cupcake night

Tuesday was one month since we met our daughter! One month since I became a mother! One month since the best thing in the world happened to me! This last month has been the greatest month of my life! One month since we first held our daughter! We celebrated our one month anniversary by invited our parents over for cupcakes. One month ago we entered an elevator at the Galactic hotel in Nanchung China. We were nervous, excited and anxious to meet our daughter for the first time in person. After waiting 6 months to finally hold our daughter to feel her skin to kiss her cheek to hear her voice to see her smile it was only seconds away. At 10:30 in the morning we entered the elevator to the 2nd floor with a pit stop at the 8th for someone to get on the elevator with us. We stepped off the elevator which dropped us off at the breakfast buffet, we were confused which wayto go,where was our daughter as we turned the corner I saw her. This tiny little face and body sitting on a lap of a lady with glasses, oh my was my heart racing, my mind saying what should i do. We handed over our passports and this lady with glasses walked over to me and the time finally came I had my daughter in my hands. As I held EmmaLin she made a whimper looked at me I gave her a kiss on her cheek told her I loved her in Chinese, rocked her and told her everything is ok. She looked around taking everything in. We sat down on a chair while Ryan asked questions to the orphanage director. Me not really paying attention but staring at this beautiful baby not wanting to let her go, I was smiling like crazy and just couldn't believe this day was finally her. I just couldn't wait to go back to our room and be with her, see her interactions with her. After some paperwork and questions her entourage left. It was official Ryan and I were this precious baby parents. It was such a great feeling. We were in love!
So much has changed in our lives this past month. Its funny how I can't remember my life before Emma, I feel like she has been apart of my life forever. The 18 months of waiting seemed long ago and forgotten, the minute we held her.
One month ago we met Emmalin known then as Qifu (Pronounced T Fu. Which means blessing, They told us this is one of the most special names to be given to a child. The Fu symbol was everywhere in china). She was handed to us almost a lifeless body this tiny body unable to do anything. For three days all she could do was lay on her back barley moving any part of her body. Now this amazing child can walk with assistance, sit up, play peek a boo, blow kisses, give Eskimo kisses, Blow raspberries, move her tongue like a lizard,give great big hugs, hold a bottle, play with her toys, kick her fit in the pool, press buttons and dance. All this she has learned in less then month this little girl is so amazing. She has come such a long way. I am truly blessed to be her mother I can't even image my life without her. she is so much fun to be around. we really have bonded and I truly believe she loves me. She has bonded with me and her daddy her grand mom and aunt Debbie. She is quit comfortable around her grandpops and cousins. She prefers me the most and I am not complaining. This lite girls smiles and laughs all the time. When you r around her you just can't be sad she just makes u happy. Well we celebrated our one month gottcha day with July 4 th cupcakes. One month of freedom. Our daughter came to us from a country were their were no freedoms and now emmalin can make her own choices have freedom to do what she wants. While I think she is lucky to be in this country my heart wonders if she had a choice would she rather be back in china with her birth parents. I often wonder about them what were they like? young? old ?married? single? Did they have a choice to keep her? were they rich or poor? I hope when Emma has questions the little I know about her past will be enough for her. I wonder how I will comfort her when she is feeling sad. I wish I could understand what she will feel like, to take away her pain hopefully she will understand about her past and grow up to be a strong confident women. She definitely is a strong full of life little girl.I can't beleive how strong willed she is. This tiny 3lb baby with no one in the hospital rooting for her to stay alive, no one was saying prayers for her. She said to herself, I want to live and I am going to fight to stay alive and boy she did and her spirt found ours. Thank God!!!
Cupcake night was fun, we ate cupcakes had coffee and tea. Watched video from when we were in China. Boy did I forget so much of the time we were there. It feels like forever ago. It was so nice for our parents to get to see the time they missed with Emma. How she fit right into our family. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful child. We will be celebrateing cupcake night ever month on the 13th for Emma first year home. All ready excited about the next one. I think I am going to make panda cupcakes.


I want to thank all my family and friends for their support concerns and prayers. You guys have been great. Thanks for the visits, the phone calls all have been appreciated.
Thanks to Jackie j for your friendship prayers and advice. I am grateful we met and became friends.
Thanks Kelly r for all your helpful advice. For all the emails the comments. I can't wait for our little ones to meet.
Thanks china dreams for all your comments and sharing your stories.
Thanks blog families for the advice, I feel like we are all friends even though we never met. I wish we all could get together.
Thanks to all of Traci C friends. For all your support, comments and quilt pieces. It really is nice to know that people care and they never met us. You touched our hearts.
I especially want to thank living hope for all they did to make this process easy for us. They truly took care of everything and were there anytime to answer questions. I really can't thank Sarah h enough for finding our daughter. You really found us the perfect child ever. I wish I could repay you somehow. You will always have a special place in my heart.
Thanks to all my fellow Zhangshu families. Your advice really helped while we were in china.
Thanks to my father in law for taking care of my 4 legged babies while we were gone. I really missed them.
Thanks to my parents and sister for all their help. I am so happy you will be apart of my daughters life.
Thanks Lindsey for updating the blog while we were gone. It kept us sain to get to read the comments while we ere gone.
Thanks to Joanne and Kim and my mom for working really hard and keeping Sadies in tack while we were gone.
Thanks to my husband Ryan for marring me, You gave me the best gift ever of a family. I really can't express how grateful I am to you for all you do. I love seeing you so happy. I love you so much.
Last but not least thank you emmalin for coming into my life. For filling my heart with such love. Thanks for being such a great baby for loving me, for your smiles and giggles. Thanks for sleeping thru the night, for waking up with a smile on your face when u see me. For your hugs and kisses. THanks for sharing your sweet tooth with me. I can't wait to show you the world teach you new things watch u do the things u love. You truly are the greatest gift ever and knowI will always love you!