Monday December 1st is Caroline's "Happy Adoption Day!" Five years ago we waited anxiously in the living room of the baby home at Hannah's Hope, Guatemala to meet our daughter for the very first time. She was gorgeous! It had been a long journey, but in that moment all the waiting seemed like nothing. It was worth it!
In typical "Holbrook" fashion, we're celebrating the entire weekend. Some adoptive families call it "gotcha day" - some call it "adoption day". We usually choose to celebrate with our immediate family. This year we're struggling for balance as our middle child who is 8 keeps asking why everything is about Caroline. He hears "Caroline's Promise" daily - and I think it's getting on his nerves. Yesterday he said he wished he was adopted so he could have two special days.
So this year we decided to make it more about family and not just about Caroline. She got to pick what we would do as a family and of course that involved her favorite place, the mall. Daddy was ecstatic - as you can see. The day after Thanksgiving at the mall. What fun!
Our first stop was Build a Bear where she got to pick out an outfit for a bunny that she already had. The boys had fun helping her choose and Daddy was amazingly patient. After dinner at the food court Cameron and Caroline talked to Santa. This was the first time since Caroline was 6 months old that she would get anywhere near Santa! To keep everything "fair" this year we ended up purchasing sweatshirts for the boys. In the end everyone had fun.
What would our life be without Caroline? It's hard to imagine. Thank you God!
