Crazy Days!

Well since we've been home the days have been flying by and it seems there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done that needs to be done! I'm trying to spend lots of intentional time with Zoya and Mila and giving lots of extra love and snuggles to refill their love tanks from our 3 weeks away! With Christmas right around the corner I did have to think a little about that as well. I'm working on organizing things on the homefront since I'm leaving Sunday for the pick up trip! I've unpacked, and am about 3/4 of the way through repacking. Tomorrow Mila has a sedated MRI and tomorrow evening the girls have a double sleep study (or sleepless study). We're supposed to get slammed with snow so I'm hoping we can make the 2.5 hour trek since they've told me this sleep study CANNOT BE CANCELLED since they're bringing in extra staff for our family LOL! They called yesterday to ask if we had seen the weather report....I know this sounds like REALLY bad timing, and it is...but it's been scheduled for months. Hopefully we'll make it back into town Saturday morning (they kick us out at 5:30 am) and have time to finish packing and getting the house all ready to leave. Saturday evening we'll celebrate Christmas with Grandpa and Grandma Gigi and then Sunday morning I'll take off with my brother for Part 2: Operation Bust Curlie Girlie OUT! Are you as tired as I am just reading that? Okay, time is precious...off to chip away at this list and love on my girlies!

Happy Heart Day Mila!

A year ago today, I handed over my tiny little Mila Bean to have her heart repaired. It is one of the hardest, most excruciating things I've ever done. I found myself thinking about her surgery often today and got choked up quite a few times. It seems like a lot longer than a year ago that I handed that little bean over and bawled my eyes out in the bathroom when they walked away with her. I am so thankful the doctors were able to fix her heart! Looking at her now, you'd never know she was so sick. You'd never know she needed heart surgery. Her tiny, thin little scar has faded to a silver-white and you have to look closely to even see it anymore. I didn't share many pictures at the time because I just couldn't stand seeing her like that, let alone show the world. A year later, I'm choosing to share a few of her pictures because they no longer represent fear and sadness. They represent miracles and hope and life-because I can look at them and look her her now and know that The Great Healer healed her little heart! I can look at them and know that we are blessed to share time on this earth with Mila, because I know without a doubt that not all children have the same fortunate outcome. The pictures may be hard for some to look at so view at your own discretion.

Happy First Heart Day, Mila! 

Reunited with Zoya and Mila!

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We're OFF!

I won't be posting much here while we're adopting Curlie Girlie, so be sure to follow our journey there! www.hopefulheartadoption.blogspot.com

Thanks for your love and support!!!

Happy 1 Year Home Mila!

Yesterday we celebrated one year home for Mila! I tell ya, honestly, if someone would have said to me a year ago yesterday that we were going to be turning around a year later and getting on that plane again to bring home another sweet child, I would have laughed them into next week! But this beautiful story is better than anything I could have imagined!

A year ago I stepped off that plane holding Mila after a very stressful past few days. I refused to even let my eyes close longer than 10 seconds the entire way home because I was so worried about Mila's health. I remember thinking once or twice on the way home, "really, God? you thought I could handle this?" It's been a year of challenges, followed by restoration of health and some good emotional healing for our sweet Mila. The Lord has used Mila's life for so much good....already....in her short 20 months on this earth. She was born a fighter, that much I know. This past year, Mila has taught me a lot. She has taught me to literally get on my knees and beg the Lord for guidance, strength, understanding. She has taught me what it feels like to throw all caution to the wind and love without holding back, even when we knew that loving her involved taking so many risks with our fragile hearts. She has reminded me how delicate this one and only life is. Mila has taught me that every.single.child is worth fighting for. I am so thankful the Lord knew best and detoured our original plans :)

Happy 1 year home baby girl! It's been quite the year and I look forward to many more happy years ahead. As we tread down this journey together, the sadness that was your former life gets further and further away in the rear view mirror and all that will be left one day will be the beautiful sunrises and sunsets that make up your life story!

8 months old...

Trying to breathe before her airway surgery. That sleeper was 0-3 months size :( 

Such frail little leggies

Prayers....

Please hop on over to our adoption blog......we're getting ready to embark on this journey and need your prayers!

HOP ON OVER HERE!

Warm November Day!

Today it was 72 degrees here! That is nearly unheard of for where we live in November! It was a beautiful day :) I think these are some of my favorite pictures I've ever taken of the girls-especially the ones of them together!...not sure why they just make my heart so happy!!!

Love her scruncy-faced smiles :) 

Guess who learned how to jump? She LOVES practicing and is SOOOO animated! 

 Got some serious ups on this one ;)

 I LOVE that little tongue! 

One of my favorite ever Mila pictures :) 

 Practicing blowing raspberries...

Playing football with Daddy...

 Love the expression on her face here! 

 A girl and her dog....

 Squeezable!

 Love!

Big girl in her beautiful glasses :) 

Ooooooooooooo!

NO idea what this face is about but she makes me laugh! 

So thankful they have one another! 

 Hysterical! 

Mila was clap-happy!

They are so alike, yet so different from each other! 

Mila never touches her OWN glasses but lately she's been grabbing everyone else's!