Oh, how time flies!

Just a year ago today, Mom and I walked into a stuffy room in Nanchang to see the tiniest little girl waiting for us. She was nearly bald, wearing blue pajamas that matched those of her two orphanage mates, and she stood on the lap of the beautiful Chinese woman who was holding her as she looked around the room, taking the new surroundings in and probably wondering why that silly woman with the video camera was blubbering and snuffling and saying, "Oh Mom, there she is! She's so tiny!"

A year later, Baby Who is cruising rapidly toward 2. We've seen her take her first steps, heard her utter her first words (Mama! So eat your heart out, Daddy!) and watched her charm everyone she meets. But more importantly, we have watched her bond with her two big sisters, completing our journey to become a family of five.

Our house is seldom quiet. It most certainly is never dull. We get frustrated and overwhelmed by the day-to-day life that is two working parents, three children under the age of 5 and pets who inevitably do something they shouldn't. And we wouldn't have it any other way. Because amid the chaos is more laughter than I ever thought possible, more joy from a fierce hug and "I love you, mommy" than I believed my heart could handle, and more gratitude to a group of women we'll never meet for making a choice that ultimately led us to the most precious gift of all: our children.

So whether you call it Gotcha Day or Family Day or simply "Thank God we made it" day after a long, agonizing wait, know that the journey IS worth it. And that tiny bundle who captivates you in your dreams is SO much better in reality.