Forever & ever day...

Some call it 'Gotcha Day', some call it 'Forever Family Day', some call it 'Forever & ever day'... some celebrate it on the day their child was placed in their homes forever, some on the day they land on US soil. Whatever you call it, or whenever you celebrate it, all of us touched by the miracle of adoption know the significance of this day.

For us, our forever and ever day is tomorrow March 5th. The day Madalynn was placed in my arms forever. I still have the outfit she was wearing that day...

Not the greatest picture of us, but this was the moment... I am looking at the foster Mom in this picture. While it was such a joyful day for me, it was a heartbreaking one for her. I didn't walk into the room, and just take Madalynn... I sat on a couch next to her & her foster Mom for a little while until Madalynn, and the foster Mom were ready. Upon giving her to me the foster Mom quickly told me she was ready for a bottle, and a nap. I think at that point she needed to leave. I can't imagine what these foster Mom's go through.

The night before my flight out to pick her up an ice storm was predicted for the next morning, so my Mom (being a Mom) thought it best that I stay at a hotel near the airport so I could just hop on a shuttle in the A.M, and not drive the hour from our house in ice. So I agreed. I was pretty much packed, but remember having to rush a bit, and rearrange how things were packed to allow for an overnight stay. As I was walking out my front door, I just hugged my Mom, and started crying as I knew at that moment by stepping out of my door I was stepping out of my childless life, and stepping into my new life of motherhood.

There was no sense of loss in that moment, I wasn't crying feeling I needed to grieve the loss of my single life.

It was just the opposite, it was knowing I was less than 24 hours away from having my sweetest dream come true. It has been better than I imagined it would be.

This was my heart 1 year ago tonight...

All my bags are packed...

March 4, 2008

... I'm ready to go!!!! I can't believe it. I'm teary-eyed just typing this.

Tomorrow at 3pm Guatemala time Madalynn will be placed in my arms forever. I won't ever have to give her back, oyyy, here come the tears again!!!