Since the Kreh family moved forward to adopt the girl who turned our worlds upside down last winter, they’ve held fast to one motto: MORE JOY, LESS FEAR.

More JOY in their arms, less FEAR of what a life with a child with a sparkly extra chromosome might look like.

More JOY in their hearts, less FEAR about what dreams those hearts might have to exchange for new ones when they let God do a work on the old.

More JOY in their lives, less life lived in FEAR.

For the last year, our team has had the honor of watching this beautiful family (who we now just call our “cousins”) boldly march forward and courageously run after the girl who lives life out loud.

Who seizes every moment.

Who makes the most of every day.

And this month, we’ve had the heart-melting privilege of watching from afar as two of them have traveled to China to reclaim hope for this girl who for too long has been called “orphan.”

We had been home from China for four weeks, out of the hospital for one and were still in the throes of three- and four-hour-a-night sleep deprivation and adoption attachment (not to mention a bat infestation in the apex of our home) the day last month Super-Spouse had to bid us adieu.

The man we love — the never-stressed glue that holds us all together — the man who triages all the owies and makes bedtime routines work like clockwork in half the time this girl can get her act and four rambunctious boys together — was called by his job for a business trip.

That started that very day.

My first thought: I HATE being away from that man! I’m so not ready to see him go!

Which was followed shortly by my second.

Is it bad if in this season I hate losing his body more?

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