Only 1 more month!!!

I can hardly believe that we may be holding Ava Grace in our arms in a little over one month!!  The anticipation, excitement, anxiety, and longing just to hold her, are all so similar to all the feelings I had when I was pregnant with Jace and Collin, my biological children.  For those of you who have never adopted,  it's hard to explain the love the Lord puts into your hearts for your children hundreds of miles away.  I can tell you that the emotions I felt in the last trimester of pregnancy with our first two biological children are the identical emotions I feel right now.  And the longing I have to hold Ava Grace right now is even more intense than the longing I had with my first two pregnancies because Ava Grace isn't safe in my belly but hundreds of miles away where I can't protect her.  But my loving Father is holding her safely in His arms.  And He is giving me bits of encouragement each day through friends, family, and blogs of others adopting also.  I just read today of a family visiting Shanghai Children's Institute where they just adopted their 3 yr old daughter, and they spoke of how much the nannies loved the children, and how well taken care of they all were.  That's where my sweet girl is!!!  Praise the Lord for His mighty hands in taking care of her there!!  Goodnight, and thank you for all of your prayers, please pray that God prepare Ava's heart for her forever family, and prepare our heart's as well ....