688 Days

Today we celebrated "Equal Day" Today marks the day that Miah has finally been with us for as long as she spent in China. Professionals say that this is a pivotal point as many kids finally start to settle in to their new families and lives at this point. We are blessed with the gift of this child and feel that we have established a very strong bond with Miah and that she trusts us to look after her needs. She looks for us for snuggles and comfort when distressed and has started to express her love for us without being asked how she feels. We love this girl so much and I am so blessed to be her Momma!


Tomorrow Miah goes in for her nose/lip revision surgery....so with tonight being a "celebration," we let Miah go to town eating things she won't be able to enjoy for a while....like chicken drumsticks and corn on the cob! We check into the hospital bright and early tomorrow morning. Her surgery time is 9:00. We'll try to update when we can!

Family Photo Shoot

This past weekend we did a family photo shoot with local photographer April Martin . It was the most quick and painless session we have ever had! The girls were great and we were done in less than 30 minutes. We received a "sneak peek" of the photos that she took. They are amazing! April we love them so much! We had one small moment when Miah refused to cooperate and gave us the frown with folded arms routine when she was asked to sit on a bench and her oldest sister was asked to stand behind the bench. She thought standing would be better than sitting I guess. Later that night I asked her why she had gotten upset and her answer was "I was just so mad!" Too funny.

Dance

This past weekend Miah had her last dance class of the season. All the parents and siblings were invited in to watch the girls participate in the last half of their class. It was so fun to watch Miah and her friend Sylvie participate in a class together. I don't often get to sit back and watch her engage with her peers. It is a very eye-opening experience. I think the highlight for Miah was that her sisters were watching her. It is usually the other way around, but this was her moment to perform for them! Have I mentioned how much I love this girl?

Happy I Love You Day

Today in Miah's preschool class, all the special ladies in the kids lives were invited for a special 'I love you day tea'. Miah presented me with a hand painted flower pot. She was so proud of her creation. For the rest of the day she kept telling me "Happy I love you day Mom." The teacher read out the children's answer to the question "Why do you love your mom?" Miah's response was "I love my mom because she plays Dora games and puzzles with me."

Happy Birthmother's Day

I didn't know this before today, but the Saturday before Mother's Day is recognized as Birthmother's Day. A day to remember and give thanks to the women around the world who so unselfishly give their children the most wonderful gift of all...a family that can care for them. It originated in 1990 by a group of birthmothers in Seattle, Washington. Most birthmothers will agree that Mother's Day is a very painful holiday and these women wanted to create something that would honor their birthmotherhood.

I often think about Miah's birthmother. Part of me would love to know her, to meet her face to face, to thank her and acknowledge the great sacrifice she made.

I can speculate on the events surrounding Miah's birth and abandonment, but the truth is,I will never know anything for sure. What I do know, is that I'm am so thankful she decided to carry her baby to term, give birth, and abandon her in a safe place where she was found quickly. The idea of a mother being forced to make that choice is still too much for my human mind to comprehend, and my heart still aches for her.

She has blessed me with a wonderful gift. But for us to have received this gift, meant heartbreak on her part, that I am certain. I wish I could thank her for the sacrifice she has made. Because of this unselfish act, her baby now has such a bright future. Miah has a family who adores her and loves her 'to the moon and back', she has access to the kind of medical care she needs, more toys and clothes than one girl really needs, is learning about and experiencing the love of Jesus, and her future holds many opportunities.

So today, I stop to remember this woman and I pray that she feels a sense of peace somehow in knowing that her baby is well loved and cared for.

Mother's Day Gift

This is my mother's day gift from my family. A hand crafted charm with Miah's Chinese name on it. It was made in Beijing which makes it extra special for me. I can't wait to wear it and one day pass it on to Miah so she can have a lasting remembrance of her heritage.


We ordered this charm through Jiayin Designs. Kelly, the founder and adoptive parent states that "in an effort to allow other families the same treasure and to provide some extra financial support to a Chinese couple doing significant work in China who actually go and have the charms made and then ship them to me, I built a basic website using the name Jiayin--meaning literally good and beautiful news but also the word used in Revelation in Chinese Bible for the phrase the mystery of God."

Wishing all the moms out there a very Happy Mother's Day!

Surgery Date-June 1st

We finally have a set date for Miah's next surgery-June 1st. 4 weeks from today. We are still not exactly sure what all will be done, but we do know that it will include a nose revision, some touch ups on her palate and possibly replacing the tubes in her ears. For the next two weeks we are pretty much booked solid with visits to the plastic surgeon, orthodontist, ENT, a hearing test, speech therapy and a pre-op hospital appointment.

I'm sure this round of surgery will bring with it anxiety on Miah's part. She is fully aware that the possibility of needles exist and that sometimes doctors make owies in her mouth. I pray that they let me bring her into the OR again. But maybe now that she is older, I might not be invited in. Please be praying that this next stage in her surgery plan will go smoothly and that she will bounce back to her normal self quickly.