It has been 2 weeks!

I simply cannot believe that it has been 2 weeks since Selena was born. She had her 2 week check up today at the Naval Hospital Pediatric clinic in Pensacola. The Dr. gave her an A on her health but we do still need to follow up with the cardiologist for her heart. Selena Kate has gained 1 lb. and grown 1 inch! Crazy! I knew she was getting bigger but I did not realize this would happen so quickly in just 2 weeks. Our time off with her feels like it is flying by and I just want it to slow down!

This weekend, we are headed back down to Merritt Island to throw my best childhood friend, Lauren a baby shower. Her daughter is due in March. This is exciting for me to imagine our daughters being as good of friends as we have been for 23 years. Selena Kate will also get to see Grandy and Granddaddy and also her birth family. The following weekend, we will be making the trek up to Mississippi to see Chad's parents and Amy's extended family and grandmother. Selena Kate is quite the traveler in her first month of life! We know how very important it is for all of our family to meet her and are so excited to take her to the place where her Mama and Papa met and dated.

As I look back on my life and all of its many eccentricities and crazy turns in the road, I cannot believe that we are where we are. I would not have believed anyone if they had told me 10 years ago what, where and with whom I would be spending my time and energy. It is not that I would not have agreed, I just would not have believed it. Life can change in an instant but my life has evolved in perfect preparation for a plan that only God could see. There were so many times in my early adult life that I thought there was no hope for my happiness. As I look back on this, I feel so silly. God intended for me to be happy. There was no way I would truly appreciate this happiness for His glory, if I had not gone through years of what some may call unhappiness. Do not get me wrong, I am and always will be a happy person. We, as a couple, are happy and stay that way most of the time. I just mean there is a difference in being happy in trusting God's plan for your life and forcing yourself to be happy when you do not truly trust or have faith.

As we contemplate and discuss our adoption experience, we know that adoption is our call to ministry. Chad and I have seen that through adoption your will WILL be refined and fine tuned to hear and be open to God's plan for your life. Through adoption, you fulfill God's call to his people to take care of those in need. The amazing thing that occurs during this though, is that you end up the one who has been taken care of!

"You'll find success in life when you stop trying to include God in your plans and Instead ask God to include you in His." - Rick Warren

Here are some of this week's pics so far. More to come from our trip this weekend.