One year ago today...

One year ago today...Crystina was placed in our arms. I can NOT believe it's been one year. WOW, where did the time go?

One year ago today, we drove through the streets of Kunming, Yunnan, China and then we arrived in this, what looked like, an apartment complex... we walked through the doors into a small Civil Affairs Office waiting to see our daughter, ready to hold our daughter, ready to just LOVE our daughter... but we had to wait. What felt like an eternity, actually was no more than 5-7 minutes... and then I heard the doors outside open and I immediately asked our guide "The babies are here?!??" and she said "Yes," probably wondering how I understood them... I didn't, I heard the doors. Well, that's when I really started shaking... I remember she was the second baby to be carried in (there were only 2). Then they had us sign more documents... more waiting to hold our daughter.

Then the moment came... the moment that we had been waiting for so long... the moment that changed our lives... the moment we REALLY became parents... the moment Crystina was placed in our arms... what a moment that was!!

This is the precise moment that Crystina was placed in my arms...(it's a little dark)

Just seconds later...
And now with her daddy...
One of the first smiles...which happened 11 minutes AFTER she was placed in our arms!!
Our very first family picture!!

What precious moments they were. These moments are just priceless. A time that we will NEVER forget.

I have read MANY blogs, I especially love to read "Gotcha Day" (the day that the child is placed in the parents arms), and I have to say... we were (are) REALLY blessed!! Crystina did not shed a tear, she might have been serious, for a bit... but she bonded with us immediately! I've read some babies don't laugh or smile for a few days. I got a smile minutes after and a small giggle, all while waiting at the Civil Affairs Office. What a blessing to hear that giggle!! It was just amazing! And she has been giggling ever since.

Crystina is just an amazing little girl!! She is such a blessing! And we are SO proud to call her OUR daughter! She might have been created in another woman's womb but GOD, most certainly, created her for us!! We can't imagine our lives without her... we can't even remember life without her in it.

Don't get me wrong, she is a pistol and a little "firecracker" but she makes our lives so much richer... she has brought so much joy... happiness... and so much LOVE to this family! She is truly a loving, caring, energetic, funny, giggly, loves-to eat (almost anything), loves-to-give kisses-and-hugs girl. And she is so amazing with her brother. She kisses, hugs, caresses, squeezes his cheeks (who can blame her), plays (somewhat) with him. Sometimes, she'll "squeeze" his cheeks and they just stare at each other and within seconds, they are both smiling. Priceless moments!!

I can't wait to see what GOD has planned for this little girl. Whatever she does, I'm sure she will do an amazing job at it. But in the meantime, we are just going to be enjoying her toddler... preschool... school, elementary, middle, high... and then college years. WOW, I can't believe I was able to write that.

Today, we plan on taking her to Sea World for a few hours and then we'll go out to dinner to celebrate. And in the evening we are going to my parents, my mom baked a cake to celebrate this beautiful day! I'll try my best to post pictures of our day, tomorrow. So, please check back. ; )

GOD bless!!