2 Years With Our Angel

Today we celebrate our 2-year adoption anniversary with Eden Hope. I can't believe it's been 2 years! I remember every detail like it was yesterday.

I leave for South Africa tomorrow so I don't have lots of time to write, but I couldn't let this day go by without at least posting something. Where do I begin? How do I articulate such a miracle?

I remember walking into that sweltering hot Civil Affairs Office in Wuhan, China with butterflies in my stomach. Would she come to me? How would I know what to do? How do I communicate to this little stranger how much I already love her? So many questions...and yet such certainty. God had moved so many mountains to put us in that room at that moment for that baby girl. It wasn't the labor or delivery room I had imagined in my girlhood dreams of becoming a mommy. And yet there I was...and then, I saw her for the first time.

She looked so lonely...so confused. Nothing prepared me for the deep sadness in that little girl's heart those first days...the grief...the running to the door of the hotel and looking at me pleading for her "mama"...not knowing I was right there...the way she would gather all of her little treasures she brought with her, not knowing I had sent her those toys and blanket, and would rock back and forth with that horrible moaning cry, refusing to be comforted until she was "finished."

And nothing prepared me for the miracle of the day her foster mom came to the hotel and we met her (secretly and by "accident"). I've never been more sure of anything as when I handed my baby back to the only mama she had ever known so they could say goodbye. In that moment there was no room for jealousy or fear...I knew Eden loved her and it just couldn't be about me. And as that precious Chinese woman pointed to me and told Eden, "Mama" those walls began to slowly crumble. Healing began on that day.

I've made a lot of mistakes over the past 2 years...but motherhood is the most incredible journey. Watching this little person grow up knocks the wind out of me sometimes. She is the funniest little creature I have ever met...and the most loving. She is so brave. So brave. To love again so deeply...what lessons I learn from her. Gene and I sit in awe of the greatness of God. Parenthood is like having a front-row seat to His most incredible work. Most times in our busy-ness and routine we miss it...but every once in a while I will stop, and look, and see it...my prayer is that in the coming year, I will see Him more and more...and not take one moment for granted.

Love you all...here's a few photos of our sweet one...

The first photo we received of Eden in December 2006.

Another photo from the orphanage in January 2007.

Another picture from China in July 2007, right before we traveled.

Gotcha Day...July 23, 2007. This photo says it all...

Eden today...this one says it all, too!

Our Week in Birmingham

Hello all! We spent last week in Birmingham visiting friends, going to Eden's dr. appointment, and packing for my South Africa trip. It was a fun week.

Eden went to see a maxio facial prostheticist to see about getting a device to plug the 2 holes she still has behind her 2 front teeth from her cleft. These holes won't be repaired until she has permanent teeth. We had a great visit to the Dental School at UAB and the doctor was great. Eden had to do a mold of her top teeth and she did fantastic...no gagging or fit-pitching. They actually said she did better than most adults. The doctor said she does think she can make a device that will help with speech and with her being able to suck better and not having food escaping through her nose. We will go back in mid-August to try it on and see how it works.

I leave this Friday for a mission trip to South Africa. I will return on August 3rd. Gene has some fun Atlanta activities planned with Eden to help pass the time. She will also be going for a long visit with her Ja-Ja (my mom) from which I'm sure she'll return purely rotten!

I can't wait to share with you what I see and experience in Africa. Until then, here are some pictures of our week in Birmingham. Love you all!

Eden on her new big-girl bike...of course it's princesses.

Eden with her cousins...some of her favorite people on earth. From left: Hayden, Savannah and baby Camp.

My beautiful sister, Kelly, and her little man (who is finally sleeping through the night!!)

My blessing, my daughter. She is such a doll!

Eden with Hannah, my best friend Alisa's little angel.

Here is a sample of one kit that we will be giving out in South Africa. It contains 5 types of medicine, lip ointment, antibiotic ointment, soap, wash cloths, towels, bandages and cotton swabs. These will be given in a wash basin with a Bible in their language.

The Beach, A Flower Girl, and a New Home

Sorry it's been a while. I've spent the last week and a half unloading boxes. I have let go of the delusion that I'm not a pack-rat. Don't ask me why I want to keep my high school cheerleading jacket...but I just can't throw it away.

Anyway, I promised pictures, so this post includes some. We have moved to a suburb of Atlanta, as I mentioned in my last post. After a small delay in closing on our house in B'ham, we moved a little over a week ago in 2 U-haul trucks and a mini-van. Eden and Maggie (our chocolate lab) rode with me, along with the flat-screen TV, and Gene and his dad followed with the trucks. This was a hard move, as it was quick, out of state, and we were at the beach at a wedding the week before...but we finally made it.

We love the house we're renting, and even got some goodies delivered from our next-door neighbors today. We're settling in now, and even discovered that one of the families we traveled to China with when we adopted Eden lives here...and I have several sorority sisters from college in the area, too. It's nice to know people.

Eden is doing great. We are painting her room pink (per her request), and we ordered her a "big-girl bed" last week (twin bed). Eden's thought process and awareness of things continually amazes me. When we told her we were moving, she said, "Mommy, I think we need to write notes to all of our friends in Birmingham so they won't worry about us." Wow! The last time she moved, there were no goodbyes or ways to keep in touch. This move, needless to say, has been far less traumatic.

She did great as the flower girl in my brother's wedding. I must admit we did bribe her. It was on the beach, and on the way back down the aisle at the end of the ceremony she stopped and started picking up all of the flower petals to put back in her basket. That got a collective "Awwwww" from the crowd. When we practiced at home she always had to pick them up!

Here are some pictures from the wedding. I will post again soon. Love yall!

All dressed and ready for pictures.

The halo was so precious on her jet-black hair. And she kept it on!!!

See my baby shells?

The beautiful bride...my new sister-in-law Amy. My mom did the flowers on this arch...aren't they gorgeous!

Eden with her 2 great-grandmothers. Can you believe they are in their 80's???

Eden and cousin Camp. He's getting so big...4 1/2 months old.

Trying to be still for pictures.

Oh, one last little story. The day we were moving in, Eden's eye swelled shut...it looked bad and kept getting worse, even with benadryl. So I found a doc-in-the-box place and it was nothing, just an insect bite. Well, a couple of days ago she said, "Mommy, my finger hurts." I look down, and seriously it looked like it might die and fall off. It was so swollen and red. Well, apparently my child has an ant allergy we didn't know about. So yesterday she comes downstairs and says, "Mommy, I dressed myself. I'm going to hunt for ants." When I turned around, this is what I saw....