God heals the broken heart....

Every girl wants a hat, right? She had to get creative with the game markers.

This was the beginning of a smile. Many more came today!

The laugh is hysterical. It is contagious!

There it is...God's abundant grace in action!

God alone can heal. He is the Great Healer, and He uses pain and suffering in our lives to bring glory to Himself. He is worthy of all praise, and so anything good we share is from Him.

Today's post is about Elly...our sweet Ellyson Faith. Sometime in her little 2 years and 4 months, she has been hurt, abandoned and neglected. She went without food, water, clothing and shelter. She has been harmed in ways I do not know and may not know for a long time. So, God entrusted her tiny heart to our family. I am honored and privileged with that gift. At the same time, I am scared beyond measure. What will this journey be like?

I got a glimpse today....I watched in agony as she pitched a great fit...kicking, screaming and crying...I held her until she stopped. I just kept rocking her and telling her that I loved her. God knows that patience is not my forte, and He grants me just what I need for the time I need it.

In spite of the tearful episodes, God allowed us to see Elly smile and laugh a lot today. She would bust out laughing at the oddest times, but it was a delight. Yesterday, she smiled a few times but it was so rare that we got no pictures. But, today was different...thank you Lord for such a sweet present to us!

On the legal end, we discovered that we will be in court on either Tuesday or Wednesday. Pray for everything to go well and that our petition would be granted without any delay. We are so grateful for all the prayers!