Our Adoption Day!

Today is a big day in the history of the Cornell family. It's the 2nd anniversary of the day Nora and Lily officially became members of our family! The girls were definitely "official" in our hearts the second we laid eyes on them but in the eyes of the court, it couldn't be official until they had been in our home for more than 6 months. We had three home study visits over the course of that 6 months and then met with our lawyers before we all went to court to visit with a very nice judge that signed us up! :) We were very blessed to have both sets of grandparents with us that day and my two sisters. It was so emotional for everyone - just the culmination of a lot of pain and heartache over the years. 

Here we are afterwards at our house on our Adoption Day - Glen is holding Nora and I have Lily - and they are just a day over 7 months old!

Glen and I both are still in awe that we have the honor of being Nora and Lily's parents. This time of year is especially sweet for us as we went through so many painful holidays wishing that we had children to celebrate with. And this year has been amazing so far as it's the first year the girls "get" it. They loved putting up the tree and they talk all the time about Santa and Baby Jesus. I just love it! I frequently find myself welling up with tears each time we have a magical Christmas "moment." 

Here are the girls today at just over 2-1/2 (Nora on the left, Lily on the right):

They are the most beautiful evidence that God's plan and God's timing for our family were PERFECT! 

I love those two! :)