Adopted for Life: New Pictures of Xiao Qian

During our Thanksgiving break in Oregon, Victoria and I anxiously awaited an update on Xiao Qian from our contact in China, Angela. She was going to try to get updated photographs of her and forward them to us, while at the same time giving her another care package from us. Upon returning home we immediately opened our e-mail boxes, but there were no updates from Angela. But, lo and behold, the next morning an e-mail from Angela came through with some wonderful pictures attached. I'm interspersing them here within this post for you to enjoy.

I've carefully studied each one of them to try to read, perhaps more than I should, into them. As I closely examine the pictures, I can't help but believe she's an adorable little girl, both inside and out. It's not for these that we adopt, but it is refreshing to stare into those eyes on the screen, and look at that smiling face, and sense there's something remarkable there. I get the feeling that she's very content, as much as she could be, with this upcoming and traumatic change that she's about to embark upon. I could be wrong, and this will not stop me from praying for her night and day, but I do resonate with a certain peace that God has perhaps touched her with. I pray my intuition is correct.

She also looks very healthy to me; emotionally, physically, mentally, etc... Since God's timing is always perfect, I suspect He's ordained this period of her life to change at just the right moment when she's at a peak and "hitting on all cylinders". He's done that for us too.

Finally, I can see that she, like all of us, wants to fit in, be noticed and loved. The traditional "peace sign" symbol formed by her left hand (in two of the pictures) signals to me that she's trying to connect, trying to fit in, and trying to be noticed. I take this as a good sign, and one that we can help fulfill with a very non-threatening and loving home.

I'm enraptured by these pictures, and really can't stop looking at them. I take a gander several times a day, and in the one where she's kneeling (below) I've made that my wallpaper screen on both my laptop and my cellular telephone. Victoria has another picture of Xiao Qian on her cellular telephone so that we'll constantly have here at the forefront of our minds whenever we see her face, and also remember to pray for her whenever we can.