Christmas is here!! December 23, 2010

Our first Christmas with Autumn is finally here! So much is happening- so much going on- where to start. Since the last update, Autumn had her church dedication on November 28, 2010. She did so good. She was so quiet and patient. I think she enjoyed the attention. Our friend Allyson sang for her- a wonderful song by Steven Curtis Chapman, "Love Takes You In" Here are the words- it speaks volumes I think of our journey:
"I know you’ve heard the stories
But they all sound too good to be true
You’ve heard about a place called home
But there doesn’t seem to be one for you
So one more night you cry yourself to sleep
And drift off to a distant dream

Where love takes you in and everything changes
A miracle starts with the beat of a heart
When love takes you home and says you belong here
The loneliness ends and a new life begins
When love takes you in

And somewhere while you’re sleeping
Someone else is dreaming too
Counting down the days until
They hold you close and say I love you
And like the rain that falls into the sea
In a moment what has been is lost in what will be

When love takes you in everything changes
A miracle starts with the beat of a heart

And this love will never let you go
There is nothing that could ever cause this love to lose its hold

When love takes you in everything changes
A miracle starts with the beat of a heart
When love takes you home and says you belong here
The loneliness ends and a new life begins
When love takes you in it takes you in for good
When love takes you in"



Other updates: January 4th, Autumn will be having her cleft lip repair - I am worried, happy, nervous, all of these emotions. While I know it will help her so much, she is going to look different. She is so sweet and cute like she is now, I can't imagine her changing. I am trying to remind myself that this going to help her in so many ways, especially speaking and eating, not just aesthetics. She is doing well- her gross motor development just amazes me every day. She is a little slow still with the fine motor- speech therapy is working with her and probably after the new year, she will start occupational therapy to help with her fine motor. We are looking forward to a wonderful Christmas with her- she is enjoying the decorations, and we plan to attend this afternoon's Christmas party at her daycare. She loves going and playing with the other children. We have also gone through her first illness- bilateral ear infection, GI bug- all at once. She is a trooper. Anyway, I will try to update more later- but here are some new pics - courtesy of an old and dear friend- Ryan Bumgarner Photography. Merry Christmas!!