Celebrating Our Gotcha Day!

                                           The moment that I held Caroline for the very first time.

Overcome with emotion

And, one year later!

Momma and Caroline

Grandma and Caroline

Our wonderful friends celebrating at Hong Kong Restaurant

We had a wonderful celebration of our Gotcha Day.  I can't believe it has been one year since I adopted my beautiful daughter Caroline on Sept 21, 2009.  I've posted a picture of that day, and also pictures of our Gotcha Day celebration with our friends.    What a magificent day Sept 21, 2009 was!  That day was surreal.  I was meeting my daughter for the very first time.  I had dreamed of that day for such a long time.....lived in my dreams so many times.  It was better that I had dreamed.   Caroline is the joy of my life and can't imagine life without her.

One Year Ago Today We Boarded a Plane for China

View of Guangzhou from the China Hotel

Our Hotel Room on the 17th floor

The China Hotel

The crib was set up in our room when we arrived  *tears*

One year ago at this moment, Mom and I were sitting at the Chicago O'Hare airport gate waiting for our flight to Seoul, South Korea, then on to Guangzhou.  I was experiencing so many emotions that night....excitement, fear, disbelief that it was really happening....and probably a bit of fear.  It is interesting that I am experiencing these same emotions all over again as I re-live the experience.  That trip was the most important trip that I have ever taken in my life; it changed my world in the most wonderful way.  I love Caroline more than anything in this world and my heart is full.

Final Post-Adoption Home Visit Done - New Homestudy Started for Adoption No. 2

Last Friday was our final post-adoption home visit for Caroline.  I wasn't the least bit worried....not because I'm such a confident mom, but because our social worker makes us feel so at ease.  I just love him.  He played with Caroline - mainly letting her trace his hand on paper and watched her 'write' our names on paper.  He also played ball with her a little bit, and he asked me several questions about her progress.  It went fine!  Then, he gave me a stack of paperwork to do for the the new homestudy for adoption no. 2.  I'm not quite so stressed about it this time around.  It will still require several hours of work but I've done it before so I can do it again.   Also, I will be starting a new blog for daughter no. 2, who shall be named Claudia Ashlyn (insert African name) Lessly.   I will be adopting my second daughter from the Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Africa.   I'm very excited about this next step in my life's journey.  I believe that this is what God wants me to do.  He has opened more than one door for this to happen.  It was also nice to hear my social worker agree that it is a 'good thing' and thinks this will be great for Caroline.