One Year Ago - Wow!

(Warning, lots of sappiness to follow! Read with caution.)

One year ago on June 8th

Day 2 with Carolina (June 9th)

The first week

First day home to meet her big brother

First day home, first experience with bubbles

First beautiful dress made by Mrs. Ussery, Carolina is full of confidence

First gingerbread house

First time meeting her great great aunts (who happen to adore her)

First time at the beach

First trip to Disney, last week

I can honestly say the last year of my life has been one of the my joy-filled and most difficult ever. In my 33rd year on this earth, we finally got our little girl, our two year-old son (at the time) had heart surgery for the second time in his young life, and we found out I am pregnant (I'll exclude the details of 16 weeks of nausea).

Adopting Carolina was definitely a God-ordained event. She fits into our family in ways I could never have imagined or even planned for myself had I been privy to do so. My son adores the ground she walks on, my husband melts when he is with her, her grandparents and extended family stand in awe of how beautiful and smart she is, our church has embraced her, our friends fallen in love, and I, myself, know the Lord closer because I have known my precious girl.

Carolina,

You are one of the best things that has ever happened to our family. Five and a half years ago we prayed for you and we prayed for your biological mother. We prayed that God would bless her with the decision to keep you alive in her belly, we prayed for her to love you enough to give you up and we prayed for your salvation (as we still do). There were so many people who were instrumental in bringing you into our lives, including your advocate and ours, Nancy, all of the government officials, and the doctors who found you at the back door of their clinic.

You were loved by your biological mother, who wrapped you carefully in a blanket, and dressed you warmly with a hat and a onsie. She placed you in a well-traveled area where she knew you would be found quickly. I have only gratefulness in my heart for how well she cared for you on the day that you were born, the same day she anonymously gave you up.

You are loved, through thick and thin (lots of thick this year, I know, but we're working on that). I love how you laugh at your daddy when he kisses your belly, or how you can teach Sam your dance moves and Wolfpack hand signals...I love that you ask for me when you are frightened of the thunder or notice that I'm not around for more than five minutes.

You are my baby, my daughter, my answer to prayer. You are my first child, though you are the youngest, as I have always known you would be in our lives even before I ever knew I could give birth to children myself.

I love you, Carolina. Thank you for putting up with me. May God bless the next year of our life more abundantly than ever before, with you, your brother and your newest sibling. May you find Jesus Christ as your Savior early in your life. I pray that I can be the best mother possible, even on the worst days, and, of course, as always, I pray that you will sleep through the night for the rest of your life. That goes without saying. :)

Your Mommy

"Once there were two women who never knew each other. One you do not know, the other you call Mother. Two different lives shaped to make you one..." Motherbridge of Love