nine-eleven.

Today, most everyone in America is remembering the tragedy of 9-11-01. It is a day forever etched in our hearts and minds. It is a sad day. filled with so much pain, sorrow and just pure torment. Thousands of innocent people lost their lives on this day in 2001.

and Here we stand 10 years later.

September 11 will always be a day that everyone in America remembers. For most it is NOT a happy day. For us, it is.

On September 11, 2006 most Americans spent the 5 year anniversary of 9-11 watching the local news, crying, praying...

But all the way across the world on September 11, 2006 a precious baby girl was born in Chongqing China. She was beautiful, healthy, had gorgeous little almond shaped eyes and had a thick head of black hair.

On September 11, 2006 many mourned, including the birth mother of our precious girl. I cannot imagine what she went through giving her sweet baby up. How can any mother take that lightly? They don't. She didn't have a choice. She did what she knew was best for her baby, our baby. To her I will always be grateful, because of the decision of Anna Grace's birth mom we are now the ones holding her when she cries, playing dress up with her, watching her write her name, and seeing how amazing God really is through the eyes of this child. I pray that today her Birth Mom will know and feel that her/our baby is safe, loved, adored, cared for, learning all about the LOVE of Jesus, has siblings that will do anything and everything for her and what a miracle this precious child is to our family. I pray that her birth mother knows how amazing this child is...How smart she is, how beautiful on the inside and out, how wonderfully she has accepted her new brother, her smile, her precious personality, her spunk, her strong will, her love of everything pink, purple, or Princess, her daily blessings to us by just being, the way she rules our house with such grace, how she can say anything and it makes you smile, how she teaches me to be more like Jesus everyday, and overall that this child is loved by everyone that crosses her path.

On September 11, 2006 a little girl entered the World. But September 11, 2006 was just the beginning to this precious little girl's life....As I kissed my 4 year old sister for the last time last night and tucked her into her new big girl bed I thought about how blessed I am that out of all of the people in the world HE chose ME, me!  15 year old Ashton to be the big sister to this Precious Girl {and two other beautiful adopted children}. To be the one that gets to watch her grow up, kiss her every night, Greet her with Hugs and Kisses, Teach her songs, Help her learn about the Love of Jesus, Sing to her, Hold her when she cries, Play tea-party with her, Dress her up, take pictures, Make her a Princess, Look at her beautiful face, teach her all kinds of songs {ahem} and enjoy her sweet little life.

I will be forever thankful to the ONE who went before us and chose Anna Grace to be a part of our family. God had a plan for this little girl's life when she was in the womb HE CHOSE her...He CHOSE ME, HE CHOSE OUR family

and for that, I will be forever grateful.

One Year Old.
LOOK at that BABY.

Two Years Old
That smile. oh goodness.

Three Years Old
she's gorgeous. so gorgeous.

Four Years Old.
My BABY...is growing up. Going to cry now.

{finally} FIVE Years Old
Please, Please tell me it isn't so.

Happy 5th Birthday, Anna Grace.

I love you more than words can describe, the stars in the sky, and to the moon in back {150 times}

xoxo forever,

Sissy

But even before I was born, God CHOSE ME and called me by his marvelous GRACE. -Galations 1:15

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