11 Years

11 Years ago today I was packing up my things so I could go to the airport to get on a plane to embark on the most scariest journey I have ever made in my entire life.  I have made many journey's in life, over come many trials and tribulations throughout my life, but to date this is by far the hardest one I have ever gone through, and hope I ever have to go through.
To be honest I don't know how I got myself to get on the plane not knowing the outcome of everything.  I don't know where I got the courage or the faith that things would work out the way it was supposed to.  I think it was my Belle who gave me that faith and courage.  She has such a strong spirit even now, so I think it had a lot to do with her.  I don't know if she will ever truly understand what a huge part she played in my courage.
I cannot believe it has been 11 years!  In some ways it seems like it has flown by so fast, and in other ways it feels as though it has taken an eternity to go by.  But either way I am so grateful for the love, support, and encouragement I got from my friends and family in that time!  They were there when I needed them...
I remember feeling terrified and anxious...the thought of living with strangers, having a baby and my mom not being there...the possibility of not getting the couple who I knew was the right one's for me...I was a mess!  But some how some way I held it together and got on the plane...found my host family who turned out to be the best family ever!  I remember walking into their house them showing me the room I would be staying in and I laid on the bed and just cried...cried for my mom...cried for my baby I was carrying...cried for the unanswered questions that were looming in my head...I cried for Michael...I cried...until I fell asleep.
My host family treated me like one of their own.  They took me everywhere with them.  If they went to family things they took me with them...they went to church they took me too.  If they went to see anything with the Olympics they took me too!  She took me to my doctor appointments, she took me to my counseling appointments, she took me and stayed with me to my face-to-face with my couple.  She was there for me when there was no one there.  I can never ever thank her enough!
11 years has gone by, and not a day has gone by that I have not thought about that experience in one way or another.