5 Years a Family

That picture represents two miracles.  You can't plan a miracle, but we did everything we could to make it happen.  What we didn't know was how she would miraculously invade our hearts.  We certainly didn't plan the second one, but he is a miracle of a different sort.

Ryan is, of course, the newest addition to this family.  A family that began exactly 5 years ago today in China.  We received our first miracle that day.  Friends of ours recently traveled and returned from China (hope you can catch up on that sleep, Halls) and that makes memories flood back into my head.  I can't remember everything that happened on the trip.  Every year we try to remember what we ate the night we met Natalie and can't quite nail it down.  I may have forgotten what our hotel rooms looked like.  I can't really remember waking up that morning.  However, I will never forget how I felt when we first met her.  When I first got to hold her.  When I saw her smile for the first time.

I once told a friend, when we spoke about adoption, that I didn't have a bio child, but that I couldn't imagine loving anyone more than I love Natalie.  Well, we have our second miracle and now I know I was right.  I love Ryan to death.  I cried when he was born and I saw him for the first time.  I was overwhelmed with emotions.  The same emotions I felt 5 years ago on this day.  Same.

Natalie saw Ryan growing inside her mother's womb.  She never questioned the process much.  One day she might.  It pains me that she might not understand how one child may grow in the womb, but another can be loved just the same for growing in our hearts.  This girl amazes me every day.  Some days I am amazed at how infuriating she can be, but still amazed.

I try to be thankful every day.  It isn't easy when one is screaming and the other is asking question after question after question.  It is easy when Natalie talks or plays with her little brother.  She loves him.  There is no doubt.  Five years a family.

August 2, 2010