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Thursday, January 19, 2012

milestone

This week marked seven years that I have officially been someone's mom.  I say officially, because it was the anniversary of sweet baby John coming into our home.  He stole our hearts long before that when he was referred to us and lived in my heart for months after our visit to Guatemala in October of 2004.

I can still remember our trip to pick him up.  So many details stand out in my mind with a clarity that is surprising.  Surprising because I am sitting here struggling to recall what I had for lunch yesterday however, I remember the sight, smell and feel of holding John for the very first time. 

I recall the panic that I experienced when we learned the airport in Guatemala was closed and we would not in fact be picking up our son that day.   We arrived the day after, it was a one day air traffic controllers strike.

I recall the outfit I was wearing when we went to the US Embassy in Guatemala City to finalize our paperwork to bring John home.  And what he wore too.

I remember riding in a cab through the city, holding John on my lap and praying that we were not going to die on my first day as a mom. 

I remember eating at Hacienda Real (my favorite restaurant anywhere) with Mark and John under the stars and thinking that I had never been happier.

I remember holding John as he fell asleep in my arms after hours and hours of him crying and telling him, that I loved him more than he would ever know. 

I remember walking into the Atlanta airport and the hearing the customs agent say 'Welcome Home' and wanting to weep or hug him.  I'm pretty sure I was crying.  And that hugging him wasn't a good idea.

But mostly I remember, being in awe.  Of thanking God for giving me this child to parent and praying that I would do a good job.  That I would be worthy of the gift I had been given.  



I had to beg and plead with him to get him to pose for this picture.  It sounds weird he said.  I asked him to do it for me.  Then I offered him a cupcake and a cookie.  But I think the price was totally right to get a picture marking this milestone in our journey as a family.

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1 comment:

Gardenia said...

look at his smile. You're certainly a worthy momma, Anne. your children are loved and so are you, by them! your post brings back all those memories of our pick up trip too.