Happy (late) National Adoption Day!

Don't I feel like a horse's patoot. Seriously.

Saturday, November 15th, we got the sweetest message from our Jessika, wishing us a Happy National Adoption Day. OUCH! I can't believe I let the date slip away from me. I felt sooo horrible that I had totally spaced such an important day! I knew it was coming and I just lost track of the day. Anyway, leave it to the sweetest girl on the planet to call and remind me! How I love Jessika!

Anyway, we called and had a great talk with her and I tried to apologize profusely for forgetting, and of course Jess was not the least bit mad, but I still felt so bad.

So, even though it's late, I wanted to say a few things about such a special day. Adoption ROCKS! It's as simple as that! It seems like every single person I meet who learns about Kaiya's special story has a story of their own. Someone they know, someone in their family, maybe even adopted themselves. Adoption is like this beautiful, universal experience that so many people can share and rejoice in together! And how grateful I am that there has been such a shift in the last decade or so that allows for an openess about this subject that did not exist before. Here I am talking about it on my blog, like so many other people, and that in and of itself is a beautiful thing!

Obviously, my feelings on the subject are so deep and so special, it is almost impossible to express. I have tried. I have shared as much as I have felt comfortable sharing about our experience with adopting Kaiya, but there are still so many feelings tucked and planted so deeply in my heart that I will never truly be able to convey. But adoption has changed my life forever. I have the most beautiful daughter because of this priceless gift. I have a spirit in my life, a light so bright, that I never would have had if it weren't for the miracle of adoption. There is not one single day that goes by that I don't thank my Heavenly Father that a way was provided, through this blessed opportunity, for us to start our family after 5 long years of struggling. How do you quantify what that means?!

Sure, adoption comes with a lot of ups and downs and heartache for many people involved. It is not always easy. It is often complicated. But when you look into the life that was created and given to you, you can't escape how beautifully worth it it is. Nothing could be more worth it than to have a child that in every way is yours. What a blessing!

And it would be utterly impossible to talk about adoption without talking about Jess. I wrote a poem just before we were to finalize Kaiya's adoption and have her sealed to us. I spoke of Jessika as our "golden girl". And she is. She is the person who brought the brightest light of sunshine into our lives. She is the girl who glows herself with such a selfless kindness and genuine love for other people. She is special beyond words. She is golden and she is priceless to us. Who could have such courage? Who could give the kind of gift she gave us? There are few people in the world who have a heart big enough to do such difficult things. But that is Jess. She has been an example to me of what it truly means to be a mother, to sacrifice anything and everything to give your child what they need and deserve. I don't think she will ever be able to understand how much we love her and how grateful we are for what she has done for us. And there is no doubt that Kaiya will grow up loving her even more for the life that she has been given because of Jessika's decision. Jess, we love you more than we could ever tell you.

So here's to celebrating the miracle and blessing of adoption. What a beautiful gift that touches and changes so many lives. Just as it has done for me. Just as it has done for Chris. Just has it has done for Kaiya. And just as it has done for the family that will join us in the future. Happy (late) National Adoption Day!!