A month to Celebrate

So much has been happening this past month that I have felt like I have hardly had time to breathe!! We celebrated some wonderful things and had some wonderful times. Sarah's Lao Lao and her Gigi just came for a visit and they were here to celebrate Sarah's 4th birthday. Can you believe that she's turned 4 already?? I'm in shock at how quickly she's grown. On October 31st, we also celebrated her "Gotcha Day!" This was the third anniversary of the day that we met Sarah in China. I have been thinking about all that has happened the past three years and how much Sarah has grown...how much she has blossomed and what a joy she is. It's hard to fathom how much I love her and there really is no way to describe it. I know that you other mothers can relate, but trying to express it in words is pretty much impossible.

I wanted to document some of the ways my life has changed since God has blessed me with my daughter and what brings me joy on a daily basis.

I love the unsolicited hugs...

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I love it when she gives me a "shower of kisses" and kisses me all over my face with pursed lips cause she's laughing at the same time.

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I love it when she says, for no apparent reason and completely out of the blue, "Mama? I sure do love you."

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I love it when she looks over at me when something is funny and we share eye contact for that moment before she bursts into laughter.

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I love the way she got embarrassed when her Baba had the staff at the restaurant sing to her "Happy Birthday."

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I love the way I was the only one she wanted when she started to cry after they sang to her because she was embarrassed, my poor little girl.

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I love the way she wants me to pray for her when she gets owies.

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I love the way she will pray for me when I have an owie, too.

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I love the way she will correct anyone who says, "Oh my G-d" knowing that she's

only allowed to say, "Oh my gosh" cause she says it hurts God's feelings to say His name like that.

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I love the way she added "ez" to the end of plural words... eyes-ez, toes-ez, shoes-ez because she knows that she needs to make a word plural.

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I love the way she dresses up like a princess and insists that I call her Ariel, Cinderella, Aurora, or whichever Princess she's being that day.

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I love the way she talks to her stuffed dogs, like they're her kids.

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I love to over hear her talking to her toys and dolls when she's playing.

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I love to hear her singing to herself when she has no idea anyone is listening.

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I especially love to hear her belting out, "I want to be...Part of your world!" just like the Little Mermaid.

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I love it when she wakes up in the middle of the night, comes to me and tells me, "I'm not having good dreams, Mommy, will you pray for me?"

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I love the way she dances at church on Sunday during worship, round and round as her dress twirls around.

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I love how excited she is to see me when I pick her up from preschool and the

huge hugs and kisses she gives me when I get there.

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I love watching her at her swim lessons...she's just so happy to be in the water and having so much fun that she has a constant smile on her face.

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I love the way she always wants me to read her stories and the special Mommy

and Sarah time we have before bed every night when I read to her.

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I love sitting at the table coloring with her for hours if I let her.

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I love teaching her new things every day as she grows.

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I love how much she remembers after only telling her once.

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I never knew how much I would love her.

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I never knew how it would feel to be loved so much by her.