There have been a few changes around here since I fell off the map a few weeks ago; on June 10, Dave and I became parents to the most precious baby girl we’d ever laid eyes on. Today, I’m thrilled to introduce to all of you the tiny person responsible for growing our hearts beyond what we ever thought possible — Eliza Nan Lopez.
Before I share what the past couple of weeks have looked like, let’s back up a bit. Eliza’s arrival didn’t happen overnight and we’ve actually been planning and preparing for her for the past several months. It’s been so incredibly difficult keeping it a secret but in order to protect our hearts and take all precautions, we ultimately chose to keep our match private until after she was here and consents had been signed. Thank you to all of you who have sent words, wishes, and prayers our way and who have been so patient and respected our privacy. We first learned of Eliza’s birth mother back in February and it was immediate and obvious that we wanted to be included as she considered her options. A few days after sending our profile (a book we had to make about us, our family, life, etc.) and a letter I had written to her, we got the email that changed our lives. She had chosen us to be her child’s parents. We made a trip to visit her the following weekend — to meet and to get to know each other a little better — and have been in full on baby prep mode ever since. While I won’t be sharing all the ins and outs and most personal parts of our story, just know this super-simplified and condensed version doesn’t begin to give justice for the emotional process and all parties involved. The road to now hasn’t been easy; it’s been tearful and hard and happy and sad and rewarding. But, it’s ours — all ours — and I would walk that same path over and over again to get to where we are today.
Eliza made her entrance unexpectedly and a few weeks early. We were half(ish) prepared but in the moment when I got the middle-of-the-night call from her birth mom that Eliza was on her way, everything we thought we knew went out the window. We started throwing *all the things* into semi-packed suitcases and I dumped our dirty clothes hamper into a trash bag. I had lists upon lists but ultimately, just did the best we could before relying on some super special friends who stepped up to the plate and got everything taken care of back at home. We made the 10 hour trip in record time and made it to the hospital a little over an hour after she arrived. This is when we first met…
Coming in at 4 lbs. 14 oz., there was no denying that despite her bitty size, she was as mighty as they come.
I’ve always known that Dave would make an incredible father but nothing could have prepared me for seeing him actually become a dad.
Something we found out early on in the adoption process is that out-of-state adoptions are no joke. And, even when you’re discharged from the hospital, you can’t just pack up and go home. That’s when the ICPC (Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children) process begins. All of your paperwork, home study documents… everything has to be submitted to the birth (sending state). Once they review, they send it all along to the home (receiving state) to review. Once approved, you can go home but until then, it’s all about camping in hotel rooms. Between it all, we were out of state for a few weeks but everything actually cleared more quickly than we anticipated. But in the earliest days, grabbing a few iPhone pics gave me life…
and since we’ve been home (all of two days), I can’t put my camera down.
SO many of you thought I was preparing for a boy, especially after THIS closet reveal post. I stripped that thing down to all the neutrals and pulled all the girly pinks and florals from the stash. I’ll have to do an update post to share what her closet really looks like š After the nursery was finished (see the reveal HERE), ordering all the bows, swaddles, gowns, and dresses was my version of nesting. That closet is filled but I have no shame — each little piece represents a day during our wait.
Consider this your warning and my apology — we are 100%, certifiably obsessed with our girl and every. single. thing. she does — every look she makes — seems sweeter than the last. Expect to see a lot more of her ;); we’ve never been more grateful or content and are especially “gross” these days haha. I’m back and life is good. We’re adjusting (and will be for a while) to our new “normal” and will be making lots of time to love on the littlest Nan but I’m so ready to move on to this next chapter. There is so much more I want to share like how her doggie siblings are acclimating with her and how she is the most “chill” baby we’ve ever met but for now, I just had to share our tiny blessing with you all. Thank you all again, from the bottom of our hearts, and welcome to the world, Eliza Nan.
I am so happy for you! Eliza is GORGEOUS! I am a little bit in love just looking at that sweet face. CONGRATULATIONS!
I have been reading your posts for a long time and love them all! Congrats!! So happy for you and your husband! She is beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Im so happy for you two. She is just perfect! Congratulations!
Hi Kelly and Family,
Congrats on your new bundle of joy!
Your little girl is so precious!!š
Congratulations Nan family!!!
Congratulations – she is beautiful and precious
Oh wow, Kelley! This is wonderful! Congratulations and God bless you all.
Congratulations to both of you. A gift from God so special. She is adorable ā¤ļø
May God bless you and Dave as you embark on the awesome journey that is parenthood. Enjoy every precious moment with darling Eliza,
What a beautiful blessing! May God enrich your family as you nurture your little one and love each other! š
OMG, what preciousness she is!!! Congratulations to you and your family!
She is the cutest, cuddliest thing i have ever seen. So happy for you and your husband. Love all her new outfits !!
Thank you so much for sharing.
Oh my Sweetness!
Congratulations she is absolutely beautiful!
So happy for your family!
Congratulations!
She is beautiful!
She is beautiful!! What a blessing . Love seeing sweet baby pics
Congratulations! What a beautiful gift she is and a dream come true! Share all the pictures of her that you can. I will enjoy them all.
She is so adorable and tiny, she doesn’t even look real! What a little doll…congratulations and blessings.
I am so happy for you and your husband. You have been blessed with a most precious gift to give your love to. Enjoy this time with your beautiful daughter for these little angels grow up far too soon.
Congrats on your new bundle of joy. I think in that picture where she is smiling she is saying to God, well done, I think I’m going to like it here.
Dear Kelly,
Eliza is a miracle — and meant to be yours and Dave.
Mazel tov! Jill
Congratulations to you all! Heartwarming reading this! ā¤ļø
Congratulations to you and Dave! Eliza Nan is absolutely adorable! Wishing you all the best!!!
Beautiful! Enjoy your blessing!
Kel!! All the tears are flowing! Oh my word.. she just couldnāt be any sweeter. There is NOTHING like a new baby. So many moments of just complete love and joy like nothing youāve ever felt. š Itās clear God had a special plan for your beautiful family. Tell her Aunt Erin canāt wait to meet her someday and enjoy every second! Buy all the pink clothes and take all the pictures and soak in all of the cuddles and smiles! So happy for you!! XO
Ah! Iām just so thrilled for you! Sheās completely perfect.š And the pic of you meeting her for the first timeššššā¤ļø
Congratulations šš¾What a lucky little girl.. šš»ā¤ļø
Oh, Kelly ! You made me cry upon seeing the first picture.I can feel your JOY, Congratulations to you and Dan.
This made me tear up!! Congratulations! She is a beautiful blessing!
She is beautiful! Congratulations!!! I could stare at that sweet face all day!
Oh, that is the most precious post and such love filled pictures. I am so happy for you and shed tears of joy myself for you and your husband. Congratulations! Cannot wait to see how life changes for you and watch Eliza grow.
Congratulations to you and your husband. She is truly beautiful.
Wishing you peace and happiness with your new baby girl.
Congratulations to you both, praise God for this beautiful child!
Congratulations Nan family! The pictures of Eliza are darling. What a cute little bundle of joy. I have been following you for awhile but have never commented. I am sure Eliza is going to have a wonderful little life with such great parents. Congrats again!
Kelley, I am just dying! The clear-eyed expression she makes when she is looking straight into the camera. That is the light of her soul and she is perfect.
God Bless!
Kelley from Boise šš
Congratulations on your beautiful baby girl. So happy for all of you! You are all truly blessed to have each other on this next chapter in your life!
Oh, Kelley! She is beautiful! How sweet that our Heavenly Father chose you and Dave to be Eliza’s parents! Enjoy all of those baby snuggles! They are the best! Hugs, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse
Congratulations! She’s beautiful! and this post is so heartwarming. Thank you for sharing and I’m so excited to follow along!
Congratulations to you and Dave. Your daughter is absolutely beautiful ššš. Iām extremely happy for your family. God Bless.
Eliza is darling! So happy for you and love her name!
My mom and I met this way. I just told her the other day, āMom, Iām so glad you couldnāt have children because we needed to be together.ā Congrats on your beautiful daughter!
Oh my oh my! Eliza is beautiful and perfect!!! Thrilled for you and your husband! Congratulations and thank you for sharing with us your beautiful daughterā¤ļø
Making every moment count…priceless!!! Congratulations! God’s special gift.
She is totally gorgeous! She looks like you and Dan, your lips and his eyes, how amazing. God bless you all.
Congratulations! She is beautiful! Your life will now know complete and lasting joy. Make every day a tribute to your unspeakable gift! Treasure every single moment.
She is beautiful!
She is absolutely adoreable
What an awesome blessing! I am thanking the good Lord for this precious baby girl. HE knew what yāall needed. God bless you and your beautiful family!
She is so beautiful! It, of course, takes me back to my 4 lb, 10 oz baby girl whose length was from my wrist to the inside of my elbow. Mine is 32 years old now! I pray you enjoy this special season coming up for you as a family! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Congratulations! Enjoy every moment.
A precious gift from God indeed. What a blessing she is to you and you to her birth mother. She is beautiful.
Congratulations! She looks so sweet. I’m so happy for you all.
She is absolutely perfect. So very happy for you and Dave. Thanks for sharing all of the pictures and please do keep them coming
Iām so happy for you and your family. What a beautiful blessing!! She is super adorable! You and your husband will be amazing parents to this little angel. Congratulations on your new chapter in life. Blessings and hugs from CO.
Congratulations she is beautiful!! I can feel your joy through the words of your blog !!! Enjoy every minute !!! It is what life is all about , sharing your love !
Congratulations! She’s beautiful!
She is adorable. Enjoy every moment!
Congratulations!! she is adorable keep the pictures coming!!!
Congratulations to you and your husband! God bless the three of you with much health and happiness. She is a doll! Love to you!
That sweet little princess and perfect gift from our loving God fits perfectly in your arms. Enjoy every single second. Every. Single. One.
So happy for you all. My heart is smiling here in Virginia.
Deb š
Kelley!!!! OH. MY. WORD. She is absolutely gorgeous and I am so happy for all 3 of you! I know she was well worth the wait and that you and Dave are the absolute best parents! What a beautiful blessing she is and please never stop buying all of the pink closes!!! š Love you all!!! xoxo
I am so happy for you and Dave….she is gorgeous! Your pictures warm my heart. My first was also tiny and he has grown to a fine young man. I wish you a happy and healthy journey. I giggle at some of your pictures….you can feel the love!!
p.s. I’m sure the pups love her as well!
Oh she is absolutely beautiful beyond words ā„ļø Congratulations to you and Dave ! So very happy for the three of you! She is one blessed little baby ā„ļø Many blessings for much happiness. ā„ļø
Absolutely adorable she is… glad you all made it home safely and can now get settled in for the next chapter ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø
Full on ugly cry! Blessings on your family.
Welcome to the world, Eliza Nan. You have the best mama and daddy in the whole world. What an adventure tour life will be! āStand tall, Darling!ā
Those pictures are too adorable!! She’s a sweet little mermaid!! Congratulations on becoming parents to a sweet girl.
Iām sitting here crying like, well, like a baby! Congratulations, you two! And if she could understand me, Iād congratulate Eliza because she is one incredibly blessed child. The photo with the blue bow looks like sheās looking straight at the camera. Sheās absolute perfection! So happy for all of you!
Congratulations!
Those eyes!!!
Congratulations! So happy for you!
Godās blessings to all. So happy for all 3.
Congratulations on the sweetest blessing possible ā¤ļø She is absolutely adorable!
I think she looks like you! š
Congratulations Kelley!!! My little boy arrived 4 weeks before your daughter so I feel like Iām a part of your joyš Eliza is absolutely beautiful and i wish you and your family love and happiness. Hugs and kisses to the little one
Congratulations to you and your husband, Kelley! Eliza is absolutely gorgeous. Enjoy every second of this blessing God has graced your family with! So happy for your sweet family!
Congrats to you and your husband! She is gorgeous! A daughter is the most special gift – I have two and this little one will expand your heart and make you realize you never fully understood how much love you could have for another human being. So happy for you – I have loved reading your blog for years and so look forward to this beautiful subject of future posts. ššš
So happy for you all Kelley! What a precious little bundle she is – perfect in every way! It looks like God had this little miracle planned for you three all along!
xox
Kathleen
Congratulations! She is such a beautiful little “Peanut” What a joy!
She is the most stunning little girl Kelley! I couldnāt be more happy for you and Dave! The best things come to those who wait: and you have most certainly had to wait! Love you my friend!!!!
I have NEVER seen so much love transpire through pictures. My heart melts for you and your family! It all looks so, perfect; so, meant to be. A gift from God, no doubt.
Congratulations! Your sweet baby is adorable. Keep those pics coming. Enjoy every moment, sheās precious.
Such a sweet blessing! I remember getting home from the hospital with Cora rose and just thinking to myself is she really here and all mine! Itās such a strange and amazing feeling that is unexplainable! Keep the pictures coming and congratulations on being a new mommy!!
What a beautiful post! Iām so happy for you and your husband. It takes a special man to be able to handle so much āgirlā…I know, because my dad was the perfect (PATIENT) dad for my sister and me.
I loved how you had to give up control of your plans and lists and laundry even from the start. Itās such a metaphor for the trust and dependency youāll need to have on God and others in Elizaās upbringing.
Congratulations! I was just curious if youād be interested in telling more about the adoption process. My husband really wants to adopt and Iām unsure. I kind of want to have a baby.
Blessings to your sweet new family!
My heart is just bursting with joy for you and Dave šššš
Oh, sweet precious angel, Eliza! Oh, Kelley!! I am so happy for you and Dave.
Best wishes for a happy life together with your little miracle from heaven.
She is beautiful and is going to be soooooooooooooooooooo loved!!!! ā„ā„ā„
God bless you and your sweet little family!
Kel, I am so SOOOOO happy for you and Dave!!! Sheās absolutely beautiful and precious!! I know you two are going to give her the most wonderful life! The photos youāve captured are stunning!!! I think youāve found your āside jobā š as a baby photographer (in all your spare time!). Canāt wait to see more of her and your new life together as a family. Love you friendā¤ļø
She is so precious. Congratulations to you and your husband.
Congratulations
Congratulations! She is a lovely little lady!
Sheās beautiful!! Congratulations. So happy for you guys.
What a sweet blessing! Enjoy this moments and even the late nights. She is a precious bundle of joy.
Oh, she’s so precious! Congratulations to you both, and your extended family.
Oh Kelley! She is absolutely gorgeous. That first picture of you holding her made me cry – so much love in your eyes and raw emotion. I’m so happy for you and Dave, and I can’t wait to meet the newest Nan! <3
What a blessing !! She’s beautiful!That first pic brought tears to my eyes.
a gazillion blessings and congrats to your family.
Congratulations! She is beautiful! God’s love is so amazing.
God’s hand is so evident in this beautiful journey as Little Nan is certainly your mini-me! As a grandmother of four precious little girls (the youngest is just three months), I can feel the love you are in with your daughter — and know you will only fall deeper in love with each passing day. I shed tears of joy and happiness for you and Dave and this blessing that you have received. Congratulations as your home is now filled with sugar and spice and everything nice!
Beautiful blankets & outfits!! Could you link them, please??
Congratulations!!!
I smiled the entire time reading this post, I am just so over the moon excited and happy for ya’ll!!! She’s so precious!!! Congratulations on your sweet sweet blessing!!
On my goodness… she is precious…so sweet! Loved seeing all your photos.
Congratulations. I am so happy for you.
Tears of joy and praise for answered prayers!!!!
Congratulations momma nan 2.0!!! Sheās beyond beautiful!!!
Hugs,
Kimberly
Congratulations! She is so precious.
Congratulations on your new baby! You’ve waited a while to be parents and your dreams have come true. I can understand you not wanting to share too many details with the readers about the adoption and can also understand you keeping some information private. It was disappointing to read that you deliberately deceived your readers by showing specific clothes in the closet versus keeping it private too in an effort not to share that information. Maybe in the future, the parts you want to keep private, continue to do so but don’t be deceitful about it.
Hi, Jessica- thank you for your well wishes! I can assure you I did not intentionally deceive my readers and I apologize if that is how it came across. To clarify, I didn’t want it to seem we were preparing for either gender so I only used neutrals in her closet — all of which we purchased for her — but I didn’t realize that because blues/yellows/other neutrals were present and pinks were not that people would only associate those as boy colors and would automatically assume that we were preparing for a baby boy. Does that make sense? I didn’t want to not share preparations and ideas as we were living them over the past several months so instead, so keeping everything neutral is a decision I made long ago. I’m sorry you feel that way but sharing the way I did and celebrating little preparations helped get us through the past several months and that, I don’t regret. If me being deceitful is your takeaway from my post, I am sorry. I sincerely appreciate your well wishes.
First of all Kelley and Dave here I am sending you the biggest, warmest hugs and welcome to the world of blessings and special moments from here on out. I seriously laughed when I saw the “gender neutral” nursery closet. I can just imagine the beautiful pile of frills and pastels sitting out of camera as you shared the closet. You did well keeping a secret mama!! One of these days little Eliza will whisper a sweet secret in your ear and giggle…..it will be fun for you to tell her that she was a secret when she first came from heaven.
Also I’ve enjoyed seeing a peek behind the screen of the early days of adoption. It certainly isn’t easy or anything like a simple stork drop on one sweet evening. I believe no matter what journey life takes you on the road to becoming a family there are many ups and downs. Thank you for sharing some of yours.
Congratulations!! I am so looking forward to tons of photos and stories about sweet Eliza. Never feel bad about sharing lots and lots.
xo. maureen
Eyes filled with the happiest tears of pure joy for all of you! Congratulations!
Congratulations to you and Dave on your new baby girl. I’ve been following for about a year, and have so enjoyed all of your posts. When you were quiet I kept thinking that something was up.
Enjoy the journey, children are a blessing.
Congratulations again, Mom and Dad. She is one lucky little girl <3
OhMyGoodness she is the MOST precious thing!!! She’s perfect! Congratulations!
My heart is overflowing with joy and love for your precious daughter! SO ready to watch her grow! My son and his wife recently found out he cannot have children and when the time is right your story will bring hope to them! Love from Nana Sharonā¤ļø
I could not be more in love with Eliza Nan!!!! I’m crying reading this and seeing these sweetest pics ever!! My heart is just overflowing for your precious family! Love you my friend! xoxo
Sounds so cliche, but I think she actually looks like you! Have a beautiful life!
Congratulations! Sheās beautiful!
I know I donāt know you Kelly, but just speaking from my heart. I was adopted from birth. I am almost 50 years old. I have never found out who my birth parents are. I have been blessed a million times over for god choosing my two wonderful parents for me! It is a gift for you and your husband but for baby Eliza too…..one day she will know this. Congratulations to all of youā¤ļø
Eliza is sooooooo adorable, so precious. Congratulations on the arrival of this bundle of joy. Very best wishes for you all as a family.
So happy for your family. Eliza is beautiful. Congratulations on a life full of love!
Kelleyā-
I cannot tell you how happy I am for you, Dave and sweet Eliza!
What a precious bundle! Both my besties have adopted children so I remember the emotional ups and downs involved and the absolute JOY!
Enjoy every precious moment!
What a blessing and congratulations! She is beautiful. I love the foldability and squishiness of newborns. Enjoy your precious time with her. They grow so fast. God bless.
Congratulations! She is adorable!! Love all the pictures and canāt wait to see more!! ā¤ļø
All of the happy tears haha<3 CONGRATULATIONS! So happy to read you guys are finally enjoying her in person
She is beautiful! Congratulations!
Congratulations!! She is beautiful. The world is now a better place….
Barbara, thank you so much!
This brought me to tears! You are magnificent and I feel so proud of you. All the amazing blessings to you and all the Nans, Lol!