A Strawberry Kiss

Yesterday was such a hectic day, such an emotionally draining day, that I just couldn't tell you all everything that we knew about our little Mia. As I said yesterday, she will be celebrating her first birthday two days before Christmas. I hate that we won't spend it with her, but I like to think of all the many more that we will spend with her. I can already imagine what next year's party will be like. :) There is just so much to tell! She is living in an orphanage that is sponsored by Love without Boundaries, a group that provides resources like food, supplies, and educational items for orphans. Her orphanage is one of the best in that area and it is evident that she is being well taken care of because she is doing what most babies are doing at eleven months old. She is crawling, standing up and holding on to things, she loves to hear music, and she is attached to her caregiver.

Mia's special need is that she has a port-wine stain ( a strawberry birthmark) on her left temple which extends down into her eyelid. It is barely visible in all of the photos we received. Griff and I are shocked that such a minor thing would land her on the special needs list. Dr. Jennifer Chambers, from the International Adoption Clinic, reviewed her file with us tonight and could find nothing of any concern in her medical records. Amazing... I was preparing myself for a child who was older, sicker, and not nearly as beautiful. God's blessings far exceeded my expectations. I have no idea why we make Him so small. The strawberry birthmark God put on Mia is what brought her to us. I can't wait to kiss that little birthmark.

What now? Well, now we trudge through the final steps to submit official papers to U.S. Immigrations, and then on to China. Once China reviews and approves our dossier, we hope they will issue us travel authorization so we can bring her home. Pray that all who deal with our paperwork will find favor on us and process it expeditiously. Realistically, I expect to get to China by mid-summer. We will see...