By Special Request...

Girls Day!

Mommy and KJ had a treat yourself day. KJ picked out some accessories for herself; three necklaces and a sparkle purse. She told me, "mommy, I so fancy". Afterward, she talked me into stopping for milkshakes, she loved getting her very own milkshake, and even though she shared with me, she loved being in charge. Classic KJ!

Happy Gotcha Day!

Two years ago today, we met our sweet KJ. It was a whirlwind week, to say the least. It all started with the call that we were going to have a Christmas baby. We were at Micah's parent's when our adoption counselor called to tell us that Ashlee was in labor. We didn't know what to do with ourselves, so, we had a family prayer an then Micah and I went home and waited. We learned that KJ had been born when our adoption counselor texted to ask me what brand of formula I planned on feeding her. We didn't get pictures until later. This is the first picture that we got of KJ- 

We were told not to come up to the hospital that night, because Ashlee wanted to spend time with KJ and her family. We planned to go the following day, later in the afternoon, we would go meet our daughter and take her home. The next morning, our adoption counselor called and told us that Ashlee was having second thoughts and that she wanted to take the day to think about the placement. We were told to wait. I went to Barry and Heather's, I knew that their house would be busy and distracting enough. We waited and waited. Finally, around 7:00 PM, our adoption counselor called and told us, that Ashlee was going to go through with the placement. We were overjoyed. The following morning, we were getting ready to go to the hospital when we got another call. This time we were told that Ashlee had decided that she couldn't go through with it and that she stopped responding to text messages and phone calls. I was devastated and went back to bed. Three days later, Micah coaxed me out of bed with an awesome dinner. After dinner, the director of the adoption agency called, it was Ashlee, she was ready to go through with the placement. However, not yet, she wanted to spend a full week with KJ, so we would have to wait. We would finally, probably, meet our baby on New Year's Day. The director asked us, were we still in, could we go through this again? We were just starting to feel normal. Micah looked at me, I decided in one breath. Yes. Yes, I would have lost KJ 1000 times to have her once. 

The following day, New Year's Eve,che were complete messes. One minute we were stressed out with final baby prep, the next laughing hysterically at our eternal optimism, or compulsively cleaning, pacing and crying. We didn't sleep much that night, not because of the festivities, but because of our nerves. The next morning, my phone rang, it was our adoption counselor. My heart sank. These days, her calls were never good news. She told us that Ashlee was running on schedule and that we should be in Ogden at 4:00. Phew. Good news, finally. I told her not to call me again, unless she had bad news. 

Micah took the longest possible route to Ogden that day, I think that he thought that if Ashlee changed her mind that  it would be better that we heard it in the car and not at the hotel. 

When we finally arrived, we were told to leave, to go have something to eat and that they would call us in about an hour when they were ready for us. Twenty minutes later, they called, she did it. Ashlee went through with the placement. We went back to that hotel and started the paperwork. I can't tell you how anticlimactic it is to have a baby, but have to do paperwork, before you get to hold her or see her. When we finished we headed upstairs to meet our daughter. 

It's funny to think that New Year's Eve two years ago, was nothing like yesterday. This year, KJ and I played babies, did pedicures and then took a cuddle nap. 

It was such a good reminder to me that, yes, we need to search high and low for our babies, but to have faith, because this is how it was meant to be, I just know it. 

Every. Single. Time.