Two years

Two years:

Today marks our daughter's 2nd Gotcha Day anniversary (or as our dear friend Maylee Beezir refers to as Family Day). Most of the time I don't think about how Allie joined our family - it's as if she's always been here. The transitional period was not always pretty - and at times it was well, ugly. When Allison joined our family - she was weak, thin, delayed developmentally and ALWAYS needed to be held to avoid implosion. Today, she is a strong, healthy, bright little ball of sunshine, who still ALWAYS likes to be held. What a cuddle bug. She can light a room with her sunny personality and radiant smile.

Gotcha Day is a reminder of how our daughter joined our family and how far we've come. It makes me stop and appreciate that she is with us and how lucky we are. We have been so blessed. (Gotcha Day also gives us one more reason to celebrate and get together with our China family.)

.....and that's a wrap:

I feel like I've met some amazing blog friends, and some IRL. But, with most things, this blog has come to an end (update: long hiatus). There just isn't enough time in the day with two small kids, school, dogs, yadayadayada to keep updating. I will be keep following the blogs of my new (and not so new) friends along with blogs of some cool waiting Moms - as I'm much to nosey to miss their referral announcements - not to mention they need all the support they can get.

***BTW, that creature Scott was holding is a conch (so we were told by a 10 yr old at the beach). Pretty gross, huh. Can you believe people eat these things? Yep, as fritters.

1st Anniversary of Gotcha Day!

Today is our first anniversary of Allison's Gotcha Day. I can't believe a year has passed. It honestly feels like just yesterday we were anxiously waiting for our referral and then travel approval; and yet, it seems as if Allie has always been a part of our family. She is such a fun-loving child and she just loves life. Her favorite things are swimming, sand, Barney (she looooves the songs), music, dancing, fruit (especially apples), cuddling, outdoors, swings, riding on the back of my bike and trying everything her big brother does. We have truly been blessed to have this little girl as a part of our family. Today is a day to stop and remember how lucky we are. This past year has been awesome, tiring (stressful at times - saving the details for an upcoming post), busy, and fun.

My husband, while in China, purchased gifts & we stored them away in a closet. She received the first one while in China & each Gotcha Day we will be giving her a little gift from her birth country until she's 18. Most of the gifts are tiny trinkets (book marks, pens, fans, dolls, etc.). We read about this idea in an adoption magazine & loved it. So today will be the first time we get to give her one of the little trinkets. Fun.

We have a reunion/Gotcha party this Saturday with our travel families (we refer to each other as our China family). Who knew when we started our adoption journey we would also be gaining wonderful new friends? What a bonus! I can't wait to see everyone and celebrate this milestone together.

I'm ending this post with a little quote from one of the main characters in Anne Tyler's new book, Digging to America, as she reflects on her daughters first Gotcha Day (Loved the book BTW).

"When Bitsy looked back on Jin-Ho's arrival, it didn't seem like a first meeting. It seemed Jin-Ho had been traveling toward them all along and Bitsy's barrenness had been part of the plan, foreordained so that they could have their true daughter. Oh, it's you! Welcome Home! Bitsy had thought when she first saw that robust little face, and she had held out her arms."