Forever Sister

 I love this family!  I love how big their hearts are.  They finally have their forever daughter to add to their amazing family!  Bryon and Emily have been a foster family for several years now and they finally were fortunate enough to adopt a little girl to add to their family.  We took these pictures last March but I was not allowed to post any of them until the adoption was final.  OK, the adoption finally final this past October and I am just now getting around to sharing their amazing story.

Here is Emily's story in her words from her blog:  For the last two plus years I haven't understood why we have continued to say goodbye to daughter after daughter and had hopeful adoptions fall through.  The idea of you was so beautiful and perfect, we didn't think it was going to happen. It was too easy this time. God opened the door and we walked through trusting Him again that He would make it happen if it was meant to be. And what a beautiful path he laid for us. Foster care has brought us immense joy and unfortunately the most pain we have ever felt. Saying goodbye isn't ever easy but saying goodbye and not knowing what is going to happen to your "child" is a feeling that haunts us to this day.

This child has a different story. A story that doesn't end with a goodbye but instead to a beautiful new beginning. Makenzie will be ours forever! No more fist initial only, no more blurred face on social media, no more anxious days wondering if a bio parent will come forward, no more court dates, no more fear of the unknown, no more monthly visits, no more documentation.  She will be ours, we will be her parents, her family, her security. 

God is good. The road hasn't always been easy, but He is solid. In 1 Samuel 1:27 it is beautifully written, " I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I have asked of him." No longer will we be praying that the judge and the state put her needs first. For 564 days she has been in care. On October 28, a new chapter begins.  Her past is important, it is the start of who she is. It doesn't define her and it is personal. There is no one to blame because this is part of her story, the story that lead us to her. I  hurt that a mother and father lost their child and shed tears at the same time that she is ours. 

For 266 days we have watched you grow and learn to trust us. You are beautiful, funny and smart. You get mad but are learning it is okay to let your food sit in front of you while you pray, you shout momma as soon as you wake up and sometimes wake up everyone else in the process. Your hair is a hot mess and at times you look like Cousin It and could care less. You love to cuddle and have us read you story after story. We play babies and we rock them to sleep.  You are fearless and strong. You have dance moves and eye brows that send us into laughter. We can't wait to see you grow and pray you will have so much joy in your life. We are honored and blessed to call you ours the rest of your life.  We love you to the moon and back.