Our Sweet Malia

I was just reading some things I had written down while we were going through Gabriel's adoption process. I realized how important those stories were to me and how grateful I am that I had written them down. So, yes, it is WAY harder to find the time to do so with the second child. But, I want to be just has happy in a couple years when I sit down and read about my feeling right after Malia's adoption finilization. So, here it goes!
After we had decided to adopt once more, I, Mrs. Jones, LAGGED at gettin all of the paper work completed. I think I was just a little hesitant because I was bracing myself for a longer adoption "waiting period" this time around. (Gabe adoption happend quickly, and I knew this was abnormal). One day my Mother-in-law, Melinda, being the wonderful person she is, laid her foot down. She told me that I NEEDED to get the paperwork in by the end of the week... after all, she had been waiting patiently for her new grandbaby and she just could not wait any longer! So, I did. Within a few weeks we were approved, and within 2 days we were chosen by another angel Mother to adopt a baby girl.
Our social worker told us she had some final paper work for us to sign so she came over to the house, handed us a manilla envelope, and as I opened it, out fell a cute little pink sign that read, "it's a GIRL!" My eyes welled up as I looked at Mike. Our social worker went on to explain that the angel Mother that had chosen us had planned this because she wanted to make it special for us. I knew right away that this was one special girl, and could not wait to meet her.
The next weekend, one of Mike's clients was touched by our story (as he too was adopted), and flew us up to Nevada on his private plane to meet our angel Mother. We felt like royalty! It was so fun. We felt so comfortable with Kara right away, frankly with her whole family. We all knew this was meant to be.
Within 4 weeks, Malia was born. We drove up to meet our new special baby girl. The first time I picked her up and laid her little head on my sholder, she LIFTED her head, turned to toward me, and looked right into my eyes. The first thought that came to my mind was, "this one is meant to be Gabe's sister. I could feel, already, that she and Gabe would have so much in common." (Gabe also looked right into my eyes when we first met him, at only a few hours old).
When Malia was about 8 months, we were able to once again go to the temple to have yet another sweet baby sealed to our family. I just love that we get to do that. And this time Brother Meyers was able to seal us. We love the Meyers and feel so close to them, and they know us and our story. I think all of this made Malia's sealing extra special. Yet again, I was able to look down at a little hand and have that vision burned into my memory. That this little baby that we love so much has litterally, become as if she had been born into our family. That she would be mine for all eternity. What a blessing it is to know that.
And that leaves us in the present- this Sunday we will have Malia's baby blessing. I will try and record it as I did Gabriels and post it here next week.