One Year Ago Today - Gotcha!!

So today is officially what we call Gotcha Day! The day that Owen was finally home, and the entire family met one another, exactly one year ago - July 8th, 2009. All day I have been grabbing him, hugging him, and saying Gotcha!! So now he has started saying Gotcha Day too. We are in the midst of baking a cake, but for Owen that means a birthday, so he is also singing "Happy, Happy cha cha cha" which is his version of Happy Birthday, with the "cha cha cha" added in like he heard Liam's friends sing to Liam on his birthday.

In so many ways it is impossible to believe that a year has flown by this quickly. I can look back and marvel at all the steps we've made in a year. In another way, it seems impossible that he hasn't always been here. I was thinking last night about how strange it felt, that first week having him with us in Russia. It felt so disjointed, I suppose, because one day we were with no kids (while still in Russia) and then in an instant Owen was just "there." Not there. There. So quickly. (Aside from the fact that it was about 3 years in the making.) But I remember having similar feelings after the births of Liam and Natalie as well. That odd feeling of a little person just appearing out of nowhere and then there they are...forever. Not a bad feeling, mind you. Just a little disorienting to the senses at first. Probably even more so with a toddler fully equipped with a large personality, large muscles, powerful lungs, boundless energy, and a good bit of fear mixed in.

The first evening home, we walked through the door to find Grandma and Grandpa, Liam and Natalie with big eyes, and huge smiles, dancing around in excitement (that would be Natalie - Grandma was excited, but not sure I caught her dancing). Yes, the excitement, especially for Natalie, faded quite a bit the next day. But in those first moments home, I could see it on their faces as well. Not there. There. Amazing!! And Owen, even after a grueling trip across 7,600 miles, seemed happy to meet everyone.

He is still happy to meet people. He loves to meet family and friends, and has a real knack for remembering and saying names (except for Aunt Amy - sorry Amy!). Owen left Baby Home #95 in Novokuznetsk, Siberia with not even the clothes on his back - we had to give those back. Not so much as a diaper. One page of medical records, one prettily decorated record of baptism (very cool, and quite unexpected), and our court documents. But he brought home with him a wonderful zest for life. He took all that we offered him - parents, siblings, a home, love, laughter, food, and activities, and embraced each and every thing (even the cat, after about 6 months). Our littlest boy is always ready for anything. "Me too!" is his favorite phrase. He seems full of genuine joy and wonder in so many things that we take for granted. That is what he brought to us from Russia. Joy.

We're so happy we Gotcha, Owen!