blog friends {in real life}

we had the pleasure of spending a few days with 2 lovely guests this past weekend. i've been crazy excited anticipating their visit, and, if i'm being honest, knowing they were coming helped motivate me to get all kinds of fun projects done :)

i've learned so much over the past few years about the way that our Creator has designed our family.  the adoption journey has also taught me how God uses people in our lives and has a way of connecting friends in ways that can only be explained as being a part of God's unique and beautiful plan.
my friend Ashley has been one of the most wonderful blessings to me and to our family. we met as i was sewing and selling etsy items a few years back, trying desperatly to fund our adoption. she sweetly posted about the things i was making on her blog, Under the Sycamore, and hundreds of her readers purchased items and enabled us to fund a large portion of our adoption, even before we had emery's referral. a few months later, Ashley and her husband decided to start the process to adopt from China as well. little did we know then, her daughter would be born a month before we met emery. our girls are only a year apart and were both born with beautiful cleft lips.

although we had never met in person, she encouraged me through the agony of waiting to meet emery, through the difficult days that came when my daughter was in pain after surgery. she was there for me as i processed and grieved the loss of emery's cleft, when i needed someone who understood the things that can't be explained. she rejoiced the triumphs and little moments that led to amazing progress and growth and i've cherished her passion for Christ and her family.
when her daughter, Little One, came home in the fall, it felt as though we could finally rest, knowing her baby girl was home at last.

this weekend, we had the pleasure of finally meeting and our dream of seeing emmy and Little One together at long last came true. they played and bopped around together, wiggling on the couch like old friends. in fact, they were so wiggly, we could hardly snap a picture of them together without the blurr of business :)
it was a fantastic time of talking life and adoption letting the kids run wild outside. Ashley and Little One are gorgeous and kind and so much alike. when you see them together, you know they are mother and daughter. Little One is brave and oh-so breathtaking. the kids were so enamored by her and kept asking me if we can have "a baby Little One" of our own :)
it brings tears to my eyes when i think of how special it is to see these petite little ladies together, knowing how their lives have been entertwined, long before they were even born. i've been praising God all week at His graciousness in allowing me to be present for the story He is writing through these increadible warrior girls. Ashley is among the most real and genuine people i've ever met and i wish i could spend every day lounging by the trampoline sipping tea and chasing kiddos with her :)

 

 

 

now to find some way to move Pennsylvania closer to Oklahoma :)