A Special Day...for a few reasons ;)

So today was a special day for a few reasons...

(nope, not talking about a certain new movie that came out today)

On top of today being my birthday...

Today was national adoption day!

And we just happened to have our first court hearing to obtain legal temporary custody of Leah today!

We come back in 6 months to make her legally ours forever.

(for those following this blog in the adoption world, most everyone does not have to do this-we do because of the legalities of the county we live in).

They finalized 44 adoptions today in the county that we live in.

44 children received their forever families officially today.

Its quite amazing when you think about it...

A 14 year old boy was asked to speak to a room full of families today about his adoption that took place 10 years ago.

When asked what he remembered feeling those 10 years ago about the adoption he said,

"it felt like home".

It's so difficult for me to articulate what adoption means to me.

For us it has always been about giving a child a home and growing our family,

and our hope is that someday our children will understand and appreciate that...

Then I try to imagine what the 147 million kids in this world that do not have families are thinking...

(I can not even wrap my brain around it)

Adoption has changed my life.

It has opened my eyes to the blessings that I have been given and the responsibility to share with others how wonderful (albeit sometimes painful) it is.

So today is my birthday and I feel like the luckiest woman on the planet.

I have two beautiful children, the best husband EVER, and wonderful family and friends...

(sigh...someday I will get a good picture of them together)