Tonight at the stroke of midnight my 27th birthday began. But at that moment I wasn’t thinking about it being my birthday at all, instead I stood in the Atlanta airport and with tears in my eyes watched my friend Marc hold his baby girl.

They had just finished traveling for 26 hours to bring little Sophie home from China, a sweet ending to the adoption process that took more than two years of hope, prayer and patience. Seeing Marc and Sherry hold their little girl was a miracle and the love shining from their tired eyes was unmistakable. Tonight was a moment that I will always savor.

Not to seem overly sentimental, but I think in years to come that each time December 29th rolls around I will remember it as the day Sophie came home first, and then as the day I get to say I’m getting old. I think my birthday has been reallocated to something better.

Marc, I love you brother, you are a great daddy!

Sherry, you are an amazing mommy!

Sophie is a lucky little girl.