Since we are approaching Valentine's Day I thought I would explain a heartwarming ritual in our family that I love! It just warms my heart thinking about it. My kids will ask for a circle hug, usually at night before going to bed- It looks like this: The four of us, with our heads real close and our arms around each others backs(in a circle) and you start with a hug and then Harrison will kiss my cheek, I will kiss Isabelle's cheek, Isabelle will kiss Craig's cheek and Craig will kiss Harrison's cheek- this goes on around the circle a couple of times until giggling ensues- It is the sweetest thing! I LOVE IT! There is no place I would rather be in the whole world!!!
I also want to brag on the heart of my daughter: Her first grade teacher wrote me an email yesterday, telling me that they had read a story about a girl who was looking for something beautiful in a not so beautiful world. She defined beautiful as something that made her heart happy. Then Mrs. Sing asked the class to write about something that made their hearts happy- My beautiful girl wrote that her baby sister would have a laugh that would make her heart happy! Her teacher said that she talks about Jillian or Ethiopia every day and that her love for her was evident, even though we have never even met her yet! She gets it! I am so proud of her! I do wonder if a 7 year old little girl can "get it", then why can't more adults "get it"- This is affecting more than just a person or two- it spreads- what a blessing! This makes my heart smile! What a Valentine!!!
Your family is so awesome Erin....though you will be singings the blessing Jillian brings to you (and no doubt they will be MANY), don't forget to how nice it will be for her: going from an orphanage to a family with circle hugs, a father who is able to be moved to tears by the thought of a child with no one tuck them in at night and children who are able to love so fully someone they have never met, and a mom who is able to help raise and influence those kids to have that feeling of love. We see so often that children are a product of their environment. The blessings in a adoption are not one way!
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