Hello World

Lovey wants to run so badly. She’s been trying to figure it out for weeks. At random moments throughout the day, she’ll reach for my hand and say,

“Run!”

On these occasions, I grab her hand and we’ll run around the inside of the house a few times. A happy hum always emanates from her mouth as we run. [For some reason, I always tire of this game before she does.]

Some time ago, Lovey discovered that the sidewalks outside slope away from the house just enough to give her the momentum she craves. Once she gets started, she’s able to use gravity to build up a little speed.

After she ‘runs’ a little way down the sidewalk, she walks back up to the porch, steps up onto it, and begins the process all over again.

And ohhhh, how it makes her laugh…

That laugh makes my heart sing!

“All things on earth point home in old October…”

Thomas Wolfe

It’s mid October and here we are home in our cozy little gray clapboard siding house in the beautiful piedmont of South Carolina. The pitter patter of little feet in our home has added a sweet rhythm to my days and I’m enjoying life with a freshness that only someone living with a toddler would understand. Each day is full of miracles, everything is enjoyed for its own sake and new and exciting adventures abound.

I love having a “Little” in the house.

Happy to share some of our rhythm with you today…

Thanking God that Lovey is home this October and praying for all the children still waiting. Their hearts, too, point home. ♥

Three days before our girl’s 2nd birthday the postman arrived with a special delivery from Korea! We could hardly wait to see what the box with the telltale red characters contained, but we were pretty sure it was full of sweet birthday wishes…

And we were not disappointed.

Inside the box were a CoCo Mong tea set with dishes and a precious letter from Umma and Appa sending their love.

It brought tears to my eyes to think how much they must miss Lovey,

and how much she must miss them.

And I thanked God again for giving her amazing foster parents who would not only care for her tenderly, but pray for (and with) her and love her without holding back. Words are inadequate to describe how much we love them or the connection we feel to them.

Blessed be the tie that binds our hearts…

Lovey’s birthday fell on a Sunday this year, so we put her down for a quick nap after church, then headed over to the local Korean restaurant for a special meal. She enjoyed eating beef bulgogi and rice with chop sticks. That is, I fed her with my chop sticks. She drummed on the table with hers.

Birthday cake was a delicious chocolate chip cheesecake, baked with love by Daddy, which we enjoyed with dear friends at home.

And a few more pictures of Lovey’s special day…

Lovey got a few cards and packages in the mail even after her birthday, which enabled us to spread out the gift extravaganza and extend the celebration a few days…

[In photography, like in many other areas of my life, I’m still learning exactly where my focus needs to be.]

But the real celebration is Lily Love’s day-to-day presence in our lives — the joy she brings and the opportunity we have to SEE the world through her eyes.

When I remember what we were doing this time last year,

waiting, hoping, praying, planning…

to bring her home —

I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming!

Happiest of 2nd Birthdays, to you, our little flower!

I’m so glad you’re home to celebrate with us this year.