Last night Kajal and I headed out to dinner and a movie (Gullivers Travels which was absolutely laugh out loud funny). It was one of those evenings that simply rolls along beautifully. We sat next to one another in a booth and dug into some of our old favorites at Chili's and talked about our day.

Kajal told me that her teacher asked her to write a special report. She asked the class to write about the Happiest Day of their life.

"I told her the happiest day of my life was the day you 'dopted me." (She always manages to drop off the 'a' and it sounds so incredibly cute to me... perfect, actually, in her soft voice.

Wow...  okay, so my eyes started watering up immediately and the smile I gave her had enough energy to light up a thousand Christmas trees.

"The teacher told us to write a report, Mommy, so I did".

What did you write, Kajal? Tell me every word, I'm so excited...


"Okay.. here's what I wrote: I lived in an orphanage and I was really sad... because I didn't have a family. Then you sent me some dresses and you flew on a plane and you came with Grandma to India and you 'dopted me. Then... I hugged you."

That was the happiest day of my life, Mommy.

Oh, baby... that was truly the happiest day of mine, too!!!!

Tell me about it Mommy., tell me everything.

And I did. We talked about my story of finding her, we talked about the days leading up to the flight and we laughed about the challenges and joys in our early days.

Our friends arrived to join us for dinner and we told them what we were talking about. Her friend Noah asked her if she had a mother in India (I can't remember exactly what he asked, it all happened so fast) but Kajal answer (speaking a mile a minute) "Ihadamommyinindiawhotookmetootheorphanageidon'tknowwhyshedidn'tlikeme" then just as quick she changed the subject and I just sat there... my heart seemed to slow down and the sounds of the room faded into the background. I repeated her words over and over in my head, wondering, is this what she thinks? Is this what she believes? Does she wonder about this often?
I tried to ask her about it but she was goofing around and not interested in revisiting the comment. We headed to the ladies room a bit later and cornered in the bathroom stall I just couldn't hold back..

Kajal, is that what you think happened? Do you think you india birth mommy took you to the orphange because she didn't like you?
No Mommy, oh, I don't know. I didn't say that.
Yes, baby you did and it's okay... why did you say that?
I don't know.
Kajal, honey... we don't know. We don't know what happened and we definitely don't know that your mommy didn't like you. The only thing we know is that she couldn't take care of you but we don't know if she brought you to the orphanage... we don't know how you got there.

All the books I've read and experts I've talked with have told me that the worst thing I can do for Kajal is create a fantasy of what her birth mother was like or why what happened, happened. To be kind, but honest... as honest as she can handle emotionally.

I do know one thing for sure Kajal.

What's the mommy?

I can't imagine anyone in the world that would know you, really know you and not like you. Anyone who knows you, likes you.. in fact anyone who knows you adores you.

Why Mommy, she asked me today... Why do you love me?

I love you because you are you. You are kind and loving. You are generous and you are funny... you are truly the one and only you.

My mother said it perfectly in the car as we went for a drive today. She told Kajal... you are truly the one and only "Kajal' in the entire world.

I don't know if she believes us or not... if she believes how special and unique she is. I'm grateful and full of love that she is so happy she celebrates the day she was adopted. That she is so honest and brave she can write about it in a school report and share that memory with the world. I asked her if I could share this with you all and she was thrilled... she wants you to know how happy, being 'dopted made her.

Oh, how happy we truly are.