Kate's Homecoming (Video)

Exactly 2 months ago today, we came home with Kate! On December 18th, we finally landed in the Birmingham airport with our little girl. I wrote in detail about our trip and what our homecoming meant to me when I shared some of the pictures here, but today our video is finally ready to be shared!

Rusty and I have dreamed of our homecoming moment with Kate for 5 years. While we waited, we celebrated (and shot video for) 4 other friends who brought their babies home - Gia from Korea, Esther from Ethiopia, Tawan from Thailand, and Eliana from China! Homecomings are such emotional times for adoptive families. It's a mix of so many feelings - JOY and EXCITEMENT (for your child to meet your/their extended family and friends for the first time), PRIDE (it is so special to finally show your little one off to the people you love!), some anxiety (just wondering how your child will do - will she cry? be afraid?), and a whole lot of RELIEF that you are finally home with your little one! I have felt all those emotions alongside my adoptive mama friends as they brought their babies home - and we were so honored to film for each of them... but I'd be lying if I said there wasn't an ache in my heart each time we went to another homecoming too. I have longed for the day that Rusty and I would get to be the ones coming down that escalator with a beautiful little girl in our arms - tearfully running to hug our parents (amidst a cheering crowd of our closest friends). And this was our day. And it was beautiful, and special, and so full of JOY!

Welcome Home Kate from Rusty Jackson on Vimeo.

Thank you to everyone who came to the airport to welcome Kate home! Thank you for sharing our JOY and helping make our homecoming a memory that we will cherish! We love you all!