Clarity

Well, maybe not total clarity, but today brought a few unexpected blessings (yes, in addition to our Gotcha moment) that brought some clarity regarding our daughter’s first 16 months of life.


1) The orphanage was practically new (since October) so we were pleased to know she had been in a   clean, loving, beautiful environment for at least a little while.

2) We were allowed to go in her room, which she shared with another one and a half year old and two slightly older toddlers (2 cribs, 2 beds)

3) We met the nanny that has cared for her since she came to the orphanage

4) While completing paperwork, a stranger (Chinese lady…see picture) burst through the door with all smiles and a few tears streaming. Turns out our precious Maggie has been in a foster home for 12 of her 16 months and this was her foster mother coming to say goodbye to her precious Xiaoli.

5) Teresa hugged and loved on all three of us as if we were all her children (she whispered to me during our goodbye hug that she could tell we would be good parents to her).

6) Did you catch in #5 that the woman that has cared for our precious Maggie for 12 of her 16 months speaks FLUENT ENGLISH (not broken, I’m talkin’ down home English).

7) In that very plain English that I can’t seem to get over, Teresa asked if she could have our email address to send us baby pictures…in return for a few later on. Umm, sure.

8) Teresa Woo had been with Maggie since the beginning and cared for her through two surgeries (hand-picked the surgeon), visited her in the orphanage and provided for the basic needs of love and nurture we had so desperately prayed for while assuming the worst.

9) Maggie’s cleft palate has already been repaired. Go figure.

10) That’s all…but that’s enough…it’s more than enough…it’s more than we can almost bear.