Two Years Ago Today...

Karleigh Mei became ours! What a day it was!

Poor little thing had to make a 7 hour trip from her orphanage to meet us and had spent the night in a hotel. No telling what she was thinking.

Sweet baby walked into that room trying to act like she wasn't afraid of anything. And yet you could see fear written all over her face.

And she didn't want to look at us.

We were pretty strange looking. :)

This was the first time I was able to get my hands on her.

In the cab on the way back to our hotel. I can see it now. How scared she was. I've NEVER seen this look on her face except those first few days.  My darling girl...

Back at the hotel room, she was ready to leave. She had gathered her things and was waiting by that door. PRAISE GOD she didn't know how to open it!! She still would not look at me. She only looked at me through the mirror on the closet door. 

 And when she finally did look at me...the saddest cry came out. Completely broke my heart and I began crying too. Don't think that was what I was supposed to do.

That first week with her was HARD!!!!

So many times I just wanted to get on that plane and head home to my comfy life I had had before. She bonded with Karl almost immediately. Not so with me.

But God. BUT GOD!!! He is so faithful!! Slowly our hearts were molded together. She was just as scared as I was. You can see it in these pics...

At the medical appointment. She's so unsure of what is going on. And I was so afraid she wouldn't pass. She had a TERRIBLE ear infection. We found out once we got home that her ear drum had burst. Poor baby!

That hip carrier was the BEST decision I made! This helped our bonding so significantly!!

And soon...we both became comfortable with one another.

And we fell in love with each other. {and starbu*cks might have helped!}

And once home, she was not as scared. She was crowned "Princess" as soon as she stepped in the house. And you can see a bit of  a smile in these pics...and her guard coming down. 

We celebrated last year at Chi*ck Fil A for lunch with Daddy. 

I love this sweet face!

And today! My beautiful, happy, sweet girl!

I love you so, my Karleigh Mei!!

And as a side note, and many may not agree with me. Not every adopted child is the same. Not every child wants to remember their life in the orphanage or the culture that they have come from. And I have many reasons to believe she was loved in the orphanage. I have really struggled with how to handle this with our darling girl. I love the beautiful country of China and the people that live there. I love the holidays and customs that they celebrate. But I love my girl even more. She does not like to talk about China. She has an incredible memory, but has chosen not to remember the people or experiences she had her first 3 years of life. And we HAVE talked about it. We've looked at past pictures. I've made her a beautiful Lifebook that is available to her whenever she wants to look at it.

 She wants more than anything to be ours. To not have a doubt that she's ours. She does not want to belong to "China". Has anyone experienced this with their adopted child?? I pray all the time that the Lord will lead us as to how to raise THIS child! 

This morning when KM was getting ready for school, I pulled her close and asked her, "Do you know what today is? It's the day that Daddy and I flew to China and we got you! Do you remember that day? It was a scary and wonderful day all wrapped into one, wasn't it?" to which she replied, "I was born in China, mommy. And you were born in California? Right?".  That is how she ends all discussion of "China". 

So for now, we are taking the Lord's lead and hers. We talk about where everyone was born. Almost everyone in the family was born in a different place. And that makes her feel not any different than anyone else in the family. And you know what? She's not! :)