Happy Birthday Precious Girl

I missed the birth of my daughter. A reality that haunts me as the fact that Rebekah was not naturally born to us seems more and more foreign with each passing day. Worst of all, I don't know where I was or what I was doing August 23rd, 2007. I would give anything to remember. I would like to think that I paused for a moment and things felt different, or I woke up in the middle of the night wondering what had disturbed my sleep. I doubt such romantic or supernatural a thing happened, but I wish it did.

The last five months have flown by. I don't know where the time has gone. And it is hard to believe that in December it will have been a year since we sat in the stern orphanage director's office in south Russia and had placed in our lap a crying, underfed, frightened little girl with a social history that, frankly, scared us to death. It was enough to make two naive parent wannabes almost turn tail and run... but because of God's faithfulness we didn't.

That little girl who, 9 months ago, terrified us and convinced us we were about to ruin our lives, is now asleep in her very own room right next to ours, and part of me is hoping she wakes up just so Allison and I can go in there and tell her we are here, always, and she is safe.

We put her to bed tonight as a two year old for the last time. My heart breaks as I think about all we missed. Allison said only moments ago "I wish I could have seen what she looked like when she was a little baby", just one of the many phrases that make me want to invest everything I own into developing a working time machine. I am determined to make sure we don't miss another thing from the girl who has changed our lives, for the better, forever.

I could go on and on about what a treasure she is, how she has come to life and is nothing like the hollow, somber child we met in December, and how God Masterfully purposed in eternity past to accomplish this thing in our lives for His Glory, but it's late and I need to shed a few more tears over the fact that time is already moving to fast and my little girl is growing up. Happy Birthday Rebekah, you are a treasure to your Mother and Father's heart, we love you.