Happy 3d birthday Ryanne

Morgan & Ryanne at the Butterfly exhibit in LA
Ryanne warming up after surfing the waves last week
She's a sprawler
Playing in daddy's helmet

My futures so bright I gotta' wear shades

It's our youngest daughter Ryanne's (pronounced Ryan) 3d birthday today. I woke up this morning and was trying to remember where three years had gone. Crazy. So here's my tribute to you Ryanne in honor of your special day.

I remember clearly telling God about 3 1/2 years ago that unless he literally dropped a baby at our door step we were not looking to adopt again. We had just lost a baby and I knew we couldn't take anymore heartache at that point. One day in May it was raining outside and Morgan drug me to the door pointing up at the sky at the rainbow that had appeared. In all her three year old wisdom she said,"mommy, that's Gods promise to us, he is going to bring me a sister." In all my wisdom (lack of faith) I sat her down and began the horrible task of telling her she would be an only child because daddy and I were done and had pulled our book from the stack at the adoption place. I told her the three of us would be just fine together. She gave me this blank look like I was crazy and went about her day. In June just as my heart was beginning to heal and our lives were back to "normal" we get this random phone call from a friend at church who's dad lives in Colorado and knows someone who is pregnant and is looking to place the baby with a family. I decide it was a long shot anyway so why not pray about it. Well, July 18th we get a call that she is dilating and the baby "girl" is going to be born early so we better get out there. We drove to Colorado and 15 minutes after we arrive you are born. We didn't even have a name. We had to go online and pick one and decide how to spell it all in like a couple of hours. I remember walking into the hospital room and your sister wanting to hold you first; it only seemed fitting since she was the only one with enough faith to believe God was going to finish the puzzle to my heart. You were tiny and beautiful. Really quiet and easy going. You went with the flow and loved having your sister hold you. It took me along time to realize how God had put every little detail in place for us to adopt you. To this day it still blows my mind at the lengths he went to for us. You are a ray of sunshine. You light up any room you walk into and leave a ball of dust and craziness when you leave. The more dirty, faster, scraped up you are the happier you are. You have this wild crazy blond curly hair that you love to let loose and free. You love God and pray and thank him for the sweetest things. You complete our family. You do things your own way at your own time and cant be convinced of any other way. You are the first to hug and kiss everyone but if they blink you are already on to something else. You love life and don't waste a second enjoying it. You dance, sing, jump, climb, roll, skip and chatter everywhere you go. You make me laugh out loud and that is a gift. I love you Ryanne and love watching you grow into a sweet child of God. Thank you Chris & Kristen if you are reading this today for allowing us to live out our lives with Ryanne. I have told you many times over but again, you have given us a gift in Ryanne that is priceless. God knew exactly the child and the birth parents that would fit perfectly into our lives. I love you guys. Happy birthday my little tornado.