At 5:00 this evening, the entire world changed. You may not have felt it, but Nate and I sure did. At 5:00 this evening, we became parents for the first time. Catherine Mae Phillips arrived—happy, healthy, and ready to become a part of our family.

I knew when Nate and I decided to adopt little Cate that our lives would change forever. What I didn’t know was how I would feel when she first entered the world. Not being the one in the hospital bed, not being the one who had actually carried her for nine months, I wondered if I would feel something—an attachment or a connection. In recent weeks, I have been surprised at how much I had fallen in love with Cate as Nate and I have been praying for her. I found it strange that I felt such strong feelings toward something I had never seen or touched. So, naturally, I was anxious to meet her.

Our little Cate entered the world at eight pounds, six ounces; and she is roughly nineteen inches long (an adorable, pudgy little girl). We got to see her right away, and it was, indeed, wonderful to meet her. Later on in the evening, Nate and I had the opportunity to help a nurse bathe her for the first time. We fumbled our way through it without a whole lot of confidence in what we were doing, but it was something we will never forget. Nate and I were alone with Cate for the first time, touching her and talking to her, watching her eyes follow the sound of our voices and feeling the strong grip of her tiny fingers. She’s perfect. She’s who we have been praying for—the one we already love. She’s our Cate.

To view pictures of our lovely new little one, click here.