One year ago.....

One year ago we met a little girl whom we had only known from a picture.

A little girl who needed a Mama and a Daddy just as much as they needed her.

Because the dream of her had been there for many, many years -

and the yearning of a mother's heart had steadily drawn her closer.

Because the fire of compassion of the Allmighty had sparked the same in a Father's heart -

and he allowed that fire to carry him to the other side of the world.

The new beginning was also an end.

The joy tightly interwoven with sadness.

The certainty of a new family laced with the uncertainty about her new life.

She did not want to let them in.

Just a little - maybe.

The tears of saying goodbye still stung in her eyes.

But she took the chance, and opened up to the life that had been placed in her little hands.

A different life.

Brothers.

A sister.

A place to belong. Forever.

And she made room in her heart, and started to love and to grow.

She was home.