Country Girl

Mia lives in rural Mississippi, perhaps not much different from the rural Kunming, China where she's supposed to have been born. She loves the outdoors, animals and has plenty of family excitement.

Field Work

Today is our 4 month anniversary with Mia in our family. It's hard to believe we've only had her for such a short time. The long two year wait melted the moment we held her in our arms. It seems she's always been ours. There's no questions that she belongs to us. Mia means mine in Spanish and she is "mine". I've had 3 biological children and I was prepared to feel differently about this little girl. I knew that love would come and I was prepared for it to grow with time. What has taken me totally by surprise is that love was instantaneous for both myself and Mike. I absolutely can't tell any difference in my love for her and that of my other children. Her smell, her touch, her manners, even her tantrums tug at my heart strings and speak to me of love. Love is definitely of God and not man and it goes beyond biology. I look at her chinese eyes and celebrate the fact that we are blessed to watch her grow.

This month we've seen Mia grow to love her church family as well. At her dedication service she kissed the preacher and the entire congregation let out a collective "aaaawe". Mia is still partial to the men and it leaves the ladies feeling very left out. But we are working on her people skills. She loves to watch the other children in the nursery and will take part in our Vacation Bible School in a few weeks. She doesn't let me out of her sight much and I'm not pushing it, yet.

Our Elliott is in Spain to "study" for four weeks. Ethan is busy working at our store and stops only long enough to change clothes, jump in the lake and join his friends. I'm enjoying time with our Michaela now that school's out. She's a big help with the Mia. She's been dying to go to the local stock yard and I finally broke down this past Wednesday. It was steamy and soon Mia was dripping. I've never seen a child sweat like she does. Her thin little locks are rivers and it's just ridiculous! The trip was well worth it though as she was enthralled by the animals. Chickens go "bock, bock", pigs go "oink, oink", the rabbits....well you have to scrunch up your nose and go....(I can't even make that noise!) But the best was watching her little mouth purse at the cows go "mooooo".

The textbook lessons don't do it, folks, you have to do the field trip! Today's lesson was at the City Park with lessons on spinning the merry-to-round. I'd forgotten the true meaning of drunk with joy. Everyone needs refresher courses now and again.