Happy "Gotcha Day"

It is so amazing to sit here and type this note. For me it is so hard to believe that Emma Grace has been with us for one year today. I can remember so well sitting in that hot room in Hangzhou China and seeing her for the first time. She was such a tiny little thing and boy she could cry = ) I remember all of the emotions of fear and love that were inside of me and how the fear just melted the moment she was placed in my arms. She was so scared that first day and cried so much. I remember her first smile and the first time we saw her begin to open up and play. She has changed so much in such a short time. She is the most loving little girl who wants to be held and hugged. She is talking up a storm now with 3 & 4 word sentences. Just last week on June 2nd she grabbed me for the first time and said “I love you my mommy”. This is the first time she has said it without me saying it first & my heart just melted. When she became ours last year she was so far behind developmentally and I was very worried about her. She was not crawling at 21 months old. Today she is running, climbing and jumping and is your typical 2 year old. She is right on target developmentally and for me it has been amazing to see the power of love. We are so blessed by this amazing little girl. I can remember so many times during the adoption questioning the path that we were on. Was this really God’s will for our lives? We were trying so hard to follow his will in our lives and we felt this was the direction we were being lead, but if that were the case then why the long wait. I admit that I never struggled so hard in my life with my faith. I spent a lot of time in my bible reading the words of Isaiah 40:31 and trying to draw my strength as I waited upon the Lord, & Jeremiah 29:11 believing that He knew the plan he had for us and there was a purpose. I had to really learn what Paul was talking about in Hebrews when he talked about Faith being the belief in what we hope for and being certain of what we do not see. I held on to that Faith for 36 months as we waited and waited and waited. How easy it would have been many times to just throw our hands into the air and say I am done with this. I can’t take any more heartache and waiting and there just has to be a better way. That would have been My way and not Yours God. Praise you God and Thank You for being patient with me and loving me through my doubts and fears. Your plan was amazing and I know that now. I hold her every day and THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for pushing my heart towards hers. There is an ancient Chinese belief of the “Red Thread” that connects us "An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but never breaks." I add to that belief now that the Red Thread is there perfectly sewn by God weaving together his children. I know that Emma Grace is my daughter just as God planned because something so wonderful could only be the handiwork of God. Happy “Gotcha Day” my sweet baby girl and thank you God for letting her be mine.