Happy Birthday Judah and Jewel!!!

"For you formed my inward parts: you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them." Psalm 139:13-16

Today is Judah and Jewel's 1st Birthday!

Happy Birthday, sweet babies! We love you SO much and can't wait to celebrate with you when we get to you!! Most of all, sweet ones, Jesus loves you and is with you right now and will never leave you nor forsake you. His love is the sweetest of all..

Here are some ways you have been celebrated today:

Caitlyn made you a sign!!

A pink balloon for Jewel and blue for Judah! We are "sending" them to you! :)

From our sweet, sweet friends, Mrs. Angela, Kylin, Jesualdo, and Nacssa (and Mr. Jimmy). 

They sent a Happy Birthday wish and celebration to you from Florida!! Thanks, friends!

We have been waiting and treasuring you both from afar. We have loved (and grieved) spending your past year with you through pictures. We can't wait to spend the next ones with you in our home all together.  Thank you, Lord, for bringing us together and making us a family!

Here are some highlights from getting to know you via email the past year:

 These are the pictures we saw the first time we laid eyes on you:

11.1.12

Maria Jewel Neely & Mario Judah Neely 

You were exactly 6 months old and PRECIOUS.

The bears in the background are the ones we sent with our friend, 

Grace when she traveled to pick up precious Elda. Thanks, Grace!

These next pictures are from our dear friends, Angela & Jimmy, about four weeks later

when they were there to pick up their two boys:

11.28.12

About 7 months old and growing so much!

 12.5.12

You officially became Neelys!!

These were taken by our sweet missionary friend in Bissau last month:

4.10.13

About 11 months old. You've both grown SO much!!

You each are so beautiful!

We are so thankful and praise God for you! We are thankful that He kept you, that He led us to you, and that He will be glorified through your stories. We can't wait to love on you and bring you home. We pray for you many times every day and love you both SO MUCH.

WE'LL SEE YOU SOON!!

Love,

Daddy, Mommy, and Big Sister Caitlyn

 "I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope." Psalm 130:5