Her Amazing Hair

I posted early on that I didn't think there was any way my sweet husband would agree to adopt three children.  I knew that it would be crazy to even bring it up to him, but when I saw Bennet (her African name is Bemnet, but we will call her Bennet) in the picture with the twins, I KNEW she was supposed to be with us.  There was such joy on her face.  My heart was so drawn to her.  But let me tell ya, what I absolutely LOVED was her hair.  It was crazy wild.  Sticking out in this weird afro style - and so very cool.  Yes!  Loved it!

Yesterday we received a picture of the kiddos that was taken right after they were given gifts from us (including pictures of our family and home).  As they were given the gifts and pictures, they were told that we were their new family.  The picture is of the three of them, holding the gifts in their laps - and you see our pictures in each lap.  And Bennet has no hair.  They shaved it off.  I'm assuming this is because she either had lice or they didn't want her to get lice.

I have never seen anyone more beautiful.  You should see her face.  She is RADIANT.  She is BEAMING.  There is HOPE in her eyes.   Then the tears started flowing.  I mean, come on!   Can you imagine what this child has been through?  Her mother died when she was five.  Her father died when she was ten.  Her aunt and uncle tried to raise the kids, but ended up putting the little ones in an orphanage.  She was separated from them.  But then they couldn't keep her either and they took her to the orphanage as well.   We have a video of her at the orphanage and she is so happy to be with her little brother and sister.  They stood arm in arm and she kissed her brother's head.  Sweetness.  But then her head had to be shaved.   Maybe that's nothing to her, but I kept thinking about it being my daughter, Gatlin.  I just don't think it would be nothing.  She's a girl.  Hair matters, whether you live in America or Africa.  Hard stuff.

And then she gets a new family.  On the video, she heard the agency worker say, "It will just be the Lord if they get a family" -- and now she knows that the Lord Himself has stepped in on her/their behalf.

Honestly, I cannot begin to imagine what this child has been through.  All I know is that the next few months can't go by fast enough.  I want to grab that precious girl and hold her til she won't let me hold her anymore.   And I want to brush that hair as it grows back in - it will be AMAZING hair.