Mine

We arrive in Ethiopia one month from today. I can't believe it. I am so excited! I am also a little freaked out when I think about all that we have to do in the next month. Justin is taking off next week and we are planning to get Mia's room ready. Her room is currently the guest room, and we need to transform it into a sweet little girl's room.

My friend painted this for her room and I love it. It was a complete surprise to me, but I think it will be perfect for her room.

The verse is, "...and you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine." Lev:20:26

Mia's name means mine. The Lord gave us this name long before we knew who our daughter was. I didn't know at the time that our daughter was already living in an orphanage, that she had been there since she was 15 days old. I didn't know at the time that she was waiting for a mommy to say, "you are mine."

So many times I think about what her infancy and toddler years have been like and I just cry. Yes, adoption is a beautiful thing, but it begins with great pain. In a perfect world we wouldn't need adoption at all. Many times I have grieved the fact that our daughter didn't have a mother to nurse her, rock her, sing to her, read books to her, take a million pictures of her first year, and just give her the love that every single baby deserves. I hate that I missed these moments. I hate that these moments were wasted on an orphanage. It just isn't fair. My daughter deserved better than that.

But God is good and when I start to think these thoughts, He always reminds me that she is His daughter, that He was there to protect her and love her. He whispers to my heart,"she is Mine and I have been with her all along."

I am currently reading Katie Davis's book, Kisses for Katie. She wrote the following about being a Mommy and I absolutely love it.

"It's such a powerful name. Mommy means "I trust you." Mommy means "You will protect me." Mommy is for shouting when you need someone dependable and for laughing with you when you are excited; Mommy is for crying on and cuddling with when you are sad or giggling and hiding behind when you are embarrassed. Mommy is the fixer of boo-boos and the mender of broken hearts. Mommy is a comfort, a safe place. Mommy means you are mine and you are family."

I am so thankful that our daughter will soon know what it means to have a mommy. I am so thankful that she will be a part of a family for the first time in over 2 and a half years. I am thankful that God protected her and set her apart. I am so thankful that she is 'Mine".