Reflections at the beach...

Although Cohen wasn't a huge fan of the beach, he did start to like it a little more as the week went on. He was still not so sure about standing in the water, but he did enjoy playing in the sand and shells.






This time last year we were also at the beach. I remember walking on the beach with Robby as we wondered when our baby would be born. Looking back on this past year it is amazing to think about all the experiences we have had. We saw the first pictures of Cohen while he was still in the hospital and immediately knew he was our son. Friends and family joined us in praying that Cohen would soon come home to be with us forever. Our hearts ached as we watched him grow older and older through pictures, but we knew he was being loved by a wonderful foster mother. In March we were able to spend an unforgettable week with Cohen in Guatemala. We fell even more in love with him as we got to hold him in our arms, hear his laughs and his cries, and get to know his sweet personality. Months continued to pass and we thought we couldn't wait another day for Cohen to be with us. A generous annonymous gift allowed me to go to Guatemala to foster Cohen until his adoption was complete. Robby joined me two weeks later and the opportunity to live in Guatemala for two months was absolutely amazing. God used that time to not only allow us to bond together as a family, but to soak up the Guatemalan culture. We look forward to telling Cohen all the many things we came to love about his birth country and will forever be changed by the things we experienced there.

In just a few days we will celebrate Cohen's first birthday. We are filled with gratitude that God has blessed us with such an incredible son.