One Year.

Time goes by. So fast. I am finding it harder to update my blog as the busy-ness of life with four children and their schedules consumes most of my time. When I do have a moment to sit down, I usually don't want to spend it rehashing the day. However, a year has gone by. As I read over the blogs of many we met through out our adoption process, all of them focused on their gotcha day. For us, that day was important...but not as important as the day we landed in Tampa and walked off the plane to the faces of our family and friends there to meet our little girl for the first time. April 13th.

Ellie's birthday is March 31st and her gotcha day is April 4 but this year we celebrated on April 13th. Nothing big, just everyone from the airport, all together again, one year later. We went to The Olive Garden and the kids all sat at one end of the table, talking, yelling, fighting and as I sat there and I watched Ellie interact with what amounts to her siblings and cousins (because she has none, none of my kids do) I was amazed yet again at the changes this year has brought.

I find that God has worked in my life in little ways...just filling in the holes left by the loss of my brother. He has given me and more so, my mom little gifts along the way to make the days that should be painful more bearable...First He gave us my Rusty...on my mom's birthday. Not amazing in it's self but something special to look forward to rather than just another birthday without her son...and then on my brother's birthday, He gave us Ellie...home forever...what an amazing blessing and again something to celebrate on a day that otherwise would bring only pain. And so, I find it difficult to sit here and think over the last year without thanking God for all the blessings in my life that sit side by side in myheart with the pain of losing my brother

I wanted to sit and reflect over this time but they say a picture is worth a thousand words...

November 2007: Our first meeting. Ellie is skeptical and afraid but allows me to hold her. We coax a few smiles from her and discover that the way to her heart is through her feet. (smile)

February 2008: I fly over to visit because I simply cannot stand being so far from her. I am allowed to see her on two days for two hours each day. Ellie is a bit older and understands the ramifications of my visits...she's not pleased.

April 13, 2008 Atlanta Airport Waiting for our connection to Tampa...we have made a tentative bond but there is still much work to be done...

April 12,2009 Mommy's little girl.

March 31, 2008 Celebrating Ellie's 2nd birthday in the orphanage...just a few days before we carried her out of there forever. She was frightened and confused.

April 13, 2009 Celebrating Ellie's 3rd birthday and the anniversary of our Forever Family.

Ellie has made some really good friend's in just one little year...what a wonderful little year...