ABC Wednesday---X Is For Xu Xian Mei

ABC Wednesday is hosted by Mrs. Nesbitt's Place.

This lovely young woman is Xu Xian Mei. She is the current director of The Anqing Children's Welfare Institute...where my Hope spent the first eleven months of her life. This picture was snapped shortly after she exited the long awaited "Baby Van"...the van that carried not only my oldest daughter, but also the daughters of six other very impatient families who were waiting on pins and needles inside the lobby of The Novotel Hotel in Hefei. I didn't know who this elegant woman was...nor did I recognize the baby she was carrying as my own. But it would all become clear in a matter of moments.

That's Mme. Xu again, in the brown coat with her back towards the camera...holding Zhu Han Tao...in her little pink Peter Rabbit outfit. The gentleman with his arm around Mme. Xu, is "Uncle Zhou"...he's kind of like my own version of American Express...I don't want to leave home for China without him...hired by our agency to take the best possible care of us while we were in country. He is checking out the babies...one by one as they are carried into the hotel lobby by an employee from The Anqing CWI. Notice all the nervous and happy new parents with cameras? Me? I'm standing just out of frame...crying...in total shock...wondering which baby is mine. And for the first time ever, I just noticed that Han Tao's head is turned directly towards me...like she knew. I'll be back in a few...I need a Kleenex...

Ok...so after they paraded through the lobby, they proceeded to climb a rather large, rather impressive staircase to the next floor where they settled in what I remember to be as a HUGE conference room...with seven sets of "we can't wait another minute for our baby" parents, grandparents, and siblings close behind.

The babies and their caregivers were taking seats in an alcove to the left. Cameras were being fired up...tears were being shed...nervous giggling could be heard...some were absolutely positive they knew which baby was their own...others had not a clue. Me? I was crying and standing near the door, ready to make a quick getaway. Garry? He knew her the moment she got off the van. MANY thanks to all who took these pictures and shared them with our entire group. I, for one, will forever be in your debt.

Uncle Zhou asked if everyone was ready...one mother who had been through this before said, "You're a fool Zhou!" We all laughed. Zhou pulled out his little notebook and called the name of one of the families. The exuberant mother stepped forward, verified her baby's Chinese name, and was handed a beautiful new daughter. Zhou said, "Who's next?" Nobody moved. He moved closer to Mme. Xu and spoke to her, then repeated his question, "Who's next?" He looked across the room...directly at me and said, "You want to go next? This your baby?" I remember so vividly every single person in front of me just parting...moving to either side of me until I was looking into the eyes of who I knew was my reason for living. And...me being me...I remember joking, "I'll just take whichever one is left." More laughs from the crowd. Zhou motioned for me to come forward...I was asked to speak my child's given Chinese name. I managed to squeak out, "Zhu Han Tao" which is what I am saying in the picture above. I can STILL see Mme. Xu's sparkling eyes looking into mine as she handed me my Hope...this child I had waited my entire life for...and all I could do was look at this beautiful woman and whisper, "thank you" over...and over...and over.

Two days later we were given the extreme pleasure of visiting the CWI. It was, and continues to be a trip I will treasure. To see how my child spent her first eleven months...where she slept...see the obvious love her caregivers had for her...before she could be with me...it was simply priceless. Made even more precious by the fact that I was unable to travel to China, and share any of these early experiences with Claire.

Mme. Xu is an angel...a true gift from God. Whose beauty, serenity, generosity, and kindness will forever be a part of Hope's life story.

Be blessed y'all,

So I guess you can see by the graphic that Hope's first two days went VERY well. ") I can't say that I was really surprised. She's loved school from the first morning we left her at Sunday School. The fact that she *now* gets to ride the school bus? Well...let's just say that's the icing on the cake.

The entire family walked her out to the bus stop last week after the usual round of "First Day Of School" photo ops. Daddy had the video camera on hand as well. Possibly the coolest part of the whole morning...for me anyway...was the fact that ALL of the children at the bus stop, including Claire, had Asian eyes. I don't know if Hope even noticed or not, or took any comfort from it, but I know her Mama sure did.

We had been told that the bus would more than likely be late the first couple of weeks. It was only about ten minutes late that first morning...not that I would've noticed...remember...I didn't want her to go! ") It was such a gray and cool and rainy morning...but Hope was all smiles...she was going to KINDERGARTEN! (The day before I heard her telling Claire, "Now tomorrow morning you can play with the Little People because I'm not going to be here. I'll probably be at Kindergarten.") Sooo...the bus pulled up and she was off like a shot before it even stopped. We didn't get a hug or a kiss or even so much as a wave good-bye! Her bus driver seemed extremely nice. She helped Hope up the stairs, turned her around, and told her to smile at me so I could take her picture. After showing Hope where to sit (in one of the three seats right behind her!), the door closed and the bus roared away with my baby inside. THAT'S when I cried...not a lot...because the bus stopped abruptly about two houses away for no apparent reason and put its hazard lights on. Did I freak? Only a little...I didn't run screaming down the street after it...nor was Garry restraining me from doing so! Whatever the problem may have been was quickly taken care of and their route resumed. Speaking of their route, it is set up in such a way that anywhere from 3-5 minutes after the bus picks up the kids at the bus stop it goes past our house again. So Garry, Claire and I walked home and waited in front of the garage to wave at Hope when she went by. We waved...I don't know if she did or not...we couldn't see her!

Claire was not at all happy that "Hopa" wasn't home. Once she stopped clinging to me and whining all I heard about for the rest of the morning was, "Hopa school!" or "Hopa bus!" or "Hopa HOME!" Finally it was time to go outside and wait for the bus to drop "Hopa" off. Again, we had been reminded that the Kindergarten bus...the one bringing them home in the afternoon...would probably be VERY late...so it wasn't like we weren't prepared. I was still out there ten minutes before she normally would've been due home! I called Garry at work so he could "wait" with us. We waited...and waited...and waited...and waited some more. I kept handing Claire books and toys but after a good half an hour she had had more than enough. Every vehicle that went by...be it car, truck, van, SUV, bicycle, or airplane..."HOPA!!!! HOME!!!" About forty minutes after the time she is supposed to be home the bus pulled up in front of our driveway. Another wonderful woman helped her down from the bus and walked her across the street. My joy was only slightly less than when Mme. Xu handed her to me for the first time back in Hefei. I gave her the phone and the first thing she said was, "Daddy! I LOVE Kindergarten!" Then of course the usual...her favorite thing is recess...and are you ready? She told us that she chose to sit at a table with three boys. ::sigh:: Garry thinks "it's" starting already. Me? I think she's going to be just like her Mama and will have more guy friends than girls. Whatever...it doesn't matter...she was safe home, she was happy, and she couldn't wait to go back the next day.

Now...when we got in the house and she was changing into her play clothes? *THAT'S* when Mama broke down and lost it. She looked at me with this "wise beyond her years" expression...put her hands on her hips and said, "Mama? Are those *happy* tears?" Yes baby...they are.

The next day she was up and ready to go! She told me that it's ok if I want to stand with her at the bus stop until she's ready for first grade. ; ) Again, she was ready to jump on the bus as soon as it pulled up. On the bus' second pass? It was the cutest thing I've ever seen. There was Hope's precious little face, pressed up against the window, grinning from ear to ear, and waving her arm off until the bus disappeared up the street. My kid is AWESOME!

Wow...just to be READ by David is an honor...but to be mentioned as a contender for his Post of the Day? I am truly humbled! Many thanks David

Hope is four years old today. I simply can't believe it. It was just yesterday that Madame Xu placed her into my arms and I could do nothing other than weep and say "I love you Han Tao...I love you Han Tao."

Somewhere, her birth mother is thinking of her too. I can only imagine that she thinks of her everyday...but somehow the day of her birth has to be a day she will never forget. I pray that God gives her peace and lets her know that the daughter we share is happy, healthy, and loved beyond measure.