Happy Gracie Day!

All photos courtesy of Jenny White Photography

To the girl who stole our hearts with one glance.

To the moment we first met and you reached for me.

To the connection that would not be broken by bureaucracy.

To the prayers of so many.

To the gift of your birth mother and her courageous act of faith.

To family and friends who counted you as theirs from day one.

To miracles, modern and true.

To hugging your Papa with you in my arms at your airport homecoming.

To lying in bed knowing you are safe and loved.

To your incredible spirit, your smile, your laugh, your humor.

To you sweet, sweet Gracie, to you.

We love you with all our hearts and are so very thankful and happy and overjoyed with you, our precious daughter, united as family forever on February 12, 2009.

Thank you Lord for your abundant blessings in this life.

Love, Mel

Santa

The girls with Santa

Lily not liking this at all!

Get me out of here!

Lola, not too sure...

Yep, you are scary Santa!

Not too scary for Miss Gracie

Love you Santa!

Well, some posts just don't really need words-the pictures can say it all.

Love, Mel

Happy, Happy 4th Birthday Gracie Sofia!!

The family, with the standard

only-the-parents-looking-at-the-camera

pose

Gracie flying high on the bars at her birthday party

Showing her special trick "shake it", with help
from Mommy and Lily Bean



Parachute time!

Quick, jump on top!

Up, up and away!

Running, jumping, flying!

A picture that Mommy and Papa have

waited for 4 years to get

Worth every second of the wait

Today Gracie turns 4 years old. We celebrated this weekend with a party at Little Gym with friends and family. All of us had such a great time.

I can hardly believe that I have finally given the birthday party I have planned in my head for so long. It is surreal to think that this time last year we weren't even certain she was coming home. I have been overcome with emotion so much in the past few days.

Do you have any idea what it is like to hang a picture ornament of this child on our Christmas tree for three years without her here? To look down to my side and see this precious being help decorate our Christmas tree, is just nothing short of a miracle. To be able to sing "Happy Birthday" to her in the flesh, is nothing short of a miracle.

Some of you may not know this, but for quite some time during our adoption process the experts said "this will never go through". We got zero reliable information about her and our process for almost 2 years.

Anyway, I do not want to focus on the negative, but rather the fact that the miracle did happen. The feat that wasn't to be conquered, was. The child without the family, got one. The family with a hole in its heart, had it repaired. It was far from an easy process and our transition hasn't always been smooth, but somehow, we have come together as a family. There is love, there is trust and there is understanding of each other.

Somehow, I have suddenly become "Mommy". I have been "Mama" since Gracie came home, but now it is "Mommy, look" "Mommy, help me please" "Mommy, here". I really like it. For me it signals a deeper relationship with Gracie.

I am feeling so incredibly connected today to Gracie's birthmother. Somehow, I know this brave woman must be thinking of the precious child she gave birth to today. I want her to know how courageous an act I think it was planning for Gracie's adoption. I want her to know that we love Gracie, that we will take care of Gracie, that Gracie is important and special to us. I want her birthmother to know that as Gracie's birthmother, she is a part of our family too. We are all connected, forever.

I am so incredibly blessed in this life to have these girls, this husband, this family. I am so grateful to be a mother and be a part of these incredible beings' lives.

As is said in Willy Wonka, " Do you know what happened to the man who got everything he ever wished for? He was very, very happy."

Love, Mel

Thanksgiving for our Family

Beautiful Gracie, ready for her 1st Bar Mitzvah!

This one loves clothes more than toys

Our family all ready to go to Brody's bar mitzvah party


Look what we did...




...all by ourselves!

Gotta love twins

Sweetie pies

Lola decides to sit and rest

Gracie with her pine cone treasure

Gracie loves to be outside

Lola loves to hide behind doors

All the girls together for a walk on a cold morning

Sweet baby Lola

Precious Lily Bean

I love this pic of Gracie, so precious

As Thanksgiving approaches, I am overcome with gratitude for the blessings in my life. First and foremost, my husband is truly my best friend, my rock. We have weathered many storms together and have survived them all. There is no one like him and I am truly blessed to have shared the past 10 years with him.

Of course, I am thankful for my girls. Gracie brings joy and laughter and excitement wherever she goes. This is the first time in 3 years that I will know for sure where she is. I may not sleep every night (with three sm. children, who does?), but it is never for worry about Gracie. I will never have to worry again if she is hungry, scared or will ever see life as a valued member of a family. For this, I am truly grateful. I finally have peace in that part of my heart.

I am overwhelmingly grateful for Lily and Lola too. This time in their childhood has brought me so much joy and happiness. Lily's smile and sweet kisses and hugs melt my heart every time. Lola's singing and dancing are two of the most precious gifts to witness in this world. Everyday brings new wonder and a chance to view the world for the first time again.

I am blessed beyond measure in this life with my family. I am truly grateful to God for answering my prayers. I am also grateful to countless friends and family members who walked this journey to completing our family with us. During the dark times, you did more than walk it- you carried us.

I hope all of you spend Thanksgiving with the ones who love you most. Happy Thanksgiving!

Love, Mel

Happy Halloween!

Our Dr. Seuss themed crew

Lily as Thing 1

Lola as Thing 2

Gotta love it


Funny right?

Mama completing Tulsa Run...

And fulfilling a long term wish:

Finish a race with my children at the finish line

Gracie as the BEST Cat in the Hat!

Papa and Gracie, preschool Halloween party

What can I say? We had the BEST weekend ever. And not just because chocolate was involved. Although chocolate always helps.

The girls all had such fun with the Halloween festivities. We all went to Boohaahaa on Brookside for the parade. Then we went trick-or-treating (friends/family).

We had such a good time sharing our little goblins in their Dr. Seuss attire. Special thanks to my great mother-in-law, Barbara, for the super Thing 1/Thing 2 blue wigs. They were a huge hit!

Also a special thanks to my husband and my parents for bringing the girls to the Tulsa Run finish line. I have dreamt about having my children there for so very long. It was so meaningful and special to me. I will never forget it.

Hope everyone enjoyed Halloween, we sure did!

Love, Mel

Pumpkin Patch

Lily with Gracie looking on

The Sisters

Sweetie pies

Too sunny to look right at Mama

Sweet Lola

Pretty Lily

Our chapina Gracie

At least Lily is still looking forward

Lola picked out her pumpkin quick

Okay, let's go-got my pumpkin

Fun in the wagon

What a gorgeous day with gorgeous babies

Lola still with her choice

Pretty babies

Gracie helping Mama carry our pumpkins

Lola

Gracie loved scooping out the pumpkin guts

Finished product

Lily in her first pigtails

Fun full day with family

Quick update before the first big Halloween for us. Spent Saturday with entire family at local pumpkin patch. So fun, girls and Don and I all had a blast. Looking forward to this week and all the festivities!

Happy Sunday!

Love, Mel