Today is Mercy’s 2nd Birthday. Can you believe that Cody and I used to think we’d for sure have her home by her first birthday? Kind of funny to think about now.
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| Getting ready for church |
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| A glimpse of the birthday "do" and Mercy hiding in the closet. |
We celebrated today by going to a preschool playground/pool place (that’s a lot of p’s) with a couple of friends. She was not so sure what to think of the pool and water slide, but at least she wasn’t crying. It’s a step in the right direction.
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| This is the "why are you making me do this, mom?" look. |
She definitely preferred the playground, most especially the slides!
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| Every toddler loves putting sand on the slide |
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| Such fun! |
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| Such a big girl! |
Then afterwards we had lots of the neighbor kids and some other friends come over to the house for some cake and punch. And she finished her day off by laughing and being super silly on Skype with her sisters. It was a good day.
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| Beautiful cake by Harriet and the girls! |
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| They had fun with the balloons! |
Two years ago today Mercy came into the world in a village in Eastern Uganda. Two years ago today Mercy’s mother passed away. My hope is that we will always take time to try to honor her mother in some way on this day. I wish her mother could know how much her baby girl is loved… that she has a family. I wish she could see her run and play. I wish she could hear her giggle. I wish she could know what an impact her girl has had on so many people around the world. I wish she knew that she helped inspire so many of you to give to help save the lives of other women in Africa.
I so often think back to the day that I met Mercy, when she was just three weeks old. I wonder what would have happened to her and to me if I had ignored God when He told me that she was our child. It seemed like such a crazy idea at the time that it would have been easy to turn away. My life would be a lot less complicated right now, but I also would have missed out on one my life’s biggest blessings. I don’t know exactly why God put Mercy in our lives, but I know that she is a perfect fit. Even in the midst of the storm, I can say that I would do it all over again. She is worth every bit of it.
love! Happy Birthday to sweet Mercy! Glad you guys had a fun day, what a blessing she is!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday, Mercy! Love the pictures and that sweet smile!
ReplyDeletePraying for the 26th. Jackie Manuel
I love this post. God did that to me, too, with my little Christopher. I thought I was going to Guatemala on a mission trip; turns out I was going to gain a son. I found out 7 months into the adoption process that he had severe frontal lobe brain damage and the best doctors in America said that he would never walk, talk, use the restroom on his own or may not ever even be able to eat food without a tube. I was so selfish when I heard that, and it took me 72 hours of mere insanity to say yes to God again in moving forward with the process of my son. He will be five years old on June 7th, and as you have seen, has been completely healed of it all. Glory! I reflect all the time on the what if. What if I would have said no to God about being his mom?? It kinda sends me into a spiral of overwhelming thankfulness!!! Obedience is always where it's at, even if it makes no sense..... ESPECIALLY if it doesn't make sense! The one thing I have learned is that God shows up when we need him. We could go on with our happy, comfortable lives, sure. But whenever I say yes to God and find myself in the hardest of places in complete desperation and need of him, he shows up! We can trust that he knows what's best for all of us when we seek and obey him. Even if the situation doesn't turn out the way we hope for.
ReplyDelete7Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! -Matt 7
I love the !. I pray for you, Melissa, that above all else, you trust that you and Mercy's Daddy knows what's best for you. It' seems crazy that his plan led you to such a place, but we can have faith that in obedience to his voice it is all for the greater good of the Kingdom! Enjoy your girl today. Praying for the day when your fam is reunited.
In Jesus' Love,
Tonya
A Happy Birthday to you,a Happy Birthday to you, everyday of the year may you find Jesus near. A Happy Birthday to you, a Happy Birthday to you, and the best day you ever had.
ReplyDeleteGranny loves you,up to the sky and back down again!!!