Airplane Day

Today....August 24th.....is what we call our Airplane Day (it also happens to be my neice Laci's birthday too). What is an Airplane Day? Well, it's the day that our son, Colt, came home to us on an airplane all the way from South Korea with six other babies (all boys) being escorted to their families anxiously and lovingly awaiting their arrival! How excited we were to become parents!

Jason and I had been married for seven years. It was four days before my 26th birthday. Colt was five and a half months old. The wait seemed like forever to get him here! We thought he was coming home to us at three months, but he got sick and had to stay there until he was well. Then the next time he was scheduled to come home to us, the babies were bumped from their flight, thus delaying it all again! You can just imagine how it felt to have a picture of your baby boy and know he's that far away from you and to yearn to hold him in your arms! It helped some to keep a journal for him during this time.

(His airplane....we were watching through the window knowing he was inside...see the sun rising on a new, very exciting day for us!)


Then finally on this day, August 24th early in the morning, nineteen years ago, his escort, a very nice elderly gentleman, walked off that plane, called out our last name and placed our beautiful little blessing of a baby boy into my arms! I just knew I would cry when they did (NOW I'm all teared up as I write this), but I couldn't cry then. All I could do was smile...and then smile some more (as we all did that day!) Colt leaned back, looked at my face and gave me the biggest smile ever as if to say, "It's you..I know you..I'm here." And that boy has kept us smiling and laughing ever since! (And on our toes, I might add). As a matter of fact, he was nicknamed "Smiley" on the plane by the adults because he could turn the smile and charm on, and then go back to a straight solid face just as quickly as he turned it on!

(They had just placed him in my arms...right after the big smile from him...and notice the gentleman in the lower left corner....that's his escort looking on smiling!)


(Told you I was all smiles....he would smile really big and cut it off, then repeat the whole process all over again!)


Our lives changed that day (obviously) after 7 years of marriage, but I wouldn't trade it for anything or any feeling in the world! I became a mom that day....being a mom is THE best, most rewarding job in the world!

(Jason was beaming all day too!)


And for anyone that thinks even for a second that it feels different to become a family through adoption versus becoming a family by birth......let me tell you first hand (having it both ways)....there is NO difference in the way you feel!

(My mom and dad were there with us, along with a few other family and friends....it was quite an experience for everyone!)


The day they placed Colt in my arms and the day they placed Joy in my arms were the days my world changed. I've been blessed to be a mom to two special kids...both my miracle babies....and I wouldn't trade either experience for anything. I once read a remark that sums it up for me, "One of my kids is adopted they say, but I can't seem to remember which one."