Christmas blessings

As I sit here and write this, my heart is so very full. I am so blessed to have my loving family, including five amazing children. They all touch my heart so deeply. I only wish we could include Morgan in all we do in our everyday lives. We miss her so very much, and can only hope she knows how much we love her and desire to see her again. I am so blessed to have a husband who serves the Lord with all his heart and provides a warm, loving environment for all of us. I am blessed to be able to stay home and watch my children grow and flourish; seeing each day all that they accomplish and learn.

On the flip side, my heart also breaks as I think of our soon-to-be little boy who is in an orphanage so far away. He probably doesn't even know what Christmas is, and possibly doesn't know who our Savior, Jesus Christ, is. This will be the last Christmas he spends in less-than-desireable circumstances. Even though he's in a "good" orphanage, there is much that can be given to him with a forever family. I shudder at the thought of him not being held, hugged, kissed, and genuinely LOVED this holiday season and every day. I am thankful for his caregivers and know they do all they can with what they have, but nobody can truly fill the void of a family or home until they have one. We are truly doing all we can as quickly as we can to be able to provide a home and family for him. I miss him even though I don't know him. I love him even though I have never touched or seen him. All I have are pictures and the knowledge from God that this is what we are supposed to do. I cannot wait to get to Eastern Europe and hold him in my arms and tell him how much I love him and how the last few months have seemed like an eternity. I can't wait to tell him that we are his mommy and daddy, and although we did not birth him, we know he was meant for us and we were meant for him.

I am so blessed to have family and friends who support this journey we're on. It is unbelieveable the network we have created in such a short amount of time. I look forward to sharing many stories of our future with our family as it grows to include Micah. I look forward to hearing stories from others as they go through this same journey. It is not easy. But Christ said so perfectly, "I never said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it." I always knew that meant this journey of life we're on to return to Him one day, but it also includes all the small journeys we go through each day, including this one of adoption we are on.

We love you all and wish you a very Merry Christmas, and invite you to take a moment to realize what you are truly blessed with and grateful for, and to thank the One who gave it all to you, even Jesus Christ, our eternal savior. I am thankful beyond anything else that I have my salvation and that my family is sealed together for eternity. I am thankful for Christ, who laid His life down for me, the greatest gift that could ever be given. And, I am thankful for being able to return gifts to Him by serving others in His name.

As I close this post, I want to leave a picture of our children. Morgan is missing, but Gracie made sure that Micah was included. Do you see him? I love the tenderness my children show me every day.

In the name of Jesus Christ,

Amen.