Jin Xiu's Journey

January 25, 2007 One Year Ago today the stork delivered my daughters photo to me. It came via internet at 6pm and as it downloaded I caught glimpses of an angel pixel by pixel. I had dreamed of this face for year and the reality of it was even more spectacular. I will remember this day, along with the many other milestone that has followed the rest of my life. Emilee turns 19 months old on January 28th, and we also celebrate 10 months together! They have been the happiest, most amazing 10 months of my life. I thank God every day for blessing me with my precious daughter. I try so hard to live in the moment, not to take anything for granted, and to relish every single moment with Emilee Madison Jin Xiu. I want to remember everything- all of her little cutenesses (that's what I call them). Things like... The way she smells illustrations of flowers inside a book- How she notices a plane, a bird, or the moon even when I don't-

The way she watches everything you do with such eager anticipation and awe and then trys to do it herself

The way she jumps in my lap when we are watching TV and lays back on me as if I am a pillow

How for no reason at all she come over to you and hugs you so tight that she grits her teeth

The way she kisses pictures in frames and smiles with delight

The way she looks up at me when we snuggle, blinks her eyes, and waits for me to blink back-

The way she places my hand on her tummy or her feet when she wants a rub-

How it take us an hour to walk what used to take 5 minutes because she has to smell every flower along the way-

The way she says, "Bye Bye" and waves off strangers who invade her space at the grocery store-

The way she wants to hold your hand, even if you are pushing her carriage

The way she claps at the end of every song on TV How she makes me say, "Ahhhh" when she wants to know what is in her mouth-

How she shares her food and insists on feeding all of us (even the stuffed animals)-

The way she will talk to anyone who comes near her as long as she is holding your hand

The way she looks in the mirror and kisses herself

How she closes doors and drawers after me when I forget-

How she'll put almost anything on top of her head and call it a hat-

The way she has to feed all of her stuffed toys so they wont be hungry

The way she babbles to herself when she wakes up in the morning and then laughs at her own jokes

The way she jumps up and smiles when she see you in the morning

The way she licks her fingers when she turns the page-

The way she touches my face, plays with my hair, and hugs me tight as she's falling asleep-

The way she dances and tries to sing along to every song she hears "La la la la.."-

How she says, "Uh Oh!' before she drops something-

The way she softly pats my back when she gives me a hug-

The way she puckers and says, "Mmmmmm" and then gives me kisses with her "Kissy Face" lips-

How she takes my hand and places it in her hand- and then proudly smiles-

But most of all, I want to remember the feeling I get when she says, "Mama", or when she reaches up for me to hold her, or when she wakes me up in the morning with her sweet, soft kisses.

I can't believe how lucky I am. I am so very very lucky!