My Happiest Day

Yesterday marked six years since I traded in years of yearning for a new title.

Mommy.

I look back and think of all that the past 2,190 days has held and it takes my breath away.  And my words.  I've tried for the last few days to write something that could convey a small piece of my heart.  Document what Josie means to me, but it's impossible.

So I'm going back to the post I wrote the morning after she swept into my life and changed me forever. It still makes me cry, gives me chills.  I remember each detail as if it happened just today.

This little girl has rocked me and my faith and my beliefs on family and love and made me better in so many ways.  She's something special and I get to keep her.

* the following post was written on October 3rd, 2007, Josie's Gotcha Day

I am still in complete shock, but I want to document this for Josie.

On Tuesday, October 3rd, 2007, Andrew and I were going about our days as usual. I was at work and Andrew was at the house. He was supposed to have a meeting, but it was canceled so he just went to the house.

At about 3:15, I went downstairs to get some papers. When I got back to my desk I noticed that I had 2 missed calls. One was from T, our caseworker. I figured that she needed some info about our references since that was what she was waiting for so she could write our home study on Friday.  So I called her back. She didn't answer so I left a message.

The other missed call was Andrew. So I called him back.

He told me that he needed me to go ahead and leave work to come home because T was bringing us a baby.

What?!? Are you serious? What do you mean? Now?!?

T had called him when she couldn't get a hold of me. She had an emergency placement that she knew was perfect for us.

A little girl, 7 months old, perfectly healthy. 

She was going to bring her over right then, but when she heard how nervous Andrew was to be by himself with a new little person, she said she would try to kill some time until I got home.
So I ran down to my friend's office, I had to tell someone. Then I sent my boss and email telling him I had to leave and jumped in my car.

When I got to my car I started to think, did I hear him right?  Did he say to come home now?  So I called him just to be sure my mind wasn't tricking me!

He gave me more details that I had been too excited to ask about; She was abandoned at the hospital when she was born so there was no birth family involved in her case. Since then she had been living in the same foster family. For some reason, DFCS closed that foster home and immediately removed all children from the home. T said that as soon as Josie's case worker called her with the situation, she knew that God meant her for us!

I am pretty sure that every slow person in Georgia was in front of me on the way home. 

I called everyone in my phone. My mom wouldn't pick up, I must have called 5 times in a row before she answered!

I finally got home at about 4:15. The anticipation was killing Andrew and I. Andrew paced by the window while we waited.

I, being a girl, went to the baby's closet and tried to figure out what my little girl was going to wear!


Then, at almost exactly 5:30, our daughter, the light of our world, the answer to our prayers, the most beautiful little girl, pulled into our driveway.


It was love at first sight.

She is the picture of perfection.

Made for our family.

The perfect fit.

She came with nothing. 

No clothes, no diapers, no food, no schedule, no toys.

So after Andrew's mom and brother got to our house to meet the little ladybug, we all piled in the car for Josie's first trip to Walmart!


It was a little overwhelming. 

I wasn't sure what a 7 month old needs.

Our good friends Jason and Tiffany meet us there with their little boy. And then Pastor Charla came to meet her too! I'm sure we looked crazy, all 8 of us grabbing things like maniacs!

But it turned out that all Josie needed was us. 

A family. Permanency. Security. Love.

And it just so happens, we have all those things already.

October 2nd was the TPR (termination of parental rights) hearing.

There is no birth family so of course it was uncontested. We now have to wait 45 days to see if any other birth family comes forward. It is 99.99% unlikely that they will, since they probably don't even know she exists.

The foster family also has 10 days to appeal DFCS decision to remove her from their home. This is unlikely to be successful, but we are still asking for lots of prayers.

She has to be in our home for 6 months before we can finalize the adoption.

But as far as we are concerned, she is already a Pope.

I am so in love with this little girl. She has Andrew wrapped around her finger, as it should be.


I wish there was a way to put this feeling into words. 

It just feels right.

Touched by God.

Like she was prepared for our family.

It feels like my heart is as full as it could be.

It feels like she is my daughter.

It's amazing to me, how God can answer years of prayers, dry years of tears, mend up years of heartbreak, all with one little girl's smile.

Welcome to the family Josie Kathryn Pope. 

We have been waiting for you.

Happy 6th Gotcha Day Josie Kathryn.  I'm so glad you're mine.