A special little friend

While Kerry was still in the orphanage and we were waiting, not so patiently, to be able to travel to China, we sent her a care package. We included the typical things, some toys, an outfit, some treats for her Ayi's, a photo album, and and a little disposable camera. We were so happy when they gave it back to us on the day that changed our lives forever. We had the photos developed as soon as we got home and I can not tell you what a treasure it is to have this little glimpse into Kerry's life before us. To see her smiling and playing, and to know that she must have been loved, taken care of, played with. At least it appears to be the case....and I really like to think so. I thought I'd finally get around to sharing a few of them.

Our girl waiting, probably none too patiently, knowing her, for a bite to eat.

Smiles and split-pants

Playing with a toy that we sent her, she still likes this toy. We gave her a duplicate the day we met her and she seemed very familiar with. We wanted to give her something she'd been familiar with for the 3 months it took until travel time, to break the ice and bring some bit of comfort, and it did seem to help =).

And now for the whole reason why I finally posted these photos.

See this little darlin' with Kerry? She's been on my mind since I first laid eyes on these photos seven months ago. Reason # 1, well, just look at her, she's adorable! And she looks like such a sweetheart. Reason # 2, and more importantly, she seems to have been special to Kerry. It looks like they really enjoyed each others company. I think even the Ayi(s) understood this because she/they took the opportunity to take so many of the two of them together, maybe to give Kerry something to remember her by...who really knows. Anyway, I've been wondering about this little beauty for months, hoping and praying that she would find a wonderful forever family. Well a little over am week ago... it happened =). See, I'm part of a Yahoo group for people who've adopted from Kerry's orphanage, and I'd been meaning to post these photos there, too, I just hadn't gotten around to it. I guess I've just been wanting to hang on to them for a while before "sharing them with the world" so to speak. Then Tuesday night, the 19th, something just told me it was time. So I drug the laptop down to the basement and scanned them in and uploaded them to the website. Little did I know that, at the same time, this little girl was being matched with her new family.

A day or so later, her new parents visited the site , found the photos, and we've been e-mailing back and forth since. We plan on getting the girls together after they're home and settled in. I can hardly wait! It never ceases to amaze me how just like in the big things, like adoption as a whole, and bringing a family together, God also works in the little things, like a handful of photos at just the right time. I'm so happy I got to share these with her new parents.

They had apparently just opened our care package in this one. I recognize some of it's contents spread out, and Kerry is holding the photo album we sent with our pictures in it.

So, soon "Nan Nan" will be called Hannah Grace, and will make her home in Georgia with her new Mama and Daddy. This little one will always hold a special place in my heart for providing joy and companionship to Kerry while she spent her days in a small orphanage in southern China.