A Very Special Day....

Today is a very special day. For me, this day is more special than any holiday and as important as my birthday...

today, is my Placement Day Anniversary!

This is the day that my Mom and Dad got to see me and take me home for the very first time! I was only three months old. My mom tells me that she will never forget the smile I gave her when they first said Hello to me.

What a blessed girl I truly am!

I often think about the life I would be living and the person I might be had my Mom and Dad not taken me into their hearts 28 years ago. Growing up I always knew I was adopted, but I don't think I really fully appreciated it until I had kids of my own.

There is a song called "The Little Girl" by John Michael Montgomery, that I heard years ago. This song explains exactly the life I fear I would have had had my biological mother and father decided to keep me. This song never fails to bring tears to my eyes, because I think deep down I know there really is a little girl out there that didn't get as lucky as I did. In my heart, I know God has a plan for all his children, but I so desperately want to rescue all those unfortunate children who deserve to know their God, to be loved, to be held and to sleep in a safe bed every single night, but do not.

Have you ever had a feeling so deep in your heart that you could never even come close to explaining, but wanted so badly to put into words? That is how I feel. Gratitude, love, thankfulness, humble, unworthy...I feel it so strong that it almost hurts. I know that this is the closet thing on Earth that will ever give me a glimpse of what God does for us.

A sweet young couple, living their life for the Lord and wanting so badly to bring children into this world. That was my parents. When circumstances led them to adoption, they swept me up in their loving arms and never looked back. They gave me what God gives us...unconditional love, hope and a life that I truly do not deserve, nor can I ever repay.

My mom tells me all the time how lucky she is...and though I don't think I have ever said this out loud, it almost makes me feel guilty because in my heart I know I am the lucky one. What my parents gave me has been the most wonderful gift I have ever been given.

As I write this, many of you must be wondering why I speak mainly of my mother...
My Dad died when I was only 3 years old in a hunting accident. My brother was 5 and my sister was 9 months old. My mom was dealt a hard hand, but you would never know that. She is by far the strongest person I have ever know. The things she has gone through seem so unfair, but she has always kept her faith and loved her babies in a way that puts most to shame.

I remember small things about my Dad, but not much. There are definitely times in my life that I have felt his loss more than others. For the most part, my mom is all I've ever know. But I still remember that little corner of my heart that ached on my wedding day, and still today, I find myself wishing he were here to play with his grandbabies. I wish he were here to share that with my mom.

This is just a small piece of my story...my heart. Today, I am so very thankful that God gave me a life that many children do not get a chance to have that I surely do not deserve.

I love you Mom!