I can hardly believe it's been four years, but today is the anniversary of the day Merrilee became our daughter. I remember so much about the day she was placed in my arms and the absolute wonder and awe of it. I couldn't imagine someone was allowing us to take this child, not born of our own flesh, and giving us the privilege of raising her, caring for her, keeping her safe, and trusting her life to us. Jay and I have been so blessed by her joyful spirit. She is such a bright spot in our lives. She is so energetic, determined, funny, and thoughtful--we are so proud of who she is and who she is becoming. And yet it is humbling to look at her and know that we cannot take credit for her smiling demeanor or her charm. We know that it is not us, but the Lord, who created her to be her own person. Adoption is neat that way. It makes you step back from your pride and see a child for who she truly is, not how you see yourself reflected in her.
We did things a little different this year on this special occasion. I drove the kids out to the Eastern Shore to visit our friends who also adopted their daughter on the same day with Merrilee. Their daughter was having her fifth birthday party and we celebrated at their house with a big cookout and birthday cake. It was a joy to spend this day together, and we are so thankful that we life close enough to make the trip possible. The kids and I stayed in a hotel, and I let them swim before bed until 9:30 pm. They love staying in hotels, and they giggled, teased each other, and talked in bed despite my threats. Fortunately, the long fun day and the evening swim took its toll on them and they finally zonked out. I was afraid I'd never get to sleep.
Here are a few photos of our original Adoption Day, and the present.
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