The Big Day!!!

First of all, if the frequency of my blog posts tells you anything, I hope it shouts "I've had better things to do!!!!!"    Because yes, I've been a little preoccupied this year.  But for all the right reasons, I assure you!  

Although it seems like just yesterday, Miss Mia has now been with us for nine months.   Nine.  Wonderful.  Months.   And from the moment we laid eyes on her, we knew she belonged to us.  She was ours, and we were hers.  The paperwork didn't matter.  The looming Court dates didn't matter.    On February 18th, we became a forever family, and our life since has been nothing short of amazing.   But as I'm sure you understand, those steps in the process are reality, and they take some time. 

Well,,, our time is almost up!  The long road is FINALLY coming to end!  Tomorrow, we will visit a Courtroom to stand before the Judge, who will identify us as Mia's parents in the eyes of the law.  It's the final step of the adoption process.  To say this is an exciting time for us would be an understatement.  It's like we'll become a family all over again - it will be another reason to celebrate!!! 

To add to the excitement, National Adoption Day celebrations will be taking place across the Nation.  We get to be a part of this very special day, and will be sharing it with thousands of other families just like us.  I want to close this with a bit of adoption awareness - something for you to think about.  Adoption is a process.  It's how we became a family.   Mia isn't our adopted child, she WAS adopted. 

Now she is just our daughter :)

Worth the Wait!

For most of you, this news doesn't come as a surprise.  I'm a little behind the game as far as keeping up our blog goes!  But we are excited, nonetheless, to FINALLY introduce the newest member of our family!!!

Mia Claire, born February 16th, 2012.

6 lbs, 5 oz.  18 inches long

As far as we knew, Thursday, Februay 16th was just a regular day.  Mike and I both went about our days at work, came home and made dinner together, enjoyed our nightly ping-pong game, and settled in for some trashy tv before we went to bed.  Little did we know, our lives would be forever touched by the miracle that entered the world that morning.  The next day, while at work, I received a phone call from a very important woman at our adoption agency.  No joke, after a polite hello, the first thing she said was "Would you and Mike be able to pick up your baby girl tomorrow?"

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

[Enter tears of joy here!]



Needless to say, I was beside myself.   Literally!  My heart jumped out of my chest.  My brain was off in left field.  My body had to function for a couple more hours at work while I absent-mindedly tried to wrap up a few things up, since I knew I would not be returning on Monday!!!   It's one thing when you get linked with a birthmother before the baby is born - when you have some time to prepare.  But it's a whole different story when the baby is HERE!!!!!    Anyway, somehow, both Mike and I made it through the next 24 hours, before we picked our little girl up from the hospital. 

There are no words to describe that experience.  You mothers out there can relate, I'm sure.  And if you've waited almost 8 years, through the torture of infertility, the loss of a child through a failed adoption, and the ups and downs of not-knowing what your future holds, then you truly understand how I felt the moment they placed her in my arms.  It all made sense.  She belonged with us. 

Of course, there would be a 28-day waiting period, through which we prayed, held our breath, and prayed some more.  But something told me we didn't have to worry.  Her birthmother knew what she was doing.  She called her Mi'Angel...  Funny thing is, that's exactly what her birthmother is to us - our Angel.  She has blessed us beyond words with life's greatest gift...