a time to celebrate...

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb...My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

Psalm 139:13,15-16

This week has been a week of celebrations. Wasilla boys and girls won the state b-ball tournament this past weekend. Today was my 29th birthday but even more exciting today Marc and Abby Spear met their Chinese daughter Malea for the first time. I could try to recap their blog entry but you should check it out for yourself and hear first hand about their experience (Spear link). It reminds me of my trip back from China a few years ago where 10-12 families were flying back to the U.S. with their new little girls. A sea of joy and mixed emotion. A life changing and life giving experience. Amazing and awesome! I am EXCITED for you Marc and Abby! Blessings on your growing family!

Reading their blog reminded me of God's adoption of US as children of a HEAVENLY FATHER. Malea's adoption, as awesome and life changing as it is is only a drop in the bucket to what we will experience being adopted into heaven to experience ETERNAL life with a God who is crazy unconditionally in LOVE us! We cannot grasp in our finite bodies the depths of his love for us or all that he has in store for us. Psalm 139 came to mind so I added a tid bit above as a reminder of his hand on our lives.

A little less eventful but fun was my birthday celebrated over a period of 3 days. Saturday I had lunch at Evangelos with a bunch of girlfriends. Last night I had dinner, Cold Stone icecream cake, and a couple rounds of "Bohnanza" (thanks again Kari!) with my family. Today I spent the evening with my youth girls out at VanWingerden's cabin having a senior photo shoot. We had a blast! Thanks for giving us your time and talent Marie! Can't wait to see the photos!!