Five years ago today your Daddy and I were standing in the Civil Affairs Office in Changsha, Hunan, China. It was 10:20 in the morning. Four other couples were there with us, and all of the wives were wearing pink. We were all becoming parents...again.
The air was electric. Nervous anticipation mingled with joyous excitement. The women sat on wooden benches while the husbands stood. Subdued conversation, the sound of pacing shoes on the wood floor, and the occasional click of a camera were the only sounds in the room. I watched the clock on the wall.
Someone came to the door of the large conference room where we waited and said something in Chinese to our guide. He turned to tell us that you and your friends would be arriving in twenty minutes. I readied our paperwork. Daddy checked the video battery again.
Five minutes passed - an eternity. Fifteen to go. I began to fiddle with our paperwork again when suddenly and quietly there appeared at the doorway a group of five Chinese ladies, each with a bundle in their arms.
For a puzzling split second I tried to figure out why this little group was coming into the room, when it dawned on me that the bundles in the ladies' arms were not bundles at all. For just a moment things seemed to happen in slow motion as everyone realized that you and your friends had arrived - early!
I said something to Daddy. I can't remember exactly what, but it was something like "She's here!" In a flurry of excitement he and I quickly began to scan the faces of the babies looking for you. You and your friends were dressed in many layers of clothes, and our most current photo of you had been taken four months prior, so it took us a moment, but pretty quickly we found you in that little crowd.
Tears filled my eyes. I instinctively stepped towards you, though we had been told ahead of time that we would have to wait until our names were called. Daddy had already started up the video, and I began to take pictures of you.
You were there in your nanny's arms, looking quite serious and taking everything in. You also looked tired, and we found out later you had been up since 5:00 in the morning and had traveled over three hours by bus to make your appearance. Of course, you were worn out.
Moments passed. Other parents were called forward. We waited.
Finally, someone called out your name, and your nanny stepped forward. Our guide held out his hand for our paper work, and I gave it to him. He handed it to someone else. They looked at it and nodded to us. That was my cue. I walked to your nanny. My heart was pounding. Smiling, I slowly, gingerly held out my hands to you. I knew you would be confused and scared, and you were. Your nanny gently placed you in my arms, smiled at you through tears, and then walked back into the little crowd.
You felt so light in my arms. You didn't cry, but the tears were flowing down my cheeks and Daddy's too. We would never be the same, and we were glad.
We talked softly to you and held you close. You were still taking it all in, stoic and brave. Most of the other babies were crying by now, and eventually you did too. I tried giving you a bottle to comfort you, but you weren't hungry. Instead you cried for just a little while and then fell asleep in my arms.
I will never forget that day.
I will never forget riding in the bus back to the hotel, holding you - Daddy and I couldn't take our eyes off of you. Our Chinese guide began to sing, and your Daddy and I joined in, tears streaming down our faces...
You are my sunshine.
My little sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are gray.
You'll never know dear,
How much I love you.
Oh please don't take
My sunshine away.
I will never forget later on that night when we laid you down next to us, and you slept peacefully through the night.
Your Daddy and I thanked God that day for the miracle He had done in creating you and bringing you to us.
We thank Him today for that same miracle, and for the joy and love and laughter that are you.
We love you, our sweet Giggly Girl.
