Noni's China Journals: Gotcha Day at Last!

Here is a picture I couldn't find for my Thursday post. This is the Big Sister's Club party in Noni's room.

Three girls whose lives were going to be changed forever by the blessing of a new baby sister and brother! (The young lady in the middle was going to get a 2 year old brother!)

The Big Sister's Club Party!

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Sunday is Mother's Day and I am preaching. I can't concentrate on getting the sermon together because I am a melting pot of emotions! I started these China Journals for you all to go to China with me and see what I saw and feel what I felt.

Life is full of joy and pain no matter where you live in this big world. I just opened an email from a friend who has possibly miscarried. I visited another friend's carepages site to see the pictures of her precious little girl fighting for her life in the NICU unit. Those represent some trying times and I am remembering our times in the NICU unit.

Tomorrow, or today by the time you read this, we celebrate one of the most joyous events of our lives- the one year anniversary of holding Mia in our arms for the first time.

By the way, I want to share with you what the word "adopted" means to me.

Simply put, adopted means chosen one.

I have one chosen child and I have three given children.

I chose one and God gave me three~

all four precious, all four loved, all four greatly adored!

Glenda has shared some beautiful and powerful thoughts on her blog~ all from a mother's perspective. But do you know what it feels like to watch your daughter~ your precious and beautiful chosen child~ sit in a waiting room in a foreign country waiting for her name to be called so she can hold her chosen child? I looked at her sitting between her husband and her four year old. They watched as other names were called. It was one of those silent movie/slow motion memories......

Just typing this is making me cry. Want to go with me to China again via blog world?

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I remember hearing the squeals from my hotel room. Moms came down the hall shouting, "Its time to get our babies!" We gathered in the magnificent lobby. Everyone was bubbly. This was the moment they had traveled half way around the world for!

I watched the three couples that didn't have children of their own yet. The shuffling of feet and wringing of hands betrayed their nervous energy. You could see the longing in their hearts by looking in their eyes. Their eyes were different because they had never had the joy of cradling a baby in their arms. ALL of the families wanted these babies so badly! All of them had the longing in their eyes and hearts. Some just already knew what the joys of parenthood would feel like.

The bus came.

Another eruption of joy and applause!

It was kind of quiet on the ride to the government agency compared to the nervous chatter from the lobby.

(Macy watching to see where she would meet her new sister!)

The waiting room.

The guides, Maggie and Rosa, explained the procedure. "It would go fast. Names would be called and babies brought in. Get the cameras ready and move quickly!"

Boy, they weren't kidding!

McMath!

Brad and Glenda jumped up. I was supposed to be capturing the historical moment on video camera. I couldn't get there fast enough. The next thing I knew this beautiful baby girl was in my daughter's arms!

We went to the couch to get acquainted with our Mia. I filmed while Brad, Glenda and Macy talked and cooed to their newest family member.

Mia was fascinated with Macy.

She was beautiful. Dark hair and dark eyes ~ eyes that were hauntingly empty. They say you can see one's soul by looking into the eyes. Her eyes were simply empty.

Can you imagine missing the warmth of a mother's embrace when hungry or wet?

Can you imagine missing the loving caress or snuggles and kisses - constantly?

Can you imagine missing the adoration of a father and the touch of his gentle strength?

A small life void of those things produces emptiness.

All of these little girls were beautiful.

All of these little girls had empty eyes.

"Mom. Do you want to hold her?"

"Mom?"

Glenda was talking to me.!

My heart turned somersaults! I had a flashback of holding Macy for the first time.

The next thing I knew, a baby, the weighed next to nothing, was in my arms, and tears were streaming down my face.

She looked at me.

I had already loved this child from the depth of my being, but in that instant, a wave of emotion flooded my soul like nothing I had ever felt.

In that instant, the second generation of adoption was made more beautiful to me than I could possibly have imagined.

Adoption to me means chosen one.

I chose a child and she chose a child.

Chosen.

May 9th we celebrate Gotcha Day with Mia.

September 15th we celebrate Gotcha Day with Glenda.

These are our Chosen Girls.

On January 7th, February 13th, May 14th, and May 16th we celebrate our Given Girls and Guy.

Never to be abandoned

Never to be unwanted

Always loved

Always on this mom's heart

Chosen.
Given.

I am blessed! Exceedingly, abundantly more than I could ever ask or even imagine ~

I am s0 blessed.

Happy Mother's Day to me! :)

Happy Mother's Day to all of you!

Hug and kiss your babies and your mom~ if you can.

blessings,

dorinda

(I don't usually post over the weekends, but PLEASE check back Sunday! I have a very special tribute to my AWESOME mother.)

Here are a couple of Gotcha Day pictures~ priceless: