Miracles.

It's written on my sidebar and I say it all the time...Our boys are ours through the miracle of biology and our daughter is ours through the miracle of adoption. Since it's, you know, National Adoption Month, I thought I'd focus on the miracle of adoption today.

Although, I can't just go right into my daughter without first acknowledging my sons. Isaac and Samuel are some serious miracles. Serious. Miracles. My pregnancies were life threatening. Pregnancy and I don't mix well. At all. But look at my boys. Goodness gracious sakes alive! I did that! Those 2 people grew inside my body. They kicked me from the inside. I bet I have scars to prove it, too. The simple fact that a woman's body can thrive while a little human is growing and developing inside her, the fact that a woman can help to create such perfection, just boggles my mind. A human miracle. That's what my boys are. Miracles.

Ruthie is ours through a serious miracle, as well. We call it adoption. And that's what this is about. When a couple chooses adoption, they choose to place all their hopes and dreams of creating a family in someone else's hands. A social worker. A government worker. A birthmom. A judge. There are always other people involved in the creation of your family.

But look at my daughter. If you know her, if you know all of us, you know that she is ours. You know that I couldn't have made her more my daughter if I had made her myself. There is a miracle afoot. She was born on the other side of the world. There are details that I choose not to share here that would present nothing short of a string of miracles. When we saw her picture and heard the translation of her name, we knew. She was ours. Miracle.

Then comes the crowning blessing of having a child. The knowledge that your child is yours, not just legally, but eternally. We have a clear eternal perspective. I think eternal families are a miracle. And a blessing. Because Daniel and I chose to be sealed in the temple, our boys were born in the covenant. They were automatically bound to us eternally. With adoption, it's nothing short of a miracle to have your child sealed to you for eternity. When we got home from China, we couldn't wait to have her belong to us, not just legally, but eternally.

When we walked into the temple, my then 5 year old Isaac said, "Wow! It's beautiful!" Just you wait. When the kids were brought into the sealing room, while we were surrounded by our family, I could feel the impact of our little eternal family on me. Wow. This is just like I imagined the Celestial Kingdom to be. Only better. When Ruthie was sealed to us for time and all eternity, she inherited all the blessings my boys had. She, too, was eternally bound to us. Miracle.

Our Heavenly Father can take something painful, heartwrenching, life stopping, and create a miracle. A child. A family. Repentance. Forgiveness. Healing. Eternity. Miracles.

If you ever wonder if miracles still happen...look at a child. Whether through biology or adoption, you'll see a miracle.

And miracles never cease!