Happy birthday(almost), Pearl!

This week we ordered a birthday gift and cake to be sent to Pearl for her 6th birthday. I hate not being with her on her birthday and I was sure that we would have had her by now but finding Esther and other factors just didn't make that possible. I know Christmas will be much harder though because our chances of going there then are slim. Maybe it won't be so bad though because we might be really close and just excited to travel either way. Anyhow, back to her birthday. I ordered through Red Thread China and we got to send a letter to be translated, a gift, a cake, and a camera that the orphanage will take pictures with and Red Thread will develop and upload to me.  Here is the image of our stuff ready to send to the orphanage:

And here is the letter we sent.  It was harder than I thought to write.  I wanted to convey my love and explain some more about our life here.  So much to say:

To our beautiful daughter Dang Yi Lin,

  Happy birthday! We are glad that we can send you this cake and that you can have a little party.  We are working very hard so that we can come get you.  We are also excited that when we come to pick you up we are also going to be picking up a sister for you!  Her name is Esther and she is 9 years old and she lives in China right now too.    Both your mommy and daddy love you very much and think about you every day.  We pray for you, look at pictures of you, and tell everyone we know about how we found you and can't wait to bring you home and hug and kiss you.

At home it snows in the wintertime and your brothers can not wait to take you sledding on our hill and make a snowman with you.  In the summer we love to run around, go swimming, and sometimes go camping.  We have lots of family with over 30 cousins, 4 grandparents and many many friends.  Your oldest brother is Elijah and he is 11 years old.  He is smart, kind, and he loves to build things.  Your next oldest brother is Andrew and he is almost 8 years old.  Andrew is really funny and very loving.   He loves swinging and playing with friends.  You have two younger brothers.  One is Peter and he is 4 years old.  Peter loves to build with blocks and play with animals.  Asher is your youngest brother and he is 3 years old.  He loves playing outside and riding his bike.  All of your brothers love you very much and ask about you all of the time.

Sweetheart, we love you so much and when we think about you it makes our hearts feel like they are full of warm sunshine.   Soon enough you will be with us and we will be so happy.  Have a wonderful birthday and enjoy your cake, candies, and presents.  Tonight may you dream of your family and all of the happiness you will have.  Also, we would like to say thank all of the ladies that are taking such good care of you in China.  

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Here are some images from Pearl attending various other parties for other children.  I am sure that this will be her first time sitting in front of that cake.  I wish it were so much more than that.

I really can't wait to send a letter to Esther. 

 In other news, this weekend is our race.  It hasn't nearly earned us all of the funds we need for the next step in the adoption(we're still waiting for our paperwork to get back but once it's done our next fees are due), but it has been successful.  We still don't know exactly how it's all going to play out but we know it will.   Prayers always appreciated. :)

Pearl's Sweet Little Voice.

A couple weeks after we recived those beautiful images Juley and her family returned home and sent us the videos from seeing Pearl.  They are priceless, truly.  And here they are:

Ponyo, Ponyo, Ponyo

I love ALL of the films of Hayao Miyazaki but I have a very special place in my heart for the movie Ponyo.  After it was released in the U.S. and my kids had watched it my now seven year old son started asking about "his sister".  He would mope around the house sighing and saying, "I wish I had a sister." or to the cat, "I guess you'll just have to be my sister."  And I know it sounds silly but the film made something stir in all of us.  The story is of a little princess who lives in the sea but wants to be human(just like "The Little Mermaid").  Unlike the little mermaid it isn't to become a wife but instead a sister and daughter.  I really do think the film awakened a memory of sorts inside of Andrew - bringing back to him the sister he knew he had somewhere.   And the more he talked about it - in the car, around the house, all of the time - the more my heart ached to find her too.  But I really had no idea of the blessings that finding her and her sister would bring.  I truly can not wait to bring them home.

With that being said - here's the trailer: