Matthew 29:26

I took this picture on May 15, 2009. This is the day I was preparing for Eli's birthday a month before the big day. I remember him eating green beans that night and falling fast asleep in them on his tray. I remember making his birthday invitations this day. When we made his little handprints as apple trees with bright green paint, I shouted "yay"! It was then he began to clap, splattering green paint all over the both of us. I remember looking into his eyes on the digital camera when I took this picture (this picture his eyes jumped out) and thinking that this was an amazing love.  If it wasn't for my journaling, I would have never remembered this! I write each of your siblings a letter. It started out to be monthly, but now it is more like quarterly :( I want you all to know what was going on and my heart if something ever happened to me so that I couldn't tell you.  This day had a journal entry for a reason - a special reason. When I read the journal entry, it immediately brought back a flood of memories about this special day. I wish I could remember every detail. This was the day that you were born. This day, on the other side of the world, I hadn't let go my dream of adopting, but it was filed waaaayyyyy in the back of my "dreams to accomplish". It was a dream that seemed too good to be true. It was a dream that I couldn't even picture happening because it was too amazing. I got busy with 3 babies under four years old.  Very busy. I never let go of the dream. About 3 years ago, I brought the subject back up to your "Baba". He still wasn't crazy about the idea. As your brothers and sister grew, so did your Baba's heart for adoption! As I have talked about before, we made the decision to fully follow God's call that he screamed at me to follow. Malachi says "God changes not." Our plans change, but if He tells you to do something, You better listen :) In the midst of thinking my dreams were "too big" for me, I forgot the passage "with God all things are possible". No dream is "too big". Adoption is such a miracle. I am so blessed to be a part of it! This thanksgiving is going to be a great one. There is that sadness and grieving that your aren't with us, but you are in our hearts!!!!! We love you! Your brothers brought home their little Thanksgiving crafts from school. Eli drew this picture when asked what he was thankful for. It said "family" beside it. I asked him who was missing because there are only four people.  Mama and Daddy were BOTH missing and you took our place. Four little stick figures that melted my heart.  

Anna Claire, Ezra, Eli and you!  Ezra was thankful for...food and water, his family, his home and ...........

God has plans for each of us. His plan for me is to love you with all my heart. I can't wait to see His plans for you unfold before my eyes!!