Referral day - it never gets old

It was bright and sunny today, just as it was 7 years ago on this day... much milder today as far as temperature goes. January 20 2003 was a wind-chill-minus 40-cold kind of day. 

It was a stressful-end-of-term-got-to-finish-marking kind of  day back in 2003, and I was certainly NOT expecting the call that day.  I remember being cranky that I was being interrupted with a rude all-call page through the school...because the call came at about 3:10 pm.

But every January 20th since then, I quietly enjoy the day - I don't get frustrated at school, I smile away to myself and think of what that day meant 7 years ago. All because that was the day the call came, and I saw Julia's face for the first time in three referral pictures.

Early this morning,  I read the journal I wrote that referral night (no blogging back then to be sure) - I read the scribbled words about how I was happy finally to share the news with family and friends. Today I smiled as I read what Julia's cousins said about seeing her picture for the first time - 

• "She looks sad because she missing me." (Sara, 4 years old then)
  
• "She's got Irish dancing legs." (Maggie, 7 years old then)
• "I'm glad she's related to us now." (Michael, 6 years old then)

And I cried a bit when I read what Papa said, as only Papa could, "She's a nice wee ba!"

I told Julia the story of her referral day - it doesn't get old for her either. 

I was thinking a lot about families in who are waiting to adopt children from Haiti, and how their hearts must be filled with ache and worry. I pray that they will soon be with their children, that the efforts at expediting their adoptions are successful. Anyone who has adopted know that there are lots of days of frustration, worry and disappointment on the way to celebrating great days like Referral Day.

We celebrated with dinner at the Mandarin. It's been Chinese food on this day ever since the original Referral day when my friend, Allison came with Chinese take-out and tiny baby hair clips and hair bands.

The referral information I got that day was that Julia was a good eater and liked cake. The cake part- well that (among other things) proved not to be true then and not true now. So there's no cake for this celebration, just a big plate filled with chocolate covered strawberries.

Two months from now we will coming to the end of our homeland trip. We will celebrate our  Family Day on March 10 with Lianne and her girls and extended family, just as we did 7 years ago. 

Another celebration that never gets old.