Happy One Year Little Rebecca!

Sweet little Rebecca, hard to believe it’s been a year already since we finally met her face to face in a funky hotel in Xi’An, China. We had traveled from Beijing that day, arrived at our hotel and were in the process of checking in when our traveling companion's child arrived. Brian was busy finishing up checking in , I was busy taking pictures of their moment and in walked Amanda with our precious little Rebecca. She was so scared but you could tell was trying to be oh so brave. What a joyous moment even though she did not want a thing to do with me! I suppose it goes without saying that it is quite different adopting a 3 year old who doesn’t understand what is going on but is very aware of the fact that everything she knew was about to be gone, than it is to adopt a baby.

Fast forward a year and you still have that sweet little girl who relishes the love of her family. Amanda told me many times during the wait that Rebecca loves fiercely and how very well I know that now. Thankfully she had room in her heart to love us so fiercely.

I wish I could easily spell out the transition that has taken place before my very eyes over the past year but there are too many thoughts and emotions for that. The transition though that I think tickled me the most was the evolution of early morning snuggle time. It really is a reflection of her bonding to us. Ryan and Emma both have always made their way to our bed the first thing in the morning when time allows such as on weekends and when we are on vacation. The first few weeks she was with us we couldn’t even get Rebecca close to our bed in the mornings. After we had been home a while she would wake Emma up in the morning and then would at least follow her in and would merely stand by our bed. No amount of coaxing was going to get her to join us. Slowly but surely she began to climb right on in with Emma. At some point though she quit waking Emma up for this little morning ritual and would come in and enjoy that time all by herself! It was then that I knew that she was finally warming up! So it has been with her, yes – she does love fiercely but you have to earn that love – it’s not freely given by any means.

Then there is the love she has for Emma, I’d have to say that was pretty much instantaneous. Looking back through the pictures of the first few weeks with us she smiled the most when she was with Emma. I’m still amazed at how quickly they just fell in with one another. To this day Rebecca will fuss at her dad or brother either one if she thinks they are picking on Emma. What a blessing and what an answered prayer. I’ve shared before that financially it was past a stretch to take Ryan and Emma with us on this trip but for the life of me I couldn’t imagine being away from them so long. While I thought that uneasiness in my spirit was due to the fact that I didn’t want that separation, I clearly see now the urging of the Holy Spirit who knew all too well that Rebecca needed them there.

Happy one year Rebecca! Your forever family loves you!!!

Here's a couple of the first few pictures I saw of Rebecca and I printed them out and hung them behind and to the left of my computer monitor so that I could easily see them but yet anyone else would really have to be looking to notice them. And I began to pray, and pray, and pray. Every one cautioned me to not get my hopes up but in my heart I just knew that she was our daughter. She had heart surgery at 18 months old, right at the same time I started praying for her.






Almost 20 months later she finally made it into the arms of her forever family.



Now here it is 12 months after that, our sweet, kind and fiercely loving Rebecca!



(photo by Melissa at Over The Moon Photography)