Happy "Born Into Our Hearts Day" Mikayla Faith

How do ever put into words the day that you get your referral? I am not sure those emotions are possible to put in black and white but you know me and I will surely try!

In the (early for me) morning of June 30th, 2006 my phone rang. As usual I was still in bed at 9:00 am and while I was awake, I wasn't much into actual getting up so to speak. We don't have a phone in our bedroom but I heard it ring and Alec bounded downstairs to answer it for whatever reason. He never answered the phone back in those days. But on this day, he did, and he brought it to me and said "Mom, its the building block." My heart skipped I think ten beats. The building block, was Building Blocks, our agency and them calling me meant one thing only. That we had a daughter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't remember much of that conversation. I know it wasn't very short and there were lots of instructions for me, I must have heard them because I followed through with them later that day, but all I could think about was this statement "How would you like to have an extra Happy July 4th holiday...a baby girl was born, her name is Clara and she was born in Villa Nueva. I have sent you over pictures to your e-mail account and if you can accept her referral today then we can send your completed dossier to Guatemala today!" Well that was it. That was where the phone conversation ended for me! Downstairs, in my AOL inbox, was a simply stated e-mail that said "referral." I could barely breathe.

Kris and I had promised each other that when this day came we would wait to look at the pictures together. Sitting together, sharing it together. It was 9:00 am. Kris got home at 4:30...he had JUST gotten to work. I somehow hung up and managed to call Kris. I was hysterical, could barely speak and I am sure he thought someone had died. We were told it would be another few weeks before our name made it to the top of the wait list for baby girls so this was very unexpected. All I could muster was "she's here!" "Who is?" he asked me back. MIKAYLA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then HE began hyperventilating. I told him I couldn't wait, it was actually about 9:45 at this point and that e-mail had been sitting for over 45 minutes staring at me waiting to be opened. He told me he was going to a computer, he would call me, and we would look at them together over the phone. I waited and WAITED for him to call and when he finally did he said "OMG SHE IS JUST BEAUTIFUL MINDY!" I said WHAT!? You already looked! He told me that there wasn't a phone by the computer. UGH....so I opened up the e-mail, with him on the phone with me, and there she was.

Sweet Mikayla Faith was born into my heart around 9:45 am. After years of secondary infertility, years of negative pregnancy tests, years of trying to build our family, and then months of "adoption labor" Mikayla was born. In all her beautiful glory my sweet daughter was here, or, well, rather THERE, but she was healthy, she was beautiful, and we felt over the moon with excitement and love. And to make it even more amazing, a single, small pink butterfly adorned the sleeper she was wearing. I had prayed that God would send me a sign, something, anything, so that when we got our referral I would know that He had had His part in it. And as silly as it sounds, that was my sign, and the moment I saw it was when I truly, truly let the emotions spill down my cheeks. I couldn't stop crying or thanking God for this blessing.

To my daughter...Mikayla Faith...your name was chosen because of the undying FAITH your mommy and daddy had that someday we would be blessed with a daughter. In a whirlwind of emotions you came into our lives on the warm, June morning with the sun shining bright, thousands of miles from where you lay in a crib. We loved you from the moment we saw you in those pictures. For all the questions you will have someday about your journey that brought you here, please know this one thing...we love you more then you will ever be able to imagine. You are loved, and wanted, and have made our lives and our family complete and full of so much laughter, love, and shear joy. You and your brother are the light of lives and I pray not a day goes by that you ever question your place in our family, our lives, or our hearts.

To Mikayla's sweet, beautiful birthmother...because of you, our family was able to become complete. Your unimaginable love for your daughter will never, ever be forgotten. We will pray for you, talk about your love, and be indebted to you for the rest of our lives. While we have never met, and likely never will, you have a place in our hearts forever, and the sacrifice you made will never be forgotten to us.

Mikayla Faith

Born into this world on June 17th, 2006 but born into our hearts on June 30th, 2006

We love you sweet baby girl!

~Mikayla's Cupcake Birthday Party~

On Saturday we had Mikayla's birthday party. It was almost the birthday that WASN'T. At 2:00 am, right after I finished loading up the van full of the stuff to take over to the place for her party, I hear Mikayla wake up SCREAMING. This is NOT normal for her at all. I go in, pick her up to calm her down and she is ON FIRE. Truly, she has never been that hot. I take her temp and the first one tells me 108.3! OMG I about DIED. I took it again it read 106 and held there the nest few times I took it. I went and woke Kris up, FREAKED out, grabbed the diaper bag, her cup, her lovey, a blanket and headed to the ER. I pulled in at 2:45 am. We got registered, Mikayla was totally lethargic, they gave her a does of Motrin AND Tylenol to get it down, and I was told I had to wait. They were full! I waited over an hour and Mikayla was getting upset. At 4:00 am I asked them WHEN we would be seen and they said not for another two hours, that there were countless people still ahead of us. I held out for another 10 minutes, in which time her fever broke, and I went up and told them I wouldn't wait...I was leaving. It was RIDICULOUS. And please note, we have a WONDERFUL hospital, it was just a very, very busy night at the ER and there were several ambulances that came in while I was there.

When I brought her home she started crying in pain so much that she threw up and refused to drink anything. I was so upset. I got home at 4:30 and she cried until 5:45 am when she finally settled down in our bed and went to sleep until 6:45 am. At this time she woke up...as in...for the day...and was inconsolable until 8:00 am. So at this point I call my mom HYSTERICAL asking her what to do for the party. I have been planning this party for months...I am so into my parties...I love to plan and do special things for them. She said we were DOING it, that Mikayla's ears were obviously infected since she was not sick and that it was just going to be what it was going to be.

Sooooo.....I get in the shower, and run to pick up the party platter and balloons and head over to decorate. Notice that I never went to bed...nope...no sleep for Mindy! At this point I had been up for over 24 hours. I came home to help Kris get Mikayla ready and she was in MELTDOWN MODE. We gave her a bath, which we HAD to do, and I said FORGET trying to dry her hair to wear it down....girl it is a PONY TAIL day for you.

FIVE and I mean FIVE minutes before we left the house she quit crying. It was like magic. Seriously. We headed to her party where she acted like NOTHING happened, that she had NOT been up all night. She smiled at everyone, laughed, twirled in her dress, and had the best day. Can you believe that? OMG.

So her party was a hit! It is a MIRACLE people. She was able to celebrate with all her close friends and family. It was just a beautiful party and Mikayla was truly being the "belle of the ball." Her theme was cupcakes. I loved how it all turned out. Well...I need to go. She is crying:-( It's midnight here. Poor thing. OH...I guess I do need to say that before the TERRIBLE storms hit here AFTER her party Kris took her down to Statcare and it IS her ears. Both of them are still infected and she is now on her THIRD round of antibiotics to get rid of this. They put her on Zithromax. She crashed after the party hard...it was like for those 2.5 brief hours she got a break and then it was back to being sick. Thank you God for allowing my princess to enjoy her party! I am off to comfort my sick baby.....

The tables and sadly this picture doesn't do it justice. It was so pretty IRL
Treat Bags

My suckers:-)

Tableware

Kris and Joe making the punch in the kitchen

She was very shy when Kris brought her in...

But she warmed right up!

Loved playing with the balloons with her mommy and great aunt Zell
Papa and Kayla
My mom and dad with the party girl
Mom, my aunt, and me:-) (I SO look like I have a hangover I swear. Can you tell I hadn't been to bed yet? ROFL!)
Kayla LOVED her trike from Aunt Gina and Uncle Joe...oh...and Christian!

And she is still riding it...in my LIVING ROOM now
Doing a party girl dance
Gina and Christian
Alec and his buddy Tony

Big Brother was a big help in getting everything ready for the party!

My best friend from H.S., Amber, drove all the way from Columbus for Kayla's party! I was so happy to see her and her beautiful sweet baby boy, Beckett (who celebrated HIS birthday today!) I got to meet her hubby too!

Amber and Beckett ( I drove down to HIS party today)
The cake

See the book on the side? It's The Secret Birthday Message by Eric Carle (one of my favorite children's authors). Everyone signed a birthday wish on the inside cover for Mikayla.

Two candles lit!

Getting ready to blow them out after we sang...

Yup, she blew them out on her own!

Christian LOVED watching the cake part:-)
Mikayla was really wanting a piece of cake!
Another Amber and I picture

Me holding Mikayla and Devon
DORA! She was super excited about this gift
Opening more gifts
Checking out her new baby doll
Isabelle taking Mikayla's hot new wheels for a spin

Alan and Ana

Isabella hanging out
PINATA TIME!
As soon as the candy fell out Mikayla made a MAD dash for it and put herself right in the middle
Gina. Will we ever get a good picture of all four of us? And OMG what shoes were you wearing? You are NOT allowed to wear those around me again. I look a full foot shorter then you here!
Decorating the cupcakes

Me, Tara, and Isabelle.
Miss. Devon hamming it up in her new shades
Jenn, Alan, Ana, and Tony The Changets:-)
Another cute Devon shot
Nikki, Isabelle, Morgan, Tara, and Devon.

Thanks everyone that came and helped make it such a beautiful special day!!!! Thanks dad for taking the pictures (and Gina too for the extra's you sent to me!) Thank you mom for all of your help decorating and to Diane who helped keep me sane back at my house by helping!! I really appreciated that. And thank you Gina...you are always a huge help with everything I do...

Happy Birthday Mikayla!!!

Our sweet daughter turned TWO yesterday, June 17th. It's amazing to think that for this past FULL year of her life she has been with us. It feels like yet another huge milestone to me! She woke up by being serenaded with the Happy Birthday song compliments of Alec and I (Kris had to work). That seemed to start her day off on the right foot because she had a wonderful day! Maybe she just knew there was something extra special about the day:-)

Sweet Mikayla...you fill our lives with so much joy and happiness. Not a moment goes by that your daddy, mommy, and big brother don't realize how blessed we are to have you in our lives. We adore your strength, resilience, curiosity, and sweetness. You are one beautiful little girl who we treasure immensely. You are the daughter that your daddy and I dreamed of having, and the sister of a big brother that loves so much. You, Mikayla, mean the world to us....and we love you now and always with everything we have to give!

Happy Birthday Precious Girl!

Daddy and Mikayla at dinner
Birthday Kisses
Mommy loves her Kayla!
Opening her gift from her big brother, that HE picked out all by himself!
All Smiles! She loves her new Abby!
Mommy with both of her amazing kids. I am so proud to be the mother to these children.

Playing Peek-A-Boo with the tree:-)
My brown-eyed girl
Blurry..but still cute!
I am two!
Look how big our baby has gotten!