Somewhere...

Somewhere in China, there is a woman I have never met who is dear to my heart.  In my mind, she is young and beautiful.  A part of her heart lives with me each day.  She is a woman who chose life.  In a country that demands that women make hard choices concerning their children....she chose life.  In October 2004 Harrison started asking for a baby sister.  In December 2004, we knew God was telling us to adopt.  Sometime in December 2004 our Clara was conceived somewhere in China.  We had no idea.  We prayed for her, named her Clara, and dreamed of her for months and months and months.  And in July 2006, when we finally saw her picture and knew who she was.  We realized that we had begun praying for her in December 2004...about the time she was conceived. 

As I lay in Clara's bed, saying night-night prayers with her tonight, I couldn't help thinking of that woman in China and saying an extra prayer for her.  Oh how I pray that she knows Jesus.  I pray that she has peace.  I pray that God gives her a knowing in her heart that her baby girl is loved.  That her sweet, chubby baby girl is the delight of someone's heart.  That her baby's smile lights up a room.  That her belly laugh is the sweetest sound in all the earth.  That she has a brother who says (on a regular basis) "can you even imagine our life without her?"  That she has a daddy who is wrapped around her little finger.  And a mommy whose heart sings every time she holds her girl.  Lord...please...give that woman's heart an extra hug, let her know what a blessing she has been to us.