Seven years ago today we stepped through a hole in the wall of an apartment building in the Democratic Republic of Congo and climbed the stairs. After about 24 hours of traveling with little to no sleep I willed myself to take in every moment, every sight, every smell because I knew that I’d want to remember every second of this. Moments later, the most precious baby girl was placed in my arms. She had tiny purple bracelets on her wrist, a pretty pink dress and a head of hair softer than anything I’d every felt. I had told Eddie that he could hold her first, since I had had the privilege of getting to hold our other two babies first. But the second I saw her, I had to have her in my arms. Immediately.  Today when I hold that same baby girl it looks a bit different, because she’s currently taller than both her older siblings (she and Noah are constantly going back and forth, one day he’s taller, the next Layla is) and she wears the same shoe size as me. She’s reached a stage in life where she is fiercely independent and doesn’t always want mom’s help or hugs, but on the rare occasions that I get to hold her, like really hold her, I still get the same wonder and gratitude that I was chosen by God to be her mama. Today we celebrate seven years of having our baby girl home for seven years. Seven years of ups and downs, struggles and victories, and beautiful messes. Happy Gotcha Day my little unicorn!

And here is our adoption video if you’re interested in watching!