One year ago, as I was finishing up the final leg of my foreverrrr-long flight home with Elizabeth, this was happening…

The anticipation was intense on both ends.  While they waited at the Raleigh-Durham airport, my utter exhaustion (flying that far with a 21 month old is no joke, people) was turning into excitement and awe that our entire family was about to be together.  Alas.

After nearly three years of waiting, that moment in which we were finally together as a family of five was one that will forever be etched in my memory.  There are hardly words to describe the feeling- it was as if I could finally breathe again.

So, it’s been a year.  And a year later, we still get the comments.  The comments suggesting that we’re all kinds of noble and ultra-altruistic for adopting.  As though this was a good deed, and we’re some kind of super-holy good Samaritans.  You guys, we are not saviors.  I urge you all- look right past us.

Because we’re the ones who have the privilege of tucking Elizabeth in at night, kissing her scraped knees, and calling her our daughter.

I’m the one who is consistently humbled as I reflect that the child who someone else carried for nine months, anguished in labor with, and delivered into this world calls me “mama”.

We’re the ones whose lives have been rocked and faith has been stretched by our strong and resilient Elizabeth Francine Allison.

Please, don’t look at us.

Look to Him.

Look to the God who held us up when the going got tough.  Really, really tough.  Who sustained us in those dark, painful days of waiting to bring her home.

Look to the God who has taught us, in those valleys and peaks, that He is faithful.  That He is sovereign and good.  And that He can be trusted.

Look to the God who moved in truly miraculous ways to bring Elizabeth home.

Look to Him who heaps grace upon grace on us as we fumble around learning to navigate the waters of transracial adoption.  While we learn to parent a child with a traumatic past.

We’re but fallen, messed-up humans whose ridiculously crazy love we have for this little girl is but a pale, pale comparison to the all-surpassing love God has for us.

So, look to Him.