A Long Way

This happened two years ago...

I feel like our story has been told over and over and over again and some of you readers were there via internet real-time refreshing to see the first moments and the first pictures of the 5 of us. Some of you are newer friends, some we've never met and some will read this months from now to catch up.

I love our story.

We have come a long way in 2 years.

We have a long way to go.

This world is not our home but we are making the most of earth and doing the best we can and some days we move forward big steps, some days we move forward tiny Grace-sized steps. Some days, though, we move backward. Maybe you can relate.
Grace is thriving. She is a spunky, sassy, silly, loving, smart, energetic three-and-a-half year-old dynamo. She knows how to use her teaspoon sized tears to try and get what she wants (#developmentallyonpoint), and she is learning that it doesn't work very well. She loves to play doctor, and doll house, is great at puzzles and building, and is a very loving mother to her babies, balancing kisses and putting them in time outs when appropriate. She even is nurturing to the big people in her life who occasionally allow her to be the "mama" while we pretend to be her babies (ohmyword). Her favorite places on planet earth are parks with a big slide and a climbing wall, outside on her bike, jumping on a trampoline, and this just in: church school (can I get a hallelujah!).

We understand her "grace-ese" language pretty well most of the time. For those playing along at home here is a quick start tutorial of important words and phrases:

• "my yike" = I like...
• "my no yike" = I don't like...
• "my yook" = I want to look...
• "gaw-ree" = I'm sorry
• "Oh-puh" = open
• "Oh-puh doh - oh no yock!" = Open the door! Oh no it's locked!
• "My nee key" = I need a key (^^^)
• " bih side" = big slide
• "yayer" = later
• "ahh duh wohk" = All done work
• "Je-joe yuvv me" = Jesus loves me
• "Yo-lo" = yogurt 
• "My yate!" = I'm late! 
• "O-kuh" = Okay
• "Chaw" = Chocolate
• "My big Chaw please" = I want a big piece of chocolate please
• "gee-kee" = Sticker
• "day-doo" = Thank you
• "Wah-ka" = Welcome
• "naw-naw" = naughty
• "Daw-be-cake" = Strawberry Shortcake
• "George" = Curious George
• "Cai-coo" - Cailou
• "Ah-ya-you" = I love you

In this second year home we have celebrated some pretty big milestones:

• Graduated from the aero-digestive and voice clinic - September 2014
• Has not been hospitalized for pneumonia March 2014-May 6, 2015 (longest stretch in her life)
• Welcomes babysitters (although none can put her to bed - but that's ok I'll take it #2015 goals)
• Potty trained in 5 days, January 2015
• Is tall enough to pedal her bike and knows what fast means.
• Before crossing the street, knows to "yook for cars or get big owwas".
• Knows we went on a "big airplane to China because she needed a mama and daddy and then came home together on a big airplane."
• Knows she had a broken heart but it was fixed and her scar means all better.
• Prays

I would love to be the mom who scrapbooks and keeps up with all of the things, cuts fancy paper shapes, and has cool glue techniques, and stamps, and organizes and beautifies the memories and hand writes them down. As you can see, I can't even manage a blog post in 5 months other than my monthly at the No Hands but Ours site. I do like to take pictures and capture moments and marry the moments with an appropriate song. That's my way of scrapbooking. If you would like to see my video scrapbook of our second year you can view it HERE 

*Song: A long way Home, by Steven Curtis Chapmen

(For a peek at last year's video scrapbook you can see it HERE

Blogging is my way of keeping track or where we have been and keeping a record for our family of what we are all learning along the way, along this journey we are on together. I hope some day Grace will read these things and be affirmed in how much she was and is wanted, sought after, prayed over, and fought for. I hope she remembers how celebrated this day is, and never questions how loved she is.

So just incase she reads this some day...

Grace Marie Qui Min, 

Two years ago today you were so scared and so was I. We were all a beautiful mess of scared and happy and sad for you and bursty with the joy of finally holding you and seeing you face to face. We knew that you didn't know what in the world was happening to you next. We knew you had been lonely in a hospital for many days, sick, coughing, scared...and now here you were less sick but still scared and being handed over to crazy white people who sounded and smelled different than you were used to. 

I remember how you sounded all gurgley and messy in your breathing and wheezy and how could I forget your gigantic tears. I remember how your wide eyes took it all in fear filled and worried. So did mine. I remember how your sister knew to be calm and distract you with her iPad and how you loved her first. I remember how much she loved that you loved her first, and how proud I was that she knew to comfort you and look out for you. I remember how your brother knew to be silly and make you laugh and smile so that you wouldn't cry. I remember how he knew to spin you around and toss you up high and we heard your deep belly laugh. I remember how proud I was to see him become the big brother I always hoped he would be. 

I remember how your daddy waited patiently for you to love him; wooing you with banana puffs and window watching, and news paper reading and ping pong and silly ninja sounds that made you giggle. He waited the longest for you to accept him and love him and now he is your  #1 hero. Every day you wait for him to be "all done work!" Watching your love story with Daddy develop is one of my very favorite things. 

I remember fighting for batteries and oxygen and medicine and blowing bubbles and reading your pulse-ox and praying and listening to "Healer" and coming home. Somewhere in all of those moments and all of those days of tears and fears and trauma we all became yours and you became ours - one of us - and within moments of knowing you, we each knew there wasn't anything we wouldn't do for you. It's as if you've always been with us. 

Two years later, we have weathered good days and bad days. Sickness and health. Rest - and sleeplessness. Giggles and tantrums. You have far surpassed my hopes and expectations and fill our days with joy and noise and laughter and snuggles and sass and silliness. You are happiest when you are close and when we are all together but you are learning to be content outside of your comfort zone. Watching you grow and beat the odds and overcome your instincts is one of the best parts of my life. There is nothing you cannot do and heaven knows when you set your mind to do something - it's only a matter of time before it comes to be. 

I can hardly wait to see what this next year together holds for us - preschool and learning and growing and mischief and hopefully your own big slide in the back yard. Always remember that you are so very loved and we would circle the globe again and again for you.

I love you to the moon and back - always. Love, Mama