Dragonflies are Graceful

I picked up our oldest today from school and was pleased to see an art project in her hand. She took art last semester, and hasn't had art since mid January, so it was a nice surprise to see another masterpiece come home. It's pictured here: you'll notice it's a dragonfly print from a linoleum block that she carved. The completed project is a "Chinese Lantern".

After she got in the car we talked about it briefly and smiled as we imagined that it could hang in Grace's room someday. Then her jaw dropped.

"Mom - there are Chinese symbols in the corners!"

Me: "Oh? Cool!"

Her eyes became saucers as she spoke the next words:

"Mom - the symbols mean GRACE"

Me: "No they don't... No they don't!" I try not to drive off the road.

"Oh my gosh...I made this months ago - I picked the Chinese character that meant "Grace" before we even knew we were adopting. AND I picked pink instead of blue!"

Me: Speechless. *trying not to pass out and driving.

This is the Chinese character for "Grace" in Mandarin. 

"Grace" is all over the masterpiece that she planned, carved, and created weeks before we decided to move forward with adopting. She chose the word "grace" because dragonflies are graceful.

At the exact time she was creating a pink, Chinese lantern, covered in dragonflies and "Grace", we were praying daily that God would lead us and direct us about adopting. She had no idea at the time she made this project that we would ultimately choose a girl to adopt or that her name would be Grace.

I can't help but think about our Grace. She is all over the masterpiece that is our life as a family. Years before we knew she would join our family, God knew. He has been planning, carving, and creating our family to be ready for her all along.

And some day, this pink lantern will grace the room of a little girl named Grace.