To You...To Me

To you...it was just a Winter Party.  To me, it was the first time I got to see Miranda in her class environment, playing with friends, eating a mini-cupcake, decorating a cookie and looking up to make sure her dad and I were near by.  We talked to other parents and compared eating habits and behavior quirks and listened to her teachers as they raved about our daughter.

To you...it's just a doll.  To me, it is a Cabbage Patch doll who came named, "Ally".  Now Miranda says her name even more than before, all the while carrying around this dark hair, light eyed, little bit of love.

To you...it's just another day. To me, it's the one year anniversary of the day the judge used his gavel to declare that the adoption was final and that Miranda was ours.

To you...it's just a holiday season. To me, it's a celebration of our life together.

There was a time when I thought the holidays were always going to be difficult.  I imagined a lump in my throat as I watched other children light the candles and open presents.  I could not fathom a day in which there were no tears.  I could not imagine a life that I enjoyed.

And yet somehow, with a lot of hope and compassion and patience and perseverance, here we are. 

To you...to me...to all of us, happy holidays.