The Extraordinarily Blessed Milestones of Sweet Eleanor: A Heartfelt Celebration of Answered Prayers and Global Kindness

Today brought a moment of pure, profound joy that felt like a beautifully answered prayer. I finally got to sit down and feed my baby girl, Eleanor, sweet potatoes directly from a spoon. Over the course of the day, she has kept me completely busy in the most wonderful way imaginable. She spent hours sitting up on her own, holding her favorite books, eagerly exploring the colorful pages, and mastering the art of eating real food. These are the precious, everyday milestones that I will never, ever take for granted given the journey we have walked to get here.

What makes this chapter even more incredible is seeing how much her little personality is shining through. She has hardly been sleeping at all lately, choosing instead to take just little cat naps here and there throughout the day. I keep telling everyone that she seems to be going through her very own unique version of a sleep regression. Medical professionals often note that babies sleep significantly less when their brains are rapidly processing new skills, and Eleanor has learned so many new things in such a short window of time. From sitting and playing to exploring, eating, and moving, I honestly believe her mind is just too excited to miss a single minute of her life.

God has been profoundly faithful through every difficult day we have faced, and getting to witness these ordinary moments with Eleanor makes them feel absolutely extraordinary. Sometimes, I find myself looking around the room, completely overwhelmed by the realization of how many people have wrapped their arms around our family. Friends, strangers, and compassionate people from all over the world chose to love a little girl they have never even met in person. You have prayed, given generously, sent words of encouragement, and hoped right alongside us during our darkest hours.

I truly believe that every single milestone Eleanor reaches today is completely surrounded by the thousands of prayers that were whispered on her behalf. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for carrying us through this journey when we simply could not carry ourselves. Our family will spend the rest of our lives remembering the immense kindness and grace you have shown us. You did not just watch our journey from afar; you became an active part of it, and we love you deeply for that.