Okay-Okay-Okay

Alright all my friends and family who have been politely saying "checking you blog and guess what Carrie...it is the same"
I am sorry :O(

P A P E R - C H A I N !!!
Ever made a paper chain to count down the days until Christmas? Remember the long strips of paper, the glue sticks and the sticky fingers?

72 days ago I cut 72 strips of paper...pink, purple, and green...and my sweet 9 year old daughter sat with me as we glued and numbered each ring as we stuck them together.

How did this come about? From day one in January when I met Victoria she spoke of her "Birthday" and how she can not wait to celebrate with her family. We have had many dreamy discussions about the day God formed her in her mommy's tummy and how thankful we are for her "birthday"
When we got home to America it became a big task to keep flipping our BIG family calender a few times a week to "count and recount" the days until her "Birthday"

So at 72 days we sat and did the above mentioned task of making a paper chain.
At first I did this for my own convenience of not having to count...but what I did not realize was the LONG and GREAT discussions that would come each night as we tore off one link of the chain before bed.

Topics of her bio family filled the nights. IT prompted many discussions about Beacon House and the celebrations of Christmas and Easter and the memories of those precious days. The amount of PRAYERS that get sent up for her Bio family and the need they have was sparked night after night as she put her requests of food and water for them before the Lord. (my mommy heart is in awe so may times at her caring in touch heart for those she loves)

Last night we found ourselves in the Safeway isles picking cake mix and frosting for cupcakes for school and Birthday Dinner for Victoria.
The 72 days have passed...the paper chain had one link left on the wall as I tucked her in last night.
her EYE"S danced as I tucked her in and she said "I do not think my body will let me sleep tonight...I have never had a birthday celebration" I told her, " I know and I am soooo blessed that God knew you were created to be blessed and celebrated and we are just hours away from doing that...sleep well" Smooched her forehead and slipped out of the room.

IT was 11:30 and I was frosting the last cupcake....blew up some balloons, tip-toed back into her room and tacked them to the ceiling for her eyes to see when she first opened them (who knew what time that was going to be :O) and off to bed I went.




Today Victoria is 10! Her 10 years of life have been lived in a way that most of us will not be able to put our minds around. She has the light of Jesus in her eyes...the spark of survival in her spirit, and a thankfulness that runs into the core of her being.
Today we CELEBRATE her and THANK God for the beautiful young woman He hand made in her mommy's womb all those years ago!