Happy Birthday, Clara Li!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET PRINCESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh baby girl, how I wish that I could squeeze you and celebrate your life with you today!! I am so thankful that God created you just the way that He did and that He has put you in our family. I know that you are perfectly and wonderfully made and I love you so deeply and completely having never even met you. My heart's desire since I very first saw your picture was to have you home before you turned 2. Well today is that day, sweet girl, and God had a different plan. I pray for you that you feel safe and celebrated today. I pray that someone will hold you close today and that you will feel special. I pray that you will receive the gifts that we sent: I pray that your blanket will keep you warm, that your new panda bear will give you something to hold and somehow comfort you when you are lonely, I pray that as you look at the pictures of your new family that you will not be scared and that you will know that we love you, and I pray that your hair bow will make you feel beautiful. I pray that you will love your birthday cake and that you will make sweet memories celebrating with your friends and nannies.

We have named you Clara Li. You are named after your mommy and it means clear or light. We felt like it was an appropriate name for you because God has been more clear about us adopting you than he has ever been at any other time in my life. He has used so many people to bring us to you, and I cannot wait to share with you all the stories of His faithfulness. Sweet girl, you have been such a light to our lives and have brought us so much joy before we have even met. I am so thankful for your life and that you were perfectly, beautifully, wonderfully meant to be!! It is such a joy to be your mommy and I love you so much!! But more importantly, sweet girl, Jesus loves you perfectly and I pray that you will feel him holding you. You are a dear, precious gift and I absolutely cannot wait to hold you and get to know and delight in all the details about you that make you you. .Clara Li Elizabeth Phipps!! Your brothers and your daddy are waiting to blow out the candles on your birthday pancakes. .they are so excited to celebrate you too!! We are coming for you sweet girI!!! We miss you little one. Much love to you, Mommy