It was one year (and one week) ago that we brought our youngest daughter home from the hospital. We have shared our journey with you through this blog and we last shared Eliana's story on her Gotcha Day back in October. This past week, my memories on social media have been flooded with our first days at home with Ellie and I have been reminiscing on this past year with our baby girl. This has been a year of watching our baby girl fight to get healthy; a year of watching our two big kids thrive in the roles of older siblings to a sister with different needs and abilities; a year of some of the most difficult and scariest moments of our lives; a year of having our love for all of our children multiple beyond our wildest imaginations; a year of celebration and learning to just take each day as it comes. Since I have been all up in my emotions the last few days, I wanted to share some thoughts on this past year here, so that a year from now I can look back. I don't want to
This post is just going to be pictures from Eliana's Gotcha Day - 10.7.2019. All photos are credited to my incredibly talented sister, Mandy Keel and Mandy Loves Eric Photography We wanted to fill the courtroom, and our village showed up This girl loves her Papa It's like she knew it was going to be a good day The judge had each big kid come up, declare "Adoption Granted" and pound the gavel The incredible judge and our wonderful attorney Our village I love this picture, holding my daughter is my nephew who was adopted into our family 7 years ago. It's as if Ellie knows the special bond they now share. Ellie and her grandmothers My parents Ellie and her grandfathers Aaron's Dad Ellie loves Tia Katie Tia Katie and Uncle Cav Aaron's parents Aunt Mandy, Uncle Eric and family All the grandkids on my side of the fami