My Sweet Izzy

Today is our 2nd Anniversary of Isabella's Gotcha Day!
This may be one of my favorite days in my whole life!

We waited for over 4 years for a referral.  The day after we filled out the special needs application our agency called and said they had a file for us.  We took the full 2 weeks to think and pray about it.  Actually, Trent didn't need to.  He said he knew without a doubt she was ours.  I had a hard time going from a "healthy" 2 year old to a 5 1/2 year old bilateral cleft lip/cleft palate child!  I agonized over this referral.  We told no one about her (except Lori- whom you all saw visit last week).

I had literally been praying for a "slap in the face" answer from God.  And I knew the night Trey told me he wanted his sister to be 5 years old and with a cut on her lip that she was ours (he knew nothing of the referral!).  That was my slap in the face!  Trey had never mentioned age before.  We had never talked about cleft lips (I had no idea he even knew what it was!).

Two months later we were in China.
I can't even begin to think about life without this ray of sunshine.  It brings me to tears every time I think how BLESSED I am I get to be her MaMa.
She is the joy in our home.
She makes us laugh.
Everyday.

We love you Isabella Hope XiaoHua Richmond!!!