Today is the BIG day!!!

Well, today is finalization day for us. We go to court at 10:15 and I am a little nervous, only because I haven't ever been to court before and I have no idea what to expect.  But I guess this is the perfect reason to go!

Today is what in the adoption world will forever be considered her "Gotcha Day!" July 7, 2010. 

It is a bit strange though because I feel certainly like she's been mine from the beginning.  The moment I laid eyes on her, held her, nursed her, memorized her every feature--I loved her, and she was mine.  As these past 8+ months have gone whipping by, I have only loved her more with every moment.

I've thought a lot about what today must be like in terms of how Christ views us as we become a part of his family.  The excitement in heaven must be CRAZY :)  But really, I wonder if his heart could really be MORE full of joy than mine is today, and I know it is, but it's hard to imagine.  When all the days are ordained for us, and he already knows, is it still as exciting? I know it is.  Because since Christmas there hasn't been any more hiccups in our adoption story, and so we breathed easy, slept well, and loved her all the more.  I feel like I've had 257 "Gotcha Days" because that is how many I HAVE had with her.  And I look forward the thousands more I get to have with her.

Today Charleigh Tatum S***** becomes Charleigh Tatum Berg.  I think that's where I get a little choked up.  See, she was mine, but now she bears our name, too.  This is where I can tell that it must be all the more Crazy in heaven as we bear His name, the moment we are His.  I am glad we don't have to wait on the court system to become His though :)

I invited Ashley and her family to join us today because really, they are just as much a part of our family, and so much to do with this whole thing, that it just didn't feel right not having them there with us...but they are ALL out of town and cannot come.  I am sad, but knowing they wanted to be there and would have been otherwise, is good.  We love and adore them so much and are so blessed by their selflessness of choosing life and choosing us to be her second family.  Thank you Ash and the rest of the family. We love you endlessly.

I will post pictures and the rest of the story here later.  :)