What prayers can do!

It finally happened.  After almost 4 years of prayers and waiting we received the call on Friday morning, April 20th only 2 days before my birthday.  I was on my way out of town for a 3 day women's retreat with our church.  I quickly shared the details of her story with Bird and off I went.  Over the weekend I spent a lot of time in prayer over this little girl and our family.  Friday night I begged God to make her healthy and take away any of her ailments.  By Sunday, my heart had been changed and I was begging God to change me and make me into the mom she needed me to be.  Over and over again I prayed, "God make your will my will.  Make your will my will."  I desperately loved her already without ever meeting her and I wanted nothing more than to be her mother.  My fear was Bird might not feel the same and I had no way to talk to Bird because my cell phone didn't have any coverage there. It seemed as if each lesson that weekend was aimed at us and I wanted Bird to hear and learn what I was learning.  God wanted us apart so we could both listen to Him alone. 

  

When I returned home Sunday afternoon my family had a birthday dinner planned once again making it impossible to discuss with Bird.  Tuesday morning, after several conversations I begged Bird to tell me where he stood.  He was 90% yes and 10% undecided.  As he walked out the door that morning to take Yaya to school I began crying and begged God to give him the clarity he needed to move forward.  When I opened my eyes I saw a blackbird through our kitchen window.  I'm telling you that bird was walking down the sidewalk across the street as if he was a person and as if it was the most normal thing in the world.  If you have followed our blog from the beginning you'll know the significance of what blackbirds mean in our family.  I began SCREAMING at the top of my lungs for Bird to come back inside.  As he came back in the door I said, "If that blackbird walking down the sidewalk across the street doesn't tip the scale and give you the peace and answers you need I don't know what will."  His response was simple.  "I don't see one black bird.  I see two."  I turned to look out the window again and began to cry tears of such joy.  Finally I heard the words I had been waiting to hear.  He said, "I'm 100% sure she's the baby God has intended for our family.  

  

Bird and I met Lily the next Sunday, April 29th for the first time and we began the process of transitioning her into our home.  Yaya wasn't able to meet her until Wednesday, May 2nd and in the days prior to meeting Lily she was an emotional wreck.  She cried at the drop of a hat and just couldn't keep it together.  I asked her several times what was wrong but she told me she didn't know.  Wednesday night however, after meeting Lily Yaya broke down and told me the truth.  She said she had been terrified her new baby sister wouldn't like her.  In reality, all it took was one look into each other's eyes and they both fell head over heals for the other.  I have no doubt they were meant to be sisters.  Yaya has been so good to Lily and tonight she told us Lily was exactly what she prayed her sister would be like.  She loves to feed and hold her.  Lily loves watching Yaya dance and sing.  This morning while Yaya was at school I even caught Lily looking at Yaya's school poster board.  She was laying in her play yard flirting with the picture of Yaya. We're talking non-stop cooing and giggles from this 4 month old sweetie pie.  She adores Yaya!

God has been so good to us!  Thank you all for praying us through this process.  Thank you for helping us keep faith and encouraging us to hold on to hope in the darkest times of our journey.  Your love and prayers lifted our spirits on more than one occasion. 

This precious baby girl is the result of thousands upon thousands of prayers.

I am the proudest and happiest mommy in the world!

"Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;

make known his deeds among the peoples!

Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell all of his wondrous works!"

Psalm 105: 1-2