Chapter 1 Meeting Her

Ok so I"ve been trying to figure out how I was going to document this whole incredible adoption experience. We have been home for 4 full days now and there is so much to share and think about I wasn't exactly sure how to narrow it down. So I've decided I'd think of it like chapters of a book and this will be my reflections of the chapters. And since I've had a request for more pictures (You know who you are:) I"ll try to put some more pictures on from the trip and since we've been home.

Chapter 1 Meeting Her

The other night Jonah asked me how I felt when I had him and Lydia? I wasn't sure what he was getting at until he asked me how I felt when I met "T". He was wondering if I felt the same when I had him as when I met her. So I will try to explain what it was like to meet my daughter.

We get off the airplane and are in this HUGE airport. I don't fly very often so I'm easily impressed! Surprisingly it didn't scare me thought, if definetly felt like an adventure. We hadn't heard from the foster mom (who was picking us up) so we didn't know if she's be there waiting or if we'd have to wait. We got on a train to go the baggage plane, I kept repeating "North Terminal, blue side" over and over in my head b/c I didn't want to forget where our bags were. After all there were like 3 or 4 baggage claims and in this airport they could've been a mile apart literally! Then as we're on this crazy fast train, my cell phone rings. My stomach does one of those little flip flop things b/c I know it must be the foster mom. It was her wondering where we were and which claims our bags were at. I was so glad I had been repeating "north terminal blue side" in my head over and over so I could tell her. I got off the phone and told Aaron "she's (princess T) with her." My stomach does another flip flop and I suddenly realize I want this train to be going even faster.

We get off the train and find "north terminal blue side" quite quickly. It wasn't too busy, so that helped. We got our bags and I start scanning the crowd, my mind is racing and my heart is thumping ,"Will I be able to recognize them from the picture? Will they recognize us?" We turned around there they were. We walked over to them and "T" was sitting in one of those luggage push cart things. I will never forget the way she looked up at me with those coffee colored eyes. Just studing my face. I wanted to grab her and squeeze her but wasn't sure if I should. I put my hands out to her and she came right to me. For the next 10 minutes. She held my finger and we walked around the baggage claim. She was totally enthralled with the giant Shept pointing and babbling at them. I knew at that moment my life was never going to be the same. And yes, even though it was in a busy airport and she was able to walk around. The feeling I had in my heart was the same when I met "T" as when I had J and L.

"Happy Birthday to you!" and signing her own adoption papers.