You are the poem I dreamed of writing ...
the masterpiece I longed to paint.
You are the shining star I reached for in my ever hopeful quest for life fulfilled.
You are my child.
Now with all things I am blessed.
Two years ago on February 1st 2007, we received our referral for Kate Emerson Ru. We had waited 3 very LONG years to see the face that God chose to be a part of our family. For those who have not been down this path it is probably hard to imagine....but we spent years wondering and dreaming of the child who would one day become part of our family. For the rest of my life, I will always pause on this day to give thanks to all who helped bring Kate home to our family (God, her birth parents and foster parents, the CCAA, our adoption agency, friends and family who prayed for her) .
This is Kate with her referral photo.
I have a lot of new readers so, for some related posts...
To see last year, click here (this is one of my absolute favorite posts because it tells the story of our referral).
Then if you REALLY have time on your hands you can see us looking at her referral photo in this video...I am SO mad, they took all the music off...and my computer crashed shortly after I made this so I am not sure I have another copy.
That is such a sweet photo and a great way to mark the occasion. Happy anniversary Katie Ru!
ReplyDeleteWhat a special day for your family!
ReplyDeleteKatie is a precious gift from Him. It must have seemed like an eternity to receive your referral. Enjoy your day, it is so special :)
ReplyDeleteHappy 2 year Referral Anniversary!!!! What a wonderful day today is for your family!!! Hope you are well {{{{hug}}}}} Miss your post. Kate was adorable in her referral picture.....Love Kate's outfit. What a cutie pie!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary!! Love the pictures!
ReplyDeletewhat a special day! happy 2 year! =)
ReplyDeleteWhat a special day for your family! God has really blessed ya'll. Kate looks so precious in the chair holding the picture of herself. BTW I made your tortilla soup recipe last night...AMAZING!!! It really is the best tortilla soup I've ever had, my mom is visiting and we all loved it. Please continue posting some of your families favorite recipes.
ReplyDeleteEmily
congratulations. She is so sweet. I clicked on all the links and i must say she has grown so much and looks so happy. I wish her all the best!
ReplyDelete<3 amy
Happy Referral Day!!! I am loving Kate's dimples more & more every day!! She is so sweet!
ReplyDeleteShe is so beautiful! I love her sweet little face. When I read my blog subs, I call my husband over every time there's a picture of Kate. She looks so much like my "baby" cousin (who's 19 now!)! Her name is even the same! I can't wait until we get to start our adoption process!
ReplyDeleteWell happy day , it is such a great day to celebrate.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it funny how much they bundle up the babies .
You have a beautiful daughter .
Happy Referral Day!! It has been 2 years?! Kate is such a doll!
ReplyDeleteKate...I remember the first time you spoke at MOPS and you were just "waiting" and not knowing how long it would be, and then seeing this beautiful child playing in the street...hard to believe that was 3 years ago. What a precious gift she is.
ReplyDeleteLaura
Congratulations!! I love this post Kim! I really should figure out how to do a theme like this too, but nothing comes to mind. I hope something just evolves, so to speak. I skimmed below and LOVE that mirror!! I also loved how you used that expression, "how i make our house a home." I keep remembering that, especially when I am making beds etc! haha
ReplyDeleteI flew inot Huston on a small layover last week and thought about you! I think I was even looking around the airport on the off chance you were there! How funny. It made me really realize that blog buddies are real! Does that make sense?
Anyway, Kate obviously fits right into your family. I find myself not really even thinking she is not bio. (Hope that came out right too!!) Have a great anniversary!!
What a very special day for your daughter and your family ~ Happy Anniversary!
ReplyDeleteJo
Awwww...what a sweet girl. She's so pretty!! I can remember our kiddos' referral day just like it was yesterday. One of the best days ever, huh?!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a special day!! LOVE the picture of Kate with her first picture! I remember giggling last year when you posted about her being in the street in traffic! Isn't it amazing how perfect our little girls fit into our families?
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing your story.
ReplyDeleteThank God for bringing you together!
Karen
Congrats on a great day!! She is so cute!!! Loved the playing in traffic photo!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary! Kate is such a sweetheart! Thank you for sharing your stories and pictures with all of us!
ReplyDeleteCongratulation on this special Anniversary - she is a very special little girl :D
ReplyDeleteLadybug hugs,
;D
Wow, what a sweet baby dear! I wonder why they seem to send photos of the children in those walkers? I guess it's a good way to keep them still while they capture a picture.
ReplyDeleteKate looks darling holding the baby pic. of herself. What a blessing.
What a wonderful thing to celebrate!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful photo of Kate! She is adorable! I went back and read your favourite post, and I still have tears in my eyes, reading about the moment you first laid eyes on your princess. What a blessing she is! Jill xx
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary! What a special day!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet photo. Happy Anniversary!
ReplyDeleteGin =)
Oh..I am about to cry. I love this story and am so happy for you and your family! You are truly blessed! I am adopted, and am so very close to my parents. Kate will know that SHE is blessed when she is older. You are an Angel and very special for adopting a child.. I am sure you know that..I just had to re-iterate it!! Blessings to you and yours!
ReplyDeleteWhat a special day, Kate is just beautiful! We look forward to our special day.
ReplyDeleteKaren
What a beautiful photo of your precious little girl. I watched the video. What an awesome daddy and big brother to bring Kate home. It must have been the longest 2 weeks of your life waiting for them to all come home. Happy remembering.
ReplyDeleteHappy special day:) I am happy to say I have been here from close tot he beginning:) I have loved watching Kate blossom and the happiness she has brought your beautiful family.
ReplyDeleteI remember your day on our DTC board as if it were yesterday. It was also the day we knew we were next. God bless you, your family, and especially Kate on this very special anniversary.
ReplyDeleteHappy Referral Day Anniversary! Kate is one of God's precious gifts and I know you all are so blessed by her. What a beautiful little angel she is. Love the pic of her!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing photo! I am so happy for you and your family!! Missing you! C
ReplyDeleteI took a peek at your video. It's amazing! What a fabulous keepsake.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading your
stories when I have time.
Happy Anniversary!
Wow, 2 years already??? Funny how time flies once you leave the line of waiting! Happy 2 year anniversary, a very beautiful post to remember the day.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great day! I love the picture...look how much she's grown! Hope everything is good.
ReplyDeleteHi Kim, what a special day, indeed. Congrats! Love the picture of Kate holding her referral photo!
ReplyDeleteSnick :)
what a special anniversary indeed!!
ReplyDeleteblessings to each of you
xo
Happy Anniversary to you and your family! Kate is such a beauty, and I know that you all feel truly blessed that God chose her just for you.
ReplyDeleteCongrats!!!! WHAT A SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWISHING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY ALL THE BEST!!!!!!!!
Happy Anniersary sweetie,
ReplyDeleteHope you are feeling better, thinking of you, friend.
Kate's dimples are so sweet, just like the rest of her:)
Have a blessed week.
Love,
Heather
I remember that day as if it were yesterday. How time flies when it's someone else. I will one day look back and this wait will have flown by. Enjoy your treasured days with your precious girl!!!
ReplyDeleteI remember that day as if it were yesterday. How time flies when it's someone else. I will one day look back and this wait will have flown by. Enjoy your treasured days with your precious girl!!!
ReplyDeleteI love this time of year as well! It was 2 years and one month ago that we received our referral for our precious daughter, Ava Lu. It's like you said, all the years of imagining came to a moment of fulfillment when we saw her amazing face for the first time!
ReplyDeleteCelebrating with you -
Michelle
Happy anniversary to all of you. :^)
ReplyDeleteBlessings on your special anniversary day :)
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful picture!
Jen
What a happy day . . . and darling photo of Kate!
ReplyDeleteI hope you did something fun to celebrate.
I am so grateful that I was part of that special day two years ago!!!! I think the photo you took is absolutely beautiful of Kate! She is such a blessing! Thank you for sharing Miss Kate with our family! We love you Kate Emerson Ru!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Diana
Kim,
ReplyDeleteI know I'm late commenting, but I loved this post. Despite the short time we were friends living near each other, I feel we will always be linked for several reasons - one is that we met our daughters almost exactly one year apart. Tomorrow is the anniversary of our referral day and I echo so many of your thoughts.
BTW - looking at the referral anniversary picture from last year itis amazing how much Kate has grown up in teh last year!
Miss you,
Rachel
Happy First Time You Saw Your Daughter's Beautiful Face Day.....
ReplyDeleteWhat a precious anniversary it is...
and they lived happily ever after...
Love you all,
Daleea
Happy Anniversary......it is a wonderful journey and God had the perfect child in mind for you didn't He? Just perfect.
ReplyDeleteBelated Happy Anniversary Kim! These days are ones that will never be forgotten as long as we live. What a treasure she is!! :) She is such a cutie!
ReplyDeleteWhat a dear post and a precious picture of that sweet, adorable Kate! We certainly celebrate her arrival along with you. What a blessing she is to you and you to her.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! What a beautiful photo of Miss Kate!
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary to all of you!! I LOVED watching the video, even without the sound, it is still beautiful!
ReplyDeleteOh, what a wonderful post about a special day! What a blessing Kate is to you and everyone she meets...we miss all of you~
ReplyDeleteShe is such a beautiful and loved little girl. I still laugh at the photo with the van in the background. I think she will have her own private car and driver someday.
ReplyDeleteKim,
ReplyDeleteCome check out what I'm giving away. I think you'll like it AND it's safe and won't burn anyone...not even the wax. Come see girl!! Katy
P.S. I love this song you have playing...it's AWESOME!!
A picture paints a thousand words!Incredible...moving...beautiful!
ReplyDeleteCongrats! We were celebrating, too as if was not only Emma's referral day anniversary but also the same day we met Hannah 3 years prior. We had a houseful of travelmates and it was wonderful to be together again!
What a special day! That photo is just precious! Such a blessing!
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated Referral Day! Which to me was one of the happiest days of my life! It is true that we are matched with the perfect child for our family! Enjoy every moment with sweet Kate!
ReplyDeleteWow, I can't believe it's been two years already! Happy two years together, what a sweet picture!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful post!!! She is divine!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post for a beautiful girl. You are blessed!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a beautiful post. And I remember your post last year. After that post I had to read your whole story, and cry many happy tears. Thanks for sharing Kim!!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Chesnye