Celebrating our 1st Forever Family Day...Red Threads

Forever Family Year ONE

Chinese Proverb - 

When a child is born invisible red threads extend from the child's spirit and connect to all the significant people who will be part of the child's life. As the child grows, the threads become shorter, drawing closer those people who are destined to be together...

One year ago we met you for the first time. Those invisible red threads and God's goodness had drawn us close together and we bound ourselves to you in a family covenant through adoption.

 We were elated but initially you were not so sure...

Together as a new family we cautiously began our journey together one little step at a time.

Walking in the warm sunshine on Children's Island in Guangzhou was 

the first time you would let BaBa touch you without crying or flinching.

 

You have grown to trust him so much since then! BaBa is now your favorite Jungle Gym and your favorite "Beijing Circus" trainer :)

Time is a great healer and slowly the initial waves of grief for your old familiar life gave way to accept us as the providers of good things...

And our quiet and sometimes withdrawn little girl began to blossom into a beautiful, inquisitive soul... 

Seriously, you are letting me hold the spoon?

Then it was time for exploring. You began to open up yourself to new ideas and try on new things... 

...like snow suits

...and pretending games.. 

...or 3D glasses for your first fireworks show 

...and most certainly Tutu's and Tiara's! 

And over time you grew by leaps and bounds and certainly in inches! You have spent this year catching up in all area's of your life and making up for any earlier losses. There was lots of time spent in learning a new language, new routines and customs, and new skills...

...1st Christmas

...1st toboggan ride in the snow

...1st tetter totter ride. I think she likes going "high".

...lake life included some pretty good swings

...1st time to hold a kitten on the farm

Language development..."read please" is a daily request...
anywhere, anytime was a good time for another story.

...more creative play

...blowing bubbles 

...dancing about

... or just being a little goofy. 

I will never forget the time when you first opened your heart and let us in, calling US family for the first time. You asked to be picked up between by both MaMa and BaBa and then proceeded to talk and sign for MaMa, BaBa and GoGo calling us your family ... then you paused and remembered to included Mr. Toby! 

 

  Now we can't imagine life without you. You are our daughter, our princess, our peanut, our little dancer extraordinaire (and even our little lemur...jump, jump)! You have blessed us with that contagious smile and giggle and those sparkling dark eyes that are full of life.  Over the last year we became a family of four because you, Sydney Su Yee, are an amazing, resilient little girl full of life, laughter and love.  

We adore you. We are so blessed to know you and so pleased that God brought together our invisible red threads so we could be your family.  

 We Love you Sydney Su Yee with all our hearts! 

"I prayed for this child, and the LORD had granted to me what I asked of Him" 1 Samuel 1:27