Happy 6th Forever Family Day!

Today marks our Sixth Forever Family Day - the day Samantha was first placed in our arms and our family was born!


We can recall the day like it was yesterday. Dale and I got up early in the morning (it was a Monday) we ate breakfast and then took a walk around Nanchang. We watched the people of Nanchange do Thai Chi (sp?), and just took in the sights. It was an amazing experience.  After our walk, we went back to the hotel to meet up with our travelmates and our guide. We were off to the Civil Affairs Building to meet our daughters for the first time. Of course, we had mixed emotions - anxious, excited, scared, but most of all HAPPY to finally be meeting our daughter!

At approximately 12:10 pm (China Time) we heard some noise in the hallway and realized our daughters were on their way to meet their families. We heard one of the babies crying and later learned that it was Samantha.

We all were very excited as the girls began coming into the room adjacet to ours. We could see their beautiful little faces and most of them had rosy red cheeks. As I recall, the girls were all tired from their long trek from Tonngu.

One by one, each of the four families in our travel group was called up to meet their daughter. Samantha was lovingly placed into my arms around 12:15 p.m. that most wonderful day six years ago. Both she and I were crying but for very different reasons. Me, for it was the happiest day of my life and for her, it was was probably the scariest day of her life. I'm sure she was wondering what the heck was going on.

Thereafter, Samantha has been, and continues to be a very happy, bright and beautiful child. We could not have wished for a more perfect little girl than the one God and the CCAA chose for us. Our lives have been foreverly blessed with this most wonderful child!  Samantha continues to amaze us each and every day and she brings such joy and happiness to us and all those around her. 

We can't imagine where the time has gone! Six years later and this most wonderful journey of parenthood continues!  We anticipate what the future holds for Samantha Rae! 

In honor of Samantha's special day, we had Chinese take out for dinner (one of Sammie's favorites) and gave her a special gift from China (a small porcelain dish), which she proudly displays in her room.  Each year on her Forever Family Day we give her a gift we bought in China.  This is our way of giving her a piece of her heritage each year on her special day. 

Happy 6th Forever Family Day Samantha Rae Minhe!  Mommy and daddy love you very much and are so proud that we get to call you our daughter!