Changes

I don't know if I have any new pictures on here yet, so this may just be a boring old post with boring old words.  I just feel like there has been so much happen, I need to lay it out there and look at it from the outside.  We have been home with our daughter for almost 10 months.  10 months feels like a very long time.  It feels like a long time because, she has changed in so many profound ways since we first held her in our arms, I am almost having trouble remembering what she was like.  She is a live picture of the transformation that happens when love enters a life.  I don't know if she was loved before we held her in our arms.  I assume her birth mother had feelings for her, though baby girl was abandoned the day she was born.  The nannies we too busy to do much of anything but care for her physical needs, so I am assuming they didn't love her either.  She was so neglected emotionally when we got her, it was just heart wrenching.  Fast forward 10 months, and we now have  a little girl that shows so much emotion, it sometimes catches you off guard.  She will hug and hold on tight, knowing that you show love through hugs.  She will give kisses to everyone.  She will throw herself to the floor in a full fledged tantrum when feeling extreme emotion because mommy said no.  She hates to be without her people.  She wants to know we are near.  We were able to leave her in the nursery at church last Sunday, because sister got to stay in the same class with her.  She had a wonderful time, but was jumping up and down when she saw mommy and daddy again.  When Mike comes home, as soon as she hears his voice she starts yelling and signing daddy.  She is in love with us as much as we are in love with her.  We wonder if she even remembers life before us.  We wonder if she misses it.  I don't know what she will deal with as she gets older, but right now, she looks into our eyes, and I see unveiled love.  She is precious and I am in love with her as well.  We have settled in as a family and we are growing up together.  I am curious to see where she goes from here.  On a physical note, we are heading up to the Children's hospital the beginning of next month to have her evaluated by the cleft team.  We get to show up and sit in a room for hours as the specialists cycle through.  They then meet and develop a plan for her.  I am happy we have the opportunity to get her the best care, but I am sad she is going to have to go through all of this.  She really doesn't like hospitals or doctor's offices.  She doesn't like doctors or nurses very much either, so I expect I will spend a lot of time holding her and trying to keep her calm as we wait in our little room.  Maybe she will surprise me.  I plan to come prepared with electronic games and lots of snacks.  Food makes her happy.  Speaking of, she has gained a couple more pounds and she is now up to 23 pounds.  Itty bitty for a normal 30 month old, but we are excited.  She has gained about 6 1/2 pounds since we got her.
Again, I want to remind you all that this journey has not been easy, but it has been so very worth it.  If you ever consider adopting, do it.  If you ever need to talk about adopting, please talk to us.  We share our experience any chance we get.  It is an amazing opportunity to watch God work.  He is so real in this whole process and I am blessed to be a part of His story.

 There's our hugger :)

 Ainsley with her new American Girl Doll

 We went and explored near our new home.  We found several sand dollars.  The kids were thrilled.

 Mike and I went on a real date.  Crazy.

When Nic and Joseph visited, we went to Pike's Place Market.  We are sitting on the pig.