Noah's Adoption Story--That First Week

A friend of mine recently made a slideshow of photos and videos for her daughter's first birthday, and I thought it was so touching.  What is it about photos put to music that reminds us that life is so beautiful?  I decided that I wanted to make a video of Noah's first year, and I knew exactly what song I would use in the background of the photos from the night of his birth--Christina Perri's "A Thousand Years."  I know this is meant to be a romantic love song, but the first time I heard it and listened to the lyrics, I immediately thought of our wait for Noah and our unending love for him.  Sometimes I sing him the chorus and my heart swells to the point that I am pretty sure it is going to burst right out of my chest. (Does anyone else experience this sensation during certain moments with their children??)

So I set out to make the video of his first year of life, but as I flipped through the photos of his first week, I couldn't narrow them down.  Each photo brought back a flood of emotions and memories: being with Katie, Drew, and their mothers in the delivery room; watching in awe as Katie fought through labor and delivery without an epidural; sobbing my eyes out as I watched Noah come into the world and held him in my arms for the first time; passing Noah around the room to be adored by his parents, birthparents, grandmother, and birthgrandparents; feeling the complete unity of our three families through our mutual love of Noah; grieving for Katie and Drew as they placed Noah in our arms and left the hospital without him; introducing Noah to all of our ecstatic family members who were so eager to pour love on him; learning how to rock, feed, swaddle, and bathe him; snuggling him against my chest and marveling that I was finally a mother; meeting up with Katie and Drew and their families one final time before heading home to Colorado; driving through the beautiful Rocky Mountains, our precious new baby snoozing in the backseat, and being greeted at home by another batch of elated family members...

It was, by far, the most sacred week of my entire life.  I am so grateful that I not only lived it, but that I also get to relive it through photos and memories.  I never want to forget the love that I felt that week--for Noah, Katie, and Drew and also from our family members and friends.  Truly, we are so blessed.

So I decided that I couldn't cut any of the photos.  I decided that I would make a video of Noah's entire first year later, but for now, this video is solely devoted to that beautiful first week of his life.  I hope that when Noah watches it someday, he will see the joy in the faces of his parents, his birthparents, and every person who held him in those first few days, and he will recognize just how deeply he is loved by so many people.

Katie and Drew, this video is dedicated to you.  If it weren't for your selflessness, none of this joy would've been possible for us.  I know that you, too, will love Noah for "a thousand years."  I know that you sometimes ache for him and miss him deeply.  I know that the last few days have been difficult as we are approaching the anniversary of his birth and adoption placement.  Please know that you are in our hearts this week and every week, and you two are a part of Noah that we will always honor and cherish.

We love you so much.

Noah's First Week from Rachel Westover Nielson on Vimeo.