{Front Porch Dollbaby}

If someone would have told me at 16 years old when my Mother passed into Glory that I would in 7 short years meet and be married to the man of my wildest and best dreams,  I wouldn't believe them.

If someone would have told me on March 27, 2008 that I would have yet another daughter born to another woman on the complete opposite side of the globe one day, I wouldn't believe them.

If someone would have told me that today there would be 2 courageous and handsome sons born of my womb playing baseball in the front field of our home in the country with their daddy, I wouldn't believe them.

If someone would have told me that I would dress my daughter from China this sacred and bittersweet Mother's Day in the same dress my Mother made by hand with love for my sister and me, I wouldn't believe them.

But God...

Oh how He writes the best stories...not the stories we would ever write though.  Stories that are most definitely more difficult and more painful than we'd ever wish for ourselves...but stories that are more redeeming and more restoring and more healing because He loves us too much to leave us lost and broken.  He is slowly and gloriously giving new life to where the locusts had destroyed...within myself and our family.  My own brokenness changes when I view it through His forgiving and life-giving eyes...and our grief turns to joy at the mere thought of Eternity.

Trusting Him with everything is dangerous to the worldly soul...but these photos prove He is faithful with anything you place in His hands.  The goodness of God is in the land of our living, too...