Five years ago, in October, we received this picture of our little girl:



Five years, on December 5th, our little girl was placed in our arms. This is a video of that day (the first 5 mintues are of Elizabeth's gotcha day. The 2nd half is Ri's.


This is our first family picture:











Five years ago, our family was in China. We were sharing our first days with our daughter, Elizabeth. She was 10 1/2 months old. On December 5, 2005, she became our child. It was an amazing day for all of us. Our life has been more fulfilled and much more blessed because of her. I can hardly believe that 5 years have gone buy already.

We have watched her grow leaps and bounds. It is so hard to describe all the changes that we have seen in her. I wish I could put it all into words. Our little girl is growing up. Once, a little girl who became terrified when I left the room... is now jumping up and down as she waits to step onto a bus and wave goodbye to me. She still shuts down with strangers and visits her own little place when she is apprehensive about things... but oh how much she has grown and developed! She is full of life. Her imagination is amazing; often grabbing a stuffed animal or a toy figurine and carrying on an entire conversation. She loves to play with animals though she is beginning to let go of the stuffed animals and is now focusing on littlest pet shop figurines. I even caught her playing with a Mulan Barbie doll. Wow - now that is a change! She still enjoys the leapster and will sit through ANY cartoon I let her. If I do not monitor her TV time, she would sit there all day. She is discovering the joy of having friends and has excitedly announced with whom she will marry. She has asked over and over if she can marry Kyle (from school) because he says that she is her girlfriend and he is her boyfriend. Wow - never thought I would have to have the "boyfriend" conversation at the age of 5!!!! So, I have shared with her the rules of dating (not allowed until you are 16) and the fact she can not date/marry someone who does not know Jesus (of which she went straight to school and asked Kyle if he knows Jesus). It may be a long road that we face.... filled with lots of boys chasing my girl (and, as I am beginning to discover - filled with lots of boys that she may be chasing as well!).

As for her health, we are truly blessed. We have discovered what I knew was possible. I thought about the day we recieved the referral and how we prayed for a healthy little girl. I remember thinking that we would at least know that she was healthy but always be reminded that anything could happen and that we would love her despite any health issues. But I knew that she was a "healthy" child and not a special needs child. I was happy about that.

But God has a way of reminding me that HE is in control and He has a plan. I originally didn't want to adopt a special needs child because I wanted a healthy child. But it never set well with me. I kept thinking that at any time, my children who were born healthy could end up with some disease or some injury that could effect them forever. I felt guilty for wanting a healthy child (just like I felt guilty praying for a healthy child during pregnancy and even saying "I don't care if it is a boy or girl, just healthy". What... what would I have done if one of my kids had not been "healthy" when they were born? Would I have loved them less? Oh the silly and stupid things we say at times.

Well, Elizabeth has ended up to be our special needs child. And there is not one thing about her that bothers me or makes me love her any less. I am so thankful for her and for the lessons God teaches me through her life.

Well, I am realizing that I am rambling on and on. I praise God for my little girl and for choosing us to be her family. We are blessed beyond words.