I am blessed.

Really, is there anything more to say? ...

Happy 2nd birthday, E, and happy 3rd R Day to my R. I love you both so very much.

Sick Babies

I'm home from work today with my two sick babies. They have high fevers, super runny noses, and hacking coughs. Poor things. They are so pathetic. R hasn't hardly eaten anything in several days, and E's nose will not stop running. I'm hoping they are better soon because I need to be at work tomorrow. We have a 2 hour late start for the kids for a PD session that I have to lead... soooo it won't really work if I'm not there.

We did manage to get the girls' photos taken yesterday despite the sickness. The pictures were for E's birthday, but of course, my R also got in on the action, too. I went to a new person this time, and she posted some preview photos from it on facebook. I can't wait to see the rest-- the ones she posted are beautiful! I will share some in a few days once the photographer is finished editing them!

Happy Birthday, Baby Doll!

Today is my E's 2nd birthday. What can I say? She's such an amazing and funny and sweet little thing. She has such a caring heart and sensitive little soul, but she's so tough, too, and she's not afraid to stand up to her sassy big sister. She loves deeply and can always make me smile when I'm upset. She is a miracle.

I think today about her birthfamily, across the world in Ethiopia. I think about where they live, the place where my daughter was born and lived the first 8 months of her life. I long to tell them that she is ok... that she is loved... that she's sleeping tonight in a warm bed with at least 6 dolls cuddled up with her...

Tonight, at birthday cake time, she sang "Happy Birthday" to herself right along with us. She shared her icing with her big sister when R asked for more. She made her scary lion face and danced in her seat.

I love her so very much. I thank God that we started our 2nd adoption when we did and that by His miracle, she became my daughter.

My sweet E, I love you forever.

Ethiopian Sun-- 3 Years Later

On "E" Day in Dec., I posted the story I tell the girls about the first time A, E, and I met each other last year. I'll do the same today, telling the story of meeting R for the first time. I can't believe that it has been 3 years since the first time I held my daughter.

Anyway, here is the story I tell R about when we met one another...

Mommy and Daddy decided to adopt a little girl from Ethiopia so they filled out all the paperwork and waited a long time. Finally, it was time for them to fly to Ethiopia to bring their tiny baby girl home. So Mommy and Daddy flew over the ocean to Africa, over the mountains of Ethiopia and into Addis Ababa, where R was. When we got to Ethiopia, it was nighttime, and Mommy and Daddy were very tired. Y and D picked us up and drove us to the hotel.

The next morning, Mommy and Daddy came downstairs and ate breakfast with the other families who were there to bring their little babies home. Finally, it was time for Mommy and Daddy to go up the hill and around the corner and through the gates of *our agency's home* and into the courtyard. When we got into the courtyard, all the babies were our in the sun getting baby massages and napping.

From across the courtyard, we spotting our tiny baby because of her little curly head and her tiny baby toes. She was sitting in a bouncy seat facing away from us, but as we got closer, Mommy and Daddy said, "That's her! That's our baby daughter!'

Someone handed R to Mommy, and Mommy kissed R on the forehead. When Mommy looked at R's sweet face, R was smiling at Mommy. Daddy couldn't take his eyes off his tiny beautiful baby! Mommy, Daddy, and R were a family forever.

... And that is the story I tell my daughter about that beautiful meeting 3 years ago today. With R, we had the perfect, fairy tale first meeting. R attached to us quickly, so quickly in fact that I've often said she was waiting for us just as much as we were waiting for her. My biggest emotion when I held her for the first time was the biggest sense of relief. Relief that after all the longing for her-- the gut wrenching, horrible heart ache and longing of the time when we were waiting between referral and travel-- was completely lifted. This perfect and beautiful child was in my arms-- forever. R is my miracle. The daughter I had prayed for and longed for for all the time I had waited to be a mother.

We were fortunate, so very fortunate, that our first days and weeks together were totally lovely. It was such an amazing experience, and it truly was perfect. Not ALL first meetings of children in adoption are perfect. In fact, most are far from it (remember, the first time we met E was horrible!!), and I am so thankful for that. Maybe some of you reading this are rolling your eyes and gagging. Had I had the first meeting experience we'd had with E first, I would feel totally different. We were so prepared for R to totally reject us, and we were so lucky that it was a completely opposite experience.

R, my precious R, I love you so very much. My heart ached for you and longed for you until 3 years ago today when we met for the first time. I am so thankful to be your mom. You, my daughter, are strong-willed and sassy. Sometimes I get frustrated. Sometimes I yell. But, at the end of the day, my dear, I adore you. I treasure you. I am so thankful that God chose me to be your mother. Three years have gone by in a blink, and I can wait to see what you do next!

3 Years

It's been 3 years (today) since A and I started on the journey across the sea to go bring our R home. I cannot believe how quickly the time has flown by! I am thinking tonight about how I felt as we made our way to Ethiopia. I think about how much my heart ached and longed and hurt for her until I held her in my arms. There are no words to describe what it was like to finally be on our way to bring our precious, tiny baby. (She was just a little over 3 months old at the time.) For my daughter, I had waited for a long time. 3 years ago today, that wait was almost over.

Lovely

I think that is the only way to describe the past few days. I was able to attend the Created for Care adoptive moms retreat... and I brought my E so she could be reunited with her ET BFF, B, because my dear friend S was able to go at the very last minute!!

The whole trip was amazing from start to finish. First, my E was a wonderful traveler. My girl only cried a few times the entire weekend, and it was only when she was dead tired. She was smiley and happy and precious. She played with B like they'd never been apart. I LOVED LOVED LOVED seeing the two of them together again. I know you might not believe me, but I know those girls remembered each other. Even though S and B leave across the country from us, I know that E and B will always share a bond and friendship.

Speaking of, can I just tell you how much I loved meeting S in person!? Finally. It was so amazing to just be able to meet face to face!

The retreat was so awesome. 250 woman-- all brought together through adoption. Many different agencies, international, domestic... All of us there for a weekend specifically designed for us. I loved being reunited with some travel buddy friends and people whose blogs I've faithfully followed through their journeys. And I got to meet so many others, too!! The whole weekend, from start to finish, was such a blessings and was something I desperately needed!

On a totally unrelated side note, E, apparently, has decided it is time that she was potty trained. On Sat. night, she told me to take off her diaper because she had to potty... and she did!! And she did it again tonight. I had planned to start working on potty training over my spring break, but at this point, it appears she's begun to potty train herself! Is there anyway to explain how much I love that tiny, precious, beautiful, smart, funny, clever, joyful, amazing child??? And her sister, too, of course.

What did I EVER do to be this blessed? Yes, life can be hard and has been overwhelming lately, but my children truly are so amazing.