Gotcha Day!

One year ago today our household was forever changed.  In tumbled one of the cutest, brown eyed little girls I had ever seen.  From the moment she walked in I loved her.  From that moment no matter what happened she would always have a piece of my heart.  Even if she didn't stay, I would never be the same.  I knew from that first moment that if we had to give her up it would tear me apart.  Luckily that did not happen and a little over six months later she officially became a Makris.

 

March 30, 2012

March 30, 2012 will always hold a very special place in my heart.  That was the day she became my daughter.  The day that Hayden became a big brother and the day Mike became a daddy to a little girl. 

It's funny how God knows what you need before you do.  We thought we knew what we wanted.  A child under two.  That was pretty much out only criteria.  Our home study started going out.  Some we didn't get chosen for, some we prepared our home for and for whatever reason placement fell through.  At the time that was so heartbreaking.  One we welcomed into our home for a few months and he found his forever home somewhere else.  After taking a break and grieving that loss for a few months.  We were ready for our home study to start being submitted again.  I got picky saying No to a lot of situations.  Setting our criteria a little (okay a lot) more "picky".  I only wanted a baby don't even submit unless the baby is under a year old and low risk.  So for a while it was slow.  The whole time thinking I was ready to say we're done.  I was happy with my family of three.  After Hayden got out of school for the summer we would say we were done.
Then we got a call on a 2.5 year old little girl named Cynthia and for some reason my heart said yes.  She was very low risk so I thought there were tons of names going in on this little girl.  Our chances were slim so why not.  I remember hanging up the phone and praying like I always did "its in your hands God, if it's meant to be then it will be".  A few weeks went by and frankly it was not even in my mind any more.  I got the call on a Monday saying They'd like us to come to the CPS offices and meet her.  So on Wednesday we went down to CPS and the cutest little girl walked right past us and I remember thinking "man I hope she looks like that" and feeling a little sad that they walked by.  Then they called our name and I thought I was gonna lose it when the case worker introduced us to the little girl that walked by.  She grabbed my hand and we walked into a room and that was it.  That little girl held my heart from the moment she took my hand.  I think she had Mike's when she sat on his lap.  When the meeting was wrapping up the case worker looked at us and said "take a few days to think about it and call and let me know".  Mike and I both looked at each other and said "there is nothing to think about when can we take her home".  Two days later she was in our house and in our lives forever.

Cynthia Diane Makris...thank you for making me a mommy for the second time.  I will love and protect you all the days.

Love
Your mommy