Both sides of home...

Passed court, plane tickets, finally!

18 months of waiting, anticipation and a few sleepless nights were quickly approaching their end. Just a few more steps in this journey and we could rest knowing that our hands and hearts would finally hold the same thing.
With bags packed with every anticipated moment, the wheels of the plane finally let go of their grip of the earth. Next stop was Addis!

With a jolt, the plane came to a rest, the doors open and Africa found us waiting. A few short introductions, a car ride to a room made for three and rest came slowly for us. Tomorrow was the day that would never come.

The gates creaked as they swung wide to make just enough room for a white car to squeeze through. The car that approached moved slowly, and in another time and another place could have easily been mistaken for a delivery room nurse bringing us our child.

Our eyes strained to find her, and then they quickly filled with tears.

We found each other, and one of us was home.

The quiet days in Addis passed too quickly. The joy and love found in the eyes of those we met at every step of the way reflected an eternal drive to recreate this moment again and again. Our little girl's capacity to understand love began in the hearts of those who brought us together, and we could never repay what they have done for us.

It was time for our journey to retrace its steps; however, this was a new path we found ourselves on. It was path that held a different type of anticipation with a different type of sleepless nights. Our journey home had just begun, but home would thankfully never be the same.

Five months later, with this new child in our home it still feels like a dream we will some day awake from. Even in the quiet moments when the clock reads numbers we've not seen before, we are awake with this dream trying to find rest for us both. There is no promise it will be easy, and it hasn't been up until now. However, there was never an ocean we would not have crossed to bring her home. So, even in those moments when the faces that were left behind cannot be found, we rest in the knowledge that home is where one can find acceptance, grace and love.

Right now our little girl is quietly asleep upstairs, and she is able to rest in the peace that she is now the one surrounded by home.

We want to make it easy for you to share your stories with us and with other families who are going through this process. If you recently adopted from the New Beginnings program and would like to share your photos and stories, here are some story starters:

• The first time I saw you . . .
• Our placement day . . .
• We chose Gladney because . . .
• Our adoption journey . . .
• Our rollercoaster ride . . .
• Not knowing what to expect . . .
• Gladney helped us . . .
• The trip home . . .

Please email those stories and photos to us at adoption@gladney.org. We look forward to hearing from you!