Our first Anniversary of Family Day

Wow! We did it. We made it year.
 One year ago we drove into the care center in a white van with 3 other families.  There were a lot nerves in that van on that day.  We were all about to become parents again. One was about to be a parent for the first time.  Now imagine if we had all been with each other the moment that we gave birth.  Strangers until that morning. Pretty intense.

 I remember so well thinking to myself "Jane, remember this moment, this is what it all comes down too. We've been waiting so long to know what this moment will feel like" and then just like that it was over. Belay was in our arms and we were a family, forever. 

I also remember wanting to capture it on video.  But as soon as we pulled into the gates of the orphanage I knew that between juggling Adi and actually seizing the moment of Belay, that it wasn't going to happen. And it didn't.

 When we climbed out of the van Adi bee-lined it straight to the slide and all the kids playing outside. We spent the first few minutes outside with Adi taking it all in until I heard a shout that Belay was inside and to come see.   And there he was.  Sitting in his blue bumbo dressed his best. He cried when I picked him  up, then I fed him a bottle and he slept in my arms for the rest of our time there that morning.  Then in the van ride home he played obsessively with a blue sippy cup ( still his favorite today).

And the rest is history.  Today is a happy day for our family. I know that for some, this day, can be hard.  Maybe it was the day your child lost the only family he ever knew.  But for Belay, it was the day he got to have arms to hold him instead of only finding comfort in a plastic bottle.  May 2nd is not the day that Belay became an orphan. It is not the day that he left the arms of the woman who bore him. Its the day he left the orphanage, a place he will most likely never remember. A place that took good care of him, but not out of the arms of one person who loved him unconditionally.
So, today we celebrate. We celebrate his life, the amazing girl who gave him up, his home land, our trip to Africa, Adi getting a brother, us getting a son. 
Noah, Able, K'Tyo, today we think of you guys too! What a great group of little boys!   Happy Family day.

And to comemorate I put Belay in the outfit he had on that day. (My favorite token brought back from Ethiopia)

It still fits him:) Well actually I guess the pants are a little on the short side now, but looks like they were back then too.
And a year later, I have no idea how tall little guy is but he is weighing in at 20 lbs(still). I'll take 6 lbs in a year, was hoping for 10 but maybe it all went into his long legs instead.