Brought to my Knees

I have been thinking a lot about everything that has happened to our family in the past year. Just like everyone else there have been ups and downs. 

A year ago we began our adoption adventure. Anyone who has gone through this before knows that you feel hopeful and hopeless at the same time. I jumped everytime the phone rang, hoping it was THE call. 

We enjoyed our summer of watching our oldest play a lot of baseball. Watching him improve makes me so proud. 

Our youngest son went to a new teacher for preschool and I watched him slowly not be so dependent on me. (I had quit teaching to prepare for having a new baby)

We were lucky enough to be able to drive back to Tennessee to spend thanksgiving with Bill's parents. 

We got THE call a week before Christmas that our baby girl had found us and she was sleeping in her crib, in our home, 10 days later. And another blessing was that my best friend and Bill's parents were here visiting so they were able to meet Gracie-Dru. 

6 weeks after bringing her home, we were told that Little Miss Magic had biliary atresia. Her only option is a life-saving liver transplant. 

Of course we hadn't planned on this, and of course our world was turned upside down for just a little bit. And of course we are very focused on Dru and are very aware she has a disease. But that is not all we are focused on. 

We choose to focus on the fact that she is in a family that loves her. She has brothers that worry about her and cry when she's put through something no baby should have to endure. She came to a family that prayed non-stop for her before we even knew her. 

She came to a daddy that will protect her with everything he's got and wanted that daddy/daughter bond so badly that he put aside all doubts to make it happen. And it has happened already in such a short amount of time. 

She came to a mom that fought for her for years before she was even conceived. And I'm not about to stop now. We are a family of fighters :)

So please don't feel sorry for us. We are blessed. We are happy. We are hopeful. 

Yes, we have been brought to our knees many times. But never in despair, never in defeat. Always in gratitude. And we will continue to do so.