Saturday, April 7, 2007

Looking Back. Part Three. Happy Gotcha Day!









The day FINALLY arrived. We met our sweet Lily face to face exactly two years ago today. After waiting, praying, doing homestudies, filling out endless amounts of paperwork, raising money, preparing our home, filling a nursery with clothes, toys, and everything else a child may need, reading books on parenting, reading books on adoption, and traveling 15 hours in a plane...WE BECAME A FAMILY OF THREE!!!!!!!


Thursday, April 7th, 2005 (written before meeting Lily)


Today is Gotcha Day. I can't believe it. There were many times when I wondered if this day would ever arrive and now it is here! It's 2am and I couldn't sleep -- wonder why!? Jay is snoring away. It is funny how very different we are. We're meeting down in the lobby at 5:50am to go to the airport. Our flight for Changsha leaves at 7:55. I'm nervous.


Sunday, April 10th, 2005


OK, where do I begin? I couldn't write anything on "Gotcha Day" after we actually GOT Lily. Too crazy. Today is day 4 with her and it is NOTHING like I had imagined. She is a daddy's girl big-time. She'll only let me hold her if Jay isn't around and she'll scream bloody murder first. It's been rough. I've spent a lot of time crying. I'm legally Lily's mom but it sure doesn't feel like it. I don't think either of us was prepared for how difficult it would be. She cries so loud and so long and we have no idea what to do for her. It is getting better day by day, though. We are figuring out what and when to feed her and when she needs a nap. (she eats and sleeps a lot)! She was up quite a bit last night, so I brought her into bed with me -so I could rub her belly when she cried and she would fall back asleep. She's teething and she has a cold so she's kinda unhappy about that. But, we have seen glimpses of a very sweet, funny, silly baby. She wakes up happy and playful and she loves playing with her spoon -- she bangs it on everything and just laughs!When I watch her sleeping I am in awe. Her beautiful eyes and lashes, button nose and sweet, little lips. She is a beautiful child! We are making it. Some days/moments are better than others. Our hotel room looks like a tornado blew through it. Hey! We're first time parents and we get messy trying to figure this stuff out! I am sleep deprived, homesick, and emotionally drained, but I pray each day it will get better. Jay has been incredible. He's a great husband and an amazing dad. This has been a difficult week, but I AM A MOM!!!!!


So, we had a rough start. It may have been the day I had been looking forward to with anticipation for years, but not so for Lily. She had been taken from the only world she had ever known that day and placed in the arms of total strangers. It was going to take some time for her...

Skip ahead.


Friday, April 7th, 2006


Exactly one year ago today we laid eyes on Lily Lin for the very first time. It has been an amazing journey so far with ups and downs that come with having a child --adopted OR biological. The year has flown by and of all the feelings that I have today the one that stands out the most is...blessed. I feel God loves me a lot to have had such an incredibly special plan for my life. Lily is my beautiful angel from heaven and she has shown me how to truly love. Unselfishly and unconditionally. I hope she always celebrates "Gotcha Day" with joy and thanksgiving with us and I pray she feels as blessed as we do. She has a family that loves her so very much.


Skip, skip ahead.


Saturday, April 7th, 2007


I've been a momma for two years! Wow. Life just keeps gettin' sweeter. This child of mine who started off as a stranger has become such a part of me. I loved her instantly, but I didn't KNOW her. That took time. Now, I love how we make each other laugh, and how sometimes I am the only one who can interpret what she is saying. I love how sometimes momma is the only one who can read her books to her the right way or sing a song with her. I love her incredible sense of humor and her ability to memorize an amazing amount of information. I love how she sings worship songs, and will get lost in an entertaining video. I love watching her sleep and also love hearing her call out for me when she wakes up. I love the way she smells after a bath, and how she wants me to sing "Rockabye baby" to her while she is still wrapped in her towel. I love the way her soft little body feels all snuggled up to mine. I love the sweet and quiet quality to her voice and how SMART she is. I love how she says "I yuv oo Mama" and how she says we're best friends. I love watching her climb and jump and dance around like a "badaweena". I love watching her laugh and play with her daddy, her cousins, aunts, uncles, grandpas, grandmas, and all of the friends she has made over the past two years. I love how excited she gets when I give her a piece of candy or chocolate and how she will quickly say, "Oh, tank oo Mama!" See, I loved her long before I met her, and it got even better when I held her in my arms, but now I get to spend my life getting to know her and finding more and more reasons to love this sweet little girl. And, it's great to have her love me too. Nothin' better!!

Happy Gotcha Day to you, my child. I shall make every day an opportunity to discover yet another thing to love about you, and I shall love you deeply, truly, and always!


* Happy Gotcha Day to all of Lily's sweet friends who also met their families for the first time this day 2 years ago...Chloe, Sophia, Mya, Olivia, Mia, Hannah, Leah, Emily, Anna, and Maggie. XOXO*


18 comments:

Beth and Shayna said...

Happy Gotcha Day. It is so amazing the emotions that can come up for this day. I cried reading your post. You are a beautiful family. Enjoy celebrating today.

Anne Marie said...

Happy Gotcha Day, Nikki, Jay and Lily! I am in tears at your words. How tiny she was!

You guys are such a wonderful family. I love seeing how you appreciate everything about your daughter, *especially* the little things. The times spent reading books and singing -- that's what she'll remember, not the big parties or the parades of life.

Polar Bear said...

Happy Gotcha Day!

This is a beautiful post. I am so thankful that you are sharing this will us. I worry about some of the things you talk about ~ being a daddy's girl at first. I see you and Lily and I know that it is only for a time. That is very reassuring.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Carrie said...

You have the most amzing way with words. It's as if your heart is speaking back to you. You are an amazing mom with so much love to give Lily and God named you and Jay to be her parents for life, nothing sweeter than that! Happy Gothcha Day to you all!!

Now I can reach for the tissue! :)

C's Mom said...

Thanks so much for sharing this with us. It is so warming when the wait is hard.

Enjoy the day!

redmaryjanes said...

Happy Gotcha Day. You are an amazing Mom! Look at how it all worked out and how bonded you and Lily are.
Happy Easter to a beautiful family!

gretchen said...

okay. I'm bawling. Happy happy gotcha day! Lily is part of the royal family now. I knew you'd come those first few rough days. Can you even imagine life without her?

Tracey and Mike said...

Happy Gotcha Day! Thanks for sharing our story with us!

Beckyb said...

Nikki - that was SO wonderfully put - how amazing that these little ones call us Mommy and love us in return - we are blessed!! Happy Gotcha Day, dear friend - I'm glad God saw fit to bring us together in China!!!

Dannye said...

how sweet!! thanks for sharing your experiences !! I love reading them and feeling like I am living them right along with you!!

Steffie B. said...

Hugs and kisses to all of you too!

kitchu said...

Beautiful post, and one lyric came to my mind reading it, from Five For Fighting:

"I can't say what I might believe, but if God made you He's in love with me"

Tracy said...

Happy Gotcha Day (belatedly)!! And Happy Easter! I've so enjoyed reading your most recent posts. Love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gee Gee said...

Oh my gosh... I need a box of Puffs right about now! We all feel blessed to have this little one in our wonderful family!!!

LedaP said...

Oh, you had a rough start! We didn't go through that so much - luckily! Also, I think it helped our adoption was our 3rd child - we didn't have to go through all the first time parent stuff at the same time...and having another child with me to break the ice - I really believe that helped too.

Two years flew by, right? I can't believe my oldest is 12...it happens before you know it! Happy gotcha day!

Gwen Oatsvall said...

tears are running down my face .. what a beautiful testimony of your journey... Lily is just like her mother beautiful inside and out !!!

4D said...

Happy Gotcha Day!!

Thank you SO much for sharing your story and memories. It is a much needed boost and reminder why I am on this journey. At times it seems like it is intangible and never will happen. Your story is proof that it does.

Keep smilin!

Pam said...

I am so happy to see how much Lily has grown and changed toward you over the past 2 years. May God continue to bless your family.