SPECIAL GIFTS FOR SOMEONE VERY SPECIAL

For Thuy's primary caretaker at the orphanage we wanted to get her something very special. After all she has taken care of our precious baby through these earliest months of her life and kept her safe, fed, and well cared for, and for that I am eternally grateful. Lotion again didn't seem to show my appreciation, but then really what does? After much thought and wondering around, I chose a sterling silver necklace for her. It has a silver turtle and a small baby turtle in gold on its back. I thought it was so symbolic of what she has done for us. And I hope she'll understand how grateful we are to her for all the love she has given Thuy during her first few months. The turtle also represents our Hawaiian home and will help her remember where little Thuy's new home is across the ocean.

And lastly on the subject of gifts, is the necklace we chose for Thuy's birth mom. What do you give to the woman who has allowed you to raise her child as your own? What could I possibly give? Everything I could think of doesn't seem just right. Our agency told us that something gold is always nice. So, I chose this necklace with a Plumeria charm. There is a plumeria tree in our front yard, just outside the window from Thuy's nursery. These flowers are so fragrant, I love to walk through our front door when they are in bloom, its like heaven. I will share about the tree with Thuy's birth mom and I hope the necklace will be a reminder to her of the warm safe place where Thuy is growing up with her adoptive family.

Along with the picture frame of Thuy I posted about earlier. I made her birth Mom a small album of all the pictures I received of Thuy during the adoption process for her to keep. I also made a small album of our home/life to share with her. I thought she would like to see what our life looks like. So I have pictures of our home inside & out, of our families, our friends (if you were at our wedding you are in the book in the group shot) and our co-workers. I hope this will help her understand and be comfortable with the life Thuy will live and the family she will have.

My dear friend Kelly who is an adoptive Mom also, gave me the following poem that I will share with Thuy when we talk about the day she became part of our family forever.

LEGACY OF AN ADOPTED CHILD

ONCE THERE WERE TWO WOMEN WHO NEVER KNEW EACH OTHER;
ONE YOU DO NOT REMEMBER, THE OTHER YOU CALL MOTHER.
ONE GAVE YOU A NATIONALITY, THE OTHER GAVE YOU A NAME.
ONE GAVE YOU THE SEED OF TALENT, THE OTHER GAVE YOU AIM

TWO DIFFERENT LIVES SHAPED TO MAKE YOURS ONE.
ONE BECAME YOUR GUIDING STAR, THE OTHER BECAME YOUR SUN.
ONE GAVE YOU EMOTIONS, THE OTHER CALMED YOUR FEARS.
ONE SAW YOUR FIRST SWEET SMILE, THE OTHER DRIED YOUR TEARS.

THE FIRST GAVE YOU LIFE AND THE OTHER TAUGHT YOU HOW TO LIVE IN IT.
THE FIRST GAVE YOU A NEED FOR LOVE AND THE SECOND WAS THERE TO GIVE IT.
ONE GAVE YOU UP; IT WAS ALL SHE COULD DO.
THE OTHER PRAYED FOR A CHILD, AND GOD LED HER STRAIGHT TO YOU.

AND NOW YOU ASK ME THROUGH YOUR TEARS,THE AGE OLD QUESTION THROUGH THE YEARS,
HEREDITY OR ENVIRONMENT, WHICH ARE YOU A PRODUCT OF?
NEITHER MY DARLING, NEITHER. JUST TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF LOVE!