Another Anniversary

I can't believe one year ago today we matched with Myli. I never dreamed in million years a year would pass, and we would still be waiting. I've had to back to my book about waiting lately. This passage struck me today:

"Lewis Smedes writes,

Waiting is our destiny as creatures who cannot by themselves bring about what they hope for.
We wait in the darkness for a flame we cannot light,
We wait in fear for a happy ending we cannot write.
We wait for a not yet that feels like a not ever.
Waiting is the hardest work of hope. "

"Waiting is the hardest work of hope" - that's what this last year has been.

I received new pictures of Myli this week. She is really growing up! I usually think how little she is, and that helps it seem that she isn't growing up too much without us. But I could tell that she is a year older in these pictures. The story I was told about her was so sweet! She was given the gift of an inflatable beach ball. After someone helped her open it, she didn't want to blow it up and play with it. Instead she carefully put it back in the package to protect it.

It's amazing to me how connected I can feel to this child I've never met! I feel like over the last year I've really crossed over. Before, we were looking forward to adding this child to our family, but now its as though someone's missing. As hard as I try to just enjoy my kids and the time we have together before Myli comes, nothing feels complete without her. I hope we get her before next year...!