J Cooper Photography

We were holding our son and FINALLY able to tell him he was ours FOREVER.

We arrived into Addis Ababa thinking we would have to wait a full day before we were taken to Hannah’s Hope.  But hotel staff presented us an itinerary right when we checked in and we quickly realized that a driver was coming for us in just a few short hours.

I will NEVER forget the walk through the gates of Hannah’s Hope as I anticipated holding my son and never having to say goodbye again.  My heart was jumping out of my chest.  I was teary and blubbery and felt completely light headed (that may very well have been due to the nasty stomach bug I picked up in the airport!)  We walked into the family room of the baby house and I saw him immediately.  My eyes connected with one of his caregivers “Anat” and she snatched him up yelling “Danny Boy…Danny Boy…MOMMY IS HERE!!!!”  I know the special mothers must hate to see these precious babies leave in some ways.  But their enthusiasm for us was so touching!

{Moments into our reunion}

A lot has changed in a year.  A lot hasn’t.  This has been a year full of blessings and growth for our family.  We’ve felt the immense joy and sometimes strain of grafting this child to our hearts.  Our faith and trust in God has grown.  Our other children have stretched and seen first hand the way God provides.  Adoption has done something for our family that I can’t imagine capturing any other way.  It has opened the boundaries of our hearts and set on fire a need to act on the love that Christ has shared.  We have seen God’s redemption first hand in a beautiful way.  Just as he has adopted us into His family…we have chosen Daniel.

A year ago today we took custody of Daniel.  He became ours.  We debated how best to celebrate this amazing little addition to our family and have decided his “Gotcha Day” will be the day he came home and we were finally together as a family.  So this Friday, January 13th will mark our one year anniversary of becoming a family of SIX!

There aren’t enough words to express my gratitude to God for granting us the privilege of raising Daniel.  If you have met him in person…you know what an amazing little boy he is!

And, is that smile the cutest thing ever or what?

{Don’t worry…many more pics to come!}