Our Princess

As many of you know, when we received our referral for Haddie this is the first picture we saw:

At the time of her referral I was doing a Bible study on the book of Esther. Esther was orphaned at a young age and cared for by her cousin Mordecai. As God wrote the story of Esther's life, she came into a royal position, with a name change, and the ability to save her people from destruction.

"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

Esther 4:14

Esther's original Hebrew name was Hadassah, meaning myrtle, which means flowering plant.(We later learned that Haddie's nickname in China was "flower".) Hadassah later received her name of Esther when she entered the royal harem.

“Esther 2:7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter.”

So a lot of background information to share this story with you. Haddie has been a princess to me since the first time I laid eyes on her. When our agency called us to give us to opportunity to consider her for adoption, they said, "I have a little princess for you to consider."

The first package I sent her consisted of the items below:

I included the princess dress and tiara, which I felt were so appropriate, and adequately expressed the feelings in my heart about her.

Last week Haddie saw the picture of the items I sent her, including the picture above. This is the conversation that followed:

Haddie: "That dress not mine."

Me: "Oh yes, honey, I sent that to you."

Haddie: "I not wear."

Me: (knowing that Haddie did not receive all the items that we sent her)

"Did you not get this dress and crown?"

Haddie: "Nother girl wear."

Me: "Another girl wore this dress?"

Haddie: "Yes."

Me: "Oh. Haddie, I sent that dress to you."

Haddie: "I want to wear."

Me: "You wanted to wear that dress?"

Haddie: "Yes."

Haddie then fell to the floor and sobbed.

As I scooped my broken hearted daughter into my arms we further discussed the situation. I came to understand that this other girl who had been given the dress I sent to Haddie was quite favored. I then proceeded to explain to my little princess how favored SHE is...she now has a whole closet of pretty dresses to wear, she has been given a family, and more than that she has Jesus, and He does not withhold any good thing from her!

Psalm 48:11

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

the LORD bestows favor and honor;

no good thing does he withhold

from those whose walk is blameless.

As the day wore on, Haddie continued to share things with me about China that held roots to hurts in her heart. I continue to struggle to understand how people can be intentionally cruel to a child. I take comfort in the fact that my protective Father takes this kind of treatment seriously.

Matthew 18:6 (The Message)

^6-7"But if you give them a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you'll soon wish you hadn't. You'd be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck. Doom to the world for giving these God-believing children a hard time! Hard times are inevitable, but you don't have to make it worse—and it's doomsday to you if you do.

I am so thankful that God continues to guide us and Haddie through the process of healing her heart. I believe one day she will truly know that she is not just our princess, but HIS princess!