This was Alice the day after we got her, November 9th. We have been home 2 months today...wow. Time is flying by. We finally looked at the video and pictures we took while in China and it is unbelievable the difference in Alice in this super short time. The weird thing about it is, that while we were in China and feeling like all was going so well (which in the scheme of things, it did go well), her face tells a different story. We were such strangers that I didn't realize how hurt she was. Now that we have known her for the past few months, I can tell you what that face is in all the pictures. It is fear, trauma, shyness, despair, hopelessness and a broken heart....and I didn't realize the extent of it. I knew that I had only seen a picture and had an "idea" of Alice and who she would be, but I never knew just how much we did not know each other. She seemed SO fragile and softspoken and her cry was such a dry, sad, mournful cry. Fast forward from November to January....it hasn't been that long, but I know her so much more...I can tell you what her different expressions mean. I know we have only begun to know our Alice, but what we know...we love and we can't wait to know her more. She is a beautiful creation sent straight into our lives by our loving heavenly Father. He knew how to craft our family in an unbelievable way. How else could it be that she fits so well??? It is not luck or chance....What a privilege it is to be her mother. She is saying all kinds of things...like "I want chicken" "are you ok?" "daddy, daddy, where we going?" "I do it" "ow, that hurt" "love you" and "thank you" to name a few. She is crazy smart, so loving and nurturing, absolutely hilarious and full of charm. She is inquisitive, confident and opinionated. Fearless, brave and strong. My daughter.
With a grateful heart,
Guangdong Time
that first picture makes me want to cry. I love her so much and I'm thankful for the past 2 months. You are such a good mommy!
ReplyDeleteOh man...that first picture with the tear in her eye. Let me just say it is breaking my heart. She is one beautiful, brave little girl.
ReplyDeleteWhat a precious, beautiful little girl.
ReplyDeleteWhat a precious post! I love the last picture with that little hand thrown over her sissy's shoulder :) So glad the smiles are coming more and more - how precious are rainbows after the storms!
ReplyDeleteThis is the sweetest post ever!
ReplyDeleteYou are such a beautiful mom.... Your kids are so lucky to have you!
This is truly a wonderful post....the pictures tell the story of her lostness, trauma and all the other feelings she was and is feeling. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteJennifer, I came to this exact conclusion recently myself. I was working on a photo album to send as an update to Mia's orphanage, and I couldn't get over how pitiful she looked, how completely devastated she was. It breaks my heart to know how frightened she must have been, what a loss she suffered. I think God protected us from really seeing the hurt, as we were dealing with all those raw emotions as well. Thank God for healing, for the miracle of family, and time that heals. Your post was dead-on... I was just explaining this to a friend today. Glad the tubes are in now. That should help her out a lot. :)
ReplyDeletefollowed you over here from we are grafted in...
ReplyDeleteoh that first picture..... I can't even look at it without crying. wow.
What a beautiful post.
beautiful!
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