Nine years in.

Nine years ago today I officially became a mommy!

Pointing to the "going home" booties Grandma made!

Yet, in my heart it happened almost seven weeks earlier, when we first met this little baby.

First family photo!

 Before I knew what a blog was I started documenting our journey online here.

Seven years ago yesterday I started this blog with a silly little post I titled, Picking up The Boy. Although I mentioned "gotcha day" anniversaries and blogged about our adoption, I didn't post an official "gotcha day" blog post until three years later. You can read it here. Two years later I reminisced on that day some more.

And here is The Boy today! 9 1/2 years old. So freaking cute I can't stand it sometimes. The past nine years have not been what I fantasized pre-adoption, but oh, the journey has been so much more interesting than I could ever have imagined.

And Grandma, I still miss you every day. I truly believe you would have been Noah's biggest champion and one of my greatest supporters. He still sleeps with the blanket you made for him, although it looks nothing like it did nine years ago. I wish you were here.

 

Hitting the Milestones

We celebrated a trio of anniversaries the last two days. Well, perhaps acknowledged is a better descriptor.

Five years ago, on August 10, 2005, I wrote my first blog post. A silly little post about having to leave work early to pick up Noah and how I couldn't get the key to turn in my car. A very nothing post. But it was my first post. And I kept on writing from there. Often hit or miss. Gradually, months into it, people started reading me. And from there I was hooked.

Five years of blogging. That's pretty amazing for me, to have something I do and love for this long. I fully expect to have five more years in by 2015.

Thank you to all of my regular readers. An even bigger thank you to those who comment. You have no idea how much it thrills me when I see I have a new comment. So please keep reading and commenting!

Now, for an even better anniversary, today is Noah's 7th gotcha day. Seven years ago today we were in a Russian courtroom in front of a judge pleading with her to let us adopt a little boy named Vadeem, soon to be Noah Alexi. It was an absolutely surreal experience in many ways. And then after it was over, and he was officially ours, we had to wait for paperwork, and then we were taken out for lunch to celebrate. And then we went to a market to buy treats for the orphanage workers to have a party. And then finally, we were at the orphanage, and I had my little boy in my arms. I don't think I let him go for a very long time that day. I don't think the smile on me left my face all day.

Hours later we were finally in our hotel with Noah. We ordered a feast from room service and danced around the room with Noah. We gave him his first bath. We fed him bottle after bottle.

And then the phone rang and it was my mother and father. And I quickly knew something was wrong. And then they told me my grandmother had passed away the night before. I was devastated. We were very close and I knew she wanted nothing more than to meet her newest grandchild.

Bitter sweet memories of a day that changed our life forever!

Happy Gotcha Day Noah!

I love you more than you will ever know.