our journey to Mary Katherine {what we are learning about our girl}

A week ago yesterday we became forever family to our sweet girl. She is the missing piece that will keep us young with her zest for life.

She is full of personality and makes us laugh daily.

She is our little heart warrior…so strong and mighty for being such a little peanut.

Our first night in Guangzhou we were eating dinner and Lily said, “Mommy, I saw God in heaven last night”. I asked her what he said and she told me “God said he was healing Mary Katherine’s heart.” Just what I needed to hear after a long day.  I will cling to this promise and continue to believe in a miracle for our girl.

She is quick to learn new things and doesn’t miss a trick. She already knows the signs for more, shoes, help, and please. She loves to say “bye bye” “hi” and “uh oh” "jie jie" (big sister), "ge ge" (big brother), "mama" and "baba" (daddy).

She has the sweetest smile and a wheezy little laugh.

She is strong willed and independent.

When I’m blowing my hair dry in the morning she loves for me to take it and blow the warm air on her face.

She loves shoes of any kind and size.

She and our dog Sunset will be a perfect pair…both love to dig in the trash and pull toilet paper off the roll.

She loves to play with empty water bottles (usually found in the trashcan)

She rubs her hair and pulls on her ear when she is tired or unsure about something.

She is a girly girl. She likes to take her purse and walk around with it up on her shoulder. 

 Michael keeps saying he is in trouble :))

She does a happy dance when I start running the bath water. 

 I just need to wear a raincoat because she splashes in the water with pure delight.

She feels complete peace and safety in the arms of her baba.  

I can do everything for her except calm her fears.  

To say this doesn't break my heart would be lying, but I know that in time she will learn to trust me just as she has her daddy.  Michael reminded me today that we are already way ahead of the game compared to our journey with Lily and the difficult transition she had.  

All in the fullness of time.  

She had her first shiner today.  She hit her eyelid on the corner of the table. Fortunately it didn't need stitches and the sweet nurse Jona, who is here with our group from Maria's, came down to check on her.  She screamed while we iced it down but was ready to keep moving after we got her all doctored up :)

As I thought about all the little things we have learned about Mary Katherine in such a short time, it reminded me God's great love for me. My love for her will never compare to the love He has for me. He knows me better than I know myself and still pursues me through my brokenness and failures.

And we will continue to pursue her through the joys and challenges that lie ahead knowing that God chose her for our family from the beginning of time.   

"Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. "  

Isaiah 43:1