THE Call

One year ago today I woke up anticipating one thing and went to bed dreaming of my baby girl in China. She finally had a face to go with her name. I remember playing tennis with a friend that morning as I waited for our agency to call me back with what they had stated to be a question regarding our Waiting Child application. My friend, Laurie, asked "what if they have a baby for you?"....I seriously thought that was impossible, we had just applied less than 5 weeks ago and their message stated they just had a question, not a child. The call finally came at 1:00 pm. The rep asked her question, paused for a moment and then said, "We have a match for your family! She is a 10 month old baby girl". That afternoon, Ryan and I opened up her file on the computer, he was at work, I was at home, and we saw her face together for the very first time. Her bright, brown eyes looked back at us and that image will be forever ingrained in my head. We knew she was ours. There was so much I didn't know on that day, but I knew that she was a beautiful child with a cleft palate. I didn't know what I know now. Now I know that she is funny and that she loves to make people laugh. Now I know that she loves books. And her bunny blanket. And her "babu" (baby). And jewelry. And Barney. Now I know that she likes to color. And talk on the phone. Now I know that she is a girlie girl. Now I know she will eat anything and everything that is placed in front of her. Now I know what it feels like to hear her say "mommy". Now I know what it is like to see Ryan with his daughter. Now I know what it is like for the boys to have a sister, someone they protect. Now I know her cry. Her laugh. Now I know her smell. Now I know what it feels like to have a child go through major surgery and recover quickly. Now I know that you can love children who have not come from your body as though they did. Now I know that there are days that I forget she didn't. A year ago, she was just a picture, a face to hold onto in our dreams. Today she is our baby girl, our little sister.