3 Months Home!

3 months ago today, this beautiful girl came into our lives for good!  At that time, she would not step foot into the bathroom, much less into the tub.  She ate only pureed food, spoon fed to her.  She knew no English words and had never met her 3 crazy brothers.  Today, she loves every minute of bath time and swimming in the pool.  She feeds herself with a spoon or fork and eats most table foods.  She chews her food and drinks from a straw.  She says 10 to 15 English words consistently, will tell us when she needs to go potty and goes!  She wrestles with her brothers and gives them kisses all day long.  She is a joy.

But, I'd be lying if I said the road we've walked over the past 3 months has been easy.  It's been hard.  So hard.  Harder than I ever thought possible.  We've held her while she grieved, had our patience tried minute after minute and day after day, cleaned the stinkiest poops EVER (often out of the tub), and have tried to understand when she flat out rejects us.  God has shown us the ugliest parts of our hearts, laid our sin bare, and brought us to our knees in tears of pain and frustration.

We have a LONG road ahead and some days we wonder if we'll come out on the other side unscathed.  We won't.  We'll have scars much like she does, telling of the wounds that we've had to bear and the sin we've had to battle.  But, by the grace of God, we will come out on the other side better people, walking more closely with Him, wearing a bit more of His righteousness, and knowing that in the end - it was all worth it.

Right now we are in the trenches.  Sadie brings us to our highest highs where joy feels like it's going to burst from our chests because there's no way it can be contained.  She also brings us to our lowest lows.  During these moments of sheer frustration, we lash out with words we should not say or show faces that are full of ugliness, anger, and frustration.  We need God here, in the trenches, and we've been begging Him to walk with us.  He is faithful and we can feel Him taking our hand, forgiving our sins, and showing us how to love.

"My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness."  2 Corinthians 12:9