Smile!

Oh my goodness! The smiles we've been getting today!

This morning when John got up Aviannah was fussing in her bassinet, but it wasn't feeding time yet so I asked John to put her in her swing while he was eating breakfast so I could sleep a bit more before it was time for her to eat. When he brought her back to bed almost an hour later, he handed her to me and I was rewarded with the biggest grin!  You have to understand that Aviannah is usually quite smiley, but she only smiles as a response when we smile and talk to her. But today, as soon as she saw my face, before I even said anything to her, she smiled at me. I could tell it wasn't a I'm-smiling-because-you're-interacting-with-me smile, but a I--know-you-and-I-love-you smile. You have no idea how much this thrilled my heart. 

Then it was John's turn. When he got home from work, she was sleeping in her swing (I promise she doesn't spend all day in there!) He went in the living room to say hello and as soon as she heard his voice her eyes flew wide open, she looked for him, spotted him and out came the same huge grin she gave me earlier. I am so happy that she is bonding with us. I've often wondered how much trauma she has suffered from being separated with the woman who carried her for 9 months. Even though she never saw her birth mother out of the womb, there has got to be some loss for her there. So the fact that she smiles so freely for us shows me that she feels safe and loved with us and is acknowledging us as her favorite people. The feeling is mutual :)

Yesterday we had Aviannah dedicated in church. It was a bittersweet day. My grandma (my dad's mom) passed away on Saturday and my family is still reeling from that loss. There had already been some tears before we went on stage for her dedication. My dad always asks the parents dedicating their child some questions. One of the questions he asks is "Do you recognize that this child is a gift from God, given to you by an act of God?" As he asked us this, we all started choking up. Just as with Cassidy's adoption, Aviannah feels like a gift straight from God's arms to ours. The way she came, the way He orchestrated every last detail...such a gift. 

This week we celebrated Aviannah's birth. This week we will bury my Grandma. The circle of life. God is faithful.