Tomorrow, Monday, is the one year anniversary of when Robert and I first met Leo in person, when we flew to Seoul Thanksgiving week last year to meet Leo at the age of 10 months. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one of the greatest days in my life, even though we knew we wouldn't be able to bring him home for several more months. I was overwhelmed with love and joy and eagerness when I first saw Leo's face in person. I'll never forget it. We were at the playroom in the agency in Korea and the foster mom walked in with this little person in a furry hooded coat strapped to the foster mom's stomach, facing her. She carefully unbuckled the straps, lifted Leo, took off his hood, turned him around, and put him into my arms. Rob was standing next to me and we were just 2 happy sobbing fools with big red noses. I love that memory. Leo was so round and bald and small.
As if it was written in the stars, we have just found out the wonderful news that we will be finalizing Leo's adoption on Tuesday - in less than 2 days! This means we will officially become Leo's legal parents without anymore agency oversight and Leo becomes an American citizen. We will go to a courthouse in San Jose where all kinds of adoptions will be finalized. We will be called into the judge's private chambers to sign some documents and can take photos. We plan on celebrating just the 3 of us by going out to a nearby Korean restaurant we really like.
To have it come full circle almost a year after meeting Leo is amazing. I can't believe how the time has gone; I've loved every minute of it. The changes in Leo are amazing and overwhelming. Just as I've adjusted to some development in him, he wows me in some new way. I've included a recent 22 month picture above, along with some of my favorite pictures below from the first day we met our cutie and his foster family in November 2009 :) It was love at first everything! Happy anniversary, Leo! Each day Daddy and I love you more and more :)
This is the first moment we saw Leo (and he saw us) and held Leo in person, just seconds after he was carried into the room. It's a still from our video camera.
Our first official family picture
Daddy and Leo
Leo makes plays a game with mommy and...
... the victor, wins Mommy's glasses :)
Playing with Leo and his foster mom
Leo is comforted by his foster dad
Mommy admires Leo's silly faces, while driving in the back of Leo's foster dad's cab as he took us to our hotel. No carseats in Korea. More time to hug :)
Mommy's little guy! Happy anniversary, kiddo :)
Asleep in Daddy's arms, the perfect ending to a beautiful first meeting
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