Week of UPS and downs...

The week started out Great.  It was my mom's birthday and I woke up to an email from Ann at Red Thread China with an update on BeLanna, along with pictures.  The next day I had another email with pictures of the care package she put together.  YEAH!!  She said it should be to the Zhengzhou SWI within a few days.



Blanket, Camera, Fish bag, Candies, Dolly, PJ's, Book w/ Chinese and English, Collage pillow.

In addition, I was able to put together a 400 word letter.  Mine ended up being mostly questions, but this is what I came up with and I am really praying that I will get this letter back on her Gotcha Day with most (or all) of the questions answered.
 

Dear Director and Nannies,

Thank-you for taking care of my daughter, Yin Yue.  She looks beautiful, happy and 

very well cared for in her pictures.  Please give her many hugs, kisses and cuddles 

from me. On the pillow are pictures of me, grandma, grandma’s two sisters, my dog 

and cat.  Please keep telling her, I am eager to bring her into my home and her 

entire family is eager to meet her especially the family dog who will happily clean 

her face for her.  Please take many pictures of Yin Yue with her friends, nannies, 

and the orphanage, so I will be able to show her where her life started and the 

wonderful people who cared for her.

Enclosed is a list of questions about my daughter Yin Yue. Answers to these 

questions will help me to make the transition easier for her.  Thank-you for 

taking time to answer these questions.

• Can her hair not be cut and be allowed to grow long?

• Where and how was she found?  

• Who found her?

• Was a note or memento with her?

• Do you have her finding ad?  Can I have a copy?

• Who chose her name and why? 

• Does she have a nickname?

• Is she potty trained??  

• Has she had any allergies? 

• What are her favorite foods and activities? 

• What makes her happy?

• How would you describe her personality?

• Does she have any likes/dislikes/sensitivities? 

• Is she close to a particular nanny? What is this nanny’s name?

• Is she close to a particular child(ren)? What is this child’s name?

• What was her first word? How old was she when she said it?   

  Is there a story that she should know about how/when/why she said her first word?

• How old was she when she started walking?

• What else would you like to tell me about her?

• Is there anything I should buy in China to take home for her that has special meaning?

• Is there anything you want to ask me?

       Sincerely, Carmel Finch

 
And then the downs started... I started to feel a deep cold coming on... and then my mom called to tell me she had been rear-ended in MY CAR!!   Luckily, she is OK and my car can be repaired... but MY CAR!!!

When she was driving over to Montana for my grandmother's deathbed vigil and the funeral, it was late at night, snowing TONS and she was driving slow... but that didn't stop the deer from jumping out in front of her.  Hence, her car was in the shop for a few weeks and I ended up with her rental... and she had to take my car and get back to work!!   And then.... she got into an accident with MY CAR!!!