Surgery Day: In Recovery

We finally got to see Rachel in recovery around 1:00pm. 

My first glance at her from straight on was there was nothing different about her. But once I saw her profile from the side, the difference was amazing!!!! Her lips finally meet and touch, something they've never done. 

As I sat at her bedside, looking at her, praying and thanking the Lord for answered prayer for everything going so well thus far, I couldn't help but think of the different faces we've loved through the years. 

The first time, was when she was born. She had a very wide cleft lip and we fell in love with that face, as it was the one we knew for 4 1/2 months, until her lip was repaired in January 2005. 

The second face was the one we've known and loved all these years since that lip repair. Extreme underbite and all, it's the face we've looked at for 18 years.

And now, this third time, is that her profile has changed drastically, lips matching and touching for the first time in her life.  And while I'd only been looking at it this new profile briefly, swelling already starting to set in, I already love this new face just as much as the others. 

* picture posted with Rachel's permission