7 Year Referral Day Anniversary!!

7 years ago today (Aug 21)  I received a call from Deborah at my agency and my life was forever changed in the most amazing, wonderful, awesome way!  I was a Mom and sweet Hannah XiaoFen (just 5 1/2 months at referral!!) was waiting for me in Hunan, China!

While parts of the day are a blur, some of it I remember like it was yesterday!!  LOL – could be because of the number of times I’ve watched these life-changing videos!!

Referral Video – Part 1

Referral Video – Part 2

Some other pictures from today’s photo shoot.

And a walk down referral day memory lane…

2015 – 6.5yo

2014 – 5.5yo

2013 – 4.5yo

2012 – 3.5yo

2011 – 2.5yo

2010 – 17 months

‘The Lord has done this and it is marvelous in our eyes.’

Psalm 118:23

God Keep Our Land, Glorious and Free

Today Hannah and I were blessed to participate in a beautiful Canadian tradition.  When Canada loses a soldier in action their body travels down the ‘Highway of Heroes’ on it’s way to Toronto.  How moving to be part of such a special ceremony and surround ourselves with proud Canadians trying each in their own small way to say ‘thank you.’

Wednesday a lone gunman took the life of an unarmed soldier in Ottawa (our Nation’s Capital) who was guarding a treasured Canadian monument.

Today that soldier, Cpl Cirillo’s body travelled from Ottawa to Hamilton where he will be laid to rest on Monday.  Each and every overpass of the 7+ hour drive his honour guard took, looked like the one you see in my first picture as Canadians stood to pay their respects to one who selflessly gave his life for ours.  He is one of many over the years who have done this and to each and every one of them I am thankful.  Today I had an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ and to use this as a time to begin introducing such moments of respect and thankfulness to Hannah.

She was a trooper!  Since we didn’t know exactly what time the motorcade time would pass by I signed her out of school a little early and we made our way to an overpass not too far from home.

She doesn’t really know what was going on so I explained to her today we had an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to someone who did good things for Canada.  In time she would learn more (we talked in more detail on our way home) but truly, this was a thankful time.

In the end our wait was about 2 1/2 hours but we chatted, she collected rocks and, enjoyed more than one piece of candy from a sweet senior standing near us.  LOL – grandparents = candy in pockets!  It cooled off by the end and a sweet lady shared her blanket with Hannah who quickly ‘made a cocoon.’

From the moment we arrived and joined those already waiting there was a steady stream of honking from those who travelled the highway below us who in their own way saying, ‘Thank you’ and I must say, I had forgotten this part and was constantly reminded just how important this tradition is to all Canadians.  We are blessed to live close enough to participate in this tradition.

As the motorcade came into sight it was my sweet girl who quietly began to sing ‘Oh Canada’ and soon others around us joined in.  What a precious moment!

I couldn’t hear what Hannah was saying when we were there but the camera captured her sweet, innocent remarks.  Sadly she will all too soon learn the truth of why we were there but for this moment she was there with the innocent, thankful heart of a 5yo who was just excited to see police cars. 

Cpl. Cirillo’s mother was riding in the motorcade and I can only imagine what this support meant to her in her grief as every single km of their ride was with motorists pulled off the side of the road, standing outside their cars and covering each overpass in respect for the gift her child gave Canada on Wednesday.

Thank you Cpl. Cirillo.  Canada thanks you.

And friends, I cannot help but think of One who gave His life for us over 2000 years ago.  If only we as a country and those around the world showed such respect, love and thankfulness for Him too. 

^{John 3: 16 – 18}  “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him.’ (The Message)

Thank you God for sending your Son.

Happy Father’s Day Grandpa and Papa!

We celebrated Father’s Day today and had a wonderful time together!

It was a big day as it was Hannah’s first swim in Grandma and Grandpa’s pool this year.  She was pretty excited (as was Mommy) that she could now stand up in the shallow end with her full head above the water!

It was a little chilly so she wasn’t in for long but she still has her first swim under her belt.

After a delicious steak dinner in honour of Father’s Day, Hannah was excited to share her gifts with Grandpa (r) and Papa (l).

Hannah chose matching mugs for Grandma and Grandpa.  Grandma received a Minnie mug like this for Mother’s Day and now Grandpa has the matching Mickey Mug.  My Disney lovin’ girl – no surprises here!

We have a new frozen yogurt store in town so she bought Papa a gift card for there as well as made cute frames for Papa and Grandpa.  Papa, if you’re looking for a little cutie to go to Menchie’s (Hannah calls it Munchie’s) with you and Nana, I’m pretty sure I know who would enjoy joining you.

Grandpa makes out well on Father’s Day as school and daycare both change her gifts so that they’re for Grandpa. 

I am so thankful to Grandpa and Papa as they (and so many other male family and friends) play such an important role in Hannah’s life!    We are blessed and thankful to have each of them in our lives!

We love you Grandpa and Papa!  Happy Father’s Day!!

Mother's Day with the Ones We Love

Hannah and I were blessed to begin Mother's Day together and then later we shared it with the ones we love most.

This is us posing with the beautiful hair jewels she chose for Mommy.  (Being brave posting a picture without makeup and bed head.) 

After church we went to Nana and Papa's and enjoyed lunch with them 

plus a number of their family too. Life is busy and we don't get to see Auntie Joy and Auntie Japhia nearly as often as we'd like so we appreciate any moments we share together.

Next we went to our traditional Mother's Day dinner at a restaurant we enjoy and shared a wonderful supper with Grandma and Grandpa. 

Hannah shared a dessert with G&G and couldn't help but lick the plate.  LOL!  The rest of us only wish we could do this!

Mommy, Hannah and Grandma.  We are SO blessed to be family!

Hannah XiaoFen, I love you more than words can express and will be forever thankful that God created our family in the way that He did!  He sure does love us a lot!!!  He planned our family before the beginning of time. You and mommy - FAMILY.  Together...forever!!!

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 

 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well. 

 My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

 Psalm 139: 13 - 16

 

Oh My! That's My Girl!!!

Recently I received a gift beyond measure!  A picture of Hannah taken 5 weeks before I met her while she was still living in DaoXian SWI!!!  That's my sweet baby girl on the left!

As you can imagine, seeing this picture immediately turned me into a puddle of mush and the tears flowed! 

This picture was a gift for so many reasons!

• It was unexpected that 3 1/2 years after we became a family I would ever receive another picture of the time in Hannah's life before we became a family
• There are 2 other babies in the picture.  I wonder who the sweet baby girl on the right is?  Were they friends?  Were their cribs next to one another?  Where does she live now?  Has she found her own forever family?  I was blessed to receive 2 cameras of pictures when I met Hannah but all of those pictures are of her alone.  What a blessing to see another baby with her!!
• I love that the picture shows the cribs tucked together next to one another.  Hannah loves to sleep touching me and it warms my heart to think that she had the opportunity to reach out and touch another in her sleep
• The SWI is so clean.  
• I can't see what she's wearing but based on the layers on the other sweet baby I can only imagine that my precious Hannah was bundled warmly too.  Also, all the blankets in the cribs helps me believe that she was warm as she slept at night.

I will say that earlier in the day before I received the picture above I was reading the blog of a fellow mom whose DD was also in DaoXian at the same time Hannah was there and I originally thought I might see Hannah in one of her pictures.  It was difficult when I realized it wasn't her but it was a blessing in that it led me to contact this mom and she in turn sent me the picture above of Hannah!! I don't think any adoptive mom ever stops scouring the web for glimpses of their baby before they met them and pieces of the puzzle that we can fill in for them.

This is the original picture I saw on her blog.

While it is not my sweet XiaoFen in the background, it is her nanny (to have a picture of her is a gift in itself) and in the forefront is her friend Emma who was adopted by friends in our travel group.  Hannah and Emma are still friends now and it's a gift to receive these pictures of them when they were together in DaoXian! 

This is a picture Hannah and Emma taken recently

I cannot express to you what that one picture did to my heart.  Is was such a blessing and I will be forever grateful for it!!!

As my Grandma says, 'Each new day holds some lovely secret just waiting to unfold.'  What an amazing secret and blessing the picture was!  God is so good!!!

Olympic Excitement is in the Air!

I’ll admit it….I’m a HUGE fan of the Olympics!  I love what they stand for:  Unity, fun, dedication, hard work and healthy competition.  As I sit here watching the Opening Ceremonies I can’t help but be in awe as I watch the nations gather peacefully, side by side.  What an awesome opportunity is offered to us every 2 years as the world comes together for the Olympic games!

I fondly remember watching Nadia Comaneci in the 1976 Olympics held in nearby Montreal.  I had dreams of somehow competing for Canada in 1980!  Heh…considering I was never an athlete I now wonder how that was going to happen but I guess that dream goes along with the one where I was going to marry a price after watching Charles and Diana wed.  LOL!  I guess I just dreamed big!    Gotta love childhood dreams!  I hope Hannah dreams big and I have a feeling with her spunky personality she’ll do just that!

Tonight as I watch the ceremonies there is a sense of excitement in the air as one of my cousins who lives in London is part of the cast!  I wasn’t able to see him on TV amidst the crowds (he was part of the first portion depicting the industrial revolution) but just knowing he was there, experiencing this once in a lifetime event in person had me so excited for him!  Way to go Chris!!

The parade of nations is always exciting!  I couldn’t help myself as the Canadian athletes entered the stadium and I sat here with a huge smile and applauded.  Super excited to see what Canada will do these games!  One of the girls in Hannah’s gym is competing in artistic gymnastics.  It’s neat to think that the young gal I watch practice week after week while Hannah is in her class is there representing our great country along with one of the coaches from our gym!  Cool!!

One moment that surprised me a bit but in a good way was the overwhelming feeling of pride and thankfulness that filled me when the Chinese athletes entered the stadium!  I burst into tears as I am still humbled and thankful that China blessed me with one of their own and allowed Hannah to come to Canada so that we can be a family!!  I hope this feeling never, ever leaves!  The last time the Summer Olympics were held it was the summer of 2008 and they were in Beijing.  I remember thinking often that Hannah was probably already born and was there the same time as the Olympics were happening.  Little did I know that God would allow her to be so very young and not be born until the following February!

I hope you take time to enjoy some of the Olympics over the next 2 weeks.  Cheer on the athletes who have prepared for years for this very moment!

Hannah and I?  We’ll be cheering for Canada and China! 

Go Teams!!!

Heh…Look at my little pumpkin!  This picture was taken Saturday November 14th, 2009 when she was just 8 months old.  This is the day that she woke up as a Chinese citizen and went to sleep as a Canadian citizen after we travelled home to Canada.  A momentous day for sure!

So Much To Be Thankful For!

Although I celebrated Thanksgiving with my fellow Canadians last month, there is so much to be thankful for today that in honour of my American friends I say, ‘Happy Thanksgiving!’

First off, I am very, very thankful that Hannah has definitely taken a turn for the better and she is well on her way to feeling like her old self.  Although still sporting a low grade fever and signs of a cold, the pain and high fever that enveloped her for 3 longs days is behind us.  For that I am very, very thankful!  My sweet baby girl was a trooper through it all but seeing her like this

for days at a time was hard.  Hearing her little cries of pain even though she was topped up with meds had me feeling so helpless.  When she was sleeping I shed my own tears.

Thankfully the 2nd antibiotic worked wonders and with it’s help and more importantly, the prayers of many, my little love turned a corner yesterday and her normal self began to immerge.   Never have I been so thankful to see our home littered with toys and craft supplies, walking an obstacle course each step of the day.  After 3 days of the toys and books not moving from their storage locations, she made up for it in a matter of minutes…and I was thrilled!

She is also sleeping so much better too which is such a blessing to both herself and I’ll admit, to mommy too!  Early Wednesday morning when she was awake whining crying for the 10th+ time that night, was one of the very few times that I’ve ever wished I had someone to tag team with for just a moment.  I didn’t so I took a moment, a few deep breaths and then held her close until she drifted back to sleep.  Thankfully that session at 2am was the last time she woke for the next 5 hours and we both woke up feeling much, much better!

I went back to work today and Hannah went to Ange’s.  She had a great time and when I emailed Ange during nap time to see how she was doing she said she was doing well and the kids were being their normal selves….playing one moment and arguing the next.  Heh!  We often tease that Noah and Hannah are like an old married couple!  One moment they’re hugging one another and the next they’re grabbing a toy out of the other’s hand or bickering with their little 2yo words.  They share a great friendship and I am SO thankful that Hannah has Ange’s home to go to each day!

Normally I teach piano on Thursday nights but I cancelled my students tonight so that Hannah didn’t have to jump right into a 12 hour day at daycare. (Mom and Dad are still in FL for one more week.  Normally they watch her Thurs nights while I teach.)  I wanted Hannah and I to have some time together tonight.  It was fun to watch her enjoy herself while she ate rather than not eating at all. 

Raspberry manicure anyone?

Tonight I am also celebrating with two other wonderful friends.  Earlier this week our dear friends the 3D's received their long waited for TA (travel approval) and will be leaving one week from today to meet their sweet son in China!!  Congratulations 3D’s!!

Today another precious friend and her family received their long awaited LOA (letter of acceptance) for their beautiful daughter!  Next step TA and then hopefully early in 2012 they’ll be travelling to China (to Hannah’s province!!) to meet their precious Ellie!!

I get goose bumps to think that Ellie will be placed in Pam’s arms in the very same room that Hannah was placed in mine! 

Both of these families have waited a l-o-n-g time for this day!  They both received their referrals way back in May and have been waiting since then to travel and meet their children.  Today is a day of thankfulness that each of them are so much closer to holding their little loves in their arms!!

Congratulations D and Pam!!!

Yes, so much to be thankful for!!

A crying shame: China's lost baby girls

This article brought me to tears more than once as I read and reread it today.

Some of what was written, others choose not to tell their daughters. I tell Hannah because I believe in my heart of hearts it is true. Hannah was loved by her birthmother and that is what she will learn from me now, and in the years to come. My heart tells me it's true and I believe it. She carried my daughter within her for 9 months, gave birth to her and then left her somewhere safe and warmly dressed, to be found. Yes, Hannah, your birthmother loved you and Mommy loves you more than I can express!!

The article reads, 'She assures adoptive children they were loved. “Your life is given to you by two mothers, you are lucky,” Xinran says. “Your birth mother must have been a good woman. (She was) against traditional rules . . . This is why you have a life. I want to give this message to the adoptive mother, too, how much Chinese moms want to thank you.”

That last sentence was one of many that caused the tears to flow. It has crossed my mind over the years of waiting and now home with Hannah, 'What would her Chinese Mother think of me taking her from China and raising her in Canada?' As much as I know this is the plan God has for Hannah and I, I've often wondered if her Chinese Mother would understand? Xinran has spoken to many, many Chinese women who gave their daughters up and to hear that these precious women are thankful for the adoptive moms, brings peace to my heart.

Even though Hannah just turned 2, I already talk with her about her Chinese mother. Most of this 'conversation' happens during our bedtime prayers as I pray for this beautiful woman (I know she is beautiful....Have you seen the amazing baby girl she gave birth to?!!) I pray for peace in her heart. A peace that only God can provide. I pray that He will whisper to her heart that her daughter is ok; that she is loved beyond measure and cared for and that she gave a gift unlike any other. First and foremost though, I pray for her salvation. May she have an opportunity to come to know Jesus as her own personal Lord and Saviour. I pray this for her sake but also if I were honest, I'd say it's for selfish reasons too. I have to admit part of this prayer is so that someday if not here on earth, then later in Heaven, I could watch the precious reunion between a mother and a daughter.

The reunion of a baby girl who was blessed beyond measure to have not just one mother, but two!