Tuesday, 28 April 2009

• Two years ago...

  Two years ago Mike and I hopped on a plane bound for Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  ~18 hours later, we became the parents of a petite and precious nine month old baby girl with a snotty nose, peach-fuzzy head, curious hands, and an electrifying giggle.  It took us the whole first day to figure out how to get her to drink her formula (scalding hot, if you please!), but it took only moments to fall in love with her and feel like she was ours.  Tiana is a blessing beyond words and way beyond what we deserve.  Our lives have been turned upside down (in a good way) by this little girl with a wacky sense of humor, a love of all things girly, and a sweet and tender heart that loves so fiercely.

  The day we met Tiana in the orphanage 2 years ago

  

  People often ask us "Is adopting abroad expensive?"  It's hard to know how to answer that question.  The answer is yes, it is very expensive.  $26,000 is not a small sum.  But it is the ransom price of an orphan, the cost of freedom and a family for a child who otherwise has little earthly hope.  So it's $26,000 to buy a life and a future for one child, and if you phrase it like that, it really isn't expensive at all.  It really is a small price to pay -- and we would do it all over again in a heartbeat. 

  To celebrate the anniversary of Tiana's adoption into our family, we dressed up in traditional Vietnamese finery and went to Little Saigon to eat Vietnamese food with Ba and Grandpa

  

  Here's T demonstrating her peasant grip -- just like how I use chopsticks!  ... better, actually.

  

  Apparently, our family was quite the spectacle... most of the other patrons in the restaurant gawked at us the ENTIRE time!  Vietnamese people are NOT subtle and they don't smile back when you accidentally make eye contact.  Was it the traditional garb?  The freakishly tall one who looks more Chinese than Vietnamese? The Caucasian husband?  The Ethiopian baby?  The sum of the above?  We found it pretty humorous even if we were a bit self conscious.

  

  

  This is my current favorite picture of T.  Some friends of my parents gave her this elephant statue because they think she has a good memory like an elephant. 

  

  Our dear Tiana, we hope that you will always *remember* and marvel at God's grace in your life.  You were once an orphan, but now you belong to a family - albeit imperfect- who loves you so much.  May your life story always point you to Christ who has paid your ransom with His life, reconciling you to the One who made you, and purchasing your adoption into His family, . 

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