Home 7 Weeks Today! In Our Arms 10 Weeks!

Sweet Child of Mine!
Our Guatemalan living seems like so long ago and yet like yesterday as it seems impossible that we have been home with our precious little girl seven weeks now! None of us can even imagine life without this sweet child. She is absolutely incredible, so loving and full of life! Marissa loves and understands that she has a family now. She is quite the mama's girl and will be the first to tell you that she is "mama's baby" and will fight for the position if need be!!! I can not fully describe the energy that emits for this little one when she holds me. Yes, she holds me with her little arms wrapped so tightly around my neck and just squeezes me with her entire body wanting to soak up all the loving she can get! She is spontaneously telling me in her sweet little voice "I love you!" It is the cutest thing in the world! I am grateful that she is so gentle and loving. Now, I am not saying that she can not be stubborn and independent as she can be both, but she is very easily redirected. Papa feels as if he has two wives now as Marissa loves to shake her little finger at him and tell him what to do! Poor Justin gets the wrath every now and again too! It is pretty cute!

We do continue to work through some mild issues with her that are more related to abandonment than typical four year old stuff. Often times it may be hard to distinguish between the two, but after raising children, educating ourselves on older child adoption and just being with her for almost three months now we can distinguish the difference and try our best to give her what she needs.

I thank God each night when I am rocking her sweet soul to sleep that He brought us together in His time and His perfect plan! Marissa has so much potential and will someday make a difference in this world! I would be negligent if I did not give much credit to Robert for encouraging the adoption. My heart has always been a lover of children and being a mother has often defined me. However, after raising three teenage boys all at once I was a little exhausted. It was through Robert's unwavering confidence and desire that we could give another child a home, his awesome parenting and his love of children (including teenagers!) combined with my ability to follow God's will and submit to my husband's desire to adopt again that I have the privilege to type in this adoption journal about this incredible child who was meant to be in our family, just born in a different country. My sweet Marissa, you are so loved!