It's a girl!!!

We are loading up the car in the morning to head to Wisconsin to meet our daughter!!! Yes you read right, we have another daughter! Last week while on vacation we got an email from our social worker saying there was a baby girl that had been born and they were looking for a family for her. Our social worker wasn't sure if we were ready to dive into another situation yet but she wanted us to know there was a baby that needed a home. Bill and I talked about it and decided if there was a baby that needed a home we felt that we needed to make ourselves available and see what happens. A few weeks ago I had this huge aching in my heart that there was a baby that needed a home, that needed us. I began to pray that God would show me if that aching was from him or just something I wanted. We called the social worker and told her to send our information to Wisconsin. We got a phone call Monday afternoon saying that we had been picked to be the baby's forever family!! God made it very clear that the aching was from him, that my heart was aching for our sweet girl.

I have to be honest and say our emotions are a little all over the place. We are so very excited to think of this little baby girl joining our family. Yet we are a little bit on guard after all that happened in Michigan. This situation is a ton different than Michigan and I have a ton more peace about it but yet we never know. For now though we are preparing for this little girl to come home.

Here are a few details: Our baby was born June 1st at 4:14 in the morning. She weighed 6lb. 1oz. and was 18 in. long. She just went to the doctor on Tuesday and was up to 6lb. 6oz. so that is good. She is currently living with a foster family through our adoption agency. She will have to remain there until after the termination hearing, which is not until July 17th. So we still have a whole month before we will be able to bring her home with us. The family she is staying with is very willing to let us come and visit her though, which we are so grateful for. We cannot wait to hold her and love on her for a little bit. Right now her name is Mikayla. Bill and I go back and forth with leaving her name and changing it. We are having a hard time coming up with a girls' name! So for now she is baby Mikayla.

We will be taking lots of pictures during our visit and will post some tomorrow night or Saturday. I am very excited for Jennifer to meet her sister. It will be a little hard for her to understand everything, meeting her sister and then not getting to bring her home but I know it will be sweet none the less.

The past few days when I go to open my Bible I am drawn to Psalm 116. I read some of the verses and think "God why are you having me read this?" But yet there are some sweet verses that I know I am suppose to be reading right now: 1 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. 2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. 5 The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. 6 The Lord protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. 7 Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. 12 How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?

I love the last verse! How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me? I think of starting this process about a year ago. We heard about several children during the past year and we thought for sure that two months ago we were going to bring home our son. Yet God knew all that would unfold. I have written in the margin of my Bible the words "His love endures forever". I think back over the past year and know that God has walked every step of this journey with us and He will continue to lead us down the path that only He knows, His love does endure forever. God will fulfill His promise to us from Psalm 68:6a God sets the lonely in families. May our hearts and home always be open to those that need a family...

We are coming sweet girl...