The first time I saw you was like a dream come true.
No I didn't give you the gift of life.
Life gave me the gift of you.--Unknown
As we approach March 11, 2014, we reminisce about "this time last year." What we were packing? How we were feeling? When our visas were coming? Where we needed to run last minute errands? Who we were going to meet? This time last year, I had so many thoughts going through my head, yet I just wasn't sure what to think. I truly had no idea how life was going to be in the next weeks, months or even years. Through all of those questions and anxious feelings, I focused on the one little gift that we were given. Our gift weighed about 22 lbs. and measured about 35 inches tall at the ripe age of three years old. Our gift is named Evie, and she has truly changed our life.
Oh what a year it has been! I would be lying if I said it was easy, but it has been so worth it. Evie is filled with smiles and energy. She loves clothes, shoes and lip gloss, but she can hang with her brothers on a basketball court. Of course, she is riding her bike through the basketball game (in our backyard) as they patiently play around her. School makes her excited where she has many sweet friends, loves painting and building, runs and swings on the playground and plays instruments in music class. Her brothers are her best friends. She has declared Bennett as her prince, but Brycen is not giving up on his attempt to take the honor. I recently heard him say, "I will do anything to make her happy." LOVE! Finn is her quiet protector. His sweet little sensitive personality will pounce on anyone or anything who may threaten his sister.
You see? It's growth! We have all grown because of Evie. Our eyes have opened wider and our hearts are bigger than ever. Evie has given our family, in the short time that she has been with us, more than we could ever give her. She is a gift!
On March 11th, we will celebrate "Gotcha Day!" From the moment that sweet little girl in pigtails and four layers of clothes walked through the door in Taiyuan, Shanxi, she had our hearts. We will remember the day that she left all that she ever knew, her security, her China mama and baba (father in Mandarin), to join a group of "strangers" who longed for her to be their daughter, sister and granddaughter. We will remember her loving and selfless foster mother who cared for her every day since she was three months old. The lady who fed our daughter every day and night, woke up during the nightmares, held her when she was scared, cherished her first smile, cheered her first crawl and steps, cleaned her surgical wounds and calmed her when she was in pain. I will never forget her foster mother's ultimate sacrifice to care for and love our beautiful girl, while knowing that one day their life together would end. That, my friends, is love. Lastly, we will remember the woman who gave her the gift of life. She did what she felt she must do, and for this we must not judge, but pray that she "knows" her baby girl is loved and celebrated every day.
Most importantly, on this "Gotcha Day!", we want Evie to know how much we wished for her! We want her to know that she is loved in our family forever! We also want our boys to know that they are loved beyond measure and their growth, acceptance and love make our hearts swell.
Happy Gotcha Day, Evie Springer! You are a beautiful gift!
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