I want to thank everyone who prayed for my family especially yesterday. during Thanksgiving…
Holidays hurt so deeply…and Gianna’s void is so loud 🙁
But, Yesterday was a special time with family and I felt God’s grace carrying all of us. ….
it was hard …so hard….But God came close within the pain and there were pockets of joy and smiles and even a dance party after dinner for the kiddos!
That is how it is ….Joy and ache always colliding together.
I did not take many or any photos for that matter….like I used to.
I guess because capturing moments at holidays gatherings in this season so newly without our baby-girl in my arms just hurts right now ….
But, I’ll take this opportunity to share a memory and pics from our recent road trip to Ohio and Kentucky this past Fall.
It was a wonderful time away for all of us.
Road tripping has been very therapeutic and bonding for my family and has provided a balm of sorts to our hearts.
We got to go the life-size Noah’s Ark Museum and it was simply amazing. When we took a photo of all us in front of the ark, a butterfly flew down on the flower right behind us. Heaven is near….
There was a pink sunset as we were driving too….
<3 Love notes from heaven. <3
Gianna always stays so close….even within the painful physical absence of her.
It is hard to even understand…..it is truly supernatural
…heaven does come so close…..the veil is so thin…
We got to ride camels too and visit with all sorts of animals!
We also got to go to an SCC concert in Ohio and we were lovingly invited back stage to hang out with Steven Curtis Chapman for about 45 minutes….(Gianna was a Show Hope sponsorship baby).
He had read her story and was so personal and caring and loving and compassionate with us.
I am so thankful for their act of love on us…..
We cried together and even laughed together.
Such a wonderful, loving and humble and genuine man of God.
He signed the kids shirts and gave Hudson his guitar pick from that night. Hud was so excited! Isabella got to share her testimony and calling to China and orphan care. He invited her to serve at Maria’s Big House of Hope this summer. Just such a special time…especially for the kiddos.
We also renewed our SHOW HOPE sponsorship in honor of our Gianna Lilyfaith. SHOWHOPE helps to bring thousands of orphans home to their families!
The Chapman family is so dear to us… God used their story many years ago to first call us out to adopt. And their heartbreaking story of God’s unfailing faithfulness and beauty from ashes during their tragic loss of sweet Maria is such a testimony to my family of HOPE in the deep darkness.
Then we got to hang out with dear lifelong friends in Kentucky who also adopted one of Gianna’s foster sisters from Harmony House soon after we brought home our Gia-Bia. Such a deep bond forever.
So thankful for the many ways God is carrying us and coming so near to our broken hearts in the deep valley of brokenness.
So many lights in the darkness….so many pockets of joy in the pain.
But…Nothing is ever the same without our little sunshine-girl, Gia-Bia.
We miss her so much.
I know she stays so close to us…she is SO ALIVE
but we are aching for her vibrant personality and cheesy smiles and giggles and sass here on earth.
Such a deep gaping hole forever….
