Day 99 with our Maran!

Maran is not the same child that we got 99 Days AGO!  It is incredible how smart and brilliant someone so young can be.  She continues to amaze us and make us smile each day although I will admit each day does bring its own challenges.  I often think of the day that our "GUIDE" in China left us and I was so teary eyed.  I will never forget the feeling of  "OH MY.. we are alone with this poor helpless little girl who is so broken hearted and tender and has no clue of what is going on".   Her disposition is a million times different.  Although her frolicy self  snuck out at times in China we didn't know then what a resilient, motivated and spirited child we had.  She is such a bundle of many things all wrapped into one little beautiful porcelain doll. 

Her hair has grown so much and is so pretty.  It is incredible the color difference in her hair from when we got her to now.  The brown hues are coming out due to the different nutrition she has been given here.  Thankfully our pediatrician told us to look for this and it was so neat when we could tell.  It was almost like she had gone to the salon to get her highlights done.  He skin is so soft and has a nice color to it and her smile is not pasted as it possibly was at times when we first got her.  She can grow fingernails like crazy and still would rather die of thirst before she would take a sip of milk.  (Now that's a girl after my own heart.... MILK is not something I care for but I could eat ice cream like crazy... go figure).  You can hold a conversation with her and it is like she has been speaking English her entire life.  Forget the "IT WILL TAKE SIX MONTHS FOR HER TO LEARN ENGLISH".... the child is rolling all over it!

She adores Daddy more than the world and that will never change and thankfully so.  Add Luke to the adoration and Daddy has not a moments peace once he gets home from work.  I remember when I thought Maran would never call me Mama or Mommy as she would only call me YaYa (which is Auntie or caretaker in Chinese).  Those days are long gone. 

I love how children are so smart and not afraid to discover.  Maran's discovery has been so different than that of Luke's.  Since we got Luke when he was 10 months old it was like he was "ALWAYS ours".  He was so small when we got him it was like he was just out of the womb. 

Luke is adjusting better but quite honestly would probably still like it better if his "sister in China" was still that.... "IN CHINA".  Thankfully she is not still there and is with us.  While we have grown immensely during this process each as individuals it is wonderful how we have grown as a family.  What used to matter to us no longer does and our goals and ambitions seem far different.  We went from daily figuring out what restaurant we were going to eat at that night (BEFORE KIDS) to now thinking about college tuition and many other things.  From the offset our goals have been the following.  We want to 

• Raise a child who is responsible. 
• Raise a child who is Respectful.
• Raise a child who gives back.
• Raise a child who knows and feels love and safety not only by us but with our extended family and friends. 

A few other things added to the above and that is our first and foremost package.

There is NO DOUBT in my mind that Maran does not feel loved.  She is so loving and shares love with many.  She, like Luke, is a very caring child and one who is constantly labeled as a good friend.  Tender hearted at times yet silly and adorable.  She can laugh at herself and it is so funny.  The best package one could ask for.  She and Luke together are great (AT TIMES) but I know the future will hold two siblings who will hopefully have a bond that is unbreakable as the type bond is that David and I both have with our siblings.  To us, that bond is priceless and means more to us each day as we grow older.  

So on this 99th day of FROM CHINA TO CAROLINA it is with happiness, love and full hearts that we are appreciative of what the good Lord has let us have. Our family means more to us than anything.  It comes with its ups and downs and raising two toddlers 9 months apart has been something else. We wish for many more special 99 day anniversary marks and know that the love and memories will be overflowing. 

Our hearts are light and our worries are almost non-existent especially when we look at our children's faces. 

May you receive the love and joy we have.................................