a picture is worth a thousand words...

We finally got our family pictures done today. Yeah! It has been a long time coming and i am so happy we were finally able to get them done. When my brother juan was here in colorado this summer, we were able to take family pics. My mom, stepdad and us kids. We also took some with everyone; my parents, my brothers and sister and all the grandchildren. Well, almost all the grandchildren, lovebug was not in any of the pictures. She was with her biomom at the time. My mom wanted individual family pictures too but we did not do one. We couldn't. Not without lovebug. So, we finally did them today. I can't wait to see them and i just know they came out great.
I am so happy we got them done. We took pictures of me and brian with lovebug after she had been with us for about 6 months. I know there are some people who wait till their kids are 'officially' theirs. It's cool to have an 'official' family pic after adoption. I would love to have one of those. I just don't know if we will ever get that opportunity with lovebug. So, i am so happy we did not wait. I would not have the pictures of us and lovebug as a family. And we are a family. She would not have those pictures to see of us together. Lovebug was just carrying around one of the wallet sized pictures the other day. She loves those pictures. I want to acknowledge the fact that we ARE a family. Families are different and no family is the same. We just have a different situation. There is no birth certificate or adoption ceremony in the world that will make me love my kids more than i do. I love them. We are a family. I needed to get these pictures done. I never know how long lovebug will be with us. She could be taken at any moment. When she grows up, i want her to have family pictures with us. Professional family pictures to show her that she is most definitely a part of our family, whether she ever gets adopted or not. I want the boys to see that we were a family, even before we adopted them. They are my sons. We are family. All of us together and now we will have the pictures to prove it!
It was a beautiful day. My favorite time of year. Autumn. The week of my tenth anniversary. Our family of two has expanded. Ten years ago, i never thought we would have 4 kids. I had hopes and dreams of what my family would be, and those hopes and dreams were slowly shattered. Little by little i lost hope at ever having a family. Brian and i have been through a lot in our ten years of marriage. Ten years ago i never could have imagined the trials and heartache. Yet, here i am. Taking family pictures with my husband and our 4 children. 4 children! It amazes me sometimes. I am blessed...