One year...

One year ago, we flew around the world. I still believe there is nothing more exciting than getting on a plane to fly clear across the world to meet your child.

One year ago, we were reminded for at least the five hundredth time that this process was completely out of our hands.

One year ago, we sat in a conference room in the Baby House and waited.

One year ago, our perfect little princess was brought through the door wearing a bright orange outfit we will never forget.

During the eight months leading up to our travel, I often wondered about our child. I wondered if we would be blessed with a little boy or a little girl. I wondered if our child had been born yet. I wondered where in Kazakhstan our child was waiting. Even though we had never seen her picture as we traveled completely blind, the second they placed Rylie in our arms, I knew instantly- this is my child. My chubby cheeked baby with dark, beautiful eyes and crazy brown hair was finally in my arms.

While we spent the next ten weeks jumping through the hoops of the Kazakhstan adoption process, from that very first moment she was placed in our arms, Rylie was our daughter and we were her Mommy and Daddy.

October 23, 2007

October 2008

Dear Rylie,

We love you so much and are so honored that we were picked and blessed to be your parents. We are so proud of you every day. We love the way you are so eager to learn about the world around you and try new things. We love how proud you are of yourself when you finally accomplish something you have been trying to do. We love how you love to play in the dirt, wearing pink sparkly sunglasses and play jewelry. We love how you give the best hugs and kisses. We love how you are such a good snuggler in the morning when you first wake up. We love your independent spirit and your desire to only do what you want to do, when you want to do it, and how you want to do it. We love how you discipline yourself by doing things you know you aren't supposed to do, and promptly wagging your finger back and forth saying "no, no, no" or running to the time out spot at school. We laugh how you discipline other people when you believe they are doing something wrong. We love that you dance whenever you hear music no matter where you are, including public bathrooms. We love that you say "hello" and "bye" and blow kisses to every person, animal, bus, and airplane you see. We laugh about how free-spirited, strong-willed, and fiercely independent you are. The truth is, it wouldn't be right if Mommy had a quiet, complacent child. We love how you are stunningly beautiful on the outside, and even more beautiful on the inside.

Before we travelled, people in the adoption world always told us that our child would choose us.
Thanks for choosing us, Pumpkin!

We love you,

Mommy & Daddy