January fun and a lot of tenderness

January is almost over, so I thought I'd better get a post up. Lily has had fun playing in the snow, going to dance class and school. She's been practicing for a performace she is in with her Chinese class. We cheered on our Broncos, even though it didn't end as most had hoped. She's turned into quite the little cheerleader and she actually likes watching football! We have some really fun things coming up, more on that soon. She can't wait for Chinese New Year and Valentines day (it's all about hearts and love, she says). She wants me to decorate the house for both :) The boys are all back at their respective colleges and so far so good. Praying they all have a safe and successful second semester.

Lily had a moment last weekend that I will never forget. It was about China and her being there without us. She was questioning a lot of big things. It came out of the blue and it was poetic and heartbreaking and accepting of her beginnings, all at once. She was processing things and it broke my heart for her, that such a sweet little soul has to come to tearms with hard things. But I don't deny that it is necessary for her to do this. We answer her truthfully, as best we can, with the few facts we know. We wait for her to ask more and love her through the process. I am so proud of my brave and tender girl. I won't share all of it, it is too personal to her story. But I also don't want to forget it. She was telling Mike and I how alone and scared she was in China. She told us some other things and she cried in our arms. A little while later, she told us that she was so happy that we came to get her and bring her home, "as fast as leaves fall off a tree on a windy day". The fact that I get to be this childs mom is the most amazing gift ever given to me. I cherish her endlessly.

  

  

  

The above drawing is Lily's newest self portrait. It makes me smile so big! That's my girl, my princess, my shining star!

and I just have to add this picture that Peter sent to me . He's my rock climber, just having a little fun in his free time. Life is anything but dull :)