Five years ago at Halloween....

Five years ago at Halloween, Charlie and I were a family of two. We'd been married for a few years and had talked about adopting, but never done anything about it. I don't remember what we did that year, but most likely Charlie worked and I handed out candy. Little did we know that four months later, we would be filling out applications and starting a journey that would bring us more joy than we ever thought possible.

Four years ago at Halloween, Annie was four years old and in Shantou, China, a little over a week away from meeting us. We have a picture of her from the orphanage taken that same week and she had a little kitty mask on, so they must have done some kind of celebration. Overwhelmed with the reality of finally becoming a mother in just a matter of days, I have no memory at all of Halloween that year. A few days later, we flew to China, and a tiny, black-haired girl was brought to meet us. In the moment we first saw each other, a new family was born.

Three years ago at Halloween, Annie was an only child. For her first American Halloween, she chose a beautiful princess costume. Though the temperature was below freezing, she refused to wear her coat because she wanted everyone to see her gorgeous gown. She made it to just a few houses before the crowds of other kids, darkness and some wildly animated decorations scared her into wanting the warmth and comfort of home. In Guangzhou, Bethany had just turned four and was seven months away from meeting us. We don't know how she spent the day, but it was probably just the regular orphanage routine for her. She would have had no inkling that her life was soon going to change forever.

Two years ago at Halloween, we were a family of four and there were two beautiful little princesses. Together, they braved the cold and the other kids running wildly around the neighborhood. But it didn't take long before a giant green blow up monster on the neighbor's porch proved to be just a little too scary, and we cut trick or treating short to go home and give out candy. Jack was four years old and in an orphanage in Hefei. We knew that year that we would be adopting him, but we were still a long way from bringing him home.

Last year at Halloween, we were packing to return to China for Jack. The girls were a princess and a glittery witch and they spent a little more time trick or treating and a lot more time counting out their haul. A week later we were on a plane to Shanghai and three days after that, we walked into a government office and a shy little boy met his forever family for the first time.

This year at Halloween, we visited our favorite pumpkin patch and posed for our now-traditional pictures. Then Spiderman, a Princess and Hannah Montana went out trick or treating together. We found the Spiderman costume online and I wish my camera had been handy when Jack saw it for the first time. Even though he had wanted to be Spiderman from the moment he heard about Halloween, I don't think he truly believed it was possible until the costume showed up at our door. We put it away for a couple of weeks, but several times I found him standing in front of the closet, stroking the shiny red and blue fabric.

This year at Halloween Annie was invited to a party. For the first time, she wanted to stay at an event by herself and she did, for more than two hours, without even one phone call to us. I was proud of her, but a little sad too, since at eight years old, she is starting to show more independence. After dropping Annie off, we took Jack and Bethany around the neighborhood. At every house, after candy was dropped in their buckets, they asked for another treat for their sister. Daddy's pockets were stuffed with enough Snickers and Tootsie Rolls and Skittles to fill Annie's bucket when she got home. When we went back to our house, Jack and Bethany set up chairs at the front door so they could hand out candy. It was late and we didn't get many visitors, but every time someone came through our front gate, Jack yelled out a cheery "Trick or Treat" and they both thanked every person for coming.

While we were out trick or treating, Jack said over and over "This is the funnest Halloween ever!!!" Later he grew quiet and finally turned to me and asked "Mommy, will there ever be another Halloween?" "Yes," I said. "There will be another Halloween next year and the year after that, and every year after that." He was speechless for a moment and tears came to his eyes. He said "Oh Mommy, thank you! You are the best Mommy ever for giving me Halloween."

Next year at Halloween, Jack will have outgrown his beloved Spiderman costume, but not his obsession with Superheroes. Maybe he will be Batman this time. The girls will wait until the last minute to decide, but whatever they wear, there will likely be glitter and sparkly clothing involved. Hopefully, all three children will be secure in their knowledge that good things should happen and will continue to happen for them. We will go to the pumpkin patch, carve pumpkins and walk around our neighborhood, just like millions of other families. For us, it will be yet another milestone along the journey that turned five people, from opposite sides of the world, into a family forever.