Missing You

I recently heard a line in a movie that really resonated with me. The character questioned, "How can I miss someone so much that I have never even met?" That just completely sums up how I feel about Joy. So often my heart just aches for her, to touch her, to hold her, to embrace her. I have never even met her, yet I miss her. I also began thinking about all of the milestones in her life that we have already missed. Yet, I was reminded of a poem that my sister found and sent to me. It is such a beautiful depiction of the fact that Joy's heavenly Father has always been with her, loving her and comforting her. He hasn't missed a minute! He has been planning her life since the beginning of time. This poem is untitled and the author is unknown:

You might not know the story (the one about her birth)
But I have kept a record since the moment she touched earth.
I know the day she tried to walk. I counted every fall.
I know the number of her tears. My bottle holds them all.

I was there for the day when she turned one year old.
You don't know where it happened and she might not have been told,
But those things are less important than the fact that I was there . . .
That I planned her birth with purpose is more important than the "where".

I was there when she was waiting. I whispered to her when
Her small heart first held the promise of the family I would send.
I planned all those details of herself that whisper she is yours
So that one day you could show her that I'd planned this since before.

Since before she heard your voice and before she knew your name
I was holding her and planning for her welfare just the same.
There was never once a moment when I didn't rule it all
From the numbers in her birth date to events she can't recall.

I've been planning this small life for the big one that shall be.
The missing pieces of her story make more room to trust in me.
The harvest that will come of the first few years of pain
Will be greater than your heart can know, or ever could contain.

My Sister's Adoption

It is so amazing that my sister and her family are also currently in the process of adoption. It is an incredible gift from the Lord for both of our families to be sharing in this journey together. God is leading their family to adopt two little boys from Africa. We are all anxiously waiting to find out who these two little precious ones are. We trust that God knows and has ordained all of their days. He has planned for these boys to be welcomed into a home filled with grace, acceptance, encouragement, and an abundance of love! We are just thrilled to be a part of watching God expand their family tree.

Follow their adoption journey at: http://www.treeanditsfruit.blogspot.com/.

"A Father to the fatherless, a Defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families." Psalm 68:5-6

Care Package Received

We found out that our care package was received at the orphanage! Thank you, Lord! It is such a blessing to know that Joy probably has the special things that we sent her. I say "probably" because there is no guarantee that she was given everything, but that is in God's hands. A very special lady at Blessed Kids helped us to make sure that our package arrived safe and sound.

Here are the items that we sent:

hand made blanket (made by Mia and Mommy on her birthday on February 17th)

book called "All the Ways I Love You" with our voices recorded reading the story to Joy (This was an hilarious evening as we attempted to say hello to Joy in our best Mandarin and to introduce ourselves and tell her that we love her. . . only to find out that the language is probably more likely Cantonese in the region where she lives! Oh well, we pray that she will at least smile when she hears our voices. :)

photo album of several pictures of us . . . we pray that she will think that we look somewhat familiar when we meet her.

A panda bear for Joy and goodies for the orphanage were also included along with a letter translated into Chinese for the orphanage workers to understand the contents of the package. The letter also offered our gratitude to the special "angels" who are taking care of our daughter until we can go and get her.

Whether or not Joy comes to us with these items is hard to predict. We just pray that they may offer comfort to her now and familiarity to her when we are united. I actually slept with the blanket for a few nights before we sent it. I just wanted to hug and cuddle it, and I prayed that just maybe my scent would linger long enough for her to have a sense of Mommy.