Introducing M

Good morning Friends,
     Today I'd like to introduce you to my oldest daughter, who I will refer to by her first initial M.  The journey to bringing her home has far too many details to record, but I will say this:  God is able to make a way, where there is no way.
     The picture above was taken when she was 3 days old.  We adopted her locally and got to bring her home when she was 2 days old, the very same day we buried my Mother (who had died the day before M was born).  Long story there, but for now, suffice it to say that we are complex creatures that can weep and rejoice at the same time, all the while trusting the hand of the One who brings us every circumstance.  Twas an amazingly intense time!
 

Here's M at 18 months, in our garden:

     When M was 21 months old, we welcomed our next daughter home from S. Korea.  R came to us when she was 4 1/2 months old so the sisters are 17 months apart...too fun!  I love having them so close in age.  As soon as M saw her, she took her hand in her own and the two girls have been nearly inseparable ever since.  God is the one who knits families together, and knit us together He did.  We give Him all thanks and praise.

     2 1/2 years after we welcomed R home, our son P joined our family.  He came home 3 days shy of 7 months old, also from S. Korea.  This is a picture of M holding him for the first time:

     He was still in a daze there...who wouldn't be?  It wasn't long though, by the grace of God, that he broke through all the walls of weirdness that come with international adoptions...transitions come in lots of flavors, but God's grace is sufficient every day of the way.  M was very happy to get a little brother...she had been a chief prayer warrior along the journey's road, and a champ of a cheerleader when I'd get discouraged.  Here is a picture of M and P watering our flowers, which they had picked out for me as a Mother's Day gift:

     Time flies!  M will be 9 in December, and it seems like yesterday she was an infant in my arms.  I know if I blink a few more times, she'll be all grown up.  Here are a few more pics over the years for you to enjoy.  This one is of the three kiddos on an Easter Sunday:

Enjoying the Zip line at Bauman Farms...if you live in the area, this is a blast to visit on the weekends of Oct.:

P wanted to take a pic, so I had him take one of me with M...he's gotten pretty good with the camera :-)

 

M is airborne on her way into a pile of Fall leaves...this is so her personality!

Me, M, R, and P with a couple of our young friends at the top of the dune at Pacific City:

     Grandma taught M and R how to make a quilt this year...this is the one they made for their cousin who they love so much.  The week after week visits with Grandma were a blessing in so many ways.  Thank you Grandma!   I am so proud of their diligence and patience in this project...they did a fabulous job (and Grandma did a great job too, requiring a little patience of her own)!

     M, R, and P have all worked hard at raising funds every year since they could walk for the Pregnancy Resource Centers.  This year, they all ranked in the top 3 fundraisers for their age categories, together raising about $3,500.  They have taken to heart the cause of protecting the unborn and valuing life which God gives, and it is a blessed joy for me to see them grow in their enthusiasm and fruitfulness each year. 

M is making the camp fire while Daddy looks on:

  
     It amazes me that God has given Mike and I the privilege of raising M as our daughter.  We waited and prayed for 7 years before M was grafted into our family.  We have pondered Genesis 29:20 which tells us that "Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her" and wondered if that was expressing his perspective after he married her.  For NOW to us, those seven years seem only as a few days because of the love we have for M (not so while we lived them).