Gotcha Day Letter to My Daughter

My Dearest Jadyn,

It's so hard to believe that 2 years ago today, my life was changed forever. I am not sure that I even realized how much of an impact you would have on our lives. Oh, I knew that things would change on the outside. There would be babysitters to find, toys to pick up, doll shoes to step on, sleepless nights, ear infections, potty training and the list goes on and on. But change me on the inside?

When we made the decision to adopt, we knew in our hearts that we had a daughter in China. We did not know you name, or when we would get to bring you home. We did not know what you would look like or if you would even like us. One thing that we knew for sure, we knew that God was in complete control of leading us to you. We began the process on May 2005 and thought that we would have a very short period of waiting, little did we know. Every time I reflect on these times, I remember how very hard it was waiting to bring you home.

Jadyn, I pray one day that you will understand the mountains that you have moved. You completely turned around the life of a brother, you forever changed the heart of another brother, and you have melted the heart of your father. As your mother, you have given me a renewed purpose in life. The role that you have played in changing so many things about our family is enormous. We are so very grateful to our Father in heaven for creating you for our family. Jadyn, we believe that even before the world was created, it was God's idea for you to be our daughter. I will always hold a special place in my heart for your China mommy. She loved you very much Jadyn, I am sure of that. When I look into your beautiful eyes, I think of her. I am so very thankful for her and love her for the gift that she gave us. The gift of you.

The past two years have gone by so fast. These 2 years went by much faster than the two years it took waiting for you. Oh, how anxious we were to bring you home. And, at the exact time that was ordained by God, you became our daughter. That day was May 13, 2007. Today, as we celebrate you day, we want you to know how very much we love you. As we were crowded in that little conference room on May 13, 2007 we realize now that we are bonded to the other families in that room with a very special bond. We shared something that not many people get to share. We saw God perform 14 miracles at one time in that room that day. Each child was placed into the arms of the family that they were created for. How very grateful we are that you were the daughter that He chose for us. Thank you, sweet Jadyn, for being you. For making us laugh, keeping us young, and helping us to see that we are called to take care of the children in this world that have no one to care for them. We consider it an honor and a privilege to be your parents. You have made our lives so much better. We love you with all our heart and cannot wait to see what God has in store for your life.

I love you sweet girl. Happy 2nd gotcha day!

Mommy

Happy Gotcha Day Jadyn

Just to hold you over, here is a recount of Jadyn's gotcha day. It was 2 years ago today that our beautiful daughter was placed in our arms. In a small conference room at the orphange in Fuling, China. Our lives have never been the same.




May 13, 2007

2 Mothers, 1 Gift

OK, I'm laying in the bed feeling guilty because I didn't make more of an effort to get some pictures posted, I did try - really I did, but I was just SO exhausted. After I got Jadyn to sleep, caught a few winks and woke up with you on my mind. This is the best that I can do until she is wide awake tomorrow. This was a risk, snapping pictures of a sleeping baby, what was I thinking?

Let me just answer those questions rolling around in your mind. Yes, we think she is absolutely beautiful. She is truly a treasure and "Bao" means treasure in Chinese. We were deeply saddened by the conditions of the orphanage. This is one of the better facilities in China, but still it is an orphanage. And we were reminded of this with our visit. We were somewhat shocked back to reality. There were times all four of us were sobbing. The boys hearts were truly broken to know that she spent the first year of her life here. They will come away from this trip forever changed. And that was our goal.

She is still pretty somber, although, we are seeing a little personality. She has begun to play with her toys a little, self feed from our hands (love those Gerber puffs) and seems to be letting her guard down. No smiles on camera yet. Maybe tomorrow. She has on her "gifted" pajamas because what a gift she is. She is truly beautiful. What a day it was, life changing at the very least. We will forever be connected to a family in this part of China. The family that gave us the gift of our daughter. Whether I can look out the hotel window and not realize that they are just over the hill, or they are somewhere many miles from here in the countryside, I will truly be forever connected to the woman who carried, gave birth to, and loved my child enough to give her a chance. When I look deep into her eyes, I can't help but think of her Mother on this Mother's day. The joy, elation and excitement of one Mother is paralleled by the pain and sadness of another Mother. One that I will never know. But, on this day, there is a Mother who prayed for another Mother and praised the Father above for the connection that the two of us will forever have. The connection sleeping soundly just a few feet from me. Our daughter Jadyn Grace BaoJun Hood. Truly a treasure.


And yes, in case you are wondering, that is MY bed she is sleeping in. I just didn't have the heart to put her in that port-o-crib. Not quite soft enough in my book. Pat's sleeping well in the other bed. ;)

Gotcha Day Letter

My dearest Jadyn,

When I was a little girl, my Daddy took me to a local bicycle shop and bought me a brand new Schwinn bicycle.  I'll always remember that bicycle.  It had training wheels and my goal was to learn to ride that bicycle.  Day after day, Daddy would spend time teaching me how to ride that bicycle, time after time, I would try to ride it and he would come along behind me and hold the back of the seat.  There were two words that I can still hear him say to me that helped me to know that I was safe.  "I've gotcha" was all I needed to hear to give me a sense of safety and comfort.  I knew that as long as Daddy had the back of the seat, I was not going to fall.  I was completely safe.  The day that you came into our lives is commonly know in the adoption world as "Gotcha Day".  There's lots of people that don't use this term for various reasons, but it speaks volumes about the greatness of that day.  We will always come along behind you and hold you up.  We will try our very best to not let you fall.  I want you to have the feeling of security and safety as I had when my Daddy spoke those words to me many years ago, I've gotcha.   Many years have gone by and a lot has changed.  Unfortunately, your will never meet your Grandaddy as he is in heaven, he would have loved you so.  But, one thing will always remain, Jadyn, I've gotcha, your safe now, and loved more than you can ever imagine, and you will never be alone.   I will protect you, be there for you, and help you not to fall.  

I cannot believe that it's been a whole year since that day in Fuling, China when your Dad, your  brothers and I gathered, along with our travel buddies, in that crowded conference room to get our first glimpse of you in the flesh.  We had stared at, prayed over, and shed many tears longing for the day when we would hold you in our arms.  Finally, that day came and it did not disappoint.  We were so taken by you.  Your sweet, round face and beautiful black eyes and hair just captured our heart.  You were such a scared little girl and our hearts broke knowing the fear you must have been experiencing.

Being able to visit the place where you had lived for the past 13 months and seeing first hand the other children and caregivers gave us a great deal of comfort.  It was evident that you were loved and cared for and that made us very happy.  Spending that time there had a profound impact on all of us.  We left there better people than when we arrived.  

Jadyn, I simply cannot put into words the joy that you have brought into our lives.  Your sweet smile, your silly laugh, and the sound of your voice still makes my  heart skip a beat.  You were placed in my arms on this day, one year ago, and that feeling of happiness and gratitude are just as strong today as they were a year ago.  You are truly a gift from God.  The name Jadyn is Hebrew for "God has heard" and He truly has.  He heard my prayers of 5 years and He was faithful.  He allowed you to be born to another family, but to be delivered into our family on May 13, 2007.  We are so very thankful that He did.

My prayer for you, sweet girl, is that you always love the Lord.  You are truly a blessing and we are so thankful for your life and for the country where you were born.  Someday, Jadyn, you will do great things.  God has a plan for your life and I am so very thankful that He allowed us to be a part of it.  Thank you for being our daughter.  Thank you for being such a joy and light in our lives.  You have brought excitement, love, laughter and life to our home that cannot be described by mere words.  Never in a million years did I think that I would look around my house again and wonder how it could get so messy, so fast.  It's filled with babies, blankets, plastic fruit, and dishes.  Thank you for the constant source of joy that you are to us.  I love you, sweet one, with all my heart.  I pray that you will always know how much you are loved.

You make my heart smile.

I love you,

Mommy

May 13, 2007 and May 13, 2008

Happy Gotcha Day

To put into words my feelings and emotions today would fill up the blogging world.  Right now, my heart is so full.  What a year.  It was one year ago today, May 13, 2007, that a scared, quiet little girl was placed in my arms in a crowded room in Fuling, China.  I remember every detail of that day, my thoughts, my emotions and the anticipation of waiting in that room to see just a glimpse of the daughter that God had for us since the beginning of time.  We gathered there and watched each family receive their child until we go to our turn and our focus turned completely toward our precious gift.  What a joy to share that very special day with Seth and Zachary, it has forever changed their lives too.  Below are pictures from that day, forever known as "Gotcha Day" in our home.  It is a day of great celebration, maybe even more so than a birthday.  It's the day we celebrate Fu Bao Jun and her entrance into our world.  As I reflect on these pictures, my heart is filled with great gratitude to China, oh what a day it was.

10 Months and Changing

My dearest Jadyn,

Today, we celebrate your 10 month Gotcha Day anniversary.  Where has the time gone?  

I start this post every time thinking how I cannot believe that it's been as long as it has since you were placed in our arms and this one is certainly no different.  It just seems as time is passing so quickly.  Someone once said that time flies when you are having fun and we are certainly having a blast.  I wish someone would have told me just how much fun it would be the "second time around" but I am not sure that they could have adequately described it.  

Bringing you into our lives 10 months ago today, has by far, been one of God's greatest works ever.  In my book, I would put it up there with creating the sun, moon and stars!  What a fabulous work He has done.  He took a little girl from China and created her perfectly for our hearts and for our home.  What a fit you are!  You are so much like us, which is really funny to us all.  Oh my goodness Jadyn,  you are just like your Daddy.  You have that strong will, the will of a survivor I would say, and that drive and determination that sets your apart from most.  I know we will stand amazed at what God is going to do in your life.

You have brought us immeasurable joy and our my days are spent with washing sippy cups, changing diapers, and stepping over plastic food from your kitchen set all over the house.  Man, who knew plastic cauliflower could hurt like that on bare feet!  You know what's sweet? We wouldn't have it any other way.  When you have a child later in your life, it's just an amazing gift from God.  

It's been 10 months today, sweet girl, and you have come so far.  You are the light of our lives and a true joy to our home.  Your laughter and your sparkling eyes bring such joy to us.  We are so grateful to our heavenly Father for the work He has done.  It's something so supernatural, we would have never been able to accomplish something so great on our own.  We look can't wait to see what the future hold, but could you just slow down and not grow and change so fast? Our baby girl is quickly going away, being replaced by our little girl.  Everything is happening so fast.  Thank you, sweet Jadyn, for bringing us such joy, and thank you God, for bringing us such a joy!

You make my heart smile...

I love you,

Momma

Gotcha Day - 8 months

My dearest Jadyn,

It's so hard for me to believe that 8 months ago we first got to see your sweet face and actually touch you. It was something that we had waited for, as you know by now, for so very long. We were so excited and filled with anticipation. You were handed to us and you didn't cry or get upset, you just sort of looked at us. You studied us, our faces and I'm sure you thought "who in the world are these people"?

What joy you have brought to our lives. We wonder what we actually did before we traveled to China to bring you home. You are changing every day, little by little, and you are so different from that scared little baby that was handed to us on May 13, 2007. 8 months seems like a life time ago. You have come so far from where you were that day. You couldn't walk, talk, roll over and you could barely sit up. Now, you run EVERYWHERE you go. You are always in a hurry. We are thinking about putting up speed bumps down the hall to slow you down when you push your babies in your stroller. What laughter you bring to our home. We constantly watch and laugh at your antics. Your quite the little entertainer.

Your brother has been gone to Malaysia for a week now and he misses you the most! More than any of the rest of us. I believe that you have captured everyone's heart in this household. The fun we had at Christmas just watching cannot be explained. By the time Christmas was over, you had the hang of opening the presents, whether they were for you or not. You have spent so much time playing in your kitchen, cooking lots of things, using your teapot as a purse and talking on your cell phone - not sure where you learned that one!

Jadyn, we love you so very much. You smile is infectious, your joy is compounding, your sweet personality is the light in our home. You are learning so fast and just watching you learn and grow is the highlight of our days. We just can't wait to see what God is going to do in your life. We love you sweet girl, happy 8 month gotcha day!

Mommy

7 Months Today

Dear Jadyn,

Today you have been in our arms 7 months, my how time quickly passes. People
say that time flies when you're having fun, and boy, are we having fun!

You bring such joy to our lives and we often wonder what we did before
that special day in China that you were place in our arms. I can't believe
that it's been 7 months and that you are 20 months old today. You have changed
so much, from a little girl who could barely sit up, to a running - yelling -
talking - barrel of fun! You certainly keep us on our toes, but we wouldn't
have it any other way. We must have been some really boring people before
we brought you home.

As I reflect on Christmas, I remember how hard it was last year. Even though
we had not seen your face, we knew that God had you picked out for us and that
most likely, you were waiting for us somewhere in China. And you were. Waiting
patiently in the Fuling SWI in Fuling, China. In just a few short months after
Christmas, we saw your face. It was so hard knowing that you were in China and
we were here, we so wanted you to be with us. But, as the song says, "it's Christmas time again and now you're home". And that's just where you belong - home right here with those who adore you and will watch football and play with your dollhouse at the same time!

I love you Jadyn, with all my heart. Thank you for the past 7 months and for the unending joy that you bring into our lives. As I've said many, many times before, you make my heart smile.

I love you,
Mommy

No One Ever Told Me

Six months ago today, you quietly came into our lives. A stranger delivered you into my arms and I quickly began to feel my fears, worries, and the stress of a two year wait begin fade away. The emotions that I felt were the same emotions that I experienced the day that both of your brothers were placed in my arms. The joy was overwhelming and the magnitude of seeing the hand of God with human eyes as 14 families gathered in a small conference room in Chongqing, China and had their lives changed forever.

What have I learned over the past 6 months? The lessons have been many, too numerous to mention here, and one day, I will share all of those lessons with you, at just the right time. The time when you want to know what I learned during the long wait for you to be born, for you to lovingly be placed at the gate of an orphanage in Fuling, China by someone who loved you very much, for your paperwork to be completed and placed on the very same desk as our paperwork, for the match to take place, for the journey to be made, and for the our lives to be forever changed. Oh, the stories I can tell.

But what is ever in the forefront of my mind are the things that no one ever told me. Those things that I wasn't prepared for even though I read, studied, researched and prepared myself to the best of my ability. Like...

...No one told that I would experience an undying gratitude to a country that I only visited for 2 weeks. That everytime I see a picture, watch a show, or simply daydream about our travels, it takes me back to a place that I have developed a love for it's beauty, culture, and it's people - China - a land that I will never forget for it has given me one of it's greatest treaures - Fu Bao Jun.

...No one ever told me that not a day would go by without me praying for the family who God created to concieve, carry, give birth to, and finally place you where you would be found, cared for, and then lovingly deliver into our waiting arms.

...No one ever told me that I would grieve for your China Mother. That I would think about her and wonder what she is feeling. I know she must be very sad and I pray that God will give her a sense of peace. I will never be able to tell her what her gift of life, your life, has meant to me. Her gift has made me complete. I can't help but wonder if she has your spicy personality or your firey temper. I wonder if she holds her mouth like you hold yours when you get sleepy, almost in a pucker. I wonder if she loves the water, loves to go barefooted, or ate lots of fried rice while she was carrying you in her belly because you love it so. Did she place you there in the still of an April night? Did she wait across the road to see that the first person to arrive to work the next morning found you and took you in? Does she wonder now about those round, rosey cheeks and your tulip lips?

...No one told me that I would be changed forever. Oh, I've heard a million times, adoption changes your life, but no one ever told me that it changes everything about you inside and out. Beginning the adoption process, waiting on you, making the journey, and bringing you home changed who I am. It has caused me to want to be a better person - a better wife, mother, and ultimately a better Christ follower. You, sweet Jadyn, make me want to experience every second of being the mother of a toddler again. When I am away from you, I long to be with you. Watching you learn and grow causes me to marvel at the wonders of your mind. I am filled with gratitude for the lessons that you are teaching me.

I can't believe that it's been 6 months already - time really does fly when your changing diapers. Jadyn, you have renewed my soul, given me a new love for life, and simply put - you make my heart smile. Thank you for teaching me all these things while climbing on the dining room table, sticking your hand in the toilet, kissing cows, jumping on the leather couch with your shoes on, and allowing me to step in your breakfast banana in my sock feet. You, sweet one, are a master teacher. I only hope that I can continue to learn the lessons that you have for me. I love you with all my heart, Jadyn Grace BaoJun Hood.

Mommy

Happy 4 Month Gotcha!

Sweet Jadyn Grace,

It's hard to believe that 4 months today, you were place in my arms. It seems like it was just yesterday, but it also seems like you have been in our lives forever.

We we traveled that day from Beijing to Chongqing, we were filled with anticipation. As we left the airport, we traveled another 2 hours to Fuling. We were just so excited. Our hearts were beating and our thoughts were of you. What would you be like? Would you cry? Would you be sad? Would you smile at us? There were many questions. The countryside on the way to Fuling was beautiful, but our thoughts were full, as well as our hearts.

Soon after arriving at the SWI, you were brought to the door by your nanny, as one by one, your Fuling sisters and brother was handed to their new Moms and Dads. There were many tears, much laughter, and the excitement filled the room. When it was our turn you were placed into our arms a scared little girl. We were crying, you were just looking at us, trying to figure it all out. What a day Jadyn.

You have come so far in the last 4 months. You could sit up when we got you, but that was about it. In the last 4 months, you have learned to roll over, crawl, walk, run, and many, many other things. You were so scared and that little scared look in your eyes will alway be something that I remember in my heart. You were scared, but full of peace. Jadyn, the joy that you bring to our lives is undescribable. We often say, what in the world did we do before we were blessed with you? We must have been so boring, because now, everything is centered around you. You are the center of all our lives, the source of unmeasurable joy. Waiting on you was one of the hardest things that we ever had to do, but I would wait a million years for you. I'd do it all over again. For in the past 4 months, all the stress of the wait just melted away.

What a priviledge to be chosen to be your Mommy. I thank God for you Jadyn, many, many times a day. He has blessed my life more that I could ever imagine. He placed you in my waiting arms 4 months ago today and filled a Jadyn shaped void in my life. I can't wait to watch you grown and develop and see what He has in store for you life.

I love you Jadyn Grace BaoJun Hood. Thank you for being my daughter.

Love,

Mommy