Ella believes all Christmas trees should have roots and wings. Every year, during the first week of Advent, we make bird seed ornaments... 
...and decorate a small tree in our yard.
Our "hope" is to give God's winged creatures what they need to sustain themselves through the cold winter months ahead.
This past weekend Ella met some biological relatives discovered through an ancestry database. We had a wonderful visit and left feeling grateful for this beautiful connection.
Later that evening, I received a text from a sweet friend checking on me to see how I felt after meeting her biological relatives. The first thought that popped into my head was her belief in roots and wings.
Much like our bird seed tradition...our "hope" as parents is to help Ella become grounded in her roots so when the time comes for her to leave our nest, her foundation is solid, and her wings carry her through life.
Sweet Ella B, may you always have enough love, wisdom, and good memories to open the doors of hope...
