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Mia's Homecoming Video

At last I see the light

One Less Orphan: Mia's gotcha day

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Orphan No More!!!!

There really are no words for what we have experienced the last 24 hours, well really the last 6 months. When I woke up on "Gotcha Day" I couldn't stop the tears. They just came up all day long as I realized what was REALLY happening. The day that we had been waiting for and working towards for so long was finally here. We were taking our girl from a life as an orphan and giving her the world.

I still haven't really wrapped my thoughts around what it felt like to look at Mia as she slept last night and know that her life was literally saved and that she is no longer lost. A tangible calmness and peace was felt in this little hotel room in a foreign country because one little girl was finally right where she belongs.

She has a family who already adores her. She has more friends than she could even imagine....some of which let off balloons in honor of her freedom last night just like the lanterns in Tangled. She has more prayers going up in her behalf than she will probably ever know and we as her parents are forever grateful for it all!

There are so many details I want to share from "Gotcha Day" but I will make another post for that. The video says more than words could right now!

What better way to celebrate One less Orphan than with a video.....or two ( I thought I better make up for not getting anything posted yesterday).







She is just beginning to see the light!

Tonight we will leave Donetsk and take the overnight train to Kiev. We will stay in Kiev until Thursday. The journey continues....

49 comments:

  1. Okay, it's 2:30 am, and I've been baking & baking to sell yummies at a yard sale, to raise money for some Reece's Rainbow kiddos...now I'm crying & sobbing(for JOY, of course!), and have even more passion for these kids than EVER!! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful journey, and my prayers will continue for you and your family! :D

    Rochelle in Elk Grove, CA
    mother of 4 daughters of the King(one of them is "special" )

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  2. i cannot breathe for crying!!!!!!!!!!! ok through loud boo hoos i am going to try to type that that was without fail the most moving and wondrous and beautiful post i have ever had the honour to watch! ok now going to lie down and sob for an hour or two! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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  3. BEAUTIFUL!! Can't wait to meet y'all next week!! Congratulations to ALL of you! :) I bet your girls at home are SO excited!!

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  4. Loved it! What a great way to start the morning! I love Mia and the pigeons. And the Tangled music is perfect! Thank you so much for sharing this!!

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  5. Unbelievable... tears a-plenty! So excited for you guys, and just overwhelmed watching her ride in the car that she's been so excited about for so long... going HOME! My Kinlee Carene was sitting here with me watching and giving play-by-play. Such a precious moment in time to see Mia Kareen now free to enjoy her world! Thank you for letting us all come along with you

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  6. I'm doing the "ugly cry" here! To watch her finally get to experience the car, I loved it! Thanks for sharing! That was so touching! I am soooo happy for you guys and that adorable Mia! She has melted my heart and won me over completely!

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  7. Oh my, so excited for you. I'm just sobbing watching the beginning of Mia kareens new life.

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  8. Congratulations on your beautiful daughter. What a special gift for you and for Mia. I feel blessed to have been following your journey. I am looking forward to continuing to share this journey with your family.

    Love life and be gentle,
    Shannon

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  9. Thank you for sharing such a special day with us. Mia is gorgeous and looks so absolutely adorable in the video with the pigeons. She finally got to go on that car ride she has longed for! Love the music with the videos.

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  10. Kecia . . . you are stunning.

    These videos are the BEST possible way that I could have started my day! Thank you. I am just so happy for you and your whole family. I love how you say that there was tangible peace and calm in the room when she was finally there. It IS where she belongs. (For some reason the pictures of her in the bath were some of my favorites. It's like she is yours now!)

    We had so much fun setting off balloons last night to celebrate this beautiful little one!! Can't wait for next Friday. Love you SO much.

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  11. felicidades !! looks like Mia is having so much fun!! :)

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  12. Awesome! I loved her face in the car, and then playing with the birds. She soaks new things right up doesn't she! I can't wait to she her do things with her sisters and reach her full potential with the life you can give her!

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  13. Precious! I was crying tears of joy! Congrats to all of you. She is beautiful.

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  14. Beautiful! She doesn't even know how she is mirroring the words in these songs. She spins, just to take it all in - She pauses to see if it's okay to move on. She is finally free to live a life she only dreamed about. The Princess has been found and set free...

    Soar Princess Mia, Soar!

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  15. OMGoodness!! I love these kind of tears. Congratulations to all of you.

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  16. Wow! Thank you so much for documenting this so beautifully and sharing it!

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  17. WOWZA!!! perfect, just perfect

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  18. Could the music, pictures and video be any more perfect? Um...no! I cant wait to snuggle with her, she is absolutely darling! Love you guys.

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  19. Pure joy. Pure love. Happy tears today. Thank you for sharing. The music was perfect, she's perfect, it couldn't have been more perfect. I'm so excited for your girls... all your girls.

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  20. What beautiful videos! I am sitting here bawling! What a blessing for this little angel and for your sweet family! Mia now has her forever family!

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  21. Rejoicing with you all! Beautiful, wondrous videos! My daughter, Jamie (hislead.blogspot.com) should be bringing "Wilson" home next month and I can't wait to get my hands on him! PRAISING GOD!

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  22. I just came across your blog a few weeks ago while looking through the "my family found me" page on Reeces Rainbow. In that short time, I feel like I have been a part of your special journey. You are an amazing woman, wife, and mother. I am glad there are women like you in this World and I am so happy Mia found your family. I am crying happy tears over a family I will never meet, but will also never forget. God bless and congratulations on your beautiful daughter!

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  23. Beautiful! Welcome to the beginning of your life sweet Mia! So happy for you all. Praying for the final step of your journey!

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  24. Wow! The videos were amazing. I love the second video with the pigeons and Mia, with the music ~ the whole thing just captured exactly what she must have been feeling. I can't imagine what she feels, what you guys feel. It must be the best thing ever. She is so beautiful. I can't wait for her to meet her sisters, and the rest of your family and friends.

    Hugs,

    Jennifer from CA

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  25. Love it! Sitting here crying, with Tate laughing, saying, "oh, she is so cute." over and over again! Can't wait for you guys to get home.

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  26. Oh my goodness! The videos were wonderful, but the second one really got me. Totally bawling over here, so happy for you guys! Congratulations!!!

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  27. Oh goodness the tears of joy! Hey can you email me? I know you have a thousand things to do so no worries if you can't. My email is lucille@reecesrainbow.org.

    SO thrilled for you!

    Lu

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  28. As I watched the videos I was crying my eyes out. What you are doing for Mia is such a good thing. More like A W E S O M E!!!!! I can't even believe your guys faith to be doing this for Mia!! Love you guys I can't wait to see you guys when you come back. We will have to get together at LIda's house one time!!!

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  29. Can't stop watching and crying! Love love love that she is with her family! I have wondered about her for so long, since I first saw her little bowed head on RR. The picture doesn't do her justice. She is beautiful! Yay! Praise God!!!!

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  30. That second video couldn't have been choreographed any better!!! Oh my goodness, such joy for all of you! Thank you for all the sweet updates and pictures and videos ~ so thoughtful. And to think she is still just beginning to blossom. She doesn't even know what amazing sisters are eagerly waiting to welcome her into their life. Blessings to you all!

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  31. there truly are no words....i am smiling through tears. kecia, thank you so much for sharing the amazing videos...and for sharing your journey to your beautiful mia. she is far more blessed than she will ever know to have found your family. and i know she will bless you in more ways than you could ever dream. cannot wait to see the video of miss mia meeting her three sisters waiting for her at home :)...and could the last song have been any more perfect. i think not ;) many, many happy tears here for your family...

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  32. So beautiful and amazing! I can't believe it's really happened. Mia is no longer an orphan and has a forever family. It's so beautiful, the whole experience. My husband says I'm obsessed with your journey but anyone ready would be. It's better than a best selling novel. It's real life and such a beautiful testimony of faith and of God's plan for each of us. Thank you for sharing.

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  33. Hi Kecia (and Mia Kareen...and family)! I've been "blog stalking" since you decided to adopt (I know Patti R. and donated and prayed during her giveaways for your cutie, Kareen)...but I FINALLY had to send you a little note. I am SOOO excited for you guys. It has been so thrilling and heartwarming to watch this journey of yours unfold and I look forward to your posts each day with more news and pictures of Mia Kareen. That last video was SOOO awesome and beyond words to watch. I'm so glad that you take the time to share this awesome journey (and beautiful girl!!) with us. Praying all God's best in your trip home and exciting days (years!) ahead.
    love,
    Nikki

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  34. Tears just pouring down my face watching your videos!!!! Thank you so much for sharing. We have been celebrating our "year ago today" this week. Meeting our angel and starting the beautiful journey together. Such memories flooding my heart. Savor it all.....

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  35. Incredible. Piper was watching the videos with me and said she can't wait to meet her at playdate SOON!!!

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  36. Oh.my.gosh. Sweet Jesus in Heaven, that is amazing! I couldn't watch the other video? Is there a way to find it on utube? Congrats!!

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  37. I am Caitlyn's cousin and have read your blog periodically since she first blogged about Mia. What a truly inspiring story. You are an amazing family who is obviously perfect for Mia. I read through your last post and just cried. She is so lucky to have been saved. After I watched the video of the institutions I cannot get the images out of my mind of those children. I am so glad that you were able to adopt Mia and protect her from that. I am excited to read about her interactions with her new sisters. So cool!

    Lindsay Sells

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  38. Wonderful, beautiful, amazing! Congratulations to your family! May the rest of your journey go quickly and as smoothly as possible as I know you are so very eager to get back to the rest of your girls. Congrats again and again!!

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  39. ok, so I had to mute the music...but the tears still wont slow down. so happy for you all such a beautiful video(s)
    go blees you all

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  40. Oh my, what beautiful videos! She's a precious little girlie and will be such a blessing to your family! :)

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  41. I'm Camme's coworker and friend. I have been following your blog every day. Thanks so much for taking the time to document and share with us. I'm so excited for you and for Mia! The videos were so moving and I had a good cry. I hope you keep the blog up so I can see her at your home with your other children.

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  42. Oh my goodness!!! She is yours! And she has no idea of the great things that are still awaiting her! What a sweet, pure, innocent, beautiful little girl! She brings tears to my eyes every time I look at her pictures. I loved watching her with the pigeons...she just seemed so amazed by the world! What an incredible story you guys are making...thank you SO much for sharing every step of the way!

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  43. These videos are real tear jerkers! As well as the rest of this incredible journey! I can't wait to see you three next week!

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  44. Simple Beauty. I love how He blesses us when we listen and obey. I too, cried happy tears for a little girl, no longer lost. This is to both of you, Mommy AND Daddy, Your hard work has paid off and now your new life begins. I love your sweet little girl. Your journaling has truly captured the journey of adopting from EE. And, as far as I'm concerned, Mia has no "Special Needs", she's just absolutely Special! Love to you all ~ Jo

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  45. Just beautiful. We have had a few trying weeks in our adoption process (the whole time you have been in country), and I think that God put you in my path for a reason. The reason is this: every time I begin to think that the end result of this process can't possibly be worth all of the fear, uncertainty, judgement and attitude from others, paperwork, having to explain and justify myself, more paperwork, and begging for money--I pull up your blog and see the pictures and videos of Mia finding her family and I know IT IS WORTH EVERYTHING.
    www.moveanymountian.blogspot.com

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  46. Wonderful!!!! You pieced the whole thing together so well with the music, too. Loved her curious, stunned looking face, as you traveled through town with her in the car. And the pigeons scene? That definitely got me - happy tears! I made my husband and 10 year old son watch, too, and they were so touched. Yay, yay, yay!

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  47. So, so happy for you! God is so good!

    If I can do anything to support or help you as you come home and get settled in please don't hesitate to contact me!

    Blessings,
    Rachel Whitmire
    Post-Adoption Care Coordinator
    Reece's Rainbow Down Syndrome Adopiton Ministry
    rachel@reecesrainbow.org
    www.reecesrainbow.org

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  48. Your video was a hit with my FB friends. And that is saying a lot. I have been posting things about RR for months on there and hardly get anyone to comment but when I posted the video I got lots of comments and people asking if they could repost. I told them yes but to please put the web address to RR and your blog so they could find out more information. You have done a wonderful job of documenting your journey and I am praying that many more people find their way to these precious children. Thank you once again for taking the time to include all of us on your journey. I told my friends that this is my reality TV and that we are in the season finale :)

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