(Sunday Snapshot) 10 Years Ago

 

"You don't choose your family, they are God's gift to you, as you are to them."
~ Desmond Tutu

 

 

 "There is only one happiness in life - to love and be loved."

~ George Sand

 

 

 

 "You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
Whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the
universe is unfolding as it should."

~ Desiderata



 

 

"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name

welcomes me."

 

~ Matthew 18:5

 

My first glimpse of her in a referral photo was 10 years ago in early July of 2003.
She looked a little forlorn and sad, and I loved her instantly.

All those little details of how we first met are still with me and
it's a moment I will never forget as long as I live.
Dan and I were nervously waiting in our room in the Gloria Plaza Hotel in Nanchang.
It was a Sunday evening around 7:30 pm and there was a knock at the door.
The orphanage director, our social worker, and a nanny holding our baby girl
named 'Fu Lan Li' entered the room.
It was absolutely silent until I softly spoke to Lanli (Grace).
Though quite shy, she smiled at me and came easily into my arms.
In an instant the hole in my heart that had been there for years
was healed.
I was holding an angel, sent straight from heaven.
The rest of that evening really was somewhat of a glorious blur, but
I do remember playing with Grace, feeding her, holding and loving her.
All of our lives have changed profoundly since that late Summer evening
in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province.
Grace (Fu Lan Li) is so much more than we could have possibly ever
hoped for or dreamed.

10 years later Grace is now an eleven year old
and you can clearly see the lovely young lady that she has become.
She is happy, healthy, thoughtful and kind, a good friend to all and deeply loved
by those who know her.

Recently, I was told that Dan and I have had remarkable lives.
I have to admit I've never thought of it that way...
remarkable, yes(maybe) but if it has been that, it's because of our profound
experiences with adopting both Grace and William
and our lives with them.
For me it was also my last trip to China in 2012
with An Orphan's Wish that helped me to understand a little bit better
both of my youngest childrens' stories before they came to live with us,
and even see for my eyes what it's like to be an orphan.
I say listen to that little voice that is your heart
and follow it.
An orphan child's dream for a family can come true.

10 years ago we were forever changed for the better.
To our dearest Grace,
we cannot possibly imagine our lives without you.
 xoxo

Mommy

 

I felt I had to do something very special

to quietly observe Grace's 10th forever family day

and did that by taking this series of photos for her.



Choosing a location out of my regular comfort zone of fields and countryside,
I took these at the Monona Terrace, which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright
in 1938 but wasn't constructed on Lake Monona in Madison until the mid 1990's.

I loved the lines and curves and beautiful light.
It all suited my subject quite well. ;)
 

4 years with Will (Favorite Photo Friday)

And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 

 ~ Matthew 18:5 

 

 July 20, 2008.

We all first met in a sterile meeting room in the Lakeside Hotel in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China.

We actually heard William as we stepped off the elevator, before we saw him.

He was crying very hard and was afraid. It wasn't an easy first meeting and something you can't forget.

I remember thinking what a big boy he was then at age 2.

When I look at those photos now, he was a baby
and so incredibly brave.

He'd been through so much in his short little life.

More than most of us have in a lifetime.

We've had ups and downs, easy times and more difficult.

Through it all, like the Energizer Bunny we kept going and moving forward.

And praying that we were doing the right thing.

Because that's all we knew to do.

You see, Will happened to get two very stubborn and patient parents that would never give up.
We could see the big picture in all of this story and

when we make a commitment, we keep it.

Forever.

4 years later from that first meeting in the Lakeside Hotel meeting room, my 2 year old
 has grown into a long legged 6 year old little boy. 42 lbs. of all boy.  

He is happy and much more at peace with the world.

He loves to laugh, has a sparkle in his eye for his mommy and daddy, and has a dear, sweet, kind heart. 

If you meet him once you'll never forget this child...he's an extraordinary person.

  I dream of only great things for William as there is no limit as to what he can accomplish someday.

Thank you to Deena and Mike Van't Hul in China who were his first parents for 2 and 1/2 years and his Kindergarten teacher, Sue Truitt who has loved and treated Will like her own son.
The words thank you aren't adequate for what you've done for him.
 And us.
We are the lucky ones to have Will in our lives.

 {My beautiful boy, I couldn't love him more than I do.}

Will is shown in his bedroom with some of his favorites...his Batman collection. He's a Superhero - Crime Fighter aficionado and knows way more about them than his mommy does.;)

But I'm learning.

black and white Wednesday - 8 years

I shall be called by a new name, embraced by a fresh pair of arms, but I shall come and go, the eternal me. 

~ Rabindranath Tagore

Late Summer is the time of year that I'm brought back to China,

because it was on the evening of

August 31, 2003 our lives changed forever.

In a hotel room in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, 

a beautiful 12 month old baby girl named 'Fu Lan Li'

was brought into our room. I will never forget how easily she came to me
and gave us a shy little smile.

'Lanli' as we called her in China, would become 'Grace Lanli Elizabeth'

when we arrived home to the U.S.
A joyful, loving and kind little girl, she's many years of hopes and dreams come true.

The years have flown by and our gift of Grace
led us to adopt William.
When I think about how much our lives have changed in the past 8 years,
it's pretty mind boggling.
The changes have all been good.

What we didn't know 8 years ago was that it
wouldn't be as simple as a child joining our family,
we would become a part of a very large extended family all
held together with the common thread of adoption.
It's an adoption community of kind and supportive people,
who encourage and help in anyway they can.

'
Recently I was asked
why I wanted to adopt in the first place and my answer was,
 "Well, I knew there were many children out there that needed a mommy
and I wanted to be one.
God did the rest."


Our dearest Grace, we cannot imagine our lives without you.

 

Taken Sept. 11, 2003 in Guangzhou
before we left for the U.S. consulate ceremony.
The red shoes Grace is wearing in the picture now
reside with some other keepsakes from China
in a little cupboard in her bedroom.