A year ago...

Samuel,

A year ago, today, you were only a picture. A precious, little boy in overalls, who stole our hearts with your sweetness. We decided to take a step of faith. It was time for us to quit hugging the beam and begin to walk purposefully toward you. They say a journey of a thousand miles starts with just one step. So, we took the first step, we signed the papers that would be the first of many stating that, "Yes, this boy is our son!" We committed our hearts to you one year ago, today.

Since then, we have had the great JOY of meeting you and learning about you. We know that you are loving, generous (a trait not often found in an orphan boy), that you laugh easy and often and that you love with your whole self. We have also learned that you are willful and headstrong and are going to be our greatest parenting challenge, yet. We look forward to showing you love, while giving you the boundaries that will allow you to reach your greatest potential.

Mostly, as we acknowledge this 365th day of waiting for YOU. We want you to know that we don't regret one second, of one minute, of the journey. We are so in love with you and eagerly await the day when we will be yours and you will be ours forever. You still have no idea what's waiting for you. My precious boy, you are going to be a son, a brother, a grandson, a nephew, a friend. You are going to be cherished, chosen, loved, valued, adopted. We can hardly wait.

We couldn't let this day pass by unnoticed. It's the day we put all our cards on the table. We told God, "We're ALL in!" Our lives began to match our words of faith, as we stepped into God's calling for our family. I can't tell you how blessed this year has been and how often we've found Jesus waiting in the most unlikely of places. We will never be the same and your life is forever changed.

We love you, little boy and we're coming soon.

I wanted to add, that all it took to give Samuel a home, was obedience. We're not special people, we're not chosen people, we're simply obedient people. There are many children waiting for a home, waiting for obedient people to come and redeem them into a family. Sweet Bernadette is one of those precious children. A year from now, she will either be at home with her family or she will be locked away forever in a mental institution. Please, pray and share Bernadette's story with everyone you know. So that one day soon, we can read a love note written to Bernadette from her family and we can smile and know that we had a little part in her miracle.

Pray, Adopt, Advocate, Support...They're worth it!

Hidden in Christ,
Mandy