This last weekend Trenner and I got to go watch my sister, Ali, preform with her church choir for their Christmas program. She, of course, was decked out in her new Christmas skirt and sparkley red shoes. She practiced the songs weeks before the performance. She sang along and, I'm sure, felt pretty proud of herself afterward. Ali is now in 3rd grade. She can read and write. She goes to school like every other kid her age. {She cries about NOT wanting to go to school like every other kid her age!} She is spunky and opinionated. She's sympathetic and loving. She loves swimming and puppies. {as long as they don't get too close} I look at her life and am so grateful. She was born here, in the US, to a family who loves her. A family who accepts her. A family who doesn't treat her like she's any different then anyone else. She has a chance to live. a chance to love. a chance to be loved.

Then, Edna's picture flashes across my mind. My heart sinks, my breath quickens. The reality of her future makes me queezy. Confined to her crib. No one to love her. No one for her to love. A future that  holds nothing, no one, unless we go get her. I picture images of adult mental institutions because that's the future for children with Down syndrome if no one comes for them. Most children age out of orphanages at the age of five. Can you imagine it? A five year old? In a mental institution? All because of an extra chromosome.

How could we let a little paperwork and a measly $24,000 stand in the way of offering Edna the life she deserves? the life God called us to provide? How could we say no? It was obvious at the beginning of this journey that with out Him, we could not get to her. But isn't that what He wants from us? For us to go places and do things that only can get done through Him? A friend of mine sent me this in a note this week, "As the Lord commands strength and courage for the 3rd time in Joshua 1:9, He has now shown us how to accomplish it. We rely on His plan and His presence. Then, He promises that He is in it with us to the finish line."-Pam Brewer So,we're following Him to the finish line with the Greatest of Hopes in our hearts that soon Edna will be able to join Ali in her own cute Christmas skirt and sparkley shoes.