Happy #9 to our "Ray" of sunshine

(Day 5 in China)
( With Auntie Sharon Carroll on our way home to WI)



And finally it is your turn Rayna! Your birthday! And a very happy 9th birthday to our very sweet young lady. I remember about the time you were born. We had sent our papers to China to adopt you on June 30 of 1999. The next few weeks I kept thinking, 'I wonder if she has been born'. And you were! Just a few weeks later. But it took us nine months to finally get you! You were kept safe and warm and fed, but not necessarily loved. As soon as we got you on April 20th, it felt like you were born to us. And you just opened up by the hour and by the time the first picture I will post was taken, you were already very comfortable with mommy and daddy. Oh, you were a dream come true. I'd lie there and watch you sleep when we had those first nights together. From the very start you were just... sweet. Pleasant. Wonderful to be around. And now... at 9 you are just the same. I can see you changing from a little girl to a bigger girl. You have your own thoughts and ideas and now you express them so well. You have an artistic, beautiful way of looking at things that I don't have. You love others so much, but also enjoy having quiet time alone with your thoughts and some very special stuff surrounding you. And so dear daughter, Happy Happy Birthday to our fearless leader of the pack. You were hand-picked just for us and feel that heaven was on our side when you came to be a precious daughter of ours. Love you to the moon (and back)!