To Bella, On Her 15th Birthday
Today is my daughter, Bella's birthday.
I still carry this picture of my daughter, Bella, in my wallet. Let me tell you how we were first introduced to her.
Bella was ten when we were bringing our son, Ethan, home in the fall of 2012. Ethan and our son, Justin, were part of a sibling pair at an orphanage in Novisilky, just outside of Kiev. We brought Justin home in 2011.
My wife and I had just gotten of the plane and were able to see Ethan. He pointed at Bella and poked me in the ribs and said, "Bella. Sister?"
Over the next few weeks, as we were coming closer to Ethan's court date, Bella got to see the three of us together. On the day we got back from Ethan's court day, the orphanage director came to us and told us that Bella did not want any couples or families to see her. She had picked us. She wanted us to be her parents. She wanted us to be her Mom and Dad. She had already picked her new first name. From Kristen Stewart's character in Twilight.
It took us a little longer to bring our daughter home. There was revolution in the Fall of 2013. We spent her Golden Birthday - she turned 12 on the 12th in 2014 - bringing her home.
I think I'm a pretty lucky guy. I know how #Blessed I am. No matter how embarrassing I am to my kids - they picked me to be their dad!
Some families are born. Ours was made.