Growth...

I sit here crying for joy as I write this.

I can't explain the joy I feel when I click on my little email icon and see that there is a picture of our little Prince that has been sent all the way from Africa!

Since Prince has been moved into Foster Care (which is part of the process of adoption in Liberia), we have seen a remarkable difference in his demeanor. Granted, it's not as if we have been able to hold him or actually visit with him, but in reality, we can just sense it.

In every picture that we had of Prince from the orphanage, he was never smiling. The only pictures we had of him smiling were the ones we took the week we were there. He was well cared for in the orphanage and the people there loved him greatly, but he always seemed very overwhelmed with all the kids and he was very shy. In fact, my very last words to him were, "Remember Sweetie to speak loudly because people want to hear what you have to say."

It scared us a bit. We began praying that God would allow Prince to feel safe and happy where he was.

We now truly believe God has answered that prayer!

Since Prince has been moved into his foster home, he has been glowing every time we get a picture. He is living with an amazing Godly woman and her family (along with a few other kids from the orphanage who have been moved to foster care).

He has been enrolled in school and has received medical care that was greatly needed.

I can't help but just praise God! I believe with all my heart that Prince will one day come "home" to us; but I can't help but rejoice when I see that God has answered our prayers and has given Prince a place where he can thrive and be safe while he is away from us.

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Dear Sweet Prince - I pray you know how much you are loved. We long for you. We pray all the time for you. Your brothers dream about you often and they've never even met you. They can't wait to play with you and to ride bikes together. I know that you will probably not read this until years from now, but I want to be certain that when the day comes for you to come "home" to us, you know how much you were loved even when we were apart. We may be far away sweet boy but you are our son and in our hearts we are close. Very very close.

Remember to watch the sky....no matter how far apart we may be, we are both under the same sky. We watch it often and dream of what you might be doing that very moment. You are never far from our hearts.

I love you.

Mommy

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