July 28th, 2005

It's hard to believe it was five years ago today that I received THE email. Ben and I had been waiting patiently on the news of a "referral." It was getting close to 5pm on a Thursday. I was in the office by myself when the phone rang. It was Bonnie Loza our adoption coordinator. My heart skipped a beat. To be honest, I can't remember what she said, it's sort of a blur. I just know she said "I'm about to email you a picture." We hung up the phone and I stared at my computer. All of a sudden, there it was. I quickly opened the email and.....


Fu Bing Xue
Birth date:December 28th, 2004



My emotions took over. Tears started flowing. After 13, almost 14, months of being "pregnant" finally, I got to see her face. I quickly called Ben to tell him the news. He said he would be there in a minute to meet him out in front of the hospital. He would not wait for me to come home.
The housekeeper at the hospital came in to clean our office and saw how emotional I was. She asked if I was alright and I told her what had just happened. I started printing off this picture as if I was employed at the New York press! At the time, we didn't know if she was a boy or girl. We couldn't tell by the picture. We really didn't care, we just knew she was our gift. The Lord had given us our gift.


Now when I look at this same photo I can see so clearly the feminine features in my sweet girl's face.

On his way home, Ben stopped by two Chinese restaurants to ask the owners if Fu Bing Xue was a girl name or boy name. He got different answers at each. We would have to wait until Monday to be sure.

That day will go down in my history as a spectacular day!


"For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition that I made to him."
1 Samuel 1:27

China Girl

We have been getting excited about our upcoming trip to North Carolina. It's a five year reunion celebration that will include the ten families we were in China with. All nine other families received little miracle girls that day just like us. We have been talking a lot about the trip and telling Chloe about the other little girls she will get to see. Telling her their names, showing her their pictures. It's an exciting time.

We tell her often of how we went to China to bring her home. How God had her all picked out for us. How He wanted her to live with us and be our little girl. I think she thinks this is the only way it is. She will talk often of getting her a little girl from China when she gets "big." She doesn't really know the concept of conception yet. She just thinks mamas and daddys go "get" babies.

Today we went to Wal-Mart. After being inside the store for a few minutes she tells me she thinks she just saw a little girl from China. I said, "really?" I didn't see a little girl from China. After a few more minutes we run into a Hispanic family. She tells me, "there is another girl from China!" I explained to her that some girls look like they are from China but actually they are from Mexico.

She was so cute. She then told me, "Well, when I get big and I'm a mama, I'm going to get me two gurrls from China and one boy from Chakanooga!"

I know the questions are coming, questions that I have been already praying God will help me provide the answers to.
I love her so much. Her innocence is so precious.

Independence Day

It was another wonderful Independence Day! We drove out to Memar and Gramps' and enjoyed the pool, watermelon, and just time together. All three girls drove the Kubota which is always a hit at the grandparent's house.

We ended the evening with the annual trip to the fireworks. Notice Hannah in the trunk of the car. We had another chair but she liked the trunk for some reason....

Ben and I were entertained not only with fireworks, but with three funny, sweet, cute girls doing cheerleading stunts!

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." Galatians 5:1