Christmas 2007: Gabriella's First Cristmas

One year ago today, my mother and I were saying goodbye to Gabriella after our first time meeting her. It was the hardest day of my life and I was not sure how I was going to stay strong enough to make it through the remainder of the process. I don't typically drink alcoholic beverages, but I remember boarding the airplane to come home with swollen eyes from crying and I immediately ordered a Bloody Mary with a double shot of Vodka! Last Christmas was the saddest Christmas of my life knowing that I would not be able to celebrate Gabriella's first Christmas with her. I am thankful, though, for the time I got to spend with Gabriella one year ago when she was only four months old.

The past few months have been filled with many "this-time-last-year" memories. It's hard to believe that we've been home almost four months and at the same time hard to believe that I've ever been without her...

The Day We Adopted You

Author: Unknown

If we had it to do over again
Adoption is what we'd choose
We got more than we had hoped for
The day we adopted you.
For you have given us more in life
Than we could ever want or need.
You made our house into a home
And made our family complete.
We love you more than life itself for all the things you say and do
And if we had it to do over again
You'd be the only one we'd choose.