. An abundance of endurance for the plane ride home. An abundance of patience and mind numbing emotional exhaustion during those first weeks home. An abundance of sleep deprivation and trust building and emotional healing and dying to self in a pile of nothingness on the couch by the end of the day-ness. And, then... came the first glimpses of healing and safety and smiles and togetherness. And, it started to grow from glimpses of progress to outright overflowing abundance of progress.
These two are the best of friends like I've never seen in my life!
You couldn't make two siblings more emotionally connected. Two peas in a pod, indeed.
Nine months ago today, we woke up together for the first time as a family all on the same continent. And, now we see the incredible abundance of love and joy and laughter and fun and companionship and humor and spunk our little Elsie has brought to our family.
Hauling one of her favorite kitties around wearing her Dora the Explorer dress up skirt with her huntin' cap & jacket. What a gem of a girl she is!
You couldn't find two siblings more in love with each other. They're quite the pair and are incredibly emotionally connected to each other. It's crazy the bond of doing life together. What a beautiful thing to watch.
And, she's got a healthy dose of spunk in her too! But anyone would given the fact that a year ago tonight she was sleeping in an unheated institution where food was scarce and the kids were many.
You'd learn to throw a good punch and defend yourself too! But through it all, she's came out shining like a little star all ready to light up the world around her. Today, thumb sucking is those last few minutes before falling asleep. And, most days life is still fine after she finishes her one little sack of fruit snacks after nap time. I would guess her vocabulary is in the hundreds. Knows all her body part words, all the normal basic colors and started to love singing. I'll hear her playing and humming to her baby. I am so proud and excited to see what this past year has brought to our little Elsie AND, to live in the abundant blessings she has brought to our lives!
She is funny, a little crazy, loves a good laugh, is a prankster and loves doing handstands on the couch with her brother 'spotting' her ;) She also does a sweet summersault for a 2.25 year old who could barely walk last March. Last night, the two kids spent a solid 15 minutes rolling across the living room floor laughing and laughing and laughing. And, a handful of times a day she'll just walk up to me and say 'hugggg'. So, we just stand there or sit there for like a whole big ole' minute and hugggggg. And, life is good. And, God is good.
We are incredibly thankful for how God has built our family.
He knew what our family was to be long before we had a clue.
I am so thankful I get to call you my daughter and that I get to be your Mamma.
Praise the Lord!!
