Lola Joy's First Birthday!!!

This is long, but I just went with my heart. There are lots of pics near the end:)

Approximately one year ago, a baby girl was born in Ethiopia, Africa. She was very much loved. Loved by her birth-mother, her family, and most importantly loved by her heavenly Father. Tonight, that baby girl is sleeping in her cozy bed in the United States of America in my home, and forever in my heart. This day I have been flooded an array of emotions. I have thought of Lola Joy's Ethiopian Mommy. I know she is thinking of the baby she carried in her womb for 9 months and hoping and praying she has a better life than the one she felt she could give her. I wish I had a photograph of her to give Lola Joy when she asks me, "Mommy, who do I look like?" I will tell her I am sure she is a mirror image of her Ethiopian Mommy. ( Even though her Daddy swears she has his "hair"! ) Her Daddy also says she has my personality.:) I have been having flashbacks of the first word we recieved about her. From that moment, Kalkidane became our daughter...no matter what. No matter what her medicals showed, Doug and I knew she was our daughter. I remember the day we received our first pictures of her. We laughed, we cried, we squealed, and smiled. Our hearts were full. She was OURS! NO MATTER WHAT. I have been thinking back to our trip to Ethiopia, and how eye-opening that was. And thinking of THE MOMENT...after all of the praying and waiting....she was in our arms and our eyes LOCKED. I cannot explain the feeling in my heart. A MIRACLE that ONLY MY GOD could do transpired. OUR HEARTS WERE ONE. I would swear by the feeling in my heart that day that I carried her my womb those 9 months, but you know... I did...I carried her in the womb of my heart. Loving her. Praying for her. Caring for her. Hoping for her. Dreaming big dreams for her, hoping someday she will change the world and do BIG THINGS for her Savior. Just like I prayed her for brothers when they resided in my womb. The miracle hasn't ended there. God knitted our hearts together before we met and the bonding and attaching has been building with each new day. Lola Joy has been SO TRUE to her name and GOD has been so faithful and so good to us. Lola Joy touches the lives of EVERYONE she meets and I'm so thankful. Our prayer was that she God would use her for HIS good. Looking into Lola's eyes is like seeing God's heart. He lives among the needy, the orphan, the broken. And that's where we'll find Him. I keep thinking, "What if we missed it? What if we missed this gift God has given us, because we decided to give into those fears that gripped us in the beginning of this process?" THANK YOU GOD for keeping your promises. Kalkidane means, "God's Promise". I know that no matter what this life brings, the good, the bad, and the ugly...God keeps His promises. He was blessed us with three incredible children who we couldn't love any more if we tried. All we know is they are OURS...NO MATTER WHAT! Thank you LORD FOR YOUR INDESCrIBABLE GIFT!!!!

There is a book that my parents got for Lola Joy for Christmas that I would like to share with you. It's titled, "I love you through and through" by Bernadette Rosetti-Shustak

It sums up how we feel about our daughter.

I love you through and through.I love your top side.

I love your bottom side.

I love your inside

and outside.

I love your happy side,

your sad side,

your silly side

your mad side.

I love your fingers,

and toes,

your ears

and nose.

I love your hair and eyes,

your giggles,

and cries.

I love you running

and walking,
silent

and talking.

I love you through and through...

yesterday, today, and tomorrow, too!!

TO GOD BE THE GLORY, HONOR, and PRAISE!!!

We love you precious LOLEE!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday!!!!

If you have ever have questions for us about adoption, we would be happy to talk with you. Please, consider adopting one of HIS children~:) If you have a question and do not know us personally, you can leave a comment by clicking on the word "comments" after this post. If you do not have a blog, you can comment by clicking on comments, then anonymous. (Just be sure to leave your name.:) )