In an instant

February 5, 2007 was a traveling day, much like many others Ian and I had experienced in life together, and yet it stands on its own as well.

It started with rising before the sun, hours before our wake up call, when we finally decided to quit pretending to sleep. Funny that I can still remember the view from our hotel window that early dawn. I suppose it is forever embedded in my mind because I knew just how momentous that day would be.

I can still hear Amy's voice telling us when we boarded our tour bus in Guangzhou that we'd go to meet the babies at 2:00. It was a quick stop by our hotel and then the short bus ride to the Guangdong Civil Affairs Building, where we'd pack into a very tight elevator to go to the fifth floor.

And then it happened. After years of waiting, we went from a young couple to a young family in the amount of time it took for Amy to call our last name.

Amazing. Utterly amazing.

I don't want to take any time away from my sweet girl today. If I had been on the ball I would have written this post earlier in the week to really get my thoughts composed ~ I just can't seem to find the words that I want to describe how meeting her changed my life.

Luckily two years ago there was a bit less going on and I was able to gather my thoughts a bit better. And two years down the road I realize even more how true these words are!

"There is so much that I want to say today, so many thoughts running through my mind... I find myself amazed at the journey that getting to today was. Yes, it was a trip to China, but it was so much more than that. It really was a journey of the heart, a soul searching realization that blood lines don't determine family. It was listening to God calling us for something more special than we could have dreamed, going to find our Precious Treasure..."

Now off to snuggle with my girl ~ post nap snuggles are the best!

I'll add a few pictures from today later ~ I realized that I left the camera in the car and it is currently POURING outside. Sure miss having a garage...

She was beautiful then, she's still beautiful now...
Kylie's choice of how to spend her special day? Meeting Daddy at our children's museum and then lunch at Chick-fil-A.