a fresh start...

So, good news!!!  The little girl I mentioned that we were not able to move forward with is now living with her grandmother and is no longer in the orphanage. 

Good news you ask?   Let me explain... I hoped and prayed that God would bless this precious little girl and that if she was meant to be in our family that the adoption would still move forward.  I literally prayed no less than 10 times a day.  I read my bible more than ever just to feel closer to our Father.  No, my wishes did not exactly come true but God was definitely working in the background.  I love how he intertwines our lives and brings out some amazing miracles out of some of our most sorrow filled moments.  His ways are so much better than ours and I am feeling so blessed to be able to witness such a miracle.

I was hoping to hear more good news after the long break.  But, instead I received an email and had to make a decision on another referral very quickly.  It broke my heart but we had to turn the second referral down bc we didn't feel right leaving this sweet girl to grow up in the orphanage.  I was a mess.  I wasn't sure if we should have moved forward with the second little girl and I didn't know how we would make the first referral work.  But, we felt like we needed to fight harder for her.  I put her pictures back on my phone and just prayed.  Hubby and I finally felt like this was the right move regardless of where it lead. 

Literally, the next day I received another email letting me know that people went out to try and find this little girls birth mom once again.  Although, they were unable to locate her they did come across the little girl's grandmother AND she accepted custody of the little girl.  This was like music to my ears... hard and sad to come to the realization that this road was over and our sweet girl was not going to come home to us.  But, adoption always needs to be the last resort and I am finally at peace with the situation knowing that my persistence may have helped reunite this sweet one to her biological family.  And, although I will never hold her in my arms... she will remain in my heart forever!

Here are some fun shots from this weekend of my other blessings!

 My big guy looking so cool!

 My middle monsters... so fun having them on the same team this year!

How can you not smile when you see this crazy girl's face :)