today is the day

Kate has started calling it her "special day." And special it is!  Today is the day I met my daughter. Today is the day we became a family of five.  I kind of choke back happy tears all day today.  When I went in to wake up Kate today and snuggle with her and remind her that it is her special day, she asked me a question. She asked, " Mama, how come my special day is April 4th, if I was born in June?  It doesn't make sense." Kate knows her story.  She knows another Mommy gave birth to her and yet another one raised her for 10 months in a foster family in China.  But, you know what?  She forgets that from day to day. So, with a pit in my stomach (because I don't want her heart to hurt), I reminded her that she was born on June 3rd and she lived with a family in China until we could adopt her.  She looked far off into the distance and had a very serious face.  I stroked her toothless little dimpled face and asked... "does that make you sad to think about, Kate?'  She quickly looked at me and hugged me and said "Nope. I love you so much, Mama!"

I know she does not understand it all.  I know her story will come with pain eventually.  But for now, she is silly and happy and joyful. And she LOVES to celebrate her special day!  She asked to go get a mani-pedi with me this afternoon.  I will even sneak her out of school a little early to make it extra special.  And of course, I will post some photos of it as well.  We found a place that has special butterfly chairs just for little girls!!

I cannot even put into words the love we have all for Kate.  She is so special.  She is pure JOY. She softens every single of one us.  The boys adore their sister and she brings out a very special side of Dave too.  She has taught me so much.  All of my children have taught me lessons but today is about her.  Kate has taught me to let go of so much.  She has taught me to love and accept things I had trouble with before. She has made me see more gray that I ever saw in my previous little black and white world.  She is a gift from God.

In a perfect world, Kate would have been able to grow up enveloped in the love of her biological family.  I know that.  I know that being separated from them will have its effects down the road.  But in this imperfect world we live in, I feel honored and blessed that we get to be her family.  It is a privilege.  I feel so very blessed that if she could not be with them, God let her be with us.

My children are my heart.  I truly live my life to raise good children and they all make me so proud in so many ways.

Meeting my daughter for the first time!

Our first family photo.

And I always post our homecoming video.  

Untitled from Kim S on Vimeo.

There is a typo in it...Dave and I were married in 1995 not 1997.  I hate that I cannot fix it.

I took Kate to a cupcake place last week to snap some photos of her missing two front teeth.  I have not had a chance to look through and edit them yet.  But I had to share this one.  The sugar was kicking in from the cupcake and she started dancing out front.  I love it because it is SO Kate...happy and free and full of JOY!

This is the day the Lord has made.  Let us be glad and rejoice in it! Psalm 118:24