Our referral anniversary is coming up!

Dear Family and Friends,

Can you all believe it's been nearly one year since I got my referral from China? November 16th for me - though the rest of my group did get theirs November 5th. I know now that my Sophie from Xiu Shui would not have been in the group of referrals that came on the 5th, so God was holding my little one back so that her paperwork would match up perfectly with my own paperwork in China.

I am so blessed to have her as my daughter. She fits so perfectly in my family. I am often amazed at how many things she will do or of her physical characteristics and mannerisms that remind me of my biological family members. The way she tilts her head and stares off into space reminds me of my nephew, Ian. The way her thumbs are double jointed and she contorts them into a Z shape is something my niece, Haley, does too! The way she plays with the cuff of her sleeves is something my grandmother, Yvonne, would do, and the way Sophie walks (my little flat footed beauty!), is just like my grandmother, Angelina, used to walk! Yes, just as adoption was God's plan for me, my daughter was God's plan for my family! Thank you, LORD, for making our family complete.

Michelle - got your message - the girls are welcome to come over ANY time they want! You know how much Sophie adores them! Maybe you, Chris and the girls would like to come to dinner???

Kim - hair styles in our house are an issue! Her hair is too thin to do much with and too short in all the wrong places! I wish I could braid it like you do for Natalie! Hair bobs for Sophie are really just extra toys that she doesn't have to carry in her hands! Sooner or later they end up in her bed, the floor, the toy box, her lunch bag, the car seat, the floor of the car.. you get the picture!

Shawn - I do so remember this time last year. For me it was the longest two weeks of my life - those first two weeks in November! But, I do remember with fondness the slumber parties with the Queen - my favorite you tube video is STILL the one with the runway model falling off those ridiculous high healed platform shoes! Just in case you don't remember which one I mean, here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36WgNX_--hI

I'll post pictures separately as I can't seem to get the spacing right with what I write and how I post the pictures!!

Blessings,
Chinamom and Sophie