Meant to Be

It has been 365 blessed days since that first day outside the Civil Affairs office in Urumqi, XinJiang PRC where we met Grace.

I am amazed.
I'm amazed we made it through that day without a trip in an ambulance.
I'm amazed we made it through several TSA checks at airports both domestic and Chinese without landing myself in prison for assault. (lots of times).
I'm amazed at how the big kids adjusted in the hard moments of this past year and how they love her.
I'm amazed at how Robert has balanced a very full load and has become Grace's hero, her safe person, her Daddy.
I'm amazed at how Grace has battled her past, makes peace with the present, and heals on the inside and out by the grace of God.
I'm amazed that we weathered many storms of surprises and surgeries and procedures and hospital stays.
I remain amazed that she is ours, that it's her - the girl in the picture we fell in love with, and that the impossible is possible after all.
I remain amazed of a God who is intimately mindful of our family despite how messed up we can be at times.
I'm grateful for 365 days of growing and learning and healing in our girl and in each of us.

Of all the things Grace has learned and will learn, one thing I pray she learns deeply is that she was and is meant to be. She was not a mistake. She was not an accident or an unfortunate birth, born defected and broken. She was born with purpose and oozes purpose. She is a survivor, and overcommer and such a brave little warrior princess. I cannot say that I'm glad her birth parents couldn't keep her, but I can say I'm grateful - forever grateful - that they intentionally placed her in a safe place to be found, gave her the chance to live, and that she is ours forever. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of them and their sacrifice. Not one day.

So, in honor of this very special day I decided to look back; because in the every day drama it's easy to not remember all the reasons to be amazed. Click on the "Meant to Be" link to look back...

Meant to Be *

Finally, I am profoundly grateful to the incredible network of support and encouragement we have been blessed to know. From prayers and excitement to weeks of meals; from care packages in the mail to presents and surprises on our doorstep. From financial generosity to gifts of time and talents and laughter... our year with Grace would would have been significantly less sunny and joy filled were it not for the people who bless our life. You know who you are...

• you counted the days with us until travel
• you refreshed Facebook a hundred times a year ago today
• you prayed us home from delays, and mayhem in China
• You welcomed us home with open arms at the airport, capturing precious moments on tape.
• You brought meals and toys and clothes and eased our load over and over again.
• you prayed with us in hospitals through tears and fears
• you didn't ask what you could do to help - you just did. You just loved. You just acted.
• you understood when we had to reschedule because someone was too sick for Grace
• you celebrated with us the many firsts and milestones of this first year
• You smiled and nodded when we didn't speak complete sentences. 
• you shared our story of God's faithfulness.

To anyone considering walking this road of adoption, know this:

It's incredible.

It's incredibly difficult.
It's incredibly worth it.

It's only because of an incredible God that we have this story to tell and by His grace I pray you would be so bold to say "I will" if He asks this of you. 

It remains one of my favorite things ever.



*The song "Meant to Be" is by Steven Curtis Chapman from his album, Re-Creation.