Miracles

December 23, 2005 Matt and I submitted our paperwork to Families Thru International Adoption (http://www.ftia.org/) requesting to adopt a baby boy, as young as possible, and as healthy as possible from Guatemala. That's how it was worded. We spent that holiday in hopeful excitement as we prepared our dossier for submission to Guatmala. On April 29, 2006 (3 days after my 28th birthday), we received our referral. Cristian Omar Caal Ico, date of birth-Jan. 25th 2006, birthweight 5 lbs, birthmother-minor. 8 short weeks later, we were blessed to find out that I was pregnant. We were overjoyed! 2 babies!

We had every reason to believe that Chase would be home by Christmas-at least the new year. Instead we spent that Christmas grieving...for our baby Chase that was growing up without his mommy and daddy. Christmas and New Years came and went...Jan. 25th rolled around and Chase was spending his 1st birthday in Guatemala. February. March-the 7th-what a celebration! Peyton Matthew was born the morning and it was just wonderful...I was so excited that I barely slept a wink that night even though I'd been up for hours--Peyton and I spent time getting to know one another while Daddy slept on the fold-out chair next to us. It was so amazing-but Chase wasn't there to greet his baby brother. We brought Peyton home and began settling in the best we could. Matt, Peyton and I trying our best and learning how to be a family. April. May. June. July-finally a phone call...we would leave in 6 days to bring our Chase (now 17 months old) home. I was torn. I was so excited to finally bring Chase home, but how on earth was I going to survive leaving Peyton. He would be cared for perfectly well-between all our family members-but he and I had not been apart-not for even one night and he was only 5 months old. We made our plans and I was numb until we arrived at the hotel...we were supposed to be there for a couple of hours before Chase was brought to us...but I was walking up to the hotel desk to check in--I spotted him!! Oh my God-there he is-he is ours-bless you father! Then my attention quickly moved on to his foster mom-Diana Rosmery. God bless her today and forever!

Our God is so good to us. Watching our sons, you would never know that they have not spent every moment of their childhood together. They are best of friends and are learning, laughing, playing and even snuggling together. Our family was formed perfectly in God's time. We are just as he wants us-the four of us. Everyday our love for each other grows...sometimes it feels as if our hearts might just burst from joy.

Take time this Christmas and every day to stop and count the many blessings in your lives. Live each day as if it might be your last. Love and be loved.

Love,