It seems like just yesterday that we were getting ready to head to China to adopt our first daughter. I can hardly believe that it was six years ago that we walked into a cold, dreary civil affairs office and met our very confident, more-than-happy-to-leave-China, vivacious little three year old.
I will never forget that day–she put her hands in ours, told us some long story in Chinese (which she clearly thought we understood), and half dragged us out of the door and toward her new life. She waved goodbye to the caretakers who brought her and never once looked back. She was out of there! And that is exactly how she has lived her life ever since–with passion, exuberance, excitement, and a huge amount of enthusiasm.
How time has flown by!
Tonight I looked at my beautiful nine-year-old daughter, all dressed up and ready to go out to her first Daddy-Daughter dance, and I felt a little teary. Hannah-Claire is growing up so quickly.
She is growing up before our eyes and becoming all who God has created her to be.
She is blossoming into such a beautiful young lady–inside and out. What a gift she is to our family!
I am so, so proud of this precious daughter of ours. She is a joy and an absolute delight to all who meet her. Hannah-Claire knows how to live life big! She loves life and sees everything as an adventure. How much I learn from my daughter–the one who God used to show us what a blessing adoption truly is!
And to see her all dressed up with her Daddy who loves her so passionately…oh my goodness! My heart overflows.
As much as I wish I could keep her little for longer, I am so excited to see God’s plans and purposes for her life unfold. I am excited to see the places He will take her and the things He will call her to do. What an honor and a privilege it is to be her mom! What an absolute joy it is to be able to cheer her on and encourage her to follow God with all her heart…no matter where the road may lead her.
Keep shining for Jesus, beautiful girl!
I am forever thankful.
If you are new to my blog and are curious about how God led us down the adoption road, you can read the story here and here.
