Gotcha Day
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gotcha Day (sometimes called Gotchya Day, Adoption Day, Family Day, Adoption Anniversary Day) is a day celebrated by American families of adopted children to recognize the day they received the child.[1] The Gotcha Day is the day that the child was placed into the family’s home for adoption, in other words, the day the family Gotcha.[2] It is the most celebrated of adoption related events.[3] In her book, The Joy of Family Rituals, Barbara Bizou wrote, Gotcha Day “is designed to show your adopted child how much you wanted him and that every year you continue to cherish him.”[4]
(1 year later! Wow! When I reflect on the last year so many thoughts and emotions arise. I can’t even type this without crying. Our God is so good to us and we are blessed that He put our family together. Here are a few things that stand out to me, things I have seen, been through and that God has showed me over the last 12 months.)
– Love is a choice.
-Family is in the hearts of those in it, not in the color of our skin.
-When times were tough, it was still meant to be and God was there right with us.
-We would do it all over again, all the months of waiting, every penny, every laugh, every tear.
-Therapeutic parenting is hard but so worth it.
-Adoption isn’t romantic, it’s full of heartaches and trauma which only God and time can heal.
-When we celebrate our family here, there is a birth mother grieving far away.
– Sibling love is absolutely one of the coolest parts of it for Daniel and I, the way the 3 of them love
each other is so awesome.
– Loves grows.
– Emotional sacrifice pays off in big relational dividends.
– It is so much fun to watch all of his “firsts”.
– Language differences can be quite humorous 🙂
– Family, belonging and acceptance is at all of our cores- To pass it on and see it grow is truly
magical.
– Gods plan are always much bigger and way more beautiful than I could ever imagine. –
“Our First Gotcha Day, a poem for my boy”
Love began in that very first picture, in your little tattered shoes.
Knowing you were arriving soon was the most exhilarating news.
A summer full of fun and bonding was something special that we all shared.
Taking you back to the airport and seeing your tears, we knew you also cared.
Fourteen months apart were some of the hardest days of my life.
Waiting to just hug you again was well worth all the strife.
You were not born in my belly son, but deep inside my heart.
Now nothing can break our connection or tear our family apart.
When watching you with your siblings it puts a huge smile on my face.
God knew you needed a forever home and our family was the place.
I love to watch you grow and play each and every day.
Through your ups and downs and adjustments I’m with you every step of the way.
Today is a special day where we get to celebrate and cheer!
For today marks the anniversary that we have been a family for a year!
I love you Wendem Daniel Herzog.
Jamie Herzog 
‘Gotcha Days’ (adoption celebrations) are a time for story telling, giving speeches that provide historical perspectives, making celebratory toasts, and describing personal stories about war, poverty, struggles and immigration. They provide opportunities to praise achievements, acknowledge contributions, remember significant others, relive poignant moments, make proclamations, and eulogize worthy family members and traditions.
—Judith Land, author & adoptee
Oh my heavens what a preoicus video God is definitely stirring up His work in Ethiopia! We now have a preoicus little boy from Ethiopia in our church and, hopefully, one more on the way! Exciting! We pray God will continue to bless y’all and provide! Thanks for sharing your journey it’s a blessing to see and hear God uses it to break my heart!