Saturday, November 7, 2009

5 Year Gotcha Day Anniversary !!!

My life was good!

I managed, despite some nasty weather, to find happiness wherever I looked.
And I've had a lot of fun and laughs along the way....

but there was always something missing.

I've been blessed with the ability to do just about anything I set my mind to (except speak French very well....ahem......let me not get waylaid but plunge ahead). But of all the things I've loved being able to do - nothing compared to being a mother.

And after many years
it finally happened.

Five years ago, I finally became a mother and Danny and I the parents to an adorable baby girl from Hunan, China. The girls from Hunan are nicknamed "spicy girls" and that's what we got.
One gorgeous, hot, spicy, spectacular, loving

daughter.

Happy Gotcha Day sweet Dahlia!

We love you with all our heart.
I had to make the trip alone (along with some special friends) and this is a few days before Gotcha day in Shanghai at the Yu Gardens. (Interestingly, the Yu Gardens are the sister garden to the Chinese Garden here at the Montreal Botanical Gardens. Kinda like that connection!

My friend Helen and I both took pictures of eachother and the empty cribs in our rooms the evening before we were receive the babies. We were just nervous Nellys the whole time.
I prayed over this crib - that my little one would know how much she was loved.
And here she is - next morning.

Same crib - filled with a little love thing. All soft and sweet (and scared and confused). She stuck to my cheek for about 2 hours after our first moments together. My little love.



Here I'm trying to get her to laugh so I can send Daddy a happy picture at home.

She was just a butter ball really.


Below is one of my favourite pictures. Here we are with Helen and Angelo and their daughter (Dahlia's BFF) Angel, from the same place. Poor Angelo really had two wives (without the
benefits) during this trip. I'll be forever grateful to them both for making that solo trip so much easier for me. Danny and I were both heartborken when his doctors told him he couldn't fly for a 6 month period and I'll never really know how hard that was for him to know I was there, meeting our daughter while he was home alone. It was difficult for me to be alone but it must have been unbearable for him. Dahlia's and Daddy's gotcha moment was at the airport in Montreal - 2 weeks later.

And this is 5 years later (this past August) at the same spot but with Danny this time and our two newest ones.

My beautiful Dahlia!
The little girl who made me a Mommy five years ago.

I'm so proud to call you my daughter,
my first born daughter.

And I love you so much - to the ends of the universe
and back, my love!

21 comments:

DawnS said...

Happy Anniversary!!!!!! 5 years wow - it just goes so fast doesn't it? How lucky are we to get to be Mama's to these spicy girls? Rylee is not from Hunan but near the border - close enough to pick up the spice :) I love the pictures and have the biggest urge to tickle that adorable little belly. What a beautiful family :)

Jill said...

Happy Gotcha Day! What an awesome feeling, hey??!!
Hugs, Jill

Unknown said...

And just a few months later, we would receive the referral of our baby girl in the same province. Your story made me cry...again. Love your story.

Jodee said...

Happy Gotcha Day anniversary! You are soooo blessed!

ellieshine said...

Happy Gotcha Day! I loved seeing the photos and hearing your story! Congrats on being a Mommy for 5 years!

Buckeroomama said...

Happy Gotcha Anniversary! It's wonderful to look back and see how far you've all come. :)

Donna said...

What a beautiful account of a beautiful event. Dahlia is cherished and your family is blessed, How perfect! And to think, the love only grows deeper... how sweet!

Our family said...

Happy 5 year Anniversary!!!!! What an incredible celebration! One remarkable, loving, utterly beautiful family was formed and blossoms each day!

Enjoy!!!!

Lots of hugs!

hm said...

Happy Gotcha Day Dahlia and Family,

I remember each and every moment of this post and feel honored to have shared in such an amazing journey with you.

I love you little one with all my heart and I am so glad that you are a part of our life.

See you later

Helen, Angelo, Angel and Georgia

JinXiu said...

happy Family day

Congratulations to all of you.
I loved your story and your beautiful pictures, especially the ones of you in the same place with the same family. what an amazing red thread. Your daughter is georous and you are all so blessed to have eachother.

may the sun always shine on you and your family

staci

hm said...

I just wanted to add...Oh Wanda!!!

Luv u

me

Wanda said...

Uh - huh.......OH HELEN !!!

C ya later.
:)

Half Gaelic, Half Garlic! said...

Happy Gotcha Day!!! Five fabulous years:)

I loved looking back at all of your pictures on this very special day......I am sure the memories are etched into you mind. A day you will never forget!!

You are blessed my friend.

Lisa

Anonymous said...

Happy Forever familia day!!! She is just gorgeous! Time has to stop flying by..tears!

Susan said...

Happy Gotcha Day to you all! It is most certainly the best day of the year.

Mary, Eric and Penelope said...

Oh Wanda, Dan, Dahlia and Milana,
Happy Gotcha day! Unbelievable how much Dahlia looks like Dan in her baby pictures!

4D said...

What an unbelievable wonderful time in your lives. Forever remembered. Forever together. Forever loved. Forever Family.

Keep smilin!

M3 said...

Happy anniversary of a wonderful day!

Lisa said...

What a day of celebration....both now and 5 years ago! Sorry I'm so behind, but what a lovely post to find waiting for me!

Your love, pride, joy and happiness shines right through this post and truly all of your posts. The photos were/are stunning and how glorious to peek back at the baby girl she was! For us Mamas they will always be our "babies".....answered prayers. Its impossible to look at the big amazing girls they are today and not remember chubby full cheeks and rosebud mouths!

What a lovely, brilliant girl....inside & out! That goes for all the "ladies" both little & big in your household!

Hugs!

shelley said...

Congrats. Wonderful to see what love of a family can do for a soul

Briana's Mom said...

Happy Belated Gotcha Day Anniversary! What a beautiful story - and a beautiful girl!

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Hi, I'm Wanda. I am a happy woman, wife to Danny for...oh....lots a years and finally Mom to THE most adorable little girl from Hunan, China - Dahlia. And now we have been blessed again with another daughter, Milana, from Zhejiang, China. (The 2 best things I've ever done!) We live in the Montreal area. After a loooonnngg wait for Dahlia's little sister Milana (pronounced - Mee-lana, like banana), we finally brought her home in August 2009. Dahlia came to us in Nov 2004 (at 20 months of age)and a year later we began the application for another baby - at the time the waiting period was around 8 months. Almost 4 years later (say what!?!)we, at last, brought Milana home. This began as the story of our journey to bring Milana home and life with her big sister, Dahlia. It now continues as we live as a family of four!
God. My (growing) family. Hangin' out with my girlies. My wonderful friends (you know who you are!). To laugh (out loud and a lot!). Music. Painting. Hugs. Long chats with my buds. My garden. To read (ha...when I can!). Sunshine. Spring, Spring and more Spring. Building things. Cooking. Decorating. Parties (ahem). The internet. Life. Movies. A.I. Dancing with the stars. So you think you can dance. Travel. Umm..did I say laughing my head off. Oh Gee...everything actually!!
the long road
the long road
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