Halloween, raking the leaves, and "Gotcha Day"....

Ok, let's start with a picture....


Showing off a special dress

So, as mentioned in my last post one of my favourite families was about to (and now I can say "just did"..woo hoo!!! Congrats to A & R & all the Bs) have their special day of being united with their son in China. It has had me thinking about what in the International Adoption circles is called by many "Gotcha Day". This term never has, and still doesn't sit well with me. I never use(d) it. It just seems so inappropriate. It makes a life....or better yet world changing day sound like the process is an acquisition. We didn't "get" our daughter. We "got" a new van, we "got" a new deck built in the back yard, we "got" some new Christmas lights for outside....because I can't find ours....but that is another story for another day....we did not "get" Clarissa!!!!! She, as part of God's plan, became a member, a very important and cherished member of our family. We did not go to China to "get" her. We went to China to meet her and welcome her to our family.

I recently saw it described by someone this way "Gotcha is all playful and joyous, but the truth is the day is bittersweet as a parent, and just painful as the young child.".

I think that I will leave it at that.

Soooooooo anyhow, wanna see what Clarissa wore for Halloween?????












Are you sure????????????????










Ok....

Hmmm...which pumpkin is Mommy's, Daddy's and Clarissa's????



Oh I thought that I would show you our pumpkins first......


Hmmmmm now where was I????????? Ohhhhhhhh ya.....costume.....



Look at me...I'm a Mermaid!!!!

 She was very, very proud of her costume and she loved giving out candy at the door.

Going back a bit.....she picked her own pumpkin....

And helped to clean it out....

Clarissa loved going to watch Daddy play hockey!! He even scored a goal for her!!

Ok....enough for now...I will get to raking the leaves later....



Look at me!!!!!