"Wait, she's a..."

We’ve started taking Bella around town a bit. We carry her in an Ergo baby carrier on our front and she’s just big enough to peek over the top of it. Then when her bonnet is on (which is beautiful pink with lace on it that Mark purchased), her face is a little hard to see. So when people see two foreigners carrying a little bundle, they get very excited. They want to see a foreign baby. If they’re close enough to see her face, or brave enough to ask us, perplexed they say, “Uh, she looks Asian!” We say, “She is Asian. We’re going to adopt her.” Usually the response is, “oh that’s why she doesn’t look like you” or “wow, what a lucky little girl.” When I have the opportunity, I explain that luck has NOTHING to do with this. It is God’s perfect plan for the three of us.

Twice now, I have gotten a response that just melts my heart, “Thank you.” Two women have thanked me for taking care of one of their country’s orphans. Wow. Adoption is not common in this country. In fact, it’s a cultural taboo. If it’s done, it’s often not talked about, ever. A good friend of mine was raised by her aunt and uncle thinking they were her parents. No one told her the truth until she was eighteen. We do not think adoption is something to be ashamed about or hidden. We will proudly tell our daughters and everyone who asks that we have adopted children to be our own. But to have these women tell me thank you…I've already explained, I’m the one who’s thankful. I should be thanking God and the orphanage workers and the government for giving me such a precious and priceless gift. The gift of a daughter.

Although she doesn’t look like us, and although it’ll still be months before she legally belongs in our family, she’s already very much our daughter.