WOW...5 years ago today...December 22, 2009

Five years ago on December 22, 2009, I received a call from my adoption case worker, and she asked me to sit down. As I did, in my heart I knew that this was THE moment! The moment that every prospective adoptive parent waits for. The day you find out who your child will be that you have been waiting your entire life for. Who you will love unconditionally for the rest of your life, and after.
So, as I sat, she proceeded to ask me if I wanted her to send me the file on a little 3 1/2 year old girl in the Shan Xi Province of China. Now, those of you who know me and know how long I had been waiting to hear those very words, know that I was screaming yes even before she finished asking me! She said she would e-mail me the file with pictures to go over, and I had 24 hours to let her know. WHAT??? Who was she kidding...24 hours would not be needed! I was told it might take a few minutes to send due to the size of the file, and pictures. So as I sat on pins and needles, I called my sister and my friend. I told them the news and they hurried over ASAP!!
By the time they arrived, I was ready to open the attachment and see my baby's face for the VERY FIRST TIME!! Words cannot explain the range of emotions that swept over me as the picture was opening on the computer. All I can say is that at the EXACT moment I looked into the sad little eyes of the girl on my laptop, I knew I was looking into the eyes of my daughter! She had been waiting for me in an orphanage in China for her entire life, and I had been waiting for her my entire life! We were meant to be! Needless to say, much screaming of joy followed by streams of tears soon followed! I couldn't stop looking at her sad little face, and I wanted to just scoop her up and hold her forever and never let her go! But, all I could do was tell her image on my screen, "Mommy will be there soon to bring you home to your forever home. Hold on baby girl! Mommy's coming!"
My next stop was Kinkos to make LOTS of color copies to show people my daughter and to drive all over town and break the news to my family. First to church to share the news with our Pastor, and to have a prayer along with more and more tears of joy!!
Next to my dad's house to tell "Grandpa" he was a grandpa! I will never forget telling my dad that it was official...he was a grandpa!
Next to my grandma's house to give her a picture of her new great granddaughter!! More tears! Then to my step mom's work to let her know she was a grandma!
Other than the actual day Emily and I became a family on our Gotcha Day, this is the next best day of my life that I will cherish FOREVER!!
Kathy

FIRST picture I ever saw of Emily!!!

My baby just waiting for her mommy to bring her home forever!