A Special Easter

We are a little late posting for Easter but I thought I would post some pictures anyway of Raegan's first Easter. She got all dressed up in a pretty dress and actually woke up during church this week ( it was because she was ready to eat, but still!). We had a really nice service at church and then later on after church we had our friends Desi, Colin and Christian over for a non-traditional Easter dinner of crabcakes and tri-tip. Raegan enjoyed having visitors and even gave them a few smiles even though she was tired from a busy day!

Raegan talking to our friends Desi and Colin

We had a really nice Easter and I know that this year Easter hit me in a deeper way. This Easter I thought about our adoption journey and how our adoption is a beautiful picture and reminder of God's desire to adopt us all. His desire to adopt us is the very reason for what we reflect on in the Easter season, the death and resurrection of Jesus. Throughout the whole adoption process I have really learned in a very real way how much God really loves me. I know through the adoption process there were times when it was really difficult because we hit roadblocks and it was unknown when we would ever be able to adopt a child. It was heart breaking to me because I just wanted to become a mom and as hard as it was, I kept pursueing a child. We would have done anything to be able to adopt a baby. At times it was financially draining, physically draining, emotionally draining but it didn't matter we knew we would do whatever it took. And when we finally got to see Raegan and hold her and eventually bring her home with us, it was the most amazing feeling. It really made me realize how much God loves us because it is His desire to adopt us all as His children. God just wants our hearts. He made it so easy for us to be adopted through the sacrifice He made but yet so often we turn away from Him and don't give Him our hearts. We may do good things, be "good people", we may even go to church every sunday but we don't really give Him our heart and our life. This Easter i focused on what He did so that we could be adopted as His precious sons and daughters. And this Easter I was able to understand to a much smaller extent of what it feels like to God when we finally give our hearts to Him, when we allow Him to adopt us. I feel it a little bit every day when I look at my precious, adopted daughter. I am so thankful for her in so many ways, but one thing I am so thankful for is how she is a constant reminder to me of God's love.