Mailed Package For Sophie Today

We mailed our first package for Sophie today. Part of me wanted to "smash" the three of us in that box and send us to China!!

It is a weird feeling to be sending her material things when all I want is for us to be together and hold our little girl. Doing some thing like this should be so easy but it was so very hard today. I am surprised by days like today because I never would of thought that I would of gotten so emotional over putting this little package together. I have known about this for over a month now, I knew I wold be doing this but I still got emotional. But on the other hand I am so happy that she will be able to finally see us, her new family.

As you can see by this first photo we left a spot blank under her photo because our agency is going to translate her name and write it there.

We sent Sophie a cute, snugly pink blanket, tiny plush dog and a photo album. At the last minute I put in two hair pretties and three play bracelets because they said she likes to have her hair "done up" and likes to dress up.

Thanks Becca and Sue for all of your help today making this little album for Sophie!

Here is one of the inside pages. After the first page we put a couple of photos of Simone, then a couple of Me, then a couple of Daddy, then a couple of my Mom (the Grandma because we were told to include all family members that will be traveling to China with us.), then a couple of our family, then our dog, then her room, then I wrote on one page a short letter - on the opposite side our agency will translate it in Chinese. The last page is another photo of her and they are going to write the words We Love you in Chinese. We tried to keep one photo per page so it would be appropriate for her developmental level and not to clutter looking. We laminated it and it is 7 x 7.

It was so hard to figure out what to write and to make it short and developmentally appropriate. We have so much to say to her, I just went blank!!! I also wanted to get it out in the mail today so I did not have much time to think this over. I think I was trying too hard, trying to make it just so for our little girl.

Here is what I wrote:

Dear Ji Shi Wei,

We are so excited to become your Mommy, Daddy and Sister.

Simone can't wait to play with you. Your dog is also waiting for you.

We look at your pictures every day! you have such a beautiful smile, cute hair and adorable eyes. We feel so lucky and can't wait to hold you.

We will see you in a couple of months and bring you home so we can be a family forever.

We love you, Mommy, Daddy and Big Sister Simone

On Thursday, when we received our Pre Approval, our case worker told us we could now send a care package to Sophie. We are so excited to finally send her one!! Our agency said they would send one for us and they would label all photos as well as translate a short letter. They are very specific about what you can send, no camera. They said that we could send another package on our own and we will.

In the next one we for sure will be sending a camera. I was so lucky to have talked with Denise via email and she told me about Red Thread China . She said that I could send Sophie a package through them like she has. Has anyone else had good luck with them?? Any advice or stories would be appreciated.

I feel so blessed to have been in contact with other Moms who are/have adopted from China as I really value your support and information.

Thanks, Michele