Amazing...

I have considered recently if this blog gives a true picture of what it has been like to adopt and raise 3 girls as a single parent. I don't know if I can truly answer that question. Like all of us, each of my girls came with their own baggage. They each possess their own set of quirks. They each have their strengths and weaknesses. I have come to discover, to some extent, what makes them tick and know how to avoid triggers that will set off behavior that is not beneficial.

For instance, when E came home, it was a seamless transition. Such a loving girl, thirsty for love. It was a good thing she was such a sweet, good baby as this single mom didn't know one end of a baby from the other. She made my job very simple. She was easy to love.

When O came home, she brought with her emotional baggage. She was very angry for reasons I will probably never know. Perhaps I was as much of the problem during those first years we were together in that I made assumptions about why she had the temper tantrums she had. We had a rocky start. Now, she is my shadow. When she smiles, her eyes twinkle brighter than any star you will ever find on a clear, dark night.

When we met C in China, she was not all that happy to be with us and cried for several days (pretty much nonstop.) But once home, she is a happy, easy baby who, on occasion, can be stubborn but never holds a grudge. She is funny and freely gives her love unconditionally.

So where does that leave us? I know many who read this may think my response is one you would expect from Pollyanna. But I must be honest...yes, there are days that are difficult, but they are becoming few and far between. Yes, I am often exhausted and my nerves are worn to a frazzle at the end of the day, but when I tuck my sleeping beauties in long after they are asleep, my heart aches with love and pride that they are mine and the weariness of the day seems to melt away. Bottomline, they are regular kids with individual personalities that sometimes mesh and sometime clash. None the less, I would not trade one day, good or bad, with these girls for anything in the world.

So, I guess I have intentionally used this blog to share a few of the hard moments, but mostly share with the world the awesome power of God's grace and love. We like to throw around the addage that love conquers all. I think that in the end, that is true. However, there are often times where we must cling to the faith and hope that love never fails. On occasion, I have had different people remark about the extraordinary thing I have done in adopting these 3 girls. I must disagree. I am by no means extraordinary. I am just an ordinary single woman who is blessed beyond her wildest dreams to get in on the ground floor of an incredible act of God to not just show His love for 3 little girls, but He also shows His love to me. He created a family not just for the girls, but for me as well. Now THAT is extraordinary.

So, since I am fairly certain that my words have failed to portray the depth of love and admiration I have for 3 little girls that I am so glad to call my own daughters, I will end this post with a few pictures so that you can see my precious ones through my eyes. I hope that you can see the love for each other that they genuinely share as well as the joy and life that God has shed abroad in their hearts.