Her smile....

Six years ago this month someone very special was born, our oldest granddaughter. Today she spent the afternoon with Papa and I. We went to one of her favorite spots, Red Robin, for lunch. She had her usual to eat...spaghetti...because "noodles are my favorite, Nana." On the way home we stopped and bought some things to do "artjects" with-this is her own peculiar contraction for "art projects". Following that, our conversation in the car went something like this. "I want to grow a hundred pear trees, so then I could feed all the poor people some pears." This was followed by a conversation about what it means to be poor, which she had quite a good handle on. She pronounced that her family is rich, because they have food and toys and a house. (I wish more of us had her economic mindset!) Then she said, "I think I will be a missionary when I grow up, so I can help poor people." When I asked her where she wanted to be a missionary, I thought she would reply Ghana, since she spent two months there this winter with her mom and dad and little brother. Instead she said, "I want to be a missionary where you and Papa went." Confused, I asked her what she meant. Her reply, "You know. Palm Springs!" (Honey, Nana wants to be a missionary there too, I thought!)

Our beautiful granddaughter, who is adopted, came into our life when she was two months old. She was bald as can be, with ears that didn't exactly lay flat on her head! But wherever we took her, she had the biggest toothless smile that everyone found irresistable. Strangers would stop us all of the time and comment on how cute she was.

Today, she's a beautiful six year old girl. How the years have flown by since that little bald baby stole my heart. But, it's still that smile that gets me everytime I see her. I love you baby girl. You are one of God's most hard won and worthwhile blessings in our life.