My girl...

It's been exactly one year since we received our little one in Changsha, Hunan.  She was a 14 pound (and we think undernourished) scared little person.  She could sit up, roll over, and pull up.  She could not sit up from lying down, crawl, or walk.  Two months after we received her she was walking everywhere.  She can run, climb, stack blocks, talk (individual words only so far), undress (I'm not fond of this achievement.), and has a healthy attachement to her family.  She loves her grandparents and other family members and will go to others after a few minutes of checking them out and seeing that we accept them.  (like my pal Hollie!)  She eats well and has gained about 6 pounds in the year we have had her.  She reminds us to pray at every meal, usually before we're all at the table and ready!  She is addicted to a certain teddy bear and blankie.  She likes books and songs with motions, meaning Zaccheus and Itsy Bitsy Spider are big here these days, along with Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.  Betsie is more active than I remember her sisters being, so that means you better keep an eye on her all the time!  I am thankful for certain videos and toys that can hold her attention and let me teach the bigger girls. 

I am so thankful for the last year we have had with Betsie.  It has been a challenge going back to the baby/toddler stage, but so worth it.  She has brought a lot of joy to our family.

I am thinking of her birth family today and praying for them.  I am also praying about how to talk to Betsie about her beginnings when she starts wondering about it.  I already pray for them and thank God for letting me be her mommy when I pray with her at night, so she won't remember a time when this wasn't talked about.   I am also thinking of our wonderful travel group and their little ones.  They are all thriving in their families too and I miss them!  My travel mate and friend Heather sent me some new pictures today from "Gotcha Day" and I was so excited!  Heather, I have a few of Julia from China I can email you too!

The plan for celebrating is a Chinese dinner and decorations.  Maybe some Chinese clothing if anyone is up to it.  Since we just started the Feingold plan, this will all be at home instead of a Chinese restaurant.  I am making chicken fried rice, spring rolls, and jello for the picky eater who shall remain nameless.

Here are the pictures Heather sent me.

This would have been just after she was handed to us.  Notice she is NOT happy about  me holding her.   That must be a hard thing for the caregivers to do.  Jason and I are trying to manage paperwork, cameras, and a crying baby.  There is no big ceremony.   They compare your paperwork to your passprt and hand you the child.  It happens really fast!

This one is a few minutes later.  Betsie has stopped crying but she didn't give one hoot about the doll I was trying to show her.  She never has cared about that doll!  The family on the left  are some of our travel mates.  They don't live too far from us and their daughter is doing really well too.  Don't they look happy?!

And here she is now...so big and so curious and so full of life!  We love you Betsie!