back to China 09.........

Fate is a funny thing!

We are leaving on Friday for part 2 of the return to China. It is Beth and Grace's turn to go back. ( see link to the left if you want to come with us)
We are leaving the very same day that Lily's Daddy is leaving to bring her home. Isabel is conflicted.
Part of her would love to be going back. She so wanted Lily to be ours. We are grateful to know she is going somewhere wonderful and that she is already loved and wanted and she has great parents, a lovely sister and an amazing future ahead.

It still seems strange to me to go to China and not come back with another child. Still we are happy to be a family, to have our
beautiful girls and that this miracle continues to happen every single day. That's why I keep reading the blogs.
I can hardly fathom how big this is.

Here's a prayer I nicked from another blog that I would like to share.
Let it be a mantra for us all.

Lord, thank You for sending Isabel, Grace and Beth to us. For knowing so well exactly who we needed and for loving us enough to entrust them to our care. We pray that their lives will be a blessing...to those who know them, and more importantly, to You, Father. We know they were Yours before they were ours and that they will always be Your Children first. May we daily be reminded of what a gift we have truly been given ~ In the precious name of Jesus ~ Amen

It's Jade.........only six left!!!!!

Found out from far, far away ( thanks Jet) that Jade is heading home too!!!She is the one I didn't know about but was so hopeful for. That little girl really needs a Mommy and Daddy and some serious
one on one attention.I think she is the oldest at Starfish. I am happy for her and her parents and sending prayers out tonight.

I hope I can find out more and see some photos. That would be so nice.

I will make this into a book when everyone is home and it will be a treasure for us in the future.

Eight take away two, equals........

Bit of a teaser here.

I know for sure Lily's Dad is coming to get her in early March........that leaves seven.
I am told there is one more adoption in March but not sure who!!! How exciting!!!!

So therefore that leaves six left. Of our original group. A whole bunch of others have
swelled the ranks at Starfish and it is sad to think that there is a limitless supply of children
needing homes.

But today I will think only that there were 21 and only 6 are left........and all this happened in
just over a year. From only one foster home.

Thanks be to God.......

Soon we are off to China and I will definitely keep ypu updated as able.

Wish we could bring one home with us too.

Sad but true....this would make 8 left.

Baby Caitlyn was my special little girl. The youngest and the smallest and the one who needed the love the most IMHO.
She asked for absolutely nothing. She would lay in her small cot and look around or she would be sleeping. The few times she cried it was a pitiful little kitten's mewing. Never loud and robust. Her head was on an odd angle and she was very difficult to feed. Her suck was weak and she was mostly fed with a bottle propped up on a rolled up blanket. Everyone said she ate better this way. Most times that I checked she was in a little pool of formula. The hole was over large for the nipple and it would just empty into the cot. I would pick her up and take her into the bathroom for clean clothes and then change her bed linens. Then I would sit and hold her and try to feed her. It would take a very, very, very long time to get even an ounce in. She never gained any weight in the three weeks we were at Starfish. I have been trying to get an update for a while and finally heard from someone
who tells me she is probably not adoptable because of her mental capacities. She will likely be placed in a home Amanda knows of and cared for there. I don't know what her future will be but I hope they are good people and that they will care for her well and perhaps grow to love her as we did in such a short time. Please say a prayer for Caitlyn and her caregivers.