Celebrating a Special Day Today

one of our first playdates before she came to live at our home

first family trip, about two weeks after you came to our home, yep to Disney World...

one very tired, but happy Mommy...my first Mother's Day with you

for real sisters, about a year into our journey...

adoption day breakfast

waiting with the family

You can eat as many  mints as you want today

skipping away from courthouse, light as can be

ready to get down and run

all done...officially adopted

adoption day meant pierced ears for you...

adoption party/dedication cake made by Courtney:)

proud mommy and big brother

this shot captures the true joy and fun of my Erika

always a big smile and ready for the next adventure

happily living her new life in Belmopan

One year ago today, we officially adopted Erika Ruth into our family. I was talking to Erika about this…to her it was unimportant. She really did not want to talk about judges and did not care to get her ears pierced again (because that is what adoption means to her). But today we will celebrate. Celebrate the fulfillment of a dream for me. Celebrate a life that was chosen. Celebrate that even though there is a lot bad in the world, that there is a lot of good too. Celebrate that God chose a precious little Latina baby girl to come into and change our family…for the good. To make a great family even better. If I was more settled, I would throw more of a party for our family, but life is still so unsettled in so many ways. I have asked Lee to pick up some frosting to go on the cake I will bake for her and a small Dora something or other for her. I will do my best to make the day special, to make Erika know how special she is. With Erika, every day is a party.




One year ago today, we stood on the brink of a life changing experience. We had not told our church yet, we had not gone to mission training yet (until next week), we had not put a for sale sign in our yard. But my heart was heavy, with all this change just a breath away. I was anxious, I will admit. God had done a lot in my heart by this point, but I was still really learning to trust Him as we walked into so many things uncertain. But I had this new faith. A new faith that had developed over two years of what I call My Adoption Journey. God had already proven over and over that He had His hand on our lives and that He was watching over us and guiding our steps. He had given us favor in situations, that even people who did not know the Lord, saw and spoke to us. That has happened once again in this journey to the mission field. Are we special? No. Just a couple/family trying to walk each day in the path He sets before us. Is life perfect every day? Definitely not. Yet, there is always peace.

I am so thankful for the journey. It is in the journey that we see God mold our hearts and change our hearts, grow us up. Learn that we still have a ways to go. But it is in the journey that we see our potential, God’s potential to use anyone.

Erika has changed our lives. She has lived with us for almost 3 years, been our legal daughter for 1. She was my daughter the moment I laid eyes on her. I fell in love with her the moment I first picked her up and held her. I remember how tiny she was for a one year old. It was if she weighed nothing. And it was if, she knew, too, on that first meeting, that we were her family, too. The way she went to each of the kids, and Lee, and me.

A year ago, we spent all morning getting ready. I made our whole family dress up and match. Erika had a new dress and held a baby with a matching one. I fixed her hair special. I was nervous. A friend came and caught it all on camera. Chris, I will treasure those photos forever. You truly caught the moments. While I got to just enjoy the moments with my family surrounding me.

As we stood before the judge, I remember there were so many official things she asked. And then she looked at me and said, “Do you feel that you have adequately bonded with this child to raise her as your own?” I lost it at these words. Yes, I definitely was bonded to Erika. Erika was my baby, is my baby. Just as if I carried her in my womb. It is a little corny, but true—I actually carried her in my heart. She is the third child I wanted for many years. But more than that, she is so perfect for me, for our home. Erika makes us laugh, makes us feel our age, amazes us, brings life into any room she enters, is a walking Testimony of God’s love and grace, and I am so thankful that He chose US to get to raise her. And I am also thankful she is napping beautifully for a moment.



Literally, I remember landing in Los Angeles the first week of March last year, turning to Lee and saying…”SO, we have completed the journey of adopting Erika…here we go for the next ride…” And God has given me strength when I knew it was Him carrying me, He has guided us to make decisions that I know He was there, He has timed things perfectly and at a pace that He knew I could handle. Whenever I have worried about the details, He has filled them in beautifully.



So thankful for my walk with the Lord this past year…let’s see what 2011 holds for us.