Gotcha Day

I have been trying to write our adoption journey story for 3 years... seriously. I have pieces of it written, but am having a hard time putting it together. Maybe I need an editor. :) I had intended to have it finished and on my blog in time for Avery's Gotcha Day celebration yesterday, but to no avail another year has gone by and still no story. I will keep working on it though. I want Avery to have it and I want to tell our story... it's an awesome story! So stay tuned...

Yesterday we celebrated Avery's "Gotcha Day". Gotcha Day is the day when our eyes saw our daughter for the very first time and we had the joy of bringing her home.. the day we became parents! Avery's Gotcha Day is 7 days after her birthday. It may seem weird that we celebrate both her birthday and her Gotcha Day, but to us they are both very special days that deserve their own celebrations. As my sweet husband always points out... Avery's birthday parties tend to be a bit over the top, but our celebration for Gotcha Day is much more low key and personal. Usually it's just the three of us spending the day together, going for a special lunch or dinner and so far has always involved ice cream.. one of Avery's favorite things. Gotcha Day is a day for us to reflect on that sweet day when our lives would be forever changed. It's a day for us to praise God for his faithfulness and goodness to us and it's a day when we remember Avery's birth mother and birth family and the sacrifice they made. It's a day for us to celebrate the miracle of adoption.

Here are some pics from Avery's Gotcha Day in 2007 and from our celebration yesterday.










Avery & Landen meeting for the first time... love at first sight. :)



And now.... so big!!