Happy forever family day Kali!

Ten years ago today we met our daughter Kali. I can still remember the room, the anticipation, the fear that she would not be one of the children there. But she was, content to sit with her Ayi and play with a piece of apple candy in the wrapper. We were almost afraid to touch her in fear that she would cry. I remember our paperwork was handed out wrong. Carolyn, our dear friend and our paperwork for some reason was passed out to eachother wrong. We had Carolyn's and she had ours. I remember Fred being angry about it. But he was the one that did it. We could not read Chinese Characters. But we just acted like it was no big deal and switched and went on. After the signing in the big room in our hotel, we picked up our daughter for the first time. She cried and cried. She was wet and hungry. And BIG! At fourteen months old she was 22 pounds! We met this first daughter of ours in Hefei Anhui province, China. After that first moment, I couldn't let her out of my sight or arms... As tired as they were from holding her. She was scared to death of her daddy. His heart was crushed, but he was determined that she would like him.

Today Kali is not a big girl, but of average height and weight and a wonderful tween with all the things that go with it. She plays clarinet in band and has joined Speech club. She will be playing volley ball this year. No more days of dance class and violin lessons. She loves to hang out wtih her friends and she loves reading books and watching TV.