Counting My Blessings....One, Two, Three, Four

I had some time to catch up on reading some of favorite adoption blogs this morning. It used to my favorite pasttime while waiting for KateLin and Caragan. It became a hobby, sharing in the joys as well as the tribulations that other families were going through, while raising many kids. It always amaZes me though, the common thread that binds us together. The fact that we chose to adopt. Today, I needed a reminder of how far we've come and how God's hand has always been in it...every step of the way. I truly believe that we are all placed in one another's lives for a specific plan or purpose. Sometimes that plan or purpose is really evident, right off the bat, sometimes it takes years to really discover...WHY?

Raising four certainly has it's challenges day to day. Dealing with teenagers is never dull, for sure. LOL. Dealing with an adopted teenager that is finally starting to trust her surroundings enough to test you, is another issue altogether. It's refreshing knowing she's getting that comfortable here. I can honestly say that...for every hardship there's an equal blessing. I realize daily that life would not be near as sweet without all four of my kids. Each brings excitement, triumphs, joy and happiness to my life. I am thankful for the winding road that lead me to China twice...because I know that that was exactly the path that God would have us take. Life truly isn't about us...it's about helping others, making a difference in other's lives that we have the ability to touch. It's in raising two sweet boys and two sweet girls. I will never be a RICH individual if you check my bank account, but my cup runneth over with love and happiness because of my four kiddos. That is far greater than any amount of money I could ever possibly possess.