Chili 50/365

See Noelle, she has a friend too!

 See Chili, she is the hamster lovingly chosen and adopted by Noelle.

See Noelle appreciating Chili's beauty....there's a reason she isn't to close, she always takes things slow.

See Chili has a story.  One that started before we brought her home.  She was chosen and picked out by another family.  They had a little boy, and they thought the hamster would be good therapy for him, but as it turns out, he was not nice to Chili, and couldn't be the pet parent that Chili needed.  So Chili was returned then placed up for adoption.  Noelle fell in love with Chili and decided to bring her home.  You see, it turns out that Chili's abuse left not only some emotional scars, but some physical ones too.  It wasn't long before we discovered that Chili was missing a leg.  She had a little scab where the leg should have been.

See Noelle loving on Chili.  With Noelle's sweet love, Chili has learned to overcome her physical disabilities, and her emotional scars are healing...Noelle can hold her now without getting bitten, and they can share in each other's pure joy.

This is so much what it is like for adoptive parents.  We adopt precious children by faith, not knowing what emotional and physical scars there may be.  We just know in our hearts that they our our children, and we will love them in spite of all the flaws they come to us with.  Then, with faith and lots of love, we watch them blossom into children, our children, whom our heart delights in and we get to share in each other's pure joy.  I think sweet Noelle's little heart is already being prepared to respond to God's call to adopt.  I think Chili is just one little tool he is using to prepare her for the future.