Abigail's life has made such an enormous impression upon us. Don't misunderstand, we have always valued life because God is the Creator of life. But there is something about watching a child that really makes you thankful for life - thankful for her life and thankful for your own as you experience life together. Her life was fragile from the beginning - as that precious newborn baby girl that was placed in an orphanage. Only a few short months ago, Abby laid in a bed in a room of an orphanage. And now we enjoy her smile and her laughter. Her tender heart inspires us. She is vibrant and full of life! What a blessing and a privilege it is to raise her. We often wonder why God chose us to parent her. But oh, how grateful we are that He did in fact choose us!A family is a gift that we often take for granted.
God did a wonderful thing when He designed the family! We all need one and we all want one. Watching Abby grow in understanding of her family is amazing. There is indescribable joy in her face as she identifies grandparents, aunts & uncles, cousins and all of the greats among those. She absolutely LOVES having a family. I remember conversations before she came home in which people would ask if we knew whether she had been asked if she wanted to be adopted and if she knew the longing for a family. I can say without a doubt now that she most assuredly wanted to be adopted - she longed for a family. And as I think about that, I realize that there are millions more sons and daughters that are longing for their families - and that thought breaks my heart. As I see the pure joy in Abby's smile and the glow in her eyes as she talks about different family members that she has already come to love, I realize the gift of a family.
