Six Months Ago Today...

Wow! Where does the time go?! Six months ago today our precious baby girl was born and I am still humbled and amazed by the entire adoption process. Julia gave us a new life full of joy with lots of kisses and laughs when she chose us to be Georgia's parents. As she grows and develops her personality we are falling more and more in love with her! She is THE BEST baby and is so happy! She has been Christmas shopping with me the last couple of days and has made many friends. I have been able to make her laugh and laugh and laugh both days...so much so that other shoppers come over to laugh and look at her! I love you, Georgia Claire! Thank you for making your daddy and me SO incredibly happy!

Pictures of her this morning right after she woke up. I always go get her, change her diaper, and then we play for awhile...usually in our bed.

She was laughing so hard in this picture that she had to turn away...
Playing after a morning of shopping...she LOVES playing in this and it allows me to get a shower each day! =)

Before bath time...just hanging out and drooling A LOT! Tonight I could see two little white spots on her lower gums. Those teeth will be here soon!
This past weekend Julia's family came for a visit. She wasn't able to come because of work, but she and her boyfriend Steven are hopefully coming after Christmas. We had a really nice time with Stacy & David (Julia's mom and step-dad), Lydia (David's mom), Dale & Vicki (Julia's grandparents), Michael Anne (Julia's aunt), and Troy, Steven, & Lydia (Julia's younger siblings). It was a rainy, yucky day, but they made the drive and came to our home bearing gifts. Georgia got lots of good loving and then we enjoyed supper (most of it cooked by Julia's family) at my mom's and dad's home with my sister Kathy & her family.

Vicki said she told a friend about coming to see us and her friend said, "How does that work?!" to which she replied, "It just does!" It is hard to describe our situation to those on the outside looking in. It does not seem "normal". I think some people worry about us and our open adoption, to which I reply, "DON'T!" I would have never thought that this was the plan God would have for Shelby and me...to grow our family through adoption. If I had it my way, Shelby and I would have 3 children by now, but thank goodness, I am not the one who is in control! (And let me just say that was a HARD thing to come to grips with, being the control freak that I am!)

In the last year I have realized that God chose us, even before we were born, to be adoptive parents! Psalm 139:14 says, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Even though my body is not able to have children, I KNOW that I am still wonderfully made. The problem I had was a birth defect...undetected until we started having problems getting pregnant! No one else knew, but God knew! "Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." -Psalm 139:16 The notes in my Bible read, "All the days ordained...the span of life sovereignly determined. Your book...the heavenly royal register of God's decisions." He knew even before I was born that I would adopt my children. He also knew that Shelby would be the BEST husband to me and father to our children. God doesn't make mistakes. His works are WONDERFUL and we KNOW that! How can we question His works when you look at Georgia Claire and the joy that she has brought to our life?! His will for us, Georgia, and her future siblings is being revealed to us more and more each day and we have learned and are still learning to TRUST in HIS works. Psalm 18:30 says "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him." Thank you Lord for your flawless word and for your perfect ways! We are in AWE and gladly take refuge in YOU!