Thank you

Today is not Clara's birthday. Or the anniversary of the day we met her, or when we got the call.

Although we are closing in on her turning two, today is just an ordinary day.

A day we get to see this face...

And sing praises to God that she, against all odds, found her way to us.

A day we get to pinch ourselves for the thousandth time

And realize she's really ours.

And just another day when it's placed on my heart to remember all of the many people who played a role in our family's story with their unimaginable generosity.

I recently found myself reading my blog posts from the day we picked her up. I remember reading all your comments that first night, sitting on a friend's couch, feeding my baby. And I'm sure I looked at them again once back at home.

In the craziness of those early days, I'm not sure I let your words sink in. But reading them the other day, during nap-time, it hit me all over again.

There were so many of you praying for us, following our journey, cheering us on. I remember on our ride down I had never before felt so lifted up in prayer. For the first time I knew why it's called "lifted up," because that's exactly how I felt. It was as if God, the saints and the angels were personally ushering us to her.

I still can't wrap my mind around the money that people sent. Friends, who gave us more than I have ever given someone myself. It floors me to this day. Complete strangers, some of whom told me later that they prayed about it after reading my posts and felt moved by the Holy Spirit to help us out. And I mean help us out. And our family, who made it possible to bring a little preemie home to Virginia to be our daughter.

And, of course, by extension, you helped him get here too...

Because I will always believe one had so much to do with the other.

So, thank you. Because every day that I get to see her smile...

I'm reminded of all of you who helped us get here and how much my heart is full of gratitude. And I don't tell you that enough.