My Overthinking

Philly Area mom, Life forever changed by adoption

Precious treasures

As most of you probably know, I’m helping a sweet friend of mine Helen (who is actually Lydia’s godmother) with Jiayin Designs. I’ve really enjoyed my part in this venture so far as I’ve gotten to connect with a lot of adoptive families. I want to highlight two of those families here and share the story behind their precious treasures.

This is the Chryst family. I connected with Nicole back in March and have been excited to watch them start the adoption process with our agency. For her daughter Peyton’s 5th birthday, Nicole bought her a very special gift for her to treasure–a charm that says big sister in Chinese. What a wonderful way to invite Peyton into the adoption process and help make Brooke real to her. I love the picture of Peyton looking down at her new necklace–it’s as if I can feel her pride over having a real piece of jewelry now that she’s 5 as well as her wonder and excitement over what it means. Nicole is an amazing photographer, don’t you think? You can see the rest of the pictures of Peyton opening her gift here.

The other precious treasure I wanted to highlight in this post will eventually be worn by a dear woman in Southern China. When the Greig family was weeks away from traveling to China to bring home their sweet 2 year McKenna, they received shocking news that she had passed away. McKenna’s special need was not life threatening, so the news of her death from pneumonia was devastating to say the least. 
In an effort to reach out to the foster mother in China who undoubtedly is grieving too, the Greigs ordered a charm with McKenna’s Chinese name to have a family traveling soon to the same city to hand deliver. When I received the charm from Beijing and prepared to mail it off to the Griegs, I couldn’t help but hold it in my hand and recognize that I had the opportunity to be a part of something very significant. It felt quite sacred to me to be able to hold the charm that would be presented from one grieving mother to another grieving mother. You can read Nikki’s thoughts firsthand about how God is working in her heart here. She wrote a very honest and vulnerable post there. You will be happy to know that the Lord has been active in the Greig family’s life and has provided healing in their grief and has brought them to their daughter. Quinn Lian awaits them, and they are overjoyed to make her their own. She’s such a precious girl and will certainly bring them abundant joy. 

Jiayin Designs has definitely been a great experience for me thus far to be a part of.

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dedicated to Him


As spoken at Lydia’s dedication on Sunday at church:
The Lord has entrusted her to us 
so that we may guide and direct her in the love of the Lord.


We covenanted to dedicate ourselves as parents to bringing up Lydia Mei in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. And, we publicly confessed our desire that by precept and example, Lydia would see the radiance of Christ in us and when she becomes of age, that she would receive Christ as her personal Lord and Savior.

It was an emotional and tender moment for me. We had already dedicated her to the Lord. But, doing so publicly and having the congregation stand in a commitment to help us raise her to His glory–it was a humbling moment for me as a parent. I feel unworthy and ill equipped for the task that He has given to us to raise these 4 children who lay asleep on the floor above me as I type right now. May He grow me, change me, mold me for the task before me.

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That’s it

First day of school 2009
Last day of School 2010
That’s it. No one is allowed to get any bigger. The next person to grow an inch is going in time out. I’m simply putting my foot down. These four are not allowed to gain a pound, grow a shoe size, or learn a new vocabulary word. No one is allowed to tell me Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is for babies. They must still request for me to hold them even if I tell them my back hurts. They must climb into our bed each morning, and if they don’t, they are going to get it. I mean it. 
If only it were that easy.
At least I still get this when she comes home and sees me Lydia. 
Can’t believe I am now mother to a 3rd grader, 1st grader, and a PreK-er. At least, Lydia’s still home with me for a while. (sigh)

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