Long overdue update

Hey all you patient people.  I have been meaning to sit down and update this since, well forever.  I have so much to share.  Grace is doing wonderful.  She has taken off full speed ahead with the walking and acts like she has been doing it forever.  She is picking up signs everyday, though she doesn't always use them appropriately, we'll get there.  She has gained 2 1/2 pounds and 1 inch in a month.  She is happy when she wakes up, and she is sleeping more soundly through the night.  Her personality is blossoming.  She is so happy and busy, its like she was made for our family.  I know God picked just the right kid for our household.  She has been to the pediatrician twice, as well as the Ear, Nose and Throat doctor, and the plastic surgeon.  She is healthy with concerns only arising from her cleft lip and palate.  We will be going in for surgery Dec. 7th at 7:30 in the morning, and she will be having her lip sewn up as well as tubes put in her ears.  It is common for cleft babies to have trouble with their ears, so she needs the tubes to help her begin hearing better.  I am not looking forward to surgery, or to the stay in the hospital, but we knew what we were getting into.
I have been asked a lot about the rest of the kids and how they are adjusting.  I just want everyone to know, they are acting like they just got a new sibling.  In their amazing and loving minds, it doesn't matter that Grace came from China instead of my tummy.  They love her, and over love her, just like they would any sibling.  Ainsley has taken on the role of big sister and embraced it.  I have to tame her sometimes.  The boys love playing with her and keeping her out of trouble.  Brandt is so grown up and mature about everything.  Holden is loving and caring.  Wyatt felt she was stealing a bit of his attention, but loves her anyway.  It has gone amazingly smoothly.
I must say, it has been through prayer that this has been just an amazing process.  God has walked through it all with us.  He prepared Grace for us and us for her.  She was meant to be in our family, even though I am heart broken over the mother that left her at the entrance to the hospital.  If people ask, I tell them it has been an amazing journey.  I must remind myself to also say, it hasn't been easy.  It has been very hard and emotional, and expensive and exhausting, but it has been amazing to see the hand of God on the entire process.  He has been faithful to see us through the process and to bring our baby home.  There is a Tobymac Christmas song that has the verse from James in it "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows"  I start tearing up every time I hear it because Grace is no longer an orphan.  She is our daughter and she has a mom and dad and siblings that love her and accept her as a Kelly.
I will go now and chase some kids.  Maybe clean a room or two.  Blessings in this Holiday season, and maybe it won't be so long next time before I sit down to blog.