The Missing Piece

A couple of weeks ago I changed the header on our blog.

The original image was one from Carter's newborn session,

and I decided to update it with a picture of our family as it is now.

So I chose this one.

  

When Michael and I were newlyweds, we took a trip to Walt Disney World.

While we were there, we each bought a pair of Mickey Mouse Crocs.

(The ugliest shoes we own, but oh-so-comfortable!)

When we took Carter to Disney World for the first time,

it only seemed right that he should get a pair as well.

We bought the smallest size, and they were huge on him.

Now I can barely squeeze his chubby feet into them!

Anyway, I thought it was a cute picture,

the three of us in our matching Mickey Crocs.

But something about it just didn't seem right.

Every time I looked at it, I had this weird feeling.

Like the picture was a lie. 

It was meant to show our family as it is now,

but it really didn't.

Technically, yes, this is what our family 

LOOKS like right now:

   

But it isn't how our family FEELS.

I talked to Michael about it and he agreed

that we needed to take another picture.

So we did.

This one is better.  It feels right.  Honest.  True.

THIS is our family:

Our lives are full.

We are happy.

We are content.

But we never lose sight of what's to come.

We never forget where our journey to parenthood really began.

It started with a dream.  A dream about

a little girl born on the other side of the world.

Our journey to her has taken some twists and turns.

We've been waiting far longer than we ever imagined.

But we have never doubted that she is meant for us. 

She is the piece that will make our family whole.

Until then, we'll continue to trust in God, 

knowing that His timing is perfect.

And we'll keep doing our best to keep 
her brother's stinky feet out of her Mickey Crocs!