At Long Last

I began Gwen's life book, which is a photo album that tells the story of her adoption, right after we moved to China. I worked on it in fits and starts, finding it harder to do than I imagined at first. Several years ago I found some ideas for wording of life books online that really helped me get over the hump of the writing bit, and I was pleased with it. However I just couldn't seem to make the time to sit down and finish. You know, drag out all the pens and adhesive and photo cutter and photos, and have scraps all over...

I am happy to say that I completed it this past Saturday morning. Ta-da! Sigh of relief being deeply breathed.

It's not perfect by any means, but it is a telling of her story, in words and pictures, that I put together in old-fashioned scrapbook form. I don't do the traditional scrapbooks anymore, finding digitally created books much quicker to complete, but I wanted to have one for Gwen's adoption in my own handwriting, especially since all my early photos of the other kids are in books like that.

So now it's done, and she is definitely pleased, having looked through it many times already. I've put it in the bookcase in her room, and I hope she'll pull it out again and again. I hope it will add to a secure sense for her of her adoption into our family being God's plan for her life.

It's About Time

I am pleased to report that I am finally working on a scrapbook/life book for Gwen. I had purchased some supplies before we moved to Shanghai to start working on this project, but got hung up when I realized that I really wanted it to be more than just a photo album of pictures from our trip to get her. An adoption life book is intended to tell the story of the child's life, which in Gwen's case included twenty-one months before she joined our family. I wasn't sure how to address the whole issue of her birth parents and why she was in an orphanage... we don't know the reasons ourselves, we can only speculate. So, I got stuck. I did the front page and that was it.

Early last spring I got inspired to finish the book in time for Gwen's 4th birthday. I did a little research on the internet about life books, and looked at some sample pages that helped me create a couple more pages that told about her birth in China, and the fact that she grew in her Chinese mother's belly. I was really pleased with these pages, but couldn't come up with what came next... why her Chinese parents' couldn't keep her.

So the book sat. For six months, I have done nothing. Then the other night, when Scott and I were riding our bikes through the dark streets of Jinqiao to our small group meeting, I thought about it again, and I had some ideas. Scott and I talked about them a little. When we got home some hours later, I sat down at the computer and typed out my ideas. I showed Scott and he said he he wouldn't change any of it.

So now I've been working again. I've spread scrapping supplies out on the table, and I've churned out the tough pages and even moved on to the really fun, easy pages with pictures of the day we met our girl. Gwen has seen what I'm doing, and is telling everyone that, "Mom is making a book for me."

Whew. It feels good to be working on this. I am so thankful that God has given me the words to say in this book, this account for Gwen of His plan for her life. I'm not finished yet, but now I know I can do it.

Important Question

I knew it was coming. The question had arisen on several other occassions, and I had let it pass because there were too many other people around.

Last week when Gwen and I were discussing some past event, the question came again. This time the situation was right to answer it.

"Where was I then, Mom, in your belly?"

"You weren't in my belly, Gwenny. You were in a Chinese mommy's belly."

"What's her name?"

"I don't know her name. But God does."

"Where is she?"

"I don't know. God's plan was for you to be born to a Chinese mommy, but to be in our family, so Daddy and I came to China to adopt you. Remember?"

It seemed like enough. The moment passed, our car ride ended and we had to get out. She hasn't asked anymore about it since then. I am working slowly on putting together a book for her that will help to explain some of her life story. It's not easy to explain. There are parts that may be sad for Gwen, as she comes to understand them. I pray that God will give us the words to express the story in the way she needs to hear it.