November 11, 2010

One year ago today, a judge in Ethiopia declared us the legal parents of Sena.  The adoption was final and irrevocable and I was one happy mama!  We had attended court two weeks prior, but didn't pass because of a minor paperwork issue that was soon corrected.  Those two weeks, however, were very LOOONNNGGGG.  I remember the phone call from our case manager on that Thursday morning - her tone told me it was good news - and I was so relieved.  I drove to my husband's school to tell him the good news.  We were finally in the home stretch.  Little did I know the agony that the next three months would hold.  It is probably a good thing that the hard news came in smaller doses.  There were many tears shed and several pounds gained during that time period.  It was awesome.  Or not. 

I cannot believe that Sena has been our daughter for an entire year.  Of course, we didn't actually see her for the first three months of it, but we have made up for lost time in the last nine.  I was looking at pictures the other day from February and she has changed so much since then.  She has lost her "baby" look and she has grown several inches.  Her personality has blossomed.  Most of all, though, we are past those initial critical adjustment months and she is settled in as one of us.  We are her people and we couldn't be happier about that!  Thank you, Lord, for the gift of Sena!

October 2010 - Sweet girl did not know what to think of the weird lady with a camera!

February 2011 - Silly girl

February 2011 - Precious angel baby in a tutu

October 2011 - She's not a baby anymore!