Adoption Day

August 16 is a pretty special day in our family. (even if I post about it in September)

This happened (back here I told all about that day) twelve years ago.

So we celebrated all day.

Unfortunately Scott had to work that day.  So he went in really late and we took Anna out for breakfast at a really fun restaurant.



And he had a few surprises for her that morning. A book she really wanted.



And a book he really wants her to read. Quiet Power: the secret strengths of introverts. He wrote such a beautiful letter inside I teared up reading it.



And then I let her decide what she wanted to do that day.  (I gave her lots of day trip ideas)  She chose to head to the Book Barn.  It's a series of used bookstores that she loves.  She picked out a bunch of books (I did too!)  and then we went to a seafood restaurant on the beach.

Back at home that evening Abigail was one excited little sister who had picked out, payed for, and wrapped up a special something for Anna.



It had this sweet little french toast charm on top.



So true for Anna. In fact it's exactly what she picked to eat at the restaurant that morning.



That's the happy smile of one excited sister.







A fun game to play together.



There is really no way to explain August 16th to our family. It's unlike how you feel on your child's birthday. I love how that feels, kind of all lit up inside all day, right? This is different. More profound. Deeper. Scott and I feel so happy all day. But also very reflective. It's really the one day of year I let my mind drift to what could have happened. It's a strange feeling to have a child and be a mother to a child that you don't know her "story". That you don't know how/why/when she got to the orphanage. It's strange to have a child that you don't know but fully accept her birth parents decision to give her up. We forget about it most days but think about it on August 16. I think about those 14 months in the orphanage. I think about her birth parents. I think about her grand country. I think about faith. And God. And how He knit this beautiful story together. And blessed. How very blessed that He chose Scott and I to be a part of it. We are grateful for August 16, 2004. So deeply, eternally grateful. One day in Heaven her whole story will be revealed to me. I'll know the truth and what happened. And I'll know that whole part of her story I long to know just one little detail.  But for now I know enough. I know that she's ours.  And that I love her forever and ever.