Happy Birthday to our African Violet!

Happy 2nd birthday to our Ethiopian princess! We are so thankful that the Lord sent us on the journey to Africa to meet this beautiful baby girl named Betelihem Bekele and weave her into our hearts and family. We chose the name Elianna because it is a combination of our grandmother's (Elizabeth Anne Ortlund) name and Mama's middle name (Anna) plus it means "my God has provided" in Hebrew. Only after we first saw her precious face did we realize that God had given us a Hebrew name for the little one He had perfectly planned for us named Bethlehem. With hearts pounding, we opened that email and fell in love with her on the spot!

Here she is a year and a half later, and we are even more crazy about our Ray Ray! It has been so fun to watch her grow, and learn, and discover. So delightful to see the shy and fearful baby become a confident, goofy, flirty personality that brings so much joy to everyone around her. So beautiful to learn down to the marrow of our bones (again) that biology doesn't matter a whit and neither does nationality. She has immeasurably enriched our lives, changed our perspective, opened our eyes to the needs in Africa, and lit a fire in our hearts for the orphans all over the world.

Baby girl, we are wild about you. You are such a treasure. We love your sweet voice, your expressive face, your squeezable bunnies and kissable lips, your jammin' dance moves, and your snuggly little self in entirety. We are blessed to be your Mama & Papa! Happy birthday, little muffin!

Thank You, Father, for Ray Ray!