There and Back Again: A Love Story: Cheers to Baba

Monday, June 16 is the one month anniversary of Gabe's homecoming. Tim became a father the same day I became a mother; the adoption was completed May 6. But the day when theory became reality and he met his son was the third Friday in May this year.

Tim was able to come through the gate to meet us when my mom, Gabe, and I came off the airplane in Lexington on May 16. I have already shared some of this, but the flights home weren't the easiest. Gabe finally slept from Chicago to Lexington. He woke a bit when he was jostled by my walk up the narrow plane aisle from the back of the plane to the front.

Sidebar: you know how even if you deplane from the way back you still have people pulling bags down and moving around even after most everyone has gone. Well, we were waiting for people to finish collecting their things because I wanted to be careful about the jostling and avoid a loud, wailing wake-up. One man moved aside for us, smiled, and said that what we were going to do (meet Tim) was more important than what he was going to do so we should go in front of him. Sometimes people just warm your heart. We had told Gabe in the wait to board the flight that we were going home to meet Baba, so I'm sure our flight-mates overheard us.

Anyhoo, Tim and I saw each other when I came through the gate, and he saw his son, and it was... Complete. God planned and prepared and blessed that moment. He planned and prepared and blessed so many moments, but that one was special. We walked to an empty space behind some chairs and Gabe came out of his carrier briefly. Tim held him and they checked each other out. Gabe was never shy of Tim. He preferred me at first because he had been around me more, but once he learned how much fun his daddy is, there has been no looking back.

Tim was working one evening recently and I was fixing dinner. Gabe was playing and walking around chattering with the dogs following close behind. He walked in to the kitchen carrying the small family photo album we had sent to China in a care package. It was returned to us in Gabriel's things at the time of adoption (which we greatly appreciate!!) and we have it for him at home where he can easily reach it and see all of his family. So Gabriel walks into the kitchen with it, and he's looking at a picture of Tim and I and saying, "Baba." He wandered out of the kitchen and down the hall, and all through downstairs looking for his baba.

Growing up my father would tell Stephanie and I the stories of when we were born. This usually happened on our respective birthdays but also sometimes on Father's Day or Mother's Day. We are not able to tell Gabe a story of when he was carried in his mommy's tummy and what happened in the world the day he came into it. But we can tell him the stories about the day we became his mama and baba. The fizzy excitement and travel over the North Pole. We can tell him about all of you- the family and friends who waited for news from China with us, or the dear friends in China who loved him to pieces and saved his life by providing medical care when he was so small. The preparations we made to decorate his room and child-proof the house. We can tell him that he's the boy that made us parents, and that we are proud of him no matter what may come. I am so excited to watch Gabe grow up! He has the best example of what it means to be a man that a boy could ever ask for as his father.

In addition to fathers day, & the one month homecoming anniversary, Tim's birthday is also this week! So cheers to fathers, and not just fathers by birth, but all the men who have influenced us with wise counsel and care, who walked beside us to shelter us, make us stronger, & make us safer.

This came home from daycare on Friday and made me cry! Precious!