one month

Dear sweet Elizabeth,

One month ago today, we saw your face for the first time.  And oh my word, what a beautiful little face it is.  Our whole family was home that morning we received the email with our referral.  It was a Wednesday.  Your daddy is never home on Wednesday mornings.  God is in the details.  Opening that email was a surreal and holy moment.  We were shocked and elated and knew in that instant that you were our daughter.

In the first picture we saw,  you were lifting up your arms with eyes pleading to be picked up.  Oh your eyes.  They are so beautiful but so sad.  I look at your pictures about a hundred times a day, and each time I am struck by your beautiful deep brown eyes.  I can hardly wait to get you home, wrap you up in my arms, and smother you with love.

Oh how I hope we are sent some happier pictures of you sometime soon.  But, sweet girl, we know you have already experienced more loss in the short 16 months of your life than we can even fathom.  This makes my heart just ache for you.  But I also have hope in knowing that our God- the God who knit you together perfectly in your birth mother’s womb- has the power to redeem all situations.  He makes all things beautiful.  I’m praying for the smiles and to see a twinkle in your eyes, but I am also praying that you will know how dearly we already love you and, even more importantly, how vast and measureless His love is for you.

Elizabeth, you are so precious.  We are doing everything in our power to bring you home as soon as possible.  Everyone is so excited to meet you.  Your room is even being prepped this week!  And oh.my.word, your mama has been doing some intense research on doing African girl hair.  Girl, you will not have bad hair.

Sweetheart, we love you and can’t wait to bring you home.  We are coming…