Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Happy Forever Family Day!!!

Dear Sierra,
In our family this will be a day of great celebration!  This is the  day that we met you and all of our lives changed forever.  I do realize that for you this day one year ago, was a scary, confusing time.  But you were so brave, you walked right over to us.  You accepted Cheerios from us with out a second thought.  And then you realized...and you cried.  I will never forget the scared, lonely sound of your cry when you realized that the caretaker that brought you, was leaving without you.  I will always be sad that you had to go throught that.  But I can't help to want to celebrate this day.  Because it was a new beginning.  It was the day that you became a part of us in every sense of the word.  You had a family now and nothing would be the same for you again.  And nothing was the same for us either.
This past year has been an incredible ride.  You have blossomed and grown and changed before our eyes.  Your serious, solemn face has been replaced by a happy, smiling one.  You have amazed us with your grasping of a language that a year ago was completely foreign to you. You have taught us about bravery and resilience and  trust. You have brought much laughter and joy to this house.  Your brothers adore you and you them. ( Mommy thanks you for that because they stop by a lot more than they used to and I love having this house filled with the sounds of your giggling when they are here.) Your Daddy just thinks you are the most wonderful girl in the world.  You will forever be his first child, the first one who called him Daddy!
Every morning since last year I wake up and thank God for joining us together!! And at night you and I pray for all the other children who don't  yet have their forever family.
And so even though I know that this day for you last year was difficult I hope that we can still each reflect and appreciate all the events that led us to you...  and that we can celebrate this day with all the joy that I feel !!  You are so special, Sierra Christine Weixi Hikade, and I love you more than you could possibly know.  Happy Forever Family Day!!!!
Love
Mama



Guangzhou, China January 2009






Home 2010


7 comments:

  1. Awe, I just love your post!!!! Makes me want to change my thoughts...I think I may just "play it all by ear". Miss you all!!!! Sierra, you look so happy in that last photo with your daddy!!! Giorgia and I are sending you big fat hugs on this special day!!! LOVE, Stephe & G.

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  2. What a beautiful post! I hope the last few days have been wonderful for you! It's hard to believe how quickly the year has past! Sierra is beautiful and it's awesome to look back and see those first pictures of your girl!
    Hope you have an awesome week!
    Blessings,
    Gayly

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  3. She looks so sad in the first photo and oh so happy in the second!!! SO THANKFUL she is HOME with her family now!

    These kinds of posts always make me cry!

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  4. Ahhh, as always - well said! Happy Forever Family day to you guys. What a blessing!

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  5. Happy Forever Family day Sierra!

    I've gone back and looked for you guys in our videos now that you pointed out your son...and I've seen a little glimpse of you in another video and more of your son!!! It's so cool to know we were in the room together receiving our amazing blessings who once were together in ZJ.

    I pray your day was as blessed as mine.

    Erica

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  6. Happy Gotcha Day, Sierra! What a brave girl you are! You look oh, so happy!

    Hugs,
    Robin

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  7. I am replaying the entire trip in my mind! What an awesome post....We love and miss all of you! I am so glad that John was able to capture the moment! ...Time for some Kleenex!

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