Photos from China

 

On the airplane ready for takeoff.

 

About halfway through the 15 1/2 hour flight.

 

Final pic of the Mason Three.

 

Eden having fun doing her favorite thing... in China!

 

Meeting Zoey for the first time.

 

Eden doing some artwork in our down time.

Sisters getting to know each other.

 

Eden and Zoey with their grandmother, Roberta McWhorter, who joined us again this time around.

 

Our entire adoption travel group.

 

Zoey and Keri feeding the fish.

 

Eden and Zoey at the Guangzhou Botanical Gardens.

 

The Mason Four at the Guangzhou Botanical Gardens.

 

Zoey on our orphanage visit day.

 

Standing at Zoey's finding spot in front of the orphanage.

 

The Masons down by the Pearl River with the Guangzhou skyline behind us.

The Orphanage Visit

Hubby Gene here once again. I'll talk a little about our orphanage visit on Friday, though I am sure Keri will post her perspective at some point. We drove from Guangzhou to Maoming starting early in the morning--departing at 6:30 a.m. It's about 5 hours to this neighboring city to the southwest. This is where Zoey was found and lived her life up until a few days ago.

Maoming is much smaller than Guangzhou. It's filled with tens of thousands of people on mopeds. I've never seen so many motor scooters. We got to the orphanage just before lunch time. The staff led us up to the fourth floor playroom, where we met many of the caregivers. We got pictures of several children whose Lifeline parents asked us in advance to contact. We gave out some care packages to these kids and talked with the orphanage director.

Then we met Zoey's foster mom. It was really a rather unemotional experience, which surprised us. Zoey cried when she and some other teachers left the room, which was one of the few times she has showed any kind of great emotion, so we took that as a good sign. We gave her foster mom a gift and soon left the room. Our travel group had gathered some money and given it to the orphanage and they showed us the large pile of diapers they were able to purchase with the money.

The orphanage was comparatively nice, based on others Keri and I have seen around the world. They kids had good food, a roof over their heads, indoor plumbing and obviously had some good education resources. They took us to Zoey's preschool classroom and we saw her little chair with her Chinese name printed on the back of it. Her former teachers played with her there a few minutes.

Finally, they took us around front to Zoey's "finding spot"--the place where she was abandoned. We posed for a picture there, but neither Keri nor I felt like smiling. Zoey is abandoned no more, so we felt that we kinda checked that off our bucket list and were soon ready to move on. The orphanage director treated us to a nice lunch, and then we started the long ride back to Guangzhou.

I should mention that about 2/3 of the way back the headlights went out on the bus, so the driver kept going, on the highway, in the pitch black dark, and we were all scared to death. Keri started singing "Jesus, Take the Wheel" to lighten the mood and after some prayer and nail biting we arrived safely back at the hotel. I was gonna do room service at that point, since we were so tired and it was around 8:00 p.m., but we found out a room service hamburger was $30, so I opted for McDonald's instead.

The orphanage visit did shed some light on Zoey on the behavioral side. Honestly, though, we will have to wait until we get home to get her on a regular schedule and begin addressing her needs in earnest. The visit was really just a puzzle piece for us, and hopefully God will show us how this fits in her personality and behavior as we get a few months down the road.

Zoey is really a sweetheart. We love her smile and her laugh. She readily reaches for Keri and has begun repeating English words when we read to her. When she goes bathroom she says "bye bye" to her poop as it goes down the toilet. Keri has pulled out some matching outfits, which Eden just loves, and we've gotten lots of great pictures.

Today (Saturday) is more paperwork and finalizing matters before Monday's U.S. Consulate appointment. Just a few days left now before we hit the airport for home. Keri and I are both ready to be back in the States. We continue to ask for your prayers for us for safe travel, for Zoey's bonding and for God to be honored through our actions and speech here on the other side of the world.

Day 2 & 3 with Zoey

It's mommy here...enjoying some much-needed down time after a morning of sight-seeing, a great lunch with our travel group, and a long nap!  Gene did a great job filling you in on the details of our day yesterday.  We saw more of the same laid-back, complacent Zoey Faith - a 180 degree difference from Eden's medical appointment with her adoption.  She screamed when they weighed her...Zoey just went with the flow - not a wimper or a flinch.  After the visa medical appointment we went and had a family picture taken for the adoption decree...I think.  All the paperwork runs together - and Gene has been appointed the "paperwork person" while in China.

Zoey is doing great...small progress each day.  It's amazing what 24 hours of family living does for her.  The first night I tried to read "Goodnight Moon" and snuggle her right before putting her in bed and she literally didn't even know how to be read to.  She kept yanking the book, furiously flipping through the pages...much like a baby would instead of a 3 1/2 year old.  Snuggling is definitely a new concept and when I tried to lay her back in my arms she looked everywhere but me - zero eye contact.  I followed the exact same routine last night and this time, she was much calmer and sat still during the book.  When I laid her back to "rock" her she made some eye contact and relaxed into my arms.  It filled my heart with hope and joy to see her enjoying my affection, even though she has no idea yet how to return it.

I can't wait for everyone to meet her (even though it will be a while).  Adorable doesn't begin to describe her.  She is sweet and has a smile that lights up the room.  She has a little prance/swagger when she walks that is so cute!  Part of it I'm sure is her physical delays because she walks on her toes and kind of arches her back and leans her head back...but it is cute!  I call it the Zoey swagger.  She is not verbal yet...except at night she whispers to herself in bed while she "rocks" herself to sleep.  She is repeating a few words back but not much.

Today we went to the Guangzhou Botanical Gardens and she loved feeding the fish.  My favorite part was the "Sun House" where they grew orchids...beautiful!  The rose garden was also lovely.  Tomorrow we will head to MaoMing City to visit the orphanage.  I cannot wait to see where Zoey spent her first 3 1/2 years.  We should meet her foster mother as well and I'm looking forward to meeting her and hopefully learning more about Zoey from her.  It is a long drive...so we will leave at 6:30 a.m. and not return until tomorrow night.  Thankfully, all 4 MaoMing families from our group are going so we are taking the big bus with reclining seats!  The kids will get to eat at the orphanage and we will get to see how they used to sit and eat their meals.  It will be interesting to see how Zoey reacts.  I'm not expecting much emotion from her but you never know...she might surprise us.

We dressed the girls alike today in the cute leopard-print outfits my Aunt Ginger bought them in OK.  They turned heads everywhere we went and we got some great pictures in the Gardens.  I love them both and am so proud to be their mommy.  My sweet Eden amazes me and seems to grow more lovely and mature each day.  She is an amazing big sister and is so delighted that Zoey is now beginning to let her help her.  My mind cannot fathom what my Zoey has endured.  While I have no reason to believe she was ever mistreated physically...the lack of having a mommy has taken an incredible toll on her...especially with her laid-back personality and developmental delays.  These 2 factors combined with orphanage living created a perfect storm in her little life.  I am, however, grateful for the great care she received by orphanage standards. 

I am so thankful that God, in His great wisdom and grace, placed her in our family.  Being her mommy will stretch and grow me in ways that parenting Eden haven't because they are so different.  There is NO way I can give them both what they need apart from His guiding Spirit and grace, energy, love and endurance.  I feel nervous for what lies ahead.  But I also am reminded of God's answer to the Apostle Paul's pleas for an easier life: "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness."  Paul then said, "Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses so that Christ's power may rest on me."

Over the past several weeks, I have been reading the book "Anything" by Jennie Allen.  A few days before we left for China I read a portion that God has seared into my heart and mind.  I believe it was Him preparing me for what He has called me to do in this season...so I will leave you with her words:

"When you turn your life over to a living God who sees need, who loves desperately, the way He chooses to pour you out will be as unique as the way He formed you in the womb and placed you in your space on the earth.  Some of our anythings feel flashy and fancy, but most of our anythings fall in secret places.

What we once did in order to matter or to bee seen we forgot all about.  We matter and are seen because of love.  Because there is an object to our actions, we move and love and restore not to matter but because we have been moved, loved, and restored.  Radical acts are not the goal; we are truly moved by a Person, in love with Him, with Christ.  And out of that love comes a willingness to trust and hand over our lives.  Out of that, Jesus, because He is merciful, leads us to the unique places where we can give our lives away."

God's priorities are beautiful, and they trickle down into invisible spaces...into neighborhoods and families and friends and strangers.  He will call us to pour our lives into the cracks around us, and sometimes into cracks far from our doorsteps.  But wherever He calls us, we pour, not wishing for a larger crack or a more noticeable one, or even the one we were expecting.  Truly knowing our beautiful and terrifying God will make us willing to do anything."

From Atlanta, GA to Guangdong China - my anything in this season is a little girl who is orphaned no more.  In the coming months I will pour my life into hers with fierce love and determination, stopping at nothing to see her healed and made whole by her Creator.  God is teaching and changing me through her life...and I am humbled.  Loving and serving Christ, my husband, and my 2 girls fills my heart with joy and love.  It isn't a fancy life...but it is wonderfully fulfilling if I remember for Whose sake I do it.

Love you all...please pray for tomorrow to be all that Zoey needs it to be in order to begin to heal and attach to us!

Day One with Zoey

Hello friends...this is Keri posting.  Zoey is napping and Eden is at the pool with Daddy so I have a few moments to try and collect my thoughts on becoming a family of four.  First and foremost, we are grateful...grateful to be here, at this place, at this time.  The Lord performed a miracle getting us here.  My sweet husband worked tirelessly for 2 years to get to this little girl.  Many of you gave sacrificially and prayed for us...and here we are.  The adoption became official this morning when we returned to the Civil affairs office...but let me back up and give you details of yesterday from mama's perspective...

We got up and had our paperwork meeting with Rebecca (our Lifeline person here).  She was AWESOME!  She did a great job of managing our expectations and she even knew some of our kiddos because of Lifeline's partnership with MaoMing.  She actually warned me that Zoey would not like me, or anyone for that matter, because she doesn't do well with strangers.  Part of our paperwork meeting was having the schedule and information about our children that the orphanage sent translated so that we would know what questions we had when we met the orphanage director later on.  Miko (another Lifeline worker who lives here) sat and translated for me.  We found out Zoey's daily schedule, food she eats, bathroom and sleeping routines, and some information about her development and personality.  She was described as delayed, which we knew.  She was described as peaceful and quiet, slow to react, language delayed and cognitively delayed as well as small in size.  We knew most of this before we came.

So, after paperwork we gathered our "bag of tricks" which for us included a Tigger pez despenser (HUGE HIT), Puff snacks, water bottle, and a couple of toys.  Armed with paperwork, cameras, and butterflies in my stomach, we set off for the Civil Affairs office.  Once there, we were herded to sit and wait.  They called all MaoMing families up and started literally pulling the kids one by one out of the playroom and thrusting them at us.  It was chaotic, surreal, and somewhat funny looking back.  Zoey came out last.  I will never forget that moment as long as I live.  Gene, Eden and I were waiting and they shoved her out and she walked out grinning from ear to ear, looking around, having (I'm convinced) absolutely no idea what was going on. She was just looking all around and grinning.

I finally got her attention and took her hand and walked her over to the side so we could officially meet for the first time.  Mother and daughter, father and daughter, sister and sister, grandmother and granddaughter...finally we were on the same continent, in the same country, in the same province, in the same city, in the same room.  Her reaction was so completely different from our experience with Eden that I was taken aback.  Earlier in the day we found out what "foster care" looked like for her.  She spent her days in the orphanage, and had several other children in her foster home...so there is not the strong attachment Eden had with her foster mom.  Plus, Eden lived with one family from 3 months until we got her at 19 months, and Zoey didn't go until she was 2.

Zoey did cry a little bit yesterday, but not enough in my opinion.  She is sweet and funny, but I can tell we have a long way to go to teach her to attach to anyone.  She is cooperative and playful.  She never resists and doesn't seem scared of anything (baths, strollers, new surroundings/people, brushing teeth, changing clothes).  When we are in the hotel room she is much more engaged.  But when we leave the room she completely zones out...it may be just too much for her - or that may be how she normally is...don't know yet.  What I do know is that this little girl THRIVES with one-on-one attention.  She delights in it.  She craves it.

After we brought her back yesterday we played a little, bathed, ate, and went to bed.  She slept great...but has pretty significant repetitive rocking in her sleep.  I'm assuming it's self-soothing habits from long ago and have no idea what to do because Eden didn't do that.  She woke up happy and smiling this morning.  Ate a great breakfast and then we went back to Civil Affairs to finalize the adoption.  Hasn't cried a bit today...once again, that's not normal.  Any "normal" 3 1/2 year old would be freaking out if they were just taken away less than 24 hours ago from everything familiar.  Eden grieved so hard, and Zoey not at all so far.  So, we will just take it day by day and let the experts at the International Adoption Clinic help us when we get home. 

I'm gonna be transparent here for a minute...I'd rather her be grieving.  With Eden, her grief was so deep that I knew she was very attached to her foster mother.  What I see in Zoey - and it is WAY too early to know for sure - is a little girl who has never truly attached.  She has definitely been well cared for physically.  She has been played with and watched and fed.  I am so grateful for that.  But she is so detached...from everything.  She watches and observes us - which is good.  But I honestly think if I let her, she would sit and play by herself all day long.  When I sit in the floor with her she lights up like a Christmas tree.  When we are alone in the room she will look me in the eye and somewhat engage...but out in public she completely closes down.  Some of this could be her developmental delay...not sure yet.  I do sense (once again too early to know for sure) that there is a true delay there and not just normal orphanage delays.

Oh, and she will eat until she makes herself sick.  So we will have to work on that, too. 

Overall, we are doing wonderfully.  Eden has been incredible.  Loving, patient, kind, and helpful.  Zoey won't engage her much but definitely isn't mean to her.  I think she's more used to playing around other kids than with them, which is typical for her age.  I know it won't be long until she loves her big sister.  I'm thankful there are 2 little girls and 2 little boys Eden's age who are biological kids in our travel group so the siblings are having a great time together while mommys and daddys focus on new little ones.  As usual, my mom is selflessly serving us however we need her to.  I am so grateful for her!

That's all for now...need to get her up so she'll sleep tonight.  Thank you for your prayers.  Love you all!

Christmas Ornament Site Is Up and Running!

Our Christmas ornaments site to raise money for adoption is up and running!  Click below to visit online and purchase a handmade ornament (or two)...

Mother's Day

I rarely post here these days, but I wanted to take the opportunity to thank my wife, Keri, for being such a wonderful mother and wife.  I think back to July 23, 2007 standing in that hot room on the second floor of the social services building in Wuhan.  We saw the back of Eden's head over the shoulder of her caregiver for the first time and all that waiting finally became real. Frankly I was just out of it--excited, but thinking too much to be feeling anything.

Keri, on the other hand, was full of emotion that ran the gamut. She laughed, she cried. Eden cried mostly.  I think any parent has doubts about whether they are up to the task. I certainly did walking out of that room and back to the bus, our adopted daughter in hand for the first time.  I never had any doubt of Keri, though. She has been a wonderful wife, and that day she added "mom" to her title and I have never ceased to be amazed the skill, talent and love she brings to that role.

So to moms on Mother's Day, thank you.  To my wife on Mother's Day, thank you, I love you, and I can't wait for the Uganda side of our family expansion in the coming months.  And I promise to pick my stuff up off the floor more often.

Blessings Abound!

Great news everyone! First, thanks to all of you who prayed for my friends the McMullans. The judge granted their request and their court date was TODAY! Is God good or what?

And, IT'S A GIRL!!! Yes, my sister is having a girl. The ultrasound technician broke her leg (how random) and Kelly had to wait a whole 'nother 24 hours to find out the sex of the baby. So finally, with great joy I officially announce to the blog world the pending arrival of my precious niece, Ellie Kate Herndon. (I haven't confirmed the spelling so I better check on that).

Eden is in Mother's Day Out today (go "Groovy 2's!) so I am going to go upstairs to try and finish sewing her Auburn jumper. Love you all!

Prayer Request

Hey friends. I wanted to ask you to please pray for my friend, Linda McMullan and her family. They departed on August 11 to adopt in Ukraine. After 3 appointments, they finally accepted a referral for a beautiful 5 year old girl, Ivanna (they will name her Jenni). This has been a ROLLER COASTER ride for them, and they just found out their court date isn't until Oct. 17th. Then, there's a 10-day waiting period after that. They've already been there close to 2 months, so they are petitioning the judge to move the court date up to this week, and waive the 10 day wait. They are trusting God's sovereignty, but are obviously so discouraged and anxious. They just want to get their daughter and come home. Their 5-year-old son is with them also. Please pray for them. I know all of you who have adopted understand just what they are feeling. Thank you for praying for them.

One Year Later

It's hard to believe it's been a year since Keri and I stood in a rather sparsely furnished room in Wuhan, China on the second floor of the Civil Affairs Office and looked across an aisle of chairs at a little girl for the first time. She was scared to death and so were we. But we were also excited and anxious and ready to smother her with all the love we had been saving up on the 15,000 mile trip from Birmingham, Alabama.

A year later and much has changed in our own lives and in little Eden's life. We never imagined she would be so funny and smart and strange and interesting all at the same time. Those first few days were filled with sadness for her--but the Lord answered our prayers then to join her heart with ours. And God continues to answer our prayers as Eden grows into a sweet, loving, outgoing and beautiful girl.

This past weekend we took a trip to Georgia to visit the "Cabbage Patch Hospital" where the popular children's dolls are "born." We thought it fitting on the anniversary of Eden's adoption that we would celebrate by letting her "adopt" a doll of her very own. She chose a baby boy doll and named him "Moses"--I think she identifies with him when she sees him on the TV floating in a basket down a river in Egypt and being adopted by an Egyptian mother...

Here's a quick video of the experience, along with some recent pictures of Eden and our family. To all who have made the journey with us, personally and through prayer and friendships, thank you and God bless you. Our lives are richer than we could imagine and we give God all the credit for everything good He has done for us. Most of all, we thank Him for allowing us to shepherd the heart of a little girl that He brought to us from half a world away.

Eden Hope Eve

Today is what I call "Eden Eve." One year ago today we were one night away from meeting our sweet daughter for the first time. I remember feeling so nervous, excited, and emotional. I was about to become a mommy for the first time. And a little girl was about to become a daughter for the first time. And a foster mom was about to have to say goodbye to the child she had loved and cared for for 13 months. It was the boldest step of faith I have ever taken to begin down the road to adoption. To say God has provided and poured out His mercy and grace is an understatement. I will post more tomorrow. But here are some pictures of what we were doing in Wuhan, China this time last year...

We were filling out our paperwork to take Eden into our custody.

This is some of what we wrote.

I set up a little play area with toys we brought from home, and made up her crib.

I packed a diaper bag with diapers, toys and snacks. I had no idea what I would need for her.

Katie Lyn, one of the children traveling with us, put photos of our soon-to-be babies on our hotel room doors as a surprise for us.

I can't believe it's been a year!!!

Jaw-Dropping Moment

Sorry I don't have any photos to post...I still haven't sat down to do the slideshow. But, I had to do a quick post about something that happened Thursday that literally made my jaw drop. For those of you who know Eden, she is quite the verbal, insightful, and sometimes bossy little 2 1/2-year-old...kind of like her mommy :0) Anyway, last Sunday they had to come get me out of our worship service because she wouldn't stop crying. This is the first time in a year that this has happened. They said she just sat in a rocking chair and refused to move because she was, "waiting for mommy."

The workers in our church nursery have walked this journey with us and are sensitive to Eden's attachment issues and the process of bonding that our family has been through. As soon as I got her, she was fine. Well, this past Thursday my friend was over to visit and I was telling her what happened. She said to Eden, "Eden, why were you crying? Were you afraid mommy wasn't coming back?" And Eden said, "Yes." Then my friend said, "That's silly, you know mommy always comes back." And then Eden said, clear as day, "My China mommy didn't come back." My friend and I just sat there for a minute, stunned and jaws open.

We talk a lot about Eden's foster mom when we look at photos and watch China video. It was apparent 5 minutes after they placed Eden in my arms that she had a healthy attachment to the foster mom who cared for her for the 15 months before we adopted her. But I have never said those words to her and she has never said them to me. We always just acknowledge who she is in photos and I tell her how much mommy loves her and how grateful we are for her, and how much she loved Eden.

I was shocked when she acknowledged verbally that fear that I know lives way down deep in any child's heart who has been taken away from someone they loved so much, and then learned to love another mommy and daddy. I explained to her that her foster mom didn't really "leave" her, it was time for her to come home forever. God sent her foster mom to take care of her until mommy and ba-ba could come bring her home. And when we came, God sent her foster mom to care for another baby while they waited for their mommy. I told her that her foster mom would always love her. Then Eden looked at me and said, very matter-of-factly, "Mommy came to China to get me." I said, "yes, baby." Then she got up and started playing.

I've read and heard so much about these subconscious memories and fears, and I've even seen evidence of it in Eden's behavior over the past year. But I honestly never thought that a child adopted at 19 months would be able to verbalize so well a year later. I know every child is different and there's no "right or wrong" way to handle these issues. I've chosen to speak very openly about her adoption as a blessing. I'm so glad now that the Lord led us to parent her this way. We often look at China travel books, photos of our trip, pray for her foster mom and other orphans, and she LOVES to watch the DVD, and seems aware of the sadness she felt on Gotcha Day.

I just had to share this because it so profoundly impacted me. The thing is, she wasn't grieved or upset...it was so simple and factual the way she said it. Reading between the lines it was like she was saying, "Well, I know mommy always comes back, but my China mommy didn't so sometimes I still get scared....bare with me people."

Anyway, our Gotcha Day is next Wednesday, July 23rd and I fully expect to cry all day long. I can't believe it's been a year. I can't believe this child is home and thriving. I feel so humbled to be her mommy. I'll post photos and video soon...I PROMISE!

Six Months With Eden Hope

Wow! I can't believe we have been Eden's parents for a little over 6 months now. The official anniversary was Jan. 23rd so I'm a little late with this post. I've been mulling over how to communicate what it's like to look back over the past 6 months, or really the past 2 1/2 years and see what God has done. There honestly are no words. The only thing I can say, as tears are literally streaming down my face, is this precious baby is worth every second, day, week, month and year we waited. Do you hear me mommies who are waiting to adopt? I PROMISE it's worth it. Hang in there. During the 20 months we waited, I said to myself so many times, "Hang on, Keri. Once you meet your daughter there will never be a day that you will look at her and think this hardship wasn't worth it." Boy were those thoughts and words straight from God's mouth to my ear.

I can't remember life without her. What did I do all day? What made me laugh? I literally laugh all day long with her here. She is such a delight...that's what her name means in the Hebrew...delightful, paradise. That describes her perfectly.

Being a mommy certainly brings headaches and hassles...but it is so minor compared to the joy and fulfillment so I don't even want to focus on that temporary stuff.

I guess one of the most profound changes in me has been the humility God has worked in my heart. This baby started out so sad and broken with us. Every day I wake up since July 23, 2007, God heals her in some small way...and we get to be His healing touch in her life. He has used us to make her well. This humbles me beyond words because I know it's not me, but Him working through me in her life. I remember the first time she hugged me. I mean really hugged me out of love. I remember the first time she called me "Mommy." No one else gets called that, even though she called me and many other females "mama." I remember the first time she cried when I left, showing that she cares. I remember the first day without any grief tantrums. So many small miracles. So much healing. So much grace and mercy.

I'm going to end this post with photos that kind of sum up our journey to Eden. There are a lot of photos so make sure you get them all because they might go on to the next page. The last one will be a January 2008 photo. Hope you enjoy celebrating and remembering all God has done! Love you all!

Our first photo of Eden received December 2006. She was 8 months old in this photo.

Our second photo, received January 2007. Eden was 13 months old.

Daddy assembling the crib in May 2007.

Daddy putting the curtains up that Sandra Watkins made for Eden's room.

Daddy putting the bookshelf together. I promise I worked, too. I painted the walls and furniture but Gene wasn't there to take photos!

May 2007...the nursery is ready. We're just waiting, waiting, waiting for that LOA and Travel Approval!

We received this photo on June 13, 2007...2 days before we flew to China. Eden was 18 months old in this photo.

Preparing to board the plane in Birmingham, AL on June 15, 2007.

Sightseeing in Beijing. We are about to climb the Great Wall. This is about 5 days before we met Eden.

Filling out our paperwork in Wuhan (Eden's city) the day before we met her.

I call this photo "Eden Eve." I laid all the toys out the night before "Gotcha Day" and I cried the whole time.

8:00 a.m. July 23, 2007. Gotcha Day...preparing to head to the Civil Affairs Office to pick Eden up.

This is Eden sitting with the nanny before we were able to get her. Notice that she's looking at the photo Gene and I sent her in a care package in February 2007.

First family photo...before the crying began.

This is my favorite photo from China. When Eden started crying, my heart broke into a million pieces for her and I began to cry, too. I pray I never have to watch her grieve that deeply again.

Eden is still crying on the bus ride back to the hotel. All the parents started singing "Jesus Loves the Little Children" to try and calm our little ones.

Eden finally fell asleep on Gotcha Day after crying for a couple of hours. She wore herself out.

This is where Eden lived before she went into foster care. We said goodbye to the orphanage for the last time.

This is the view out of the orphanage window. According to the orphanage director, Eden likely lived in one of these buildings, as the foster parents live very close to the orphanage.

Arriving home in Birmingham, August 1, 2007.

Our friends made a sign to welcome us home.

This is Eden meeting our social worker at Lifeline, Karla, for the first time. I can't imagine what it's like for her to see all these babies come home!

Eden playing in her room for the first time the day we got home with her new friend, Alex DeVane.

August 2007, first month home.

September 2007, second month home.

October 2007, third month home.

November 2007, fourth month home.

December 2007, fifth month home.

January 2008, sixth month home.