Thoughts of the day

As Christmas is inching closer, we are all receiving cards/yearly update letters in the mail. Some of them I glance at before placing in the same old "card basket," while others I am thoroughly touched by. Today we received three cards/letters that touched both Cory and myself.
One letter was from a couple we went through our adoption classes with. They are an amazing couple who have three biological boys and are in the process of bringing home their little princess (Sophie) from Korea. On the card was a picture of the five of them and then there was one other picture of their little Sophie...what an amazing Christmas present for them!
The next card we received was from a couple that we met in the hospital the day that Allie was born. This couple was quite possibly the sweetest couple I've ever met. We met early in the day and spent the rest of the day waiting and chatting together. They were waiting for their first granddaughter (fourth grand baby at the time) to be born. It was nice to have someone there for us on that day and even though they were strangers, they were incredibly comforting. We still have the little stuffed bunny (it was 3 days after Easter) they gave Allie that day in her crib. The card they sent had a picture of them with all six of their grand babies. I'm sure their Christmas is going to be amazingly busy!
The last card we received was from Cory's aunt & uncle. What touched me about this card is what they wrote inside the card. It said, "Isn't it amazing how much of a difference a year can make?" It really is amazing how much of a difference a year can make. When I think back to last year, I remember the longing for a child. I can remember how I thought that the Christmas holiday is all about children, and as much as we adore and love our nieces and nephews...that longing was always there.
It makes we wonder what next year will bring to us. Allie will be one and will be walking around everywhere. Ray and Nancy will have their beautiful little baby boy (we can't wait for that). Jen & Jason will have little Addison home from China and hopefully we'll be having play dates with our little girls. Shallyn will have another little one running around (I think it's a girl). We'll be going through the adoption process again, praying for yet another miracle.
This last year has been amazing and we are looking forward to a very special Christmas and I'm sure a busy, exciting, and fun-filled new year!