A Very Special Day

It was a year ago this month that I began my blog, in an attempt to see if I could count 1,000 Gifts in one year.  It's almost 1 year, and counting these gifts has given me a greater awareness of the little ways God blesses me each and every day.  Things I used to look past, I now see as a gift.  (Blessing #1,000)  Did you just see that?  I'm at #1,000!  I did it.  God did it!  He changed my way of thinking, and I can see Him in so many ways.  He's been revealing Himself to me by giving me gifts.  Things I didn't take time to notice before.  

But what makes today a VERY special day isn't my blessing count.  Today we are celebrating Gotcha Day #6!  (#1001)

Jacob came home today to be part of our Gotcha Day celebration (and to vote).  (#1002)  We took the picture below mainly because Jillian is worried that our dog Rollie isn't going to live very much longer.  And she wanted a family picture with him before it was too late.  But it also works well as a memory from today's celebration. 

 

(The t-shirt Jillian's wearing was actually Jenica's 6 years ago.  It says "dance" in Chinese.)

It's so hard to believe that six years ago today, we were in China.  It's gone by so fast!  I will never forget the feeling I had when Jillian was placed into my arms and into her Forever Family.  (#1003)  It was love at first sight.  When Jacob was our only child, I thought there was no way I could ever love another child as much as I loved him.  Then Jenica came along, and I found out that I could!  A mother's love never runs out.  Next, God put the desire to adopt little Jillian into our hearts, and at times I wondered if this was the right thing to do.  Nervously, we stepped out in faith and followed God's guidance through the entire process.  He continued to show us His mighty hand every step of the way as He removed obstacles as only He could do.  As a mother of three beautiful children, I have found that a mother's love never runs out.  It only grows deeper and deeper.  The love I felt for each of my children was instant.  (#1004)  Indescribable, incredible, unconditional love. 

Adopting Jillian has helped me understand more fully what it means to be "adopted" into God's family.  The love He has for me.  God willingly chose me.  It was nothing I did or could ever do.  But rather, by God's grace and unconditional love, he adopted me into His family, and the moment I accepted Christ's mighty work on the cross, I became an heir to His throne.  God's indescribable, incredible, unconditional love for me.  He chose me to be His child, to which I am eternally grateful.  (#1005)

I'll leave you with a flashback from China.  It's one of my favorite pictures of Jillian.

God has blessed me more than I deserve, and I'm forever grateful that He chose me to be her mommy.  (#1006)