Happy GOTCHA Day!!!!!!

One year ago today at exactly 6:07pm one of the most magical and wonderful moments that has ever occurred happened in our lives. We stood on a street corner in Guatemala City with many many people passing all around us - there were young men from all over the world there for the Olympic Boxing tryouts and the city was bustling. For us though the world stood still as we watched a woman walking towards us carrying the most precious gift we were ever to receive. We held our breath as she walked towards us with him in her arms and suddenly he was there....he was in our arms smiling and patting our faces. The family he had known for 14 months handed us a little package with one toy and a baby bottle in it and they walked away from him forever. He never cried or fussed - it was like he had been waiting for us and knew he was going with us. I will always remember the walk back to our hotel with Avery carrying him and Hector chatting with us about what to expect at our embassy appointment - I don't think I heard a word.

One year later I look at our son - he is in the terrible twos now and very much making his personality and bids for independence known. He is a source of constant joy and occasional frustration as he tries to tell us what he wants to so much but just hasn't gotten the words down yet. He has grown 7 inches and is in the 75th percentile on height, weight and head circumference. It is again my privilege to have time to spend with him and we are spending our days reading books and walking in the sunshine exploring the yard and all that comes with it in the spring. The fruit trees are blooming and they smell so wonderful - we have apple, cherry, pear and peach trees in our yard and the apple blossoms are wonderful. Jeremiah loves apples and I can't wait to be able to take him out and let him see the apples as they grow. He wants to know what makes everything work and I am sure trying to figure out the mystery of fruit growing on a tree will be interesting for him. So despite the fact that I worry about a job I am trusting in God to provide and thanking Him for again having time to spend with our son.

We are going to celebrate GOTCHA day with family and close friends this weekend and I will post pictures then. Thanks again everyone for all your thoughts and prayers!