On Saturday, April 3rd, James and I were at home with Marranda (she had come to visit and spend the night) getting ready to head to James’ parents house for an Easter egg hunt when the phone rang. It was 9 a.m. when Jerry called us and our lives as we knew them changed forever.

Jerry called and told us all about a little girl who had been born on April 1st and needed a loving home.

James was also on his phone at the time making arrangements to sell the truck. To make a long story short: We called our parents and told them about this little baby and they have their blessing. We called Jerry back to say we’d be on the next available flight and we booked our tickets.

We had been expecting a phone call like this so we had everything in the nursery ready. We packed everything we thought we would need and then some. We were on cloud nine the whole day. I don’t know that I could put words to the emotions we experienced that first day. We were so dazed and shocked that we forgot to ask what color eyes and hair she had.

By 6:45 that evening we were on a plane headed to Jacksonville. It took us about 14 hours from the time we got the first call from Jerry until the moment we held little Abby for the first time. When we arrived in Jacksonville, we picked up our luggage and headed toward the hotel. When we walked in the lobby of the hotel Jerry met me with a huge smile on his face. As I looked around him I saw Monique and little Abby on the couch across the room. Abby was in an easter basket! Monique got up and walked over and handed me the most precious little baby in the [whole] wide world.

Tears welled up in my eyes and spilled down my face as I looked at a tiny little girl with big blue eyes and dark brown hair who was now my daughter. We were so tired, but so incredibly happy. The whole world seemed to fade away as I looked at her beautiful little face.

We were in Florida about 11 days waiting for approval to come home. Living in a hotel room with a newborn was quite an experience, but we wouldn’t trade our 1st family vacation for anything.

Abby as an amazing story and we can’t wait to share it with her.

We spent quite a bit of time at the beach and just hanging out getting to know one another. We spent about a week in Jacksonville and then headed down to Daytona Beach for a few days before flying out of Orlando. Everybody at home was so excited to meet little Abby. We were told than on Easter Sunday pictures of her were passed around during the morning worship service and were also shown on the big screen.

When we finally arrived home we had family and friends waiting for us at the airport. Abby is the first granddaughter on James’ side of the family so his mom and dad went crazy buying a lot of pink outfits and blankets and toys. My parents came down about a week after we got home and spent a few days with us.

She was and still is a very loved little girl.

James & Beth, Adoptive Parents

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