ellie

let me tell you about one of my favorite people in the whole entire world. she's funny, creative, witty, joyful, and one of the most loving people i've ever met. she also celebrated her 8th birthday on saturday. i first met ellie a month before my 14th birthday. she came to our house in an ugly dress, huge light-up shoes, and matted hair. shyly she explored our house without making a sound. barely able to sit up by herself, she maneuvered her way around using the furniture for support. i remember being so nervous and wondering if this little girl would ever smile. if you have met ellie in the last 4 or 5 years, this description of her probably seems unimaginable, but at the time all she knew was pain and abandonment. coming from an incredible broken background, all that precious little girl knew was hurt, bruises, and lies. she was incredibly sensitive and distrusting of men, and it took weeks and weeks for her to even be comfortable in the same room as my dad. it broke my heart to see someone that little associate such pain with a figure that is supposed to bring protection and safety.

when she was 3 1/2 years old, my family got the incredible privilege of adopting ellie into our lives for forever. in the last 5 years, the person that ellie has become is truly a depiction of the Lord's incredible grace. my little sister is sweet, compassionate, crazy, fun, and so aware of how God has changed her from broken to beautiful. i can't imagine my life without her, and she seriously teaches me something new every day. as i celebrated her birthday with her and all her friends this weekend, i was again reminded of how the Lord completely changed my heart through ellie and her story. He has given me such a heart for the broken, a desire to see lost hearts changed in countries around the world, and a dream to adopt my own someday. i am so incredibly thankful for ellie and the impact she had made on my family and my life.