| On June 12, 2007 ... Dan, Beth and Kaley (7) boarded a plane to China. We'd left Jacob, Sam and Luke with their Grandparents. Excitedly, we jumped on that plane bound for Beijing by way of LA and Guangzhou. 2 days later, we landed ... exhausted, but ready to be there. I remember trying to stay awake until bedtime ... I almost made it. The next few days are a blur of siteseeing. It's strange the things you remember as time passes. It's strange the things you forget. I'm amazed at how well the trip went. Sure there were "challenges" like 2 flat tires, a van that didn't quite work so well. But no one got sick. There were no major mis-haps like lost luggage, cancelled flights. Over the next few days, I found myself struggling to remain grounded in the reality of the moment ... that we were in China. All I wanted to do was get to my daughter ... NOW. We saw the Great Wall, Forbidden City, etc. We did some shopping... actually, DAN did shopping thankfully. If it were up to me, we would have come home with nothing - not because I didn't want stuff, only because I was so on a one track mind. June 17 we drove to Taiyuan ... quite the experience. I still laugh as I think about all the mishaps on that adventure. Sure the easy thing would have been to fly, but I'm so thankful we decided to drive. We would have missed perspective of Zoe's province... some beautiful, some horrific, all of it smoky. I still remember going to bed that night, looking at the empty crib, wondering how she would be. I know most kids are terrified or grieving. Some pitch fits or cry a lot, some just shut down. I was completely unprepared for what would happen ... she acted like she'd known us forever. Quite the shock ... what I'd asked for in prayer, but still a shock. I kept waiting for the other shoe to fall and it never did. June 18: I recall that day in some detail on Zoe's 6 month post placement if you want to read that. But as I look back on that day, I am still amazed at how easy it was on her and on us. Today, Zoe is a healthy happy well adjusted little girl. She is full of life and she loves to discover the daily new adventures. As I type this, she is swimming in our pool ... she runs and jumps in, just like life! As her Mommy, I still ponder and muse on her future ... of what life will bring. But I know that whatever she faces, she will do it with grace and zest. She will be a mighty woman of God. Her name "Life of Words" is so prophetic. She loves to sing and talk ... I can just envision her following in my footsteps of being a motivational speaker and singer/songwriter. Then there are days I see her becoming a doctor who changes the world with her intellect. Then again, maybe a comedian ... bringing joy to the world. Whatever you do ... you will be a bright, shining star! |
| That was then ... this is now! |