Happiest of Days

This weekend has been one of the very best of our lives! So many wonderful blessings were ours and we felt the Lord's love for our little family. I want to share a few of the highlights here. On Thursday, Jonathan's dad, Larry, came into town and it was so good to see him again. On Friday afternoon, our birthmom and her parents arrived. It was wonderful to see them again! We were so excited for them to see Sami girl and all the neat things she can do now. They brought us all lava-lava's that were made from fabric they brought back from Samoa, even Sami has her own lava dress. Thanks Mary Ann, we love them!



On Friday evening, my parents and my little brother (who is not very little) arrived, and that was also a happy reunion. They adore Sami (who couldn't?) and couldn't wait to see her. And we were so excited for them to meet the wonderful people who gave us our darling daughter. Our birth family and our parents clicked immediately and a friendship was instantly formed.

The highlight of the weekend was our temple sealing to Samantha. Samantha became ours for eternity in the Nauvoo Temple on July 12th at 3 pm. As Jonathan and I entered the sealing room, we immediately felt the love of so many family and friends who had gathered to join us for this wonderful occasion. As I looked around the room, tears filled my eyes and I felt the love of so many. Then we Sami was brought to us, it was the happiest moment! She was so beautiful dressed in white. We love her more than anything and felt the joy of being an eternal family.




And on Sunday, Samantha was blessed in church. Another wonderful, amazing experience. We felt the Lord's love again and felt of her great and noble spirit. Once again, we were overwhelmed with love by friends and family.

I feel that this brief description doesn't do justice to the amazing feelings and joy that we felt. I cried this morning after everyone left and it still hasn't hit that it is over. We waited so long and have been so excited for this weekend, and we were not disappointed in any way. It was wonderful!

It was such a privilege to have our birth mom and her family with us for these special events. We felt their love for us and for Sami over and over. I think it's hard for many to understand how we can be so close, even our case worker has been amazed at our relationship and how smooth this adoption has been. I wouldn't want it any other way and it is a blessing for us and I believe it will bless Samantha as she learns that she was adopted because she was so loved, not because she wasn't wanted. I think it's wonderful that Samantha knows and feels how loved she is, and by so many.

We missed those family and friends who weren't able to make the trip to Nauvoo. We also felt of your love and know that your thoughts were with us. Thank you.

And now we start a new adventure. Friday morning we start our move to Mesa, AZ for Jonathan's clinical rotations. Our next update will be in our new home.