One Year

As we waited for it to be time to travel and get our sweet Maggie, I thought about lots of things.  I wondered how she would really look, if she was as quiet as her paperwork claimed (she's not!), what she would like, how she would get along with her new sisters, and. . . when I would feel comfortable getting the boogers out of her nose.

Yes, I wondered about boogers.  Last winter and early spring, while Sarah Beth was still just one, she had lots of boogers.  I didn't always have a tissue handy to deal with them, so I did what moms do.  I got them out with a quick wipe using bare fingers.  Not the most pleasant thing, but sometimes a true necessity.  The thing is, I wouldn't do this for just any kid.  In fact I've never cleaned boogers off of the nose of a child who isn't mine.  And so I wondered when I would feel comfortable enough to just reach up to my new little daughter's nose and wipe it clean with my just my hand.

As it turned out, our sweet one didn't even have a runny nose much less a booger to test me out until six months after we met.  Instead, she had the nastiest diaper blowout I have EVER encountered just a few hours after being placed in my arms.  I would have welcomed a few little boogers, but I had no trouble cleaning up our scared little girl that day--or any of the other days that followed--because she was mine.

As of today, she has been mine for one year.  A little blessing from God just like her sisters.

We have been so incredibly blessed by this sweet, funny, silly, precious little girl.  She has a laugh that can fill a room and turn heads.  She feels things with the most intensity I have ever seen.  If she is happy, she is really, really happy.  If she is hurting, we will all know about it.  She shows her love for us with with smiles, hugs, and kisses, as she says, "I love you sooo much!"

To celebrate one year of togetherness, we went to a little restaurant that we all enjoy where we can get good, simple food and ice cream.  Maggie ate her hot dog (without the bun), some french fries, potato soup, and blue ice cream.  She loves to eat even though her 26 pound body doesn't look like it.  While we ate, she sat quietly in her chair and commented on the fact that she was being a good girl.  We agreed with her, as Tim and I both reflected on the difference this year has made.

This afternoon when I picked Maggie up from school, she ran over to me with her arms reaching out as she does everyday.  As I carried her, she threw her arms around my neck and said, "I'm so happy!"  When she looked up at me, I said, "Me too Maggie!"  Then, without thinking about it, I reached up and wiped a couple of boogers off of her nose.