One Month with Grace!

I remember Gotcha Day like it was just hours ago. But then I look at Grace and how she is today, and the little girl we met on April 12th seems like a distant memory. One month later, Grace is confident, independent, loving, affectionate, sassy, funny, playful, active, stubborn, and vocal.

She sings songs, mimics words, follows the motions of songs, runs, climbs, and does pretty well on the stairs. She now cries when she falls. She whines when told no. She feels comfortable expressing her emotions to us. In the morning, she pats her head for a bow as soon as she wakes up. She eats, drinks, and sleeps well. She is full of life and joy.

One of my favorite times of the day is being woken up by Miss Affectionate. She wakes up bright-eyed and cheerful. And as I come into consciousness, Grace is saying in her sweet voice, "Hey! Hi!" She then leans over me, places her mouth on my left cheek, and gives me a kiss. And it's such a sweet kiss... not slobbery or hard. She'll then lean back and flash her dimpled smile. She repeats this cycle multiple times, and I never get tired of it. It's almost like a role-reversal...instead of a parent doting and kissing on a baby, Grace does it to me. :)

Where am I one month later? In love. I never feared that I wouldn't love her, or love her as much as Carter. I knew that even if that depth of love took some time, it would come. What I never expected was to be so bonded and in love with our daughter just four weeks after meeting her.

Some comments we've gotten are "She sure is a lucky girl," and "You're wonderful people to adopt." To be honest, I always feel a little uncomfortable when hearing or reading those words. Because we haven't done anything to warrant those statements. We didn't adopt to step up to the plate and do a good deed, though we do feel called by God to care for orphans... and in our family, through adoption. The truth is that WE are the lucky ones. We needed Virginia Grace in our lives as much as she needed a family.

Four weeks ago, I remember waking up in the morning and feeling, for a split second, like there was a stranger lying next to me. But Grace became our own more quickly than we could have imagined. I also remember wondering if it would feel weird to kiss her or hold her close. Would she have a different smell? It can seem a little gross to wipe an unfamiliar child's runny nose or drool, or to hold a sweaty head to your face. But you don't mind when doing that for your own kids. Would I think of it this way with Grace? To my surprise, those motherly duties were as natural to me as if I'd known my daughter her whole life.

It may not be this easy or natural of a fit and progression for all adoptive parents. The child's age, personality, and adjustment play a significant role. But I truly believe that in the right timing, God unites and binds families together with divine power and blessing. Adoption is a true miracle. And so is our little Grace.