Ages ago...before Claire came home...I stumbled upon some bloggers who used every Thursday to post about something they were thankful for. I thought, "What a great idea!" And then promptly went off and did something else. Since I do tend to get distracted by all things shiny, I've decided to dedicate my Thursdays in November as Thankful Thursdays.

I would like to spend my first Thankful Thursday thanking all those who helped to bring my two beloved daughters into my life. I know I'm going to miss somebody...if I do you have my permission to smack me the next time you see me.

First up is God...because He is the one who coordinated this giant insert your own expletive here that involved two governments, more government agencies than you could shake a stick at, an adoption agency, numerous law enforcement personnel, and enough other humans to make your head spin.

Thank you to the Wadsworth Police Department and everyone that ran background checks, fingerprinted, and of course for me, fingerprinted again, wrote letters, and were just plain helpful and decent no matter how many times we had to ask them to do it again. You rock.

Thanks also to our fire department who had to come out and inspect our home to make sure it was safe for two baby girls to live in. Again, the same sweet man came both times and was NOTHING but gracious, polite, and friendly.

To all those who prayed us through that part of our journey...too many to mention...and I'm sure some I don't even know about. Somehow saying Thank You doesn't seem enough.

To my Jennifer...who I've thanked before...and she usually just tells me to shut up...but I'm going to do it again. I would NOT have my girls if it wasn't for her. I grew up in a home where being different was "bad". If you didn't share the same beliefs, ideologies, and skin color, you didn't exist, were looked upon as nuts, or otherwise made fun of or mocked. Thank you precious girl for opening my eyes and showing me that none of that matters when you truly love someone...and I love you!

To all those who wrote letters of reference for us...in no certain order other than how I am remembering them at the moment! Larry and Jackie, Bonnie and Brad, Holly and Dave, Carol and Donald, Kevin, Lily, Patricia, Carol and Tom, Jean, and Helen.

A SPECIAL thanks to Bonnie, Helen, and Holly for NEVER asking where we were in the process. Instead they always said that they knew if something new had happened I'd let them know. They were right.

Dena...our angel of a social worker...thank you for taking what Garry and I both thought would be a nerve-racking situation and making it downright pleasant. You are a treasure and I'm so glad that TPTB assigned YOU to our family.

To dear Fred and Doris for notarizing every single piece of important paperwork we needed to bring those girls home...for free. And to Fred for making sure Claire made it home safely...from his patio...in Heaven.

Judge John J. Lohn and everyone at our county courthouse. Wow...you know even after satisfying two governments we had to readopt both of our girls for the state of Ohio? Both Garry and I have been raised to believe that if you have to go to court, you have done something bad...and that's how we felt going into the whole situation. Yet Judge Lohn immediately put us at ease and made BOTH times stress-free. Shoot, he was giving the girls M&M's the last time!

To Carol and Helen for taking care of both Hope and ME while Garry was in China and for always being there in an emergency when we need someone to watch both girls.

To Tom for keeping the driveway clear of several feet of ice and snow...during both trips.

To the incredible people we encountered in China who were so very happy that our girls were going to have a good home. Some of these amazing folks couldn't speak a single word of English but they let us know nonetheless that they approved!

And finally, to my girls' birth mothers. I think of them both so often...how they must wonder where the girls are...if they were adopted...if they are loved...if they are still alive... These women did what they have been taught to do for centuries. It seems wrong and horrible in our eyes...but what they were doing was giving those two precious souls a chance at something better. I've said it before...you can't tell me that their hearts weren't shattering into a million pieces as they walked away from those two perfect, wiggling little angels. You just can't. Both of my girls were placed in busy, populated areas on busy streets. Their birth mothers WANTED them to be found and taken care of. Thank you with my entire being...the gifts you have given me can never be repaid.

Until next Thursday!

UPDATE...NESTING

Claire's wallpaper is finished...and beautiful. Bridget was scheduled to come in and hang it the day after we received the first "happy" letter from EAC. I was such a mess I almost called her and cancelled. I was afraid it would be too painful. But, I did what I have been working VERY hard at lately...I did what I knew was right even though I didn't FEEL it. I'm so glad I did. The room is absolutely gorgeous. A big THANK YOU to Bridget and Cheyenne. You are the best! My apologies to everyone that was here for Hope's birthday party the very next day...I had every intention of showing off Claire's new room but my mind was elsewhere!

Garry went to Hartville and picked up the rest of Claire's furniture. He and Tom he-manned the changing table/dresser up the stairs a couple of weekends ago. I cleaned it up and hefted it into place. I dug around Garry's office upstairs...which has become our dumping ground...and found the lamp and lampshade we'd bought for her. A couple of days later I covered all of her switch and outlet covers to match her new wallpaper. Last weekend we bought her a little stuffed Dumbo which now sits next to her new lamp. Hope has helped me fill the bottom drawer of the changing table with crib sheets, blankets, etc. And as soon as the weather warms up Garry is going to paint the inside of her closet.

We are going to get through this! Only God knows the big picture...and I prefer it that way!

One final thought...in September of 2004 we signed up to participate in The Asia Threads Project. Run by an adoptive parent, she coordinates projects to various orphanage cities in China. Photographs are taken of the city, the surrounding countryside, the orphanage, and where your child was found. That was one of the only regrets that Garry and I had from our first trip to China. We were unable to see the location where Hope was found. We also were able to send a letter to the director and caretakers of Hope's orphanage as well as lots of pictures of her. Well, the project has been a no go for the longest time as not enough families had signed up...until two weeks ago when our project was sent to China. I simply cannot help but think that God has something wonderful planned with the timing of this.

I'll keep y'all posted!