Last Year at This Time...

... Where has time gone? A year ago on Halloween, we purchased our plane tickets. One year ago yesterday, we got our final travel itinerary. On November 6, 2007, I ordered our Panda Phone so that we would have it during our trip (One of the BEST things I ever did). A year ago on the 8th, we went to the bank to get JUST A FEW thousand dollars in cash for our trip. The bills had to be crisp, clean, and in certain dollar amounts. It almost felt like a heist when we left the bank that day. On November 13, we loaded the car and began the journey... leaving for China at o'too early on the 14th.

Sometimes, it feels like just yesterday when we were finalizing arrangements to go to on our China Adventure to bring ElleAnna home. Other times, it truly seems as if she has always been with our family - that I cannot recall a time without her. I can hardly put it into words the way she has changed our lives. I cannot even convey the true reality of it all. Its been so amazing to watch her transition from the frightened, sobbing, heartbroken child to the vibrant, energetic little girl today. I love to watch her wrestle with her big brothers and growl at them, decide which animal is riding with her in the car to go to school in the mornings, hear her sweet little voice sing songs to Grampa on the phone at night, feel her warm little hands inside of mine. Her giggles are absolutely infectious - without a doubt.

ElleAnna is an amazing little girl and we are so blessed to have her in our lives. People say that we did an wonderful thing for her, but I usually see it the other way around. Yes, we gave her a family, but she has given us so much more than that from the very first day. She has opened our eyes and hearts to hurts and joys that we could have never fathomed before. She truly is what her name means "God has answered" and heard our prayers (and her cries too). He gave her to us and us to her.