Merry Christmas from my heart

In December 2009, I posted this video on our blog for the first time just after Christmas. My friend Anni had told me about it and I was very touched by it. At that point, we were just beginning our journey. We hadn't even submitted our formal application yet, but we knew that God was leading us down the path towards our daughter.

Last year, in December 2010, I posted this video once again and I wrote: "It is now Christmas once again and definitely much, much harder this year not having her here. I feel in my heart our angel has been born. I feel connected to her somehow and I wish more than anything that I could hold her this year at Christmas. Even though I know that God's timing is perfect, my heart aches as I think about how true these lyrics are..."

It's Christmas time again, but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms
And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas

But here we are finally together at Christmas. For two Christmases, I have closed my eyes and wished her a merry Christmas across oceans and continents away. I have longed for the day to celebrate the birth of our Savior with her, to hang the ornaments on the tree together, to countdown the days on our Advent calendar. And finally, it feels almost surreal, but the day is here. Now the last verse of this song rings so true:

Its Christmas time again and now you're home.
Your family is here so you will never be alone.
So tonight before you go to sleep, I'll hold you in my arms.
And tell you from my heart...
I wish you Merry Christmas.