Exactly one year ago today, we were doing this:



Don't let the happy people in the video fool you... this year has been a rough one. Life "after the airport" was a stark reality check and a bit of a slap in the face for me. Make no mistake: adoption is hard. Adoption is expensive. Adoption is emotionally draining and exhausting.

And yet, I wouldn't trade this year and all of its experiences, lessons, blessings and provisions for anything in the world.

Some days were good.


Some days were bad.

Dan captured this beauty of a pic at the Fall Festival this October. That's my signature "oh Lord, help me" look. Our four big kids had just single-handedly caused a multi-body pile up at the tug-o-war station.

Some days were downright rotten (and I'm not sharing any pictures of those days).

But it's all been worth it. Every second. Every penny. Every tear. Every desperate prayer. And Dan and I are not the same people we were this time last year.

If you take anything away from this blog, ever, take this: The miracle here is so not that Dan and I stepped out in faith and did this thing. The miracle is that the Lord did it. And although he could've done it all by himself, He allowed us to participate.

Tonight, we're feeling so very blessed that He allowed us to be a part of his plan for Hannah and Joseph's lives. We're thankful for this life He's called us to. We're thankful that His plans for us are so much better than the ones we come up with on our own.

"Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."
-- Matthew 10:39