New Year -- Grateful for 2006

As we have entered into 2007, I thought I would post and say how thankful I am for 2006. I am really thankful for God's leading in our lives this year. (I know this may sound like a broken record since I have mentioned the same thing several times on this blog. ) Many of you got this picture on your Christmas card this year so I thought I would post it here now. When I had these printed off, Kenny and I went to pick them up and as I looked at this picture I started to cry. Of course, Kenny worried right away that I was upset about something, but instead I'm just too emotional :) I told him that in looking at this picture, I was in awe of how God had ordained these 2 girls to be our daughters!! I obviously don't know what its like to have biological children, but for me, just knowing that God in His wisdom had chosen these two precious girls for us and us for them, that He had picked them as well as their birthmothers for us-- to think about that just overwhelms me. Isabella was our miracle -- I still look at her and can't believe that God brought us throur our trial of infertility and gave us such a special blessing -- a miracle indeed! Amelia (although a miracle as well) to me is considered my "silver lining". After going through the adoption fraud, we were discouraged, but we couldn't give ourselves to that discouragement. Our silver lining --- we knew that God was in control and would bring us the child He had planned for us. I don't understand His reasons or all of His way, but she is that wonderful silver lining after that dark cloud. And I really can't complain, because so many people have gone through harder things and even many who have gone through that same trial have to wait for a long time until God reveals that silver lining.
We've started the Veggie Tales Family Devotional Book with Isabella and the first devotional was talking about this particular thing that God has a plan for everyone. The verse we are trying to teach her with this is one of my favorites: "The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; your love, O Lord endures forever" (Psalm 138:8) May you all have a blessed 2007 and I hope you see God's plans worked out in your life and see Him fulfill His purposes for you!!