WHAT A DIFFERENCE 14 MONTHS MAKES!

One of Lily's "red couch" photos in China. Silly girl!




We are signing the papers that make her officially ours- the day after we met her. See her cute little footprint on the paper??





This is right after we met Lily- in the room where we met her. She had cried herself out and was seriously sweating in her 3 layers of wool clothes! Poor Baby! She is wearing her brand new shoes the nannies bought for her.

I was looking through some old pictures and our "Gotcha Day" video today (which I tried to post, but after it tried to upload for 2 hours, I gave up), and realized just how much Lily has changed in the last 14 months. Not only has she grown taller and bigger, but she is so much more outgoing and lively than she was when she was first home. She has enjoyed the role of "little sister" and learned how to be part of a family. She is such a little helper. She is always throwing things in the trash can, or cleaning up toys! She is the funniest kid I have ever met. She keeps us laughing all the time. She is just such a joy and a blessing and I cannot even remember what life was like before God placed her in our family. I pray that she will flourish here and that we will be the best parents that we can be to her. She deserves that and so much more. Jackson and Riley are such a sweet big brother and sister to her and Riley especially is happy to have a confidante to get into trouble with. They are always playing together, going to "home school" in Riley's room, and trying to sneak candy! I am so blessed beyond measure and cannot believe that at the start of this process we were the ones who were scared of what lie ahead. Sounds so crazy now. We were not the ones who were taken from all we knew by strangers halfway across the world....new language, new faces....new smells, new food..... Wow. How selfish I feel to have EVER doubted God's wisdom.

"For I know the plans I have for you....Plans to prosper and not harm you.....To give you a hope and a future".....

Need I really second-guess HIS plan???

Looking forward to seeing His plan revealed to me daily...

Blessings-

Meredith