Thankful Thursday

It's fitting that this Thanksgiving week we also celebrated Katie's 7th birthday. We are so thankful for her in our life. From the moment God put our second adoption on our hearts, He knew how Katie would change the fabric of our beings. Starting with the bonds formed with friends on our adoption trip for her right up through the legal battles and therapies, she has changed everything about us. For the better. She has broken through preconceived notions about what we were capable of. She has been a picture of what the essence of forgiveness is. She loves BIG. She wakes up singing. Early. Every Morning. 

We celebrated on Monday with her friends and Wednesday with family. 

Sisters Celebrating! 

 Sissy hit a home run with her big Rapunzel doll! 

Birthdays can be hard for kids with shaky starts - and they can often be triggers for anxiety and fear based behaviors. While they are simply a cause for celebration for most kids, for our kids they also represent a huge loss and a empty space filled with nothing but unanswerable questions. 

We are not sure how much of Katie's struggles are rooted in her trauma event or the subsequent orphanage stay. We will never know if she was born with her disabilities or if they developed because of her history. I am not sure if she truly understands her history on a cognitive level. 

But I do know that this time of year - 7 years ago - someone made a choice. A choice that changed her life and ours. 

Of all my children, her's is the hardest history for me, I know the heart of this child - and I know how deeply she must have been affected that day 7 years ago. It hurts my heart deeply if I dwell too long on what that actually must have been like for her. 

I can't look back there though. I need to be here today for her. I need to love her where she is and celebrate who she is today on her 7th birthday.

And who she is today is the most big hearted, fun loving, enthusiastic, forgiving and endearing child I have ever met. 

Happy Birthday Katie Bug - you are our lightening bug that lights up our lives every day!