McDuffie Journey: Peace

Before we went to China, and while we were there, my prayer was for Peace. I prayed for peace for my heart....I knew it would be hard to leave MK and Deacon for two weeks, and I knew we would face challenges with a two year old who's world was about to be turned upside down (and I knew I needed it for the plane rides :). I prayed for peace for Mary Kathryn and Deacon.....that their little hearts and minds may be at peace with what all was going on. I prayed for peace for Hannah......that her heart would be at peace and ready to receive her Mama, Daddy, and new family.

Now that we are at home, I pray for peace for Hannah's birth-mother.

When sharing about our adoption and orphans in China in general, we often get the comment, "how could anybody just abandon their baby" or "I just don't see how any mother could do that" Both of these are thoughts that I have had myself, and honestly I still don't understand, but I PRAISE THE LORD everyday that Hannah's birth-mother had the courage to let her go. I believe in my heart that Hannah's birth-mother somehow felt the calling of the Lord that the baby she had given birth to was not her own.....the calling to give her up, and because she acted upon that calling I am able to kiss MY daughter goodnight each night and wake up to her smiling face each morning. :) Because she listened to a God that more than likely she does not even know, Hannah is where God intended her to be when she was created. That is the birth-mother we will tell Hannah about one day.

Tonight I pray for peace for Hannah's birth-mother. I pray that she has peace in her heart and knows that the daughter she, unselfishly in my eyes, gave up is now HOME!

And now..........

here are a few pics of life as we have come to know it :)

Everyday when MK does her homework, Hannah whines and cries and hangs out around the bar until I put her in her booster seat so she can do her "homework"/coloring sheet too!