Half way to home

Our guide Cordelia told us that Chaeli’s name Yen Yen (in Cantonese) means someone who helped you when you were in a difficult situation and came to your rescue. Yen Yen can mean different things depending upon the characters but in Chaeli’s case it means a specific thing (someone who came to help you and save you when you were in a very difficult time). For those of you who know us well you know what last year was like for Dan and me. It was probably the most trying year of our lives, and yet over and over again God came to our rescue and was with us. When I heard the meaning of Chaeli’s name I got choked up. Yen Yen will always be a reminder to me of what God did in our lives, and how He gave us the greatest blessings in 2006. Surely He did come to our rescue at a time when we needed Him most.

Today was our group photo day. We lined up the babies in our group on the famous White Swan Red Couch for a photo. The babies started screaming almost immediately! We tried to take the picture as quickly as possible. Chaeli is on the far right. The rest of our group flies home tomorrow morning, but Dan and I have 6 days left here in Guangzhou. I have also included a picture of Mia and Chaeli (both crying) on the red chair. These two little beauties were in the same orphanage together (you might have remembered that). Don’t they look sweet in their Chinese clothes?

Chaeli and I had so much fun today! Dan had to work so we headed off for a Mommy/daughter day around the Island. Having Chaeli is like having a live baby doll. She is so much fun to hold and dress and kiss. I love playing with her. She gives me so much happiness! Dan said it is amazing how he can say just about anything to me now and it doesn’t even phase me because I am just so happy with my girl! Half the time I am not even aware of the rest of my surroundings because I am just so mesmerized by my girl! Truth is we fight to hold her and love her. She smells so good and is such a cuddle bunny! You just wait…you will see what we mean!

Chaeli is really thriving in our arms. Everyday she does more and more and becomes more active (last night we thought we saw a little red chinese dragon in her!) She was a live one that’s for sure and didn’t go to bed until almost 10!

When we first received Chaeli she didn’t quite know what to do with the toys we brought her, but each day she plays with a new one and really explores the sounds and textures of each one of them. It is exciting to see her mind developing and growing. Chaeli also loves to suck on the corner of towels (funny huh?) We think it is a texture thing – probably feels good on her gums. Another thing we have noticed is that when we first got Chaeli she was much more solemn and serious. We rarely saw her smile big enough to show her teeth. But now Chaeli is almost constantly laughing and smiling and her 4 teeth are so noticeably white all the time! What a happy, pretty baby!

We have as much fun taking pictures of Chaeli awake as we do asleep. When I see her sleeping peacefully I think of all those months that I prayed for her when she was in her orphanage in that metal crib. It is so hard for me to imagine that she was alone most of the time, without a Mommy or a daddy. Now when Chaeli cries or is hungry she has 2 people right there to comfort her, but for the first 10 months of her life it was not like that. I still think of all of those babies lying there just waiting for someone to come and love them and take them home. We thank God that He led us to China. We believe it is the greatest blessing we could have been given…like being put on the road to a secret paradise. We were the lucky ones to receive this little girl, and if we could we would take another and another.

Well we are halfway through our China trip with 6 days remaining here in Guangzhou. I can’t believe how far from home we are. I looked at a map of China a day ago and my mind couldn’t even fathom how far away from our little culdesac that we were. We are on the other side of the world, and with the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. Sometimes I wonder how we got here to this place and time? I seriously don’t know how my life would have been without the face of Chaeli in it. Everyday that I wake up I look at her and play with her and love her all over again. This adoption story has unfolded in such a way, such a good way, that I never comprehended all it would be. How could I?

We wonder how it is that Chaeli can keep giving us so much when we came here to give it all to her? I say it all the time, but Chaeli is my best gift ever. My beloved sons will always be my sons, closer in to me than any, for they were a part of me from the beginning, woven of the very fabric of me. But Chaeli is my surprise gift, brought to me later in life, by the mercy of a loving God. She is my black pearl from the pearl river, made so far far away from me, but nevertheless completely mine. She was not my design. I could not fashion her even if I tried. She was made by a much more beautiful face. A gentler heart. The fingertips of God painted her every detail, exactly for me. Heaven knew my secret longings and gave me more (much more) than I was even asking for. My present is miraculous. She is the voice of hope, the kiss of youth, and the beauty of sweeteness being poured out. Every time I hold her I am reminded of how much my Lord loves me. That He would give me all of this… It is too much for me to take in. I am overwhelmed by His love.

Chaeli has brought out such feelings in me, emotions that I didn’t even know I had left in me to give. Every morning it pours out of me, new and full again. She is my precious little girl and I care not that I had to wait so long to receive her. I would start it all over again if I had to. Chaeli was worth the wait and I know now that those 22 months were a small sacrifice for what we were soon to receive. She is the water we thirsted for. Nothing could have quenched our hearts like her. It was always Chaeli. My heart crashed against every wave of the sea on my way to her. I was being drawn to the little Yen Yen who was waiting for me. I tell Danny all the time that I will never leave this little girl. She will never be without me. It is hard for me to even turn from her. I want to see her face always before me for she reminds me how great our God is. We love you all and look forward to bringing our girl home very soon now. She is really crawling all over the place! I wish I could keep her just as she is for all of you to see but I’m afraid this little girl is in a big hurry to experience it all and to catch up on everything she has missed!

Love Sheila & Dan.