A year later...

Gotcha Day 2008 Sorry no pics for 2009.. we are having computer difficulties!

It’s been a year… and what a year it’s been:) It is amazing to look back and see how much we have all changed. Yes, Chad and I have probably aged 10 years in this year but worth every bit of it:) We have also grown so much… as a family, as individuals, and most importantly we have all grown closer to Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
“give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

We started this journey with a leap of faith… trusting in God’s plan for us… trusting God to provide for us… trusting God to give us wisdom and strength. Afraid? Yes! Very afraid in what the future held for us but obedient enough to accept His calling. We have seen mountains moved, miracles happen, and blessing poured down upon us.


2 John1:6 And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.


Our biggest challenge in this all has been to die to self and live in God’s will. We have fought a daily battle of what we want and what God wants. It really didn’t matter how well we prepared ourselves for a special needs child with low IQ… living and accepting our daughter’s special need has been more challenging than we ever imagined. It is only natural for a parent to want their child to succeed. It is only natural to hope and pray that the child you adopt will blossom into a healthy, happy, well-adjusted child once in the home of their loving forever family. Well, that is not always God’s plan and accepting this truth is a lot easier said than done.

Mark 8:34-35 (NIV) Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it."

Living and loving a child with special needs hasn’t been easy. It was not love at first sight. The love has slowly grown but it has definitely been a process for us all. We find ourselves constantly questioning what is best for Anna Li. On the outside looking in she is truly a happy child full of love, life, and hope. On the inside looking out is a confused child full of hurt, anger, pain, and resentment. Her beautiful smile and sparkling eyes are covering up a lot of stress, anxiety, and depression. The emotional baggage that she carries affects her ability to learn and her short term memory. What she learns today is gone tomorrow. How many times do we teach her the ABC’s, her phone number, and address? How is this fair to her after all she has been through? Why isn’t our love enough to heal the pain? Why is it so hard for her to love us? Could this be God’s plan? Are we strong enough to carry this cross?

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (New International Version)
16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

I have been told by a dear friend that when we maximize our problems we tend to minimize God… how true that is. God is here and has never left us. We do not know what plans the Lord has for Anna Li but I can clearly see the Lord has a magnificent plan for her. The love she has for the Lord is amazing. The prayers she prays are nothing but from the heart. Does it really matter that her IQ is low? No, God can do amazing things through anyone who is willing to serve Him and nothing can stand in the way. I believe in my heart that the Lord can and will heal her heart and allow her to find peace with her life in China and happiness with her new life and family in America. He will restore her soul and help her to find love for us. No, we are not strong enough to carry this cross… but He is. This is His plan for us to die to ourselves and live for Him.

Colossians 3:15
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful.


So, as we celebrate this day we are humbled, thankful, and grateful for what the Lord has done in our lives. We are thankful for these trials for they have opened our eyes and allowed us to grow as Christians. We are thankful the Lord has entrusted us with this child and allowed us to adopt her into our family as He has adopted us into His. We are so thankful for her desire to know Him. How blessed we are!!

But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." James 2:18

As we continue on life’s journey we ask you to continue lifting us up in prayer. Pray the Lord will continue to work on Anna Li so that she will be able to break free from the pain she carries and live for Him. Pray that we will continue to die to ourselves and live for Him. Pray that the people in our life will understand and respect our decisions we make for Anna Li in order to help her attach to her family and grow close to us.

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

John 14:13-14

In closing, I want to say… we may have missed Anna Li’s first tooth, first word, and first steps but we have had a wonderful year of first in America:

1. First trip to the dentist.

2. First trip to the beach.

3. First trip to Disney Word.

4. First trip to Sea World.

5. First trip to the orthodontist to be fitted for braces.

6. First family reunion (including lots of hugs from great aunts).

7. First year in an American School.

8. First time in church.

9. First time in Vacation Bible School.

10. First time celebrating holidays with family!

11. First time trick-or-treating.

12. First time on the Polar Express.

13. First trip to the movie theater.

14. First trip to the Atlanta Zoo.

15. First time hiking.

16. First and last time eating Spaghetti O’s. (Yuck!)

17. First time hunting Easter Eggs.

18. First birthday party.

19. First time grounded.

20. Fist time making smores…. (Almost a recreation of Denise the Menace!)

And many more first to come!!