We are coming up on 3 years since we completed our home study & became a waiting family. Life passes us by so quickly but I feel it's important to remember these milestones. Even ones that hurt.
We were so hopeful knowing we were about to embark on a new adventure full of unknowns. We were naive in thinking we would have a short wait for our baby, but God turned what would unfold into fourteen months of waiting to prepare our minds and our hearts for our adoption. During that time we learned about how to be great adoptive parents. We met so many other waiting families who are now great friends. We prepared a happy home for our daughter.
I watched her last night roaming around the house and couldn't help but feel nostalgic seeing her bounce around and sing sweet songs to herself. She was picking up things and climbing on furniture and I smiled at how comfortable she is in our home. She's quite the fearless and curious little girl and she belongs in our home.
We haven't seen her birth mama since the day after she was born in the hospital. We chat regularly and we keep up with her life, but we have respected her right to grieve and move on. To heal and become the person she wants to be. I carried a lot of guilt for months, well the first year Rosie was alive, for our birth mama. I knew she was in a lot of pain and worried about some of her health issues and longed so badly to reach out to her. On May 8th, 2015 (Mother's Day & Roslyn's 1st birthday) I received a text during church from her. She wished me a Happy Mother's Day and Rosie a happy birthday. Said she loved us and that we were meant to be her parents. She said she knows she wasn't ready to be a mom and was so happy that Roslyn has us in her life. I wept and I think if we weren't in public Kevin would've cried when I showed him the texts. Our birth mama is SO gracious and brave. She's amazing, smart, kind, artistic, and will always be considered a sister in my heart. She gave me so much peace knowing she was OK and at the end of the service when we dedicated Roslyn to the Lord, I was so overcome with joy.
Rosie is 20 months old as of yesterday. She loves to dance, sing, color, and always wants to walk outside or eat snacks. :) She is kind to other children & loves animals.
Her favorite TV show is Curious George (if the makers of this show or movies are reading: PLEASE MAKE MORE GEORGE! Sincerely, Parents who know every movie and episode by heart.) She loves The Little Mermaid (which is also her birth mama's favorite), Beauty and the Beast, The Princess and the Frog, Tangled, & Frozen.
But next to George, her favorite movie in the whole wide world is Finding Nemo. She will point to the TV and scream "NEMONEMONEMONEMONEMO!" until we turn it on sometimes.
She eats like a bird but will always ask for "'Nack?!" (snacks) whenever she's bored. LOL
She loves to be tickled, chased, and likes to sneak up and scare people.
We are hopeful that we will get to see her birth mama next month. We are praying for this sweet reunion and hope you'll join us in prayer as well.
Open adoption can be difficult and sad on so many different levels but it's also beautiful and easy. Especially when you have such a sweet baby to love.
- Brooke
