Happy Birthday Mary Austin

Happy Birthday darling Mae! Today you turn four years old and I can hardly believe it. Where have the years gone? It seems like yesterday that you were placed in my arms halfway around the world in China. I can still remember the room, the sounds and the smells from that day. It was the day I had been waiting for all my life. You gave me the precious gift and title of Mommy. You were so sweet and tiny and I remember the first time you laughed a big belly laugh playing with Daddy on the bed at the White Swan. I remember visiting your SWI and how the ladies cried when we left. I hope and think they were tears of joy mixed with the sadness. They knew that you were meant to be our baby girl and were happy for our family but sad because they knew this meant that they would not see you again for a long time. One day we will go back so you can see your beginning.

When you blew out your candles today you made a wish. What you did not know is that I made a wish too.

I wish for you many things....

I wish for you to be gentle and kind and sweet in spirit. I wish for you to always know peace in your life. I wish for you to always have the thirst for knowledge. I wish for you to be graceful in all of life's travails.
But above all I wish for you to be healthy, happy and to always have God close in your heart.

My last wish is not for you or me. It is for your birth mother in China.

I wish for her to have peace and to know

that you are safe and warmed and loved.

Darling Mae, always know that I will always be honest with you and that no matter what happens in your life I will always love you and there is nothing that could ever change that.

Love always,

Mommy

Our first glimpse of you.

I thought you were beautiful and in an instant knew that you were mine. I felt as if I had known you forever.
My impish little baby!
All grown up and
if possible even more beautiful.