Gabe's Day

It's hard to believe that this Wednesday will be 1 year since Gabe's adoption was finalized. It's hard to believe STILL that this awesome, totally fun, "appy" boy is ours. As I think back about last year, I think of all the dread, the hurt, the wonder, and the pain. I think about how proud I felt on the witness stand to say, "Yes, he is MY son". I remember tearing up while the lawyers questioned us: "Will you always love this child?" "Will you treat this child as any other child you may have naturally or adopted in the future?" "Do you realize your child will inherit from you, just like a naturally born child?"

I remember being kind of insulted by the questions. Part of me felt like saying, "He was mine from the moment I met him." Because he was. That child captured my heart the very minute I saw him through the double door windows of the maternity ward at the hospital. I could see that he was long, red, and screaming! He was mine when I held him and wept because our dreams finally came true. He was mine when I fed him for the first time. He was mine when we laid him on the hospital bed just to look at his precious face. He was mine when he turned his head when he was a day old towards our voices. Somehow, he knew us. Somehow he knew to look for us - that he would be safe, loved, and treasured forever.

I cannot begin to imagine the tender moments Gabe's birth mom spent with him in the hospital and the time she had him at home. All I know is that he captured her heart as well. She will always, always love him. I just wanted to make it clear that she spent a lot of time with him as well. She bonded with him. And, still, he continues to capture her heart too.

On Wednesday, we will celebrate as a family, Gabe's special day. The day it became legal and final. But, to me, it wasn't August 20th really that he became mine. It was January 14, 2007 - the day he was born. The day we met. The day I'll never forget - the day I became a Mommy.

Gabe, I "la yu" way up to the Stars,
Mommy