Gotcha Day!

Sun in our eyes, but happy to be parents to this girl!

Saturday we celebrated Moriah's third gotcha day! Three years ago on September 8th we met our little one for the first time. She was tiny and scared and so very sweet. Three years later, she is spunky and funny and comfortable with herself and us. Such a blessing to see God's faithful work in her (and in us!)

Psalm 139 reminds me that "all the days ordained for her were written in your book before one of them came to be." It is painful to reflect on some of Moriah's days. But I am comforted (and I will comfort her) with the knowledge that she was never, ever alone. That God was with her through each transition. That He was watching over her every moment because she is very precious to Him.

One day when she was just a few months old, she was left at the entrance to a hospital.

That same day she was taken to an orphanage.

Another day she was taken to a foster family.

After a year there she was taken back to the orphanage.

Another day she was taken to a different foster home.

Then finally, one Monday morning, she was brought to us.

In my arms at last!

Andy signing paperwork just minutes after we met Moriah

So much shuffling around in the first nineteen months of her life, yet each of those days was planned for her by her loving Father. Planned for her good and His glory.

And we relish the joy in each moment we have shared with her. We look forward to all the days we will share in the future. We are so thankful to be her forever family. We will  share gotcha day after gotcha day with her.

Our celebration was simple, but our hearts were full as we rejoiced in the blessing of having Moriah in our family.

We have begun a gotcha day tradition of going to our favorite park to eat Subway and watch the ducks. We get her an adoption-themed book each year and wrap it up pretty for her to open. It is fun that she is getting old enough to remember that this our tradition and she really likes it. Sometimes the simplest things make the best traditions.

Happy Gotcha day, sweet Moriah Mei. We love you so much!

Not a great picture, but somehow it's the only one we got of both of the boys. They had little balsa wood planes that they were flying. Andy brought a little remote control plane to fly, too. 

Moriah with her Gotcha Day book!

Sisters!!

Not sure I like this book as much as I thought I would, but Moriah likes it!

Beautiful September Day!

Reading her book.