Our Journey to Baby- Complete.

I started this blog to keep people informed about our journey to bring our second baby home through the wonderful world of adoption. I still can't believe that this journey has ended, only to make way for a brand new journey to begin. 

John and I were reflecting back on Aviannah's adoption and we both feel completely overwhelmed and utterly undeserving. From start to finish, our adoption experience has been nothing but positive. The support we've received has been incredible, from our close friends and family to complete strangers. This adoption cost us around $35,000 and we were able to pay for it IN FULL! Most of the money came out of our pockets, but the rest was due to the generosity of others. We just got home today and we came home to a full fridge, offers to bring meals to us, gift cards and more. Our agency has been so supportive and helpful, the people at the Ronald McDonald House definitely went above and beyond to make us feel at home. I could go on and on. Time wise, this adoption went fast as far as adoptions go. It felt like we were waiting a long time, but we started the process last July, which makes it almost a year from start to finish (technically it's still another 6 months before the adoption is finalized, but she's with us, so I count that as a finish!) 

Of course, nothing in the above paragraph has anything to do with us. I give full credit to our great and wonderful God. We have felt His guiding hand from the beginning and I truly believe that He carefully orchestrated every bit of this process. I want to be careful and make sure that we don't get any of the glory in this. It all goes to Him. I want everything in my life- all that I am, all that I do- to bring Him glory. I want to tell this story in hopes that it will point people to the cross. Without God, I am nothing. I am useless, hopeless and lost. But thanks to His son Jesus Christ, I am being renewed day by day. I hope to use this story to point my daughters to Him and say "Look at how faithful He is to us. Look at how good He is." God is good, so very very good. 

Aviannah is such a perfect fit to our family, never mind that she looks like her daddy! God planned her for us from before she was even a thought in our minds. I don't know if our family is complete, but my heart is so full right now. Yesterday as we were driving we saw the most incredible rainbow I have every seen. At first we just saw the beginning and end of it, but all of a sudden we could see the whole thing. I could see all 7 colors and it was the brightest I'd ever seen a rainbow. It felt like God was saying to me "Look at all I have done for you. Look how I've kept my promise." 

I don't know if I'm going to continue blogging. I really want to! Maybe I'll make it a blog about the funny things my kids do. Cassidy says so many funny things on a regular basis, so this might be a good place to document them all! In the meantime, thanks for reading, thanks for praying, thanks for giving and thanks for loving us. You all played a part in bringing Aviannah home and the legacy you've left for her is one I will always cherish, and I know she will too.