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today is the day

Thursday, April 4, 2013
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.

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Meeting my daughter for the first time!

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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.



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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

36 comments:

  1. So neat about your daughter! My fiance's aunt and uncle adopted a little girl from China as well and she brings so much light and joy into the family :) ! Have a most wonderful day celebrating with your daughter!

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  2. HAPPY KATE DAY!!! We are also a family with 2 boys and a Chinese Princess full of JOY and so much spirit. LOVE your video. Have a fun pedicure.

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  3. You did make me cry!! But What a special post! What a great video!! I wish I was better at my blog!!
    Debbie Wankel

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  4. I love how Dave put a bow in her hair for homecoming. What an adorable little girl!

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  5. Hope she has a KATE-TASTIC day!! Happy KATE DAY!!

    PS Love that TOOTHLESS GRIN!!

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  6. Thanks for sharing... every time you post the video, I watch it with a big smile! Beautiful! We adopted our girls domestically so there are differences but your words about your journey and finding the balance between joy and celebration but honoring past are helpful.

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  7. Happy Special Day Kate!!! I love reading this, and I remember following along everyday until Kate was in your arms Kim! I completely agree...these Girls are so special and have changed our families for the better!! Enjoy your day together!! xoxo

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  8. Beautiful story.....touches my heart!

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  9. Happy Special Kate Day!!! I love reading this, and I hope your day together is perfect!! xoxo

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  10. so beautiful!!!!!!!
    yay kate!!!
    i love your family!

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  11. Happy special day to a beautiful girl!!! This made me cry, so special. Lots of love to you!!!

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  12. Happy Family day! It is such a special, special time - enjoy :)

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  13. Kate is so lucky to have you as a mother. I have no doubt that she is most blessed to be part of your loving family. Happy Kate Day!

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  14. So sweet! I teared up watching this video!

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  15. Beautifully written, by a beautiful Mama to her beautiful daughter.
    Happy Special Day, Kate!

    J.

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  16. oh how sweet! love the first family pic!!

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  17. Happy Anniversary! Your post made me get a little teary eyed- as you said exactly what I feel about my little girl. And today is our 5 year referral day anniversary. I cannot beleive how fast the time goes by- but I do know that my life was forever changed on 4/4/08 when I saw my daughter's face for the first time.
    Anyway- go celebrate the day away with your amazing girl. As always, I love following your beautiful family.

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  18. This brings such happy tears to my eyes..what a beautiful story. What a beautiful little blessing you got, and of course she certainly hit the jackpot in families to get you too! Happy Anniversary..you all have so much to celebrate!!

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  19. Well thank you for making me cry at work! haha Such a beautiful and touching story! I loved your video, Happy Anniversary!!!

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  20. Tears of joy, snif snif....You are a wonderf mother.

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  22. Wonderful story,tears of joy, snif, snif. You and Dave have big hearts and what a blessing for your family. <3

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  23. Happy Special Day Kate!!! Her light shines from within...what a lucky mom...what a blessed family!!

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  24. That last photo of Kate says it all, she was born to be yours!!!!!!!! God knew what He was doing when He made this perfect match!!!!

    Happy FOREVER Kate and Family!

    Love,
    Di

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  25. Such a special day, for a special girl!!
    In all of blog-land, the photos of you being united in the airport will always be some of my favorite!

    Jennifer

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  26. Happy Kate Day! She is so stinkin' cute with her toothless grin. Beautifully written post, Kim. Your homecoming video got me all misty-eyed...and it's amazing how calm she was!

    Gin =)

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  27. What a special day for Miss Kate! She is such a wonderful addition to your family.

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  28. Well I just watched that video and WIPE ME OFF THE FLOOR I am bawling. That is so beautiful and you are so brave and GOD IS SO GOOD I can barely breathe. What a story and look at her now!!!! Love it all. Love you.

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  29. Beautiful post, Kim! Makes me tear up- so very honest and sweet. Kate is such a blessing.

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  30. hope you had a happy special day!!!

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  31. she is soooo precious. so happy for all of you. what a blessing! :)

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  32. I love this video you post and the pictures of kate as she becomes a part of your family for the first time... she's growing up to be such a beautiful little girl!!

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  33. Kim,
    I cant tell you how much I love reading your blog. You have such a wonderful family ... your 3 peanuts are so handsome and Kate is just beautiful!! I love that your husband and son traveled all the way to China to bring little Kate home to you... what a wonderful husband you have. I hope you and kate had a wonderful day and many more to come as she grows up to be a young lady.

    Lorene

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  34. Kate is a special blessing! I love the last pic of her with the big smile! Precious!!

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  35. What a beautiful, touching video. Happy Kate day!!!!

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  36. I am so happy to have found your blog via an instagram pic. As an adopted girl from South Korea, I am so happy Kate has a wonderful family! Like Kate I lived for 3 months with a family in Korea before coming to the US. I was supposed to arrive to my family in December so my parents gave me the middle name Noelle; however, I got to show up early in October!;) I always feel thankful my birth mother was able to send me to a loving family that had the circumstances to provide a better life for me. I have luckily never faced a tough adoption journey emotionally, yet I have seen my older adopted brother struggle with it as he got older. As you get older and understand more it can be a bit confusing or for some difficult but staying positive, loving, and open about it early on helps it all come together in the end. I have no regrets or sorrow about being adopted but only joy! I am proud to be an adopted American with an extraordinary loving family. I am sure Kate will feel the same way!:)

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Thank you for your kindness.