Ten Years Ago Today...

Mr. and Mrs. Beaver:

For days we've struggled with writing a post that could capture the essence of adding Jaynie, Cassandra and Mark to our family a decade ago today. After all, as we've mentioned on this blog before, anniversary's are a really BIG deal to adoptive families.

But, try as we might, we can't begin to capture how important this event was (and is) in our lives. No words seem equal to the task of capturing the highs and the lows, the laughter and the tears, and the stretching and the growth that have all been a part of our experience together.

Upon reflection, we are most struck by God's never-failing faithfulness. The last ten years have been both the hardest and the best since our family's beginning, and God in all His loving power and wisdom has seen us through every moment. He has never left us. He has never failed to sustain us.

We are also amazed how God has used the least of these to change us. He's opened our eyes to our own desperate need for Him. And He has opened our hearts to the suffering experienced by children all over the world. We must confess (to our shame) that we had been oblivious to their need. He's opened our eyes to His heart for these silent sufferers. And He's given us a deep wonder for His adoption of us through the sacrifice of his beloved Son, Jesus.

Here are some photos from their last few days at their orphanage:

In the apartment in which we stayed on the orphanage when we went to court

Cassandra and her new daddy as he fills out the last of the adoption paperwork

Cassandra was so naughty this day.
The orphanage workers wanted her to wear a sweater,
but she refused, giggling all the time.

Headed to Moscow, set to start our life as a family

Leaving orphanage life ten years ago