Angel's Adoption is finalized!

This an an awefully sweet letter I go from Nina/Flowers mom after we had Angel/Ana get adopted yesterday. It comes with a well arranged slide show. We were at the same office doing the same sorts of things.

NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH

What better month to have this amazing recognition of family through the miracle of adoption then November, the month of thanks! We are so grateful for the choice of adoption. It has changed our lives and given us so much joy and awesome experiences. We were completely lead in our decision and it was amazing to watch everything fall into place from the very beginning. Both of us have always loved the idea of adoption and knew we would, with the exception of a couple of years from 2003 to 2005 where it just seemed to overwhelming a process. Now we know why. If we had gone through it then, we wouldn't have the amazing Miss Flower in our lives now! Her entire story and how she came to be apart of our family is so inspiring. We are so grateful for Flower's birth parents and are saddened that they will never see what and amazing little person she is. The pain they must have suffered while abandoning her, thinking they could never give her the medical attention she needed and not knowing whether she'd survive is heart wrenching. They will never know that she is perfect and thriving. Thank you to whoever you are. You have blessed our lives immensely and we love you for that selfless act. And then there's Amanda! If she had not scooped up our little Flower from the Big O at just 4 months, she likely wouldn't be here today. What an amazing lady filled with love! She made our adoption such a wonderful experience. She made the wait bearable by providing us with photos of Flower almost everyday. She has such a big heart full of love and compassion for these babies! We will forever be in debt to her for the love she showered on Flower some of the most important months of her life! We love you very much!

Here we are with Flower on our Gotcha Day, just 10 short months ago!

http://www.rockyou.com/show_my_gallery2.php?instanceid=52904245

Well yesterday was a bitter sweet day, as all adoptions are. Angel woke up and I could tell that she was purlexed about what was going on. What I did not realize that she was not feeling very well on top of that. We got her ready and three of us were running around her trying to get her weighed, measured, foot printed and bathed for the last time. We got her all decked out and then gave her some breakfast before we took pictures with all the nannies and soon it was 8:15 am and time to leave.

We got to the Civil Affairs Bureau a little early. The babies from the orphanage had not arrived yet and so we waited for a while. Soon all nine the parents came with four children and I got to meet and hug Patrick and Jennifer. I was so glad that we got some quiet time before the rest of the kids arrived. Angel handled everything so beautifully!!!! She allowed her parents to hug and hold her and did not cry at all. I was just waiting for that distinctive sound to start and it never happened. At times being in the Adoption Office is really hard for me, because there is such pitiful cries. Yesterday a little boy cream cried for a long while. I want to hold him and whisper in his ear that everything was going to okay and that there were such wonderful things waiting for him.

We split up for a while while they went to take pictures and Kay, Brittany and I went to the Sofitel hotel next door to go and have some brunch. I think they have the best fries I have ever eaten. They are these HUGE steak fries. About 10 McDonald's fries together.

Later we met up again and we got to sit and talk about all the wild experiences we have had and how they got to adopt again. Ana is going to be the younger sister of Sophie whom the adopted two years ago. By afternoon Ana had a noisy rattle in her chest and I just loved watching Patrick and Jennifer take care of her needs. She finally fell asleep in her mom's arms and did not even wake up when her dad took over. I am so grateful for the love they are going to shower her with and for the life she will have because of their willingness to adopt.

It was a great day for us at Starfish and Angel/Ana made us look really good. I am so grateful for the miracle that it is to watch in person the "birthing" of a family. That moment when a parents gets to see and hold their child for the first time and I see the possibilities of a new life in the making.

When I got home last night Heather was so incredibly sweet. She was belly laughing every time Benjamin hit his bottle with his hands. Benjamin would not stop. He was just loving her reaction. Heather is getting stronger by the day. She has started weight bearing and is able to stand for longer periods of time.

In honor of Angel/Ana's adoption I will be starting the paperwork for another four babies today. Rose, Cailean, Christopher and Erica will have their finding ad pictures submitted to the orphanage. That means that they have their picture in the newspaper for two months to make sure no one is looking for them or they have not been kidnapped.

So grateful about the Life, Love and Laughter I get to expereince on a daily basis,
Amanda

Minus one Angel in my foster home, but tucked in safely with her parents.

Starfish Foster Home
http://www.chinesestarfish.org/
http://chinesestarfish.blogspot.com/