meeting addie

Friday, October 20, SeaTac International Airport 10:02 a.m.

I was so nervous. I've waited almost two years, played this scene out in my mind dozens of times and all of a sudden was standing at the top of escalator, baggage claim #8 waiting for a flight from Tokyo. The flight landed, passengers of course had to come through customs -- but business travels started appearing within 15 minutes! I kept telling myself, this is it -- soak it all in. We snapped pictures of our group and chatted with our adoption coordinators ...

Then Geof said, did you bring something for the escort? Hate to say this, but hadn't even crossed my mind! I ran over to the little coffee shop and start grabbing all this Seattle stuff (calendar, mug, Sees chocolates and a post card) I then in a state of near panic, totally afriad I miss everything, I wait in what feels like a very long line (the woman in front of me had just come in on the same flight! I thought about explaining why she needed to let me go first, but couldn't even catch my breath or form a coherent thought -- I just stood there, waiting getting more and more anxious -- never in all of my imaginings had I pictured myself in line at the gift shop, missing everything! I had to get through this line. My boys were running all around -- it was crazy -- but somehow I knew it would be OK. I got back over to our group, and waited maybe another 2 or 3 minutes when all of sudden I see this beautiful middle-aged woman come up the escalator with a snuggli, and I knew this was it. I could feel the flood gates opening as I walked toward her. So much emotion -- my boys all of a sudden right there and quiet and just watching. Kim, our adoption coordinator exchanged a few words from her and I managed to say thank you in Korean as she unbuckled the little pack and handed me the most precious baby girl -- took her my arms and held her -- wish I could say it in a more eloquent way, but it was perfect. The most amazing warmth washed over me and I just knew she was mine. The rest is a blurr -- luckily, the other coordinator was recording it all. I can say that it was  pure magic, when you realize in a moment everything that has had to happen to bring you to this point and wonder how it all transpires -- it was a culminating assurance for me that God, a loving father in heaven orchestrates and guides and prepares and blesses families across the globe. It is nothing short of a miracle -- with a whole bunch of paperwork attached! 

My boys are estatic -- much more than I had hoped for. So attentive and sweet and instinctively gentle. Here she is in Trey's arms ...

And napping with Clark.

We are all home and aside from the fact that this sweet little has an internal clock set to Korea, we are well!