The day I saw your face.

I saw another adoptive mom do this awhile back and I loved it. Every Monday night that there was going to be an update to the shared list (the list of kiddos waiting for their families in China) for the past 7 and a half months, I had been trying to take iPhone pics throughout the day, so that I could remember the things we did the day I first saw our boy. I have pictures from the first day I saw my other kids. Now I have some from the day I first day I saw him.

My sweet boy,
We first saw your face on Monday night, January 12, 2015. We opened up an email, looked at your precious self, and both started to cry. We knew it. Right when we saw you we knew. You were our boy.

The morning of that day began with daddy and I getting up earlier than normal. We really like to sleep. You will see soon enough. It takes a lot of convincing and motivation to get us up any earlier than absolutely necessary. But on this particular morning, we did it. We awoke before your brother and sisters, in the dark and in the quiet, and we turned on a lamp, and each of us read the Word. And I read from John. And I thought about and prayed for you. And then I wrote in my journal of thanks, beginning that day with "quiet" (because of how quiet the house was), and following with "hope" (because of how hopeful I was to see you that night).

Your siblings all woke and it was no longer quiet.  And I thought about you. And we rushed to school, and hoped we wouldn't be tardy. This is them making their "hope we aren't late" faces.

Which we were. You'll see sometimes we will be late for things, but that's perfectly fine. We try our best.

Seeing as it was a Monday and we had been out of a lot of our go to foods for two days, Sam and I went to the store. And I thought about and prayed for you.

When we got home Sam made a lego high dive, with a lego man ready to jump off.  I unloaded groceries, and played with Sam, and thought about and prayed for you.

Later Sam convinced me to go out in the frigid cold to ride his police motorcycle. And he posed with it just like this. And I thought about and prayed for you. This brother of yours is so ready to have you here. He cannot wait to take care of you. I'm not going to guarantee that he won't get feisty with you sometimes, but he does with everyone. You'll see how much he loves you soon.

Later on we went to pick up your sisters from school. This happened. Which never happens. And I thought about and prayed for you.

The girls got in the car and showed me this.

Which is just comical.

After dinner I caught a picture of everyone playing a game together. With our Christmas tree still up putting off its glow. There's a spot for you here. There's been a spot for you here.

Caught a picture of Emma and Sam under the new bunk we got for Sam and your room. We got it with you in mind. We may put a mattress under there for you. We may get another bed nearby and let you boys use it as a fort.

Then I caught Abby waiting on me for her night in our bed. A slumber party with mom and dad. And I thought about and prayed for you. You will have slumber parties with us soon. Reading by flashlight and snuggling in bed.  Almost 8:00. Almost time to check and refresh and check and refresh the email.