It's a girls life: Adoption

Showing posts with label Adoption. Show all posts

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Love at first sight

I knew the moment I saw her that she was my daughter. She filled the space in my heart that had been empty for so long. She was beautiful, tiny, sweet and so scared. I cried tears of joy for what I was gaining that day, a daughter, motherhood a family. She cried tears of pain, fear and loss. Adoption is filled with a mix of joy and sorrow and that is no more apparent then on Family Day. I thank God every day for my daughter, for her birth mother and for her foster mother. It is because of the three of us that Sophia is this amazing child. She is smart, funny, fearless, adventurous, beautiful, sweet and loving. Her beginning gave her the ability to love others and to accept love from her family. Something I will forever be grateful for.

Sophia, your daddy and I love you more then we can ever express in words. You have brought us so much joy and so much happiness and so much love.

June 16th 2008

(Father's Day)

Happy Family Day sweet girl...

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

It all began

Four years ago we were on a plane flying somewhere over the north pole headed to China. Our journey to Sophia began on this day four years ago. It was full of excitement and more then a few nerves. Most of all it was filled with happiness,hope and possibility. We gained many great friends on that trip, friends and memories that will always be a cherished part of our lives.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Then

One year ago we were given the most beautiful gift, a daughter.

Thank you China

Thank you Chris,Karla and Uncle Zhou

We have had the most amazing year of firsts with our sweet Amelia.

Watching her grow and blossom into a funny,sweet,smart,clever,energetic, not to mention beautiful girl,daughter,sister has been a highlight of our lives.

We can not express what joy this child has brought to us.

She has completed our family in a way we never imagined.

Thank You

God

A Family of three

and then we were four

Sweet Amelia

Mikel and Ci Mei

(Mikel is the director of the True Children's Home)

Jenny Smith (she is the CEO of the True Children's Home) presenting us with Ci Mei's life book,Chinese Calligraphy brush (made from Amelia's first haircut) and other priceless keepsakes.

One sister needing comfort the other giving it

One Happy Mama

The sister love from day one

Moments after become a family of four

Mama and Amelia

and then there were balloons

and laughs

and toys

Our Travel group,
Our Friends
The Vargas Family
(Malina,Desi,Omi and Albert)

On our way

not to be left out

One Happy Dada

enjoying the ride

Our first of many bed pictures

Amelia's one red foot

She can "China squat like a pro

Pizza on day one

Happy Girl

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Craniofacial Acceptance Month

September is Craniolfacial Awareness Month

Cleftsmile.org

"The CDC estimates that each year 2,651 babies in the US are born with a cleft palate and 4,437 babies are born with a cleft lip with or without a cleft palate.
Cleft lip or palate is one of the most common birth defects, affecting one in 600 children in the United States. Unless treated surgically, cleft palate can interfere with feeding, speech development and hearing. "

Clefting happens during the first 6 to 10 weeks of pregnancy when the facial bones and tissue fail to fuse together.

Cleft Lip/Cleft Palate

occur in every race, in every country in both boys and girls.

Native Americans have the highest reported incidents, followed by Japanese and then the Chinese.

Girls are effected at a higher rate then boys

typically the left side of the face is effected more then the right side.

Cleft Lip/Cleft Palate

can be but is not always related to other syndromes. Read more here

this is the REAL face of Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate

it's not hard to love a child with a Cleft Lip/ Cleft Palate

this Child is the happiest,sweetest,most loving wonderful child. I am so glad we took the leap of faith and decide that Cleft Lip/Cleft Palate was something we were not scared of.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Sophia's 3rd Family day

Three years ago today we became a family. Sophia was (and still is) all our dreams come true. The long, long wait had brought us to this moment in time. Where a dream and reality collided in a beautiful, scary overwhelming moment. This was the happiest day of our lives thus far. It is never lost to us that this day was not Sophia's happiest moment though. It was scary for her for so many reasons. She grieved for her life before us. For the people that loved her so dearly and cared for her is such amazing ways, I grieved for them too. Sophia was a scared little girl when she came to us in her brand new purple sweat suit (it was June and 100 degrees at 10am). She had a perfect hair cut obviously done just prior to making the 3 1/2 hour journey to meet us for the first time. I will never forget the way she smelled, like a mix of 5 spice and BBQ. The way her skin and hair felt that day. Most of all I will always remember her cry and the fear in her eyes. It was amazing to me how quickly this faded and turned to trust and eventually love. Sophia was strong and beautiful right from the beginning. She has continued to amaze me every single day with her sweet,funny,smart,strong personality. I never thought on that day I could love her more then at that very moment but I love her more every single day that passes.

I love you Sophia and I am so very proud of you,

you are amazing.....

on the morning I would become a mother for the first time

I was reflecting on becoming a mom and looking at the Civil Affairs office where we would meet Sophia. I could not help but wonder if she was already there.

I chatted with friends and family back home while I readied myself in a hotel room in Nanchang ,China

our last moments as a childless couple before we left for the civil affairs office

In the lobby waiting with Uncle Zhou

and good friend Gigi

all the dads fromour travel group with Zhou

and all the moms from our travel group with Zhou

While we waited for the babies to arrive we took pictures with friends we had connected with from all over the world. (from left to right Ruth New Zealand, Me Florida, Marie Oregon, Susan Georgia)