Our 12th Gotch Day!

Today is our 12th Gotcha Day as a family. Gotcha Day in the adoption world is the day you get your kids, and we first met the kids in Colombia and took them to the adoption hotel on April 12, 2011. They were ages 6, 8, and 10 at the time of adoption. In the past, we have always made a big deal about Gotcha Day and tried to make it special because we wanted them to know how much it meant for them to join our family. I would decorate, have a cake, special foods, and plan a special family outing. 

Even with all of the challenges, they still gave us the opportunity and gift of being mom and dad that we otherwise would not have. With all of the kids now out of the house and Angie living in another state, this was our first Gotcha Day alone. We still gave Ingrid and Juan a gift and mailed Angie hers. I had my first colonoscopy today so my afternoon was spent resting. During our trip to Colombia, another adoptive family suggested we buy gifts while we were in country to give the kids on future Gotcha Days from their country. We loved that idea so that is what we did. We have one gift left we will give them when they are all a little older and more settled in their adult lives.

Empty Nester Phase

 Although Juan still has a month until online high school graduation and West Mec graduation, we are officially "empty nesters"! Juan had planned to move out after graduation but received an opportunity to move into an apartment with a friend from the football team. He still has some belongings to come pick up but is settled in his new home. He is busy still working at his assistive living job at La Loma as a cook and recently purchased his own used car. We are proud of him for his hard work at La Loma and truly want all of our adult children to just be happy and live their best adult lives. 

Our adoption and parenting journey was not what we pictured it would be and there was so much we were unprepared for. In the end, it truly was a journey of blessings and challenges. We want to continue supporting, guiding, loving, and communicating with each of our kids but ultimately it is their life now to live. We went into adoption saying we wanted to provide a forever family to a sibling group and to give them a better life than they currently had. We hope as everyone matures, our relationship with each one will continue and grow.