Happy Birthday, Baby!

Our little darling is 8 today. What a wonderful girl she is, and we are so blessed to have her in our family. Her English Cocker cousin, Zoe, had her 2nd birthday yesterday, so we celebrated with brownie sundaes topped with bone-shaped sprinkles. None for the pups, but I know they were delighted watching the humans enjoy them.

Happy Birthday, LaLa! We love you.

Where is Here?

On Sunday, I was at church talking with a few people during coffee hour when I noticed a couple I'd never seen before, so I went over and introduced myself. They told me they were visiting from another state and were in the area due to a death in the family. During the conversation, they asked me what sort of programs were available for children during the week. I told them I know there is a preschool but beyond that I'd be happy to get someone else who would be able to answer their questions more precisely. I told them I didn't have any children in the programs right now, but that we are waiting on an adoption from China and after our child arrives I'm sure I'll be able to answer that question myself. The man looked at me with a furrowed brow and asked in a stern voice, "Why would you go to China when there are so many kids to adopt from here? It's a matter of taking care of our own."

Over the course of the three years we've been waiting, we have sometimes been asked "Why China?" and have always been happy to answer that question. We'd read an article in a magazine about empty-nesters opening their homes to children who were waiting to be adopted, we called one of the agencies listed in the article and happened to speak with the person about whom the article was written, we attended one of the agency's meetings, etc., etc., and now here we are. But, this time the question was different because it pitted here against there. Without hesitation I told him that we believe "here" is the planet, that we are all God's children, and, if there is a child who needs a family, it makes no difference where "here" is. The Bible has a number of passages about our obligation to care for orphans, one being Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the orphan. Fight for the rights of widows. It never mentions that they have to be from "here."


Love, having no geography, knows no boundaries - Truman Capote

April Referrals

April referrals have arrived and they include Log in Dates of March 7 and 8, 2006. Families that received their referrals yesterday waited 37 months from their Log in Date. Even though they only moved two days this month, March 7, 2006, was a very large Log in Date and many people are glad that they moved two days instead of one day. Our agency, Children's Hope International received referrals for 8 families. The next Log in Date for Children's Hope families is March 10, 2006.

There are now 21 calendar days ahead of our Log in Date of March 29, 2006. Already looking forward to see what May will bring.

A Joyful Beginning on Our Third Anniversary

I've been wanting to get this blog started to record our family's journey as we wait for the referral and adoption of our daughter from China. Today is a great day to begin as it is March 29, 2009, the third anniversary of our Log in Date with the China Center for Adoption Affairs, and we celebrate that we are drawing closer to the day when we will see our daughter's face for the first time.

This blog will serve as a record of the remaining months until we receive our referral and of our joy as we travel to unite with our daughter in China.

Welcome. Come back again.