Care package..

Just wanted to post this...we found out on Monday, July 19th that our care package made it to Emma's orphanage. That is a huge answered prayer! You never know w/international customs how all of that works....we just pray that most, hopefully all, that we sent her was still in the package. It is a known fact that the boxes are opened and contents sometimes removed, based on the liking of the inspector. I can't imagine even doing that! But anyway, we hope that the orphanage director has given it to her. We will really only know once we meet her and can ask her about it. I hope that she is able to take some good pictures...of friends and caregivers, for her to treasure forever.

We wonder if she realizes these are her last weeks, last days, last moments, with these people and then her life will change forever.... and we pray that she will one day be blessed by that; although we know the initial shock and loss of everything familiar to her will be very, very difficult.

We also got a notice from USCIS Monday stating our petition for Emma was approved; so now we wait on our Visas---China's okay for us to come get our precious daughter.

In the meantime, I am attempting some Chinese recipes. I bought a bunch of new spices and ingredients common to Chinese food (ginger root, garlic, chili flakes, soy sauce, etc) and a new stir fry skillet. So far, we've had egg drop soup, stir fry chicken, fried rice, and beef stir fry.

I also downloaded 10 Cantonese lessons...in hopes that this will make communicating with her a little easier! I practiced two of my new phrases at the post office and Candi said, "That's Cantonese!" I was quite proud of myself :)