This was Alice the day after we got her, November 9th. We have been home 2 months today…wow. Time is flying by. We finally looked at the video and pictures we took while in China, and it is unbelievable the difference in Alice in this super short time. The weird thing about it is that while we were in China and feeling like all was going so well (which in the scheme of things, it did go well), her face tells a different story. We were such strangers that I didn’t realize how hurt she was. Now that we have known her for the past few months, I can tell you what that face is in all the pictures. It is fear, trauma, shyness, despair, hopelessness, and a broken heart….and I didn’t realize the extent of it. I knew that I had only seen a picture and had an “idea” of Alice and who she would be, but I never knew just how much we did not know each other. She seemed SO fragile and softspoken and her cry was such a dry, sad, mournful cry. Fast forward from November to January….it hasn’t been that long, but I know her so much more…I can tell you what her different expressions mean. I know we have only begun to know our Alice, but what we know, we love, and we can’t wait to know her more. She is a beautiful creation sent straight into our lives by our loving heavenly Father. He knew how to craft our family in an unbelievable way. How else could it be that she fits so well??? It is not luck or chance. What a privilege it is to be her mother. She is saying all kinds of things…like “I want chicken,” “Are you okay?” “Daddy, daddy, where we going?” “I do it,” “Ow, that hurt!” “love you,” and “thank you” to name a few. She is crazy smart, so loving and nurturing, absolutely hilarious and full of charm. She is inquisitive, confident, and opinionated. Fearless, brave, and strong. My daughter.
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Jennifer and her husband Charles have been married almost 12 years. They live in Athens, Alabama and are the parents of 4 children. Their biological children are Charlie (8), Max (6) and Lucy (4), and they just returned home the week of Thanksgiving 2010 with their newest addition, Alice (2), adopted from Guangdong Province in China. Just over a year ago, Jennifer, along with 3 close friends, launched an orphan care ministry at Parkview Baptist Church in Decatur, Alabama called Hearts of Compassion. The goal of this ministry is to raise awareness of the orphan crisis and the role that we, as Christians, should play in that. The ministry focuses on the various facets of orphan care including, but not limited to, foster care and adoption. Through their ministry, they have set up a fund for those adopting who qualify to receive financial assistance. Jennifer loves her life and the adventure that God is taking their family on. She enjoys blogging about adoption, life, kids, the welcomed chaos, and her amazing God.
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