Care package

A care package is on the way to Dongguan City for Ms. Sophia!  Here's what's inside:

1.  Sweet baby doll

2.  Small photo album of Sophia's forever family

3.  Disposable camera for her nannies to document her life in China (we hope to get this back on Gotcha Day)

4. Candy and nuts for the orphanage caretakers (gifts never hurt, right?)

5.  A translated letter expressing our joy and excitement about Sophia's homecoming and our appreciation for her caretakers.

Most of all, we send our love and prayers to baby sister!!

Dresses, hair bows, and a pink tutu!

Cutest cake with "Welcome Home Sophia" greeting

And, of course, Little Man got a gift too!

We were blessed by my family with a wonderful baby shower!  After a few years of shopping in the boys' department and buying outfits featuring monster trucks, dinosaurs, and construction equipment, it was SO much fun to see beautiful frilly dresses, a pink zebra print T-shirt, and ALL the accessories to match!  Our sweet Sophia will, no doubt, be the best dressed girl in town!  

The Stamp of Approval

I'm thrilled to announce that Adam's visa application has finally been approved! I have to admit...I was getting a wee bit nervous.  The Chinese consulate had denied Adam twice because of his occupation as a Christian pastor, and I was looking at traveling without my husband to receive Sophia.  But, thanks to all the prayer warriors out there, the third attempt was successful so we will travel to China as a family.  Hallelujah!!!

Mother's Day post

This Sunday is Mother's Day, a day to celebrate the women who have impacted our lives.  I can't help but think of Sophia's birth mother.  I will always be grateful to her for choosing life for her daughter.  I don't know the circumstances surrounding the relinquishment of her baby girl (and probably never will), but I can only imagine it was an agonizing, heart breaking decision.  On this holiday and future Mother's Days, I hope to recognize the incredible gift of life given by this woman on the other side of the world.

"Legacy of an Adopted Child"

Once there were two women who never knew each other,
One - you do not remember, the other you call mother.
Two different lives shaped to make yours,
One became your guiding star, the other became your sun.
The first gave you life, and the second taught you to live in it.
The first gave you a need for love and the second was there to give it.
One gave you a nationality; the other gave you a name.
One gave you the seed of talent; the other gave you an aim.
One gave you emotions; the other calmed your fears.
One saw your first sweet smile; the other dried your tears.
One gave you up - that's all she could do.
The other prayed for a child and God led her straight to you.
Now you ask through all your tears the age-old question through the years;
Heredity or environment - which are you a product of?
Neither, my darling - neither - just two different kinds of love.

 Author Unknown

Finding Ad

We recently received a Chinese newspaper dated July 2012 containing Sophia's finding ad.  She is labeled as child #565. 

     

In China, before an orphanage places a child for adoption, they must run a finding ad in a local newspaper noting the child's date of birth, place of abandonment, and any other known circumstances.  Maybe a way to notify the birth parents of the child's impending adoption?  Sadly though, it is just a formality because very few finding ads result in family members stepping forward. 

How difficult it was to see our daughter's beautiful face in a sea of other precious faces.  Her numeric label means she is the 565th child to be listed that year in this paper.  And, this was just a small, eight page, local newspaper.  Wow....that is astonishing and heart breaking.  

 But, it won't be long before #565 has a home, a name, and a forever family!  So looking forward to that day!