Happy 1st Birthday Karissa!

We have the priviledge of celebrating Karissa's 1st birthday.  I know in adoption that is not always possible, so we are very thankful.  The boys sang the happy birthday song to Mui-mui this morning and as a tradition from Happiness Hill Preschool, they continued to sing "we are glad God made you, we are glad God made you, we are glad God made youoooo, we are glad God made you." That just got me thinking of how God made Karissa.  So on the BART ride to work, I was overwhelmed with emotions of thankfulness.  Psalms 139: 13 -16 says, "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 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."  I often use this verse to tell the boys that God made them special and with a purpose.  Every life is valuable because God has a plan for each person.  I have always knew this to be true because when I was pregnant with the boys, I knew inside me were precious gifts.  But now I realized that God, in His sovereignty planned a precious gift for me inside someone else's womb.  I have never thought about it that way.  Karissa is a joy to have and I can't imagine our family without her.  It's amazing that in just two months we have grown so attached. 

Today Mui-mui also had her 12 months well baby check-up and got the result of her blood test.  She has a clean bill of health and currently at 19 lbs 4 oz.  She gained 2 lbs since we got back to the US.  Boo to the nurse that gave her three shots on her birthday.

Her first taste of cake.  She loved it!  She was holding my hands to make sure that I gave her some.  Thank you to Uncle Tim and Auntie Marilyn for the royal outfit.