I just thought I would add some thoughts I have had over the last few weeks. Soundra has done all the posting except for one. First I would like to thank God for the great privilege and opportunity to adopt Grace and bring her into our family. Steven Curtis Chapman was right when he said you go into this adoption thing thinking you are going to do something wonderful for a child who needs a family but in reality we are the ones who have been blessed and our family has been transformed by this precious little girl that God has blessed us with. There are many things I don't understand but I know without a doubt that God's plan since the beginning of time was for us to adopt Grace. God has used the last year going through this process to bring our family into a deeper understanding of what real love is all about. How he gave us His one and only son Jesus to die on the cross and rise from the dead to pay for our sins so he could adopt us into his family. I would also like to thank all of you who have been praying for us. Your prayers have made a tremendous impact. We definitely have felt Gods presence.
It has been amazing to see the transformation taking place in Grace. Its like watching a flower bloom more and more every day. When we first saw her see did not smile, or do anything. She just was exisiting but just within a few days you could see a big change taking place. Now she smiles almost all the time. She is crawling around and really likes to walk holding on to her mom or my finger. We are really starting to see her personality shine through. She is laid back for the most part. She sleeps all night and takes 1 to 2 naps a day. She loves to eat just about anything. She has also started to play with toys. When we first got her she was afraid of toys or stuffed animals but now she likes them. It is a tremendous joy to watch her come alive and see all the changes taking place in her life. To God be the glory!!!!!
Now a few final thoughts on China. The trip was great. We had a great time getting to sight see and learn many things about the country. The food was awesome. I have always liked Chinese food but the food in China is 100 times better than any Chinese food that you get in restaurants in the states. The great part was I ate a lot of food and still lost 6 pounds. We also met many wonderful people. Our guides were great. They took really good care of us and were always trying to make our stay as nice a possible. I would love to go back to China in a few years to visit. Who knows God may have another adoption story planed for us. Finally I would like to encourage anyone who has ever thought about adoption or even if you have not to seriously pray and consider it. I know it will transform you life. Love in Christ Barry