Happy Mother's Day China Mommy!

Happy Mother's Day, China Mom. I am not sure if they celebrate Mother's Day in China.But there is a Mom somewhere in Maoming, China that I will be honoring this Mother's Day. It is impossible not to think about her every day when I dress Ruthie, comb her beautiful silky hair or watch her run up and down the hallways. Oh and stand in front of the refrigerator for a while deciding which color popsicle she would like next. I wonder if she looks like her Mommy or has the spunky personality like her. If she does, I would so want to be her friend!! What a blast she would be! :)        

                                                                                                                       

We received her Alabama birth certificate in the mail this week and it states my name, Julie Lynn Bates Boyd as her mother. The joy that brought to my heart. Just knowing that she is forever mine and I can call her my daughter is overwhelmingly wonderful. Part of me knows that before I claimed the title of "Mommy".....she had a Mommy that I believedeep in my heart wanted better for her. I wonder if she thinks of us and Ruthie? I have come to learn the importance that it is for many adoptees to know that at some point in their lives they can, if they choose, have a reunion with those who share their genetic makeup. But because of the reality of Chinese adoptions, Ruthie will never have this opportunity.  So, with each passing Mother's Day, she will have to face with how to deal with and try to understand that she will never be able to meet the woman that was her first Mommy. We must remember China Mommy every year. I wish I could tell her that the little girl she gave birth to has a smile as broad and beautiful as a field of daisies, that she is vibrant and energetic, and that she is a child with a joyful heart. Better yet, I wish she could see that for herself and that I could tell her that her sacrifice gave me the gift of mothering this sweet angel.                        

                                                                                                                       

I know in my heart that my daughter, Ruthie, is the child I was meant to have, even though she was not born from me. That’s why, as I send my own mother a card this Mother’s Day, I write this to honor my daughter’s birth-mother, and every other woman who has made the difficult decision not to parent a child she has brought into this world. Without China Mommy and others like her, thousands of women like me would not be celebrating Mother's Day with our China babies and to provide a better life for them.                                                                                

                                                                                                                       

I love my Ruthie! 

Blessings & Love!

Julie

Christmas in Ruthie's Eyes

Ruthie had such a great Christmas! She would get so excited and loved the decorations and going different places to look at lights. She would stand in front of the tree and stare. It was precious!! We had lots of time to make ornaments, decorate and make lots of cookies and other goodies! She probably tasted more sweets this month than she has in her entire lifetime. Her favorite is still the OREO cookies. It doesn't surprise me, that has been the cookie of the house since Carson was a baby. 

First we made Salt Ornaments! We enjoyed making these........however, Ruthie was a little skeptical..:) 

Wrapping presents was alot of fun! As you can see below, Ruthie enjoyed it as well. Little does she know that God gave us our Christmas present in August and she did not have to be wrapped. What a beautiful gift!

Before we move on to the Christmas parties and visiting every one's home, I wanted to stop and reflect on Ruthie and just how much she has healed from her surgery on her lip in October. She has done wonderfully with it and has not let it slow her down not one bit. I am so thankful! As we "doctor" it every night with cocoa butter Vaseline, it just reminds me of how much she had endured over the past 23 months (18 in China and 5 in United States). She is one strong little girl! She is very independent and wants to only do for herself. What I mean by that is she wants to feed herself, apply her ointment, carry her diaper bag.......you name it, she wants to do it. I just love this little firecracker! Here are a few pics that actually reveal her personality a little more too!!

As we enjoyed spending time with our familes, I was able to capture these moments of Ruthie and all the excitement. She did so well and enjoyed being with our family. She loved opening gifts and loved eating.....well grazing. She would eat a little bit, then play and come back for more. I just can't help but think of where she was this time last year and how far she has come. God is gracious and his light definitely shines through her almond eyes. 

Oh what fun! Christmas Day was a bit more overwhelming for her. She had fun, but the decision of which toy to choose from was too exciting! :)

While we enjoyed the opening of presents and yummy food, we thanked Jesus. After all it is His day. We are thankful to him for our little Ruthie Grace. I am also so very thankful to be able to capture these pictures and share with others. I love her hugs, her kissses and sweet eyes! I love her personality......I love that she loves her siblings.......I love that she loves her Daddy...............Lately, I love that after 4 months she now calls me "Muma" (Mommy). I am so thankful for her little voice and big big smile!

Blessings and Love!

Julie

Oh Boy, we are still busy!! Cleft check up and Family Portraits

So, Steve was on vacation last week and was left with a honey do list! One thing on the list was to take Ruthie for a follow up visit with her surgeon, Dr. Ray. Dr. Ray was more than pleased with
Ruthie's lip. Steve said that he could not believe how fabulous she looked! He was more than excited and spent a good amount of time having a stare down with her. He did say that the muscle in her lip is like a tight rope right now. He said that her lip would draw up for a few weeks, then go back
to where it is now and stay that way. He said at that point, you will never know that she had surgery! He said that it looks so well that he wants to see her back in a month to review and then set up her 2nd surgery. He thinks that we could move it up to possibly February. This surgery will be more dramatic for Ruthie. We could spend up to 4 days in the hospital. He said that she handles her pain and adjustment so well, that it could possibly only be 2 days for us.

Now, about the surgery...In our mouths, we have a muscle that grows in 3 spots, nasal cavity, palate and the back of our throat. He will have to cut all three places and pull them all together. When it is complete, he will place cotton around the outside of the "pull together" until it heals/stops
bleeding. Apparently, this process is going to be hard on Ruthie because of the bleeding and her learning how to breath out of her nose and not the hole in her palate any longer. That is the main reason why they want to keep her in for more than just one day, to monitor her eating and breathing. Her recovery will be a little longer than her lip. She will have to learn how to eat and breath at the same time. 

Her hearing and ears were fabulous!

She will not have her gum fixed until her 3rd surgery, when she turns 5. When they correct her gum, they will have to take some bone from her hip. We are not going to think about that until the time comes. One step at a time. 

I will not know the date of her surgery until January 3rd. Until then, we will embrace the holidays and enjoy my almond eyed firecracker princess!




We decided that it was time to have our family portraits made with the 5 of us. Ruthie didn't get her nap and she sure showed it! By the time we were getting ready to wrap up an hour photo shoot, she came around and was the spunky little girl that she can be!! We had a great time and got some great shots! How thankful we are to be a family of 5!!

I love my family!! We have been through so much and I thank God for everything we have been through and conquered!! 

Blessings and Love,

Julie

Our 1st Thanksgiving as a family of 5

What a November!! I can't count the many many reasons why we are so thankful! November has been full of so many events. I started back to work on November 5th and shed many tears when I left Ruthie for the first time. I was sad but also very thankful that she was staying with my parents. They are there to love her and give her what she needs while I am at work. So thankful! :) I was very thankful to get to work and be missed by so many folks as well! The transition back to work was so easy. I missed my co-workers and are very thankful for having such a great job and great folks to work with everyday.

This was Ruthie's first Thanksgiving with us. She had such a great time! The Sunday before Thanksgiving we celebrated at church then with Steve's family. We enjoyed taking her to church and then to her first gathering. She had such a good time! She loved all the food and especially loved all the desserts. :) She got to meet new cousins and family and fit right in with them all. What a blessing it is to introduce her to so many folks that love her dearly! 

Thanksgiving Day, we got up early, watched the Macy's Day parade (we do every year) and took off to my sister, Brandi's house. Ruthie also got to meet some family that she had not met before. Ruthie enjoyed the food and of course all the desserts again. She was thrilled to be there to play with her cousins. We stayed outside some and watched all the kiddos playing. Ruthie would eat some, play, eat some more and then play again. I loved seeing her eat and her favorite thing to eat other than the desserts was green beans! We could not keep enough on her plate. It is just amazing to me at how she loves vegetables!

And she is out! She had so much fun! Every day is a new day and it continues to share all the many blessings that we have received from God. I am so blessed and filled with so much joy!

Until next time,

Blessings!
Julie