Weekend With Family

We spent some time last weekend attending family reunions...two within twenty-four hours, actually! It kept us busy but it repeatedly reminded me of the importance of family. We traveled to Virginia on Saturday to enjoy our annual Labor Day weekend cookout. This involves my parents, my four brothers, their families and my family. There was an abundance of food, laughter and reminiscing...and of course, taking pictures to capture the moments.

On Sunday afternoon, we visited with my Dad's siblings and their families. How interesting it was to see aunts, uncles and cousins I had not seen for over twenty years. Yet when we were together, we immediately reconnected, reminisced and...you guessed it...took pictures to capture the moments.

Family is a blessing in itself. We may not get to see one another often due to distance, schedules, etc.. We may even live different lives, have different tastes, make different choices and have different goals. Yet we're still family. As I observed the exciting ways my own family, my original family and my extended family have grown...I couldn't help but think about the exciting moments ahead with our baby girl/s. She wasn't in our physical presence last weekend but she was definitely in our hearts, thoughts and lives. She may or may not be born yet...but she lives in our hopes, dreams, prayers and journey. I look so forward to the day we hold her in our arms and welcome her to our "Forever Family." I think about her learning to say Daddy and Momma, Rachel and Micah. I dream about her learning all her Grandparents', uncles, aunts and cousins' names. (That may take awhile!) I imagine what it will be like for her to meet all our friends in our community, our church and our hometowns. I imagine sharing her with our adoption community as she learns how dreams do come true for so many children and parents. And I dream about her realizing how deeply she is loved on this earth and in Heaven. I want her to really understand what "Family" means for it influences our lives forever.

So to all of you walking along this journey with us, thank you for being a special part of our family, too. As my brother, Dana, shared with me last weekend that he checks our website regularly, I was reminded that we are indeed blessed by the family members and friends who consistently read and pray about our journey to our baby daughter/s. We thank God for all of you. Our family has been touched forever by so many kind people. I pray your lives are blessed as deeply as you have blessed our lives so far.

Our family loves you, JennaBeth (and EmmaKate?)! Come home soon, sweet baby girl/s.

Cherishing family, friends and the journey,
Terri and family