Wednesday, August 3, 2011

GOTCHA Day - 1 Year Later

Greetings -
Hard to believe but it is GOTCHA day!  Here is the video of what was happening in our life a year ago!



Wishing you a MAGICAL day~
Courtney

Monday, August 1, 2011

One Year Ago.... Today

Greetings -
One year ago today was a HUGE day in the life of Kenneth and Courtney Hammons. It was the day that would start a new chapter in our family!  We would no longer be Kenneth and Courtney Hammons - we would become the Hammons Family!  One year ago today we met "meetcha day" Tariku James Hammons at the transition house in Addis Abbaba Ethiopia.  We waited with wide eyes and wonderment for our son to appear through those magical doors where we had seen so many other children loose their orphan status!  And like we had seen so many times during our process out walked a pensive, nervous little boy.  Unsure about what the future held for him.  Sure he hugged us and played with us but you could see in his face the questions - is this for real?  will they take me home?  am I finally a child of a family?
So to answer those questions I fast forward one year to TODAY!
Yes Tariku it is for real, Daddy and I will take you home and love you everyday.  We will listen to your stories and compare transformers and their speed 1,000 times a day to reassure you that you are home!  Yes Tariku you are a child of the Hammons family and in so many ways you my sweet sweet boy are what made us the family we are.  Daddy and I are blessed and honored to call you are son.  We will forever be grateful to your African Mommy and Daddy for bringing you into this world.  For loving you those first few years and than for realizing that they could not care for you any further.  We will continue to honor your past and speak about it when you wish.  But we will also move forward with your future - filled with Nana and Papa, Papa Blue, Uncle Josh and Auntie Megan and Grandma and Grandpa, Nanny, Grandma Taco, Nana Pat and Auntie Kristin.  For it is in these people your future will come to life!
To everyone who has touched us this past year THANK YOU!  I could never name everyone who has made this journey with us and supported us in ways I never knew possible!

So from those that have loved you in the past and to those that will love you in the future!  Welcome to your first American year Tariku James Hammons!  We look forward to so many more years with you!

Wishing you a MAGICAL day~
Courtney