It has been one year since we were finally able to hold Liana in our arms for the first time!!! In a way, I can't believe a year has already gone by but at the same time, I can't believe it has only been a year! That trip to China feels like a really long time ago and it seems like Liana has always been with us. I made an adoption video for Liana to show her some of this beautiful journey that we have been on. As I waded through all of our pictures for hours and hours, I couldn't help but get goose bumps, at times, and tears at others as I remembered the whole thing. I was struck again by the miracle of how we were matched with her so quickly after finally finishing our dossier and sending it to China. I was brought back to the moment that the ayis brought her through the door and we saw our first glimpse of her and felt the same butterflies in my stomach. And the excitement and nerves that I felt when the ayi handed her to me. There go those goose bumps again! I just feel so blessed to have been chosen to go on this journey and to get to be this wonderful child's mama! I know that God chose us for a reason and I know that I don't deserve it but I will just say, "Thank you!" and accept this wonderful gift with open arms, over and over again! I love my three babies so much (sorry kids, you will always be my babies!) and I will never stop being thankful for them.
So here is a link to my video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NynWH7OCc9Y
Oh, and how did we celebrate Liana's Gotchaversary/Forever Family Day? With Chinese food, of course! We also have something for her each year on her Gotcha day from China until she turns 18. They're mostly trinkets but some are pretty cool. Every year on her Gotcha anniversary, Liana gets a little piece of China.
A whole year!! Look how far you've come, how you've grown with each other, to a happy loving family of five. You are indeed blessed to have this wonderful little girl in your lives, and she is blessed to have found her forever family! Congratulations on completing your first challenging, magical, love-filled year together. It's only the beginning....:)
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