Gotcha

Last week was our second Gotcha Day, Family Day. Some people don't like the term Gotcha for that moment, when we first held Charlotte. I understand it, our babies are not a thing, and I understand the day it self can be seen as very solemn. Adoption is a loss of ones birth mother, birth father, family, culture and the beginning of something so unknown to the child. Gotcha is not really a  word that encompass what is really happening. 

Yet, for as long as I was reading about adoption, researching, scouring blogs, many people used the word and before I learned so much more, it has stuck! Connor uses it, I used it, my family, friends, and many of my friends who have adopted too. Most importantly, Charlotte uses it. I never really said it to her, I was pushing the Family day word, sensitive that maybe she would be offended one day, but I guess she picked up on it from others. Last week she must have said Gotcha about fifty times, happy as can be, acting as if was a day of importance as much as she has learned Christmas and Easter is to our family. For now, we will stick with Gotcha. I see Charlotte learning so much and so differently if she had grown up in China. But she isn't, she isn't in China. Those are facts.  For now we celebrate that  Gotcha is how we became a family, that will never change. When Charlotte is older and truly understands the meaning of the day, I will tell her how much she was loved that day and everyday since and follow her lead on how she wants to mark the day. I never want her to forget her heritage. China will always be part of her life as will her birth family. I see them everyday when I look at her. 

Connor had explained to his class that we were celebrating Gotcha Day last week. Since snow is still on the ground here, recess was inside. He and his best friend made a sign for Charlotte and his whole class signed it. Pretty cute!! and with our new spelling of Gotchya, now we have we have more interpretations of the word. Oy vey!!