On June 28th last year we found out that our referrals had left China and should arrive on June 29th, a Thursday. We had waited so long for this call and so long to find out more about Sophia, it was hard to believe it would all be happening soon. The paperwork did not arrive until late on Friday but Sandy from our agency called us with some of the details. We knew that Sophia was born in November and living in Chongqing. Our agency worked very hard getting the papers translated Friday night so we could get the referral on Saturday. Even now, I remember the feelings like it were yesterday.
On July 1, 2006 we would finally have a picture of our daugther. We would finally have a face to put with all the love we had in our hearts. We would finally learn more about the child who was to become our daughter. I will never forget that meeting with Sandy. We were the first family to arrive so we met with us first. She told us we had the little dumpling of the group. She gave me, Steve and Katie a picture faced down and then told us to turn it over. I looked with tears in my eyes. I was holding a picture of Qian Li Hua in the pink outfit, still my favorite referral picture. This is the child who would become our daughter. Although we had loved even the thought of Sophia, seeing this picture and being able to visualize her was unbelievable.
I remember waiting in the lobby and seeing the other families come out of the room with smiles on their faces too. This was an amazing day, one I will never forget. We then left the agency and ran to make copies of the referral pictures for our family. Steve and Katie went to his parents house and celebrated the referral and Grandma Beadle's birthday. I got in the car and went to Connecticut to see my mother. I had this trip planned for quite some time and the timing of the referral could not be better!!
Fast forward to July 1, 2007. We have so much to be thankful for. We celebrated Grandma Beadle's 85th birthday with her and the one year anniversary of referral day.
We took a picture of Sophia holding her referral picture. I am going to try to do this every year. It will be a neat way to gauge how much she changes in the course of a year. I can imagine doing a scrapbook layout of these pictures 10 years from now- that is if I ever get caught up with my scrapbooking!!
Seeing Sophia today and feeling like I have known her from the moment she was born made me realize how lucky we are. A year ago we knew how much Sophia weighed and how tall she was. We knew about some of the things she could do and knew that she was living with a foster family but we had no idea of her charming personality. We had no idea how smart she is. Now not a day goes by where she isn't learning something. She sings all the time. She loves life and is very silly. She is such a brave girl and takes risks that make my heart stop, like when she jumps into Grandma's pool or jumps off things on the playground. She loves to give hugs and kisses. Just a year ago this was all unknown.
Time does fly!!!
On July 1, 2006 we would finally have a picture of our daugther. We would finally have a face to put with all the love we had in our hearts. We would finally learn more about the child who was to become our daughter. I will never forget that meeting with Sandy. We were the first family to arrive so we met with us first. She told us we had the little dumpling of the group. She gave me, Steve and Katie a picture faced down and then told us to turn it over. I looked with tears in my eyes. I was holding a picture of Qian Li Hua in the pink outfit, still my favorite referral picture. This is the child who would become our daughter. Although we had loved even the thought of Sophia, seeing this picture and being able to visualize her was unbelievable.
I remember waiting in the lobby and seeing the other families come out of the room with smiles on their faces too. This was an amazing day, one I will never forget. We then left the agency and ran to make copies of the referral pictures for our family. Steve and Katie went to his parents house and celebrated the referral and Grandma Beadle's birthday. I got in the car and went to Connecticut to see my mother. I had this trip planned for quite some time and the timing of the referral could not be better!!
Fast forward to July 1, 2007. We have so much to be thankful for. We celebrated Grandma Beadle's 85th birthday with her and the one year anniversary of referral day.
We took a picture of Sophia holding her referral picture. I am going to try to do this every year. It will be a neat way to gauge how much she changes in the course of a year. I can imagine doing a scrapbook layout of these pictures 10 years from now- that is if I ever get caught up with my scrapbooking!!
Seeing Sophia today and feeling like I have known her from the moment she was born made me realize how lucky we are. A year ago we knew how much Sophia weighed and how tall she was. We knew about some of the things she could do and knew that she was living with a foster family but we had no idea of her charming personality. We had no idea how smart she is. Now not a day goes by where she isn't learning something. She sings all the time. She loves life and is very silly. She is such a brave girl and takes risks that make my heart stop, like when she jumps into Grandma's pool or jumps off things on the playground. She loves to give hugs and kisses. Just a year ago this was all unknown.
Time does fly!!!
2 comments:
Congrats on one year home! It is amazing how much bigger and cuter she is now. What a happy family you all must be!!
What a wonderful post! Your description of turning over the referral phot got me all choked up! My husband and are with ADoptions Together with a LID of June 19, 2006.
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