Showing posts with label Referral Anniversary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Referral Anniversary. Show all posts
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Four Years Ago We Met The Most Precious Little Girl!
Four years ago we received our referral for Meng Ru. Four years ago we met a little girl that would change our hearts forever. God would use her, and our experience with her, to lead us and others on a path that would define our family in ways that we could never have imagined. We learned about her on a speaker phone.. We saw her face the first time on our computer screens.. We fell in love at Ni Hao.
Today as I took Ruby's annual picture it brought back every single detail of that amazing day!... This time Ruby had someone by her side waiting to jump in the picture with her.. Her sister, her pal, her sidekick... God knew four years ago that they would be together... I'm sure glad He didn't tell us that day... Sometimes the beauty in the journey are the surprises along the way!
Because of Ruby, I am reminded that there are so many blessings in the wait.. I am thankful for this precious child! Her inner joy is beyond measure! She is smart, funny, adorable and so easy to love! We give thanks for this very special day four years ago! We love you Ruby!!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Celebrating Ruby's Referral From China!
2007
2008
2009
2010
Three years ago God blessed us with a baby! At the time a seven month old from a little village in Jiangxi. Over time we would grow to love our Jiangxi Jewel beyond what we could have ever imagined. Ruby has brought us true joy, and we still marvel at the gift of Her Rubiness!
I can't wait to get home to scoop her up, and rub noses! We love you Ruby! Bigger than we can ever stretch are arms out for you!!!
"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him." ~1Samuel 1:27
Friday, March 6, 2009
Another Anniversary...
When we adopted Ruby Mei we used AWAA. We had a wonderful experience with them. Their policy at the time, was to call you on referral day with the news of your child. But, then we had to wait until the next day to see her face. They email photos in the morning, and they send a fedex package priority... That was a very long night of anticipation!!!! But, so exciting to open up the email and see her precious face! Jeff was in AZ that morning, so we anxiously hit open at the same time. What we saw, brought us such joy!
I took this photo during our tea party. The little girl in the green puffy coat, has turned into such a pretty princess!
Blessings for a wonderful weekend!
P.S: Someone asked yesterday about Ruby's dress. It is Ballerina Dress from the Matilda Jane Spring Anticipation Collection...
Thursday, March 5, 2009
A Special Call, Two Years Ago...
Referral Photo for Yue Meng Ru
By this time in the morning two years ago, I knew that we were going to find out about out new daughter. I had already cried the tears of joy you cry when your prayers are answered. Little did I know that morning just how faithful God had been to us. Little did I know that the little girl He chose to be ours would bring us so much joy. Little did I know that adoption would become a passion that would change me forever. Little did I know that our new daughter's smile and contagious personality would touch so many. Three little words changed our lives forever that day. They were.... Yue Meng Ru!
Yesterday I was blessed to have "Tea with Ruby." Or as she would tell you, she was blessed to have "Tea with the Queen." It was one of those days where I put the distractions aside, (other than the Nikon D90) and joyfully participated in her world. My observations were that we have one very happy little girl. One who's favorite color is pink, her favorite animal is a "pink" horse, and her favorite show is "Ni Hao Kai-Lan." When I asked her if she was happy, she smiled and said, "yes Mama.." When I told her how much I loved her, she graciously asked me if I would like more tea... It was a sweet time to pause and marvel at the gift that was given to me. And a sweet time to realize how well she has bonded and adjusted here. We love her with all our hearts. Truly to the China moon and back!
These photos are just a sampling of what a special tea party I was invited too!
Thank you Ruby for another year of blessings. And, thank you God for answering our prayers that she would be safe and protected, loved, healthy, and happy so faithfully! And, thank you for the lessons I am learning through this precious child!
"I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him."
~1Samuel 1:27
Love,
"The Queen"
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Celebrating The Day We Got "The Call!"
One year later looking at her referral picture!(You may have to hit the play button twice)
*You may want to pause the music below on the playlist at the very bottom of these pages!
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Excerpts from my journal on March 7th, 2007:
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Excerpts from my journal on March 7th, 2007:
Dear Ru,
It has been 48 hours now since I heard your name for the very first time. I am going to do my best to describe how we learned about you, and what has taken place since the week began.
March 5th began very early for me. Caymus (our dog) actually woke me up at 4:30. Since I was up, I decided to turn on my computer to see if there were any updates on RQ from the European groups. The very first subject line said, "October 24th is the cutoff!" I stared at the screen barely able to breathe. When I opened the message there it was! "The internal CCAA website says referral cutoff is 10/24/05!" I can't tell you how long I sat at my desk crying tears of joy. It was like being frozen in time. I grabbed my Bible and it opened to 1Samuel 1:27, "I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him." Oh, how I had been waiting to shout those words!
Next I walked upstairs to tell your Daddy. Somehow I was able to blurt out, "You are going to know who your new daughter is today!" That clearly got his attention! Your precious Dad just held me while 17 months of tears landed on his chest.
Your Dad was scheduled to leave for a business trip to AZ that morning. Since we didn't know for sure if we would get our referral that day we called our FC at AWAA and asked her if he should stay home. As we were driving to the airport, Amy called my cell phone and said, "I can't tell you anything, but tell Jeff not to get on that plane this morning. I will call you back!" Enough said, we turned the car around and quickly re-arranged Dad's trip. After some quick errands, we went home and waited for the phone to ring..
At 12:10pm, on March 5th we saw AWAA on the caller ID! We ran into Mom's office and answered on speaker phone. "The Call" that we had waited so long for started like this, "Congratulations Jeff & Diana, you have a healthy and beautiful baby girl and her name is Yue Meng Ru. She is waiting for you in the Jiangxi Province of China! She was born July 31, 2006 and she is living in Foster Care." She told us you were registered with the Yugan SWI, but you had never lived there. At this point, I started to cry. I had specifically prayed for months that you were safely with a caregiver that could tenderly care for you. To me, that was your Foster Mother. The other thing was that you were a July baby, just like your Daddy. Amy spent more time describing you to us. She said you were absolutely beautiful. That you had big brown eyes, beautiful skin coloring, and tons of hair!!!
The fact that you were only seven months old meant that you had been conceived around the time we began our adoption process, in May 2005. And, you were born on a Monday which was the day that Mommy had her weekly Prayer calls. All red threads that have connected us to you!
On March 6th we saw your face for the first time. For as long as I live I will never forget this moment. AWAA had told us to expect an email early in the morning followed by a fed-ex package by 10:00. I took your big sister to school and rushed home. By now your Daddy was in Phoenix so our plan was to open our emails together. And, that is how it happened. As you filled up my computer screen you took my breath away. You were more beautiful than Amy had even described you. There you were staring at me, your mommy! Amy told us you were a love at first site baby, and she was right. Your eyes, your beautiful lips, and adorable nose... Perfect! It was clear to me that you were loved and being taken care of. Answered prayer!
What followed was a flurry of emails, phone calls, visitors and wonderful guest book messeges. I don't think I slept until Thursday when your Dad returned. We celebrated you at a special dinner with your big sister that night. Six days later we finalized your beautiful name.....
I tell you all this because I so desperately want you to know how much you were loved before you came home. God was so faithful when he answered our prayers. You were so worth the wait! God picked you to be my daughter. What a privilege! I promise to do my very best raising you to be the child God intended you to be. Don't ever doubt for one single minute that you are special, wanted, and loved!
I love you,
Mama
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Now we fast forward one year, and we celebrate our first "referral-versary" (thanks Leeanne for the word) and we pause to give thanks. You have been such a gift to your Daddy, sister and me. We have been blessed to watch you bloom before our eyes. We have all grown as a family this year! So, Ruby Mei thank you for being so brave. Thank you for trusting us. Thank you for making us laugh everyday. Your joyful spirit is contagious! Our lives are all richer because you are in it.
"The Flower that Blooms in Adversity
is the most rare and beautiful of all."
~Mulan
Blessings to you, our precious beautiful gem, Ruby Mei!
Love,
Mama, Daddy & Ainsley
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