Further Updates

Further updates can be found at:

http://heartmommy.blogspot.com/

For anyone still checking out the blog.  I stumbled upon a video of our Gotcha Day.  I found our very first moments with Melia.  Thought you may enjoy!

Today

I love this little girl.  She's awesome.  

And my wife is keeping a much better blog than I am.  For more frequent updates about Melia and her heart condition, you should check out her blog at:

www.heartmommy.blogspot.com

Great kid!

Things continue to go so well with little Melia.  So well, in fact, that I'm forgetting that I'm supposed to be blogging our adoption adventure.  Dare I say, there has been very little that his "disrupted" our lives.  She goes with our flow, eats what we eat, sleeps when the other kids sleep.  What's more, she takes great naps and actually goes down to sleep by herself in her own room without a peep!  Often times we hear her singing through the monitor for 10 or 15 minutes before she falls asleep!

Wow.  One great kid.  Lately, she's been trying so hard to talk.  She wants to tell us so many things, but can't quite do it.  But with the help of baby signs and lots of pointing, we've been figuring it out.

Pool

Took our first trip to the pool!!!

Going so well

As poetic as it would be to leave that last post as my last post, there are still things out there to say.

I didn't want to leave everyone hanging as to how Melia has been now that she's home.  Let me just say that of the 4 children I have, this little girl has been the most delightful and easiest baby during the "first week home".  She doesn't fit any adoption book or story that I've ever heard of.

We've had no issues at night time.  She'll eat anything.  She loves everyone.  She OBEYS mom and I.  (Seriously, what kind of a 1 year old.... that speaks Chinese.... obeys their parents instruction?).  All I have to say is "No-No Melia" and she'll back off of whatever she's doing and move onto something else.

She's not a "grabby" baby, so we haven't really had to baby proof things.  She's not a "oral" baby that sticks everything in her mouth, so again, all the little toys that we've accumulated get to stay on the floor.  (sigh)

An additional bonus is that the other kids seem to like her and have had no problem adjusting either.  Huge blessing!  If anything, they seem to have matured a bit and everybody wants to help out.  A special shout out to Hallie for being such an amazing big sister.

The only one who seems to having to tough go of it is our dog.... of all people.  She has started a "chewing rebellion" that has resulted in many toys being destroyed throughout our house.

Conclusion

I have to admit, that my own blog title has been bothering me for quite sometime.  "Voiceless Orphans".  I almost feel the need to apologize when I give the web address to friends.  "Well," I think to myself, "I made the blog title a long time ago.... before I knew Zac.... before I knew Melia.  Afterall, no child of MINE is an orphan.  A voiceless orphan..... hmpf!

It practically sounds politically incorrect.  Voiceless children, maybe.  That sounds a bit better.  Ryan's children.  That's more like it.  That's what they really are:  MY KIDS.  It's that simple.  They're just ..... my kids.

But sometime recently it hit me:  I realized that MY KIDS were indeed once ... orphans.

It makes me sick.  I don't want to believe it.  I'd rather quickly dismiss it.  It truly brings me conflict.... and confusion.

Friends, there are many orphans out there.  Waiting to be adopted.  The second a person chooses to adopt, these thousands, no.... these MILLIONS of children are immediately touched and transformed into a miracle.  They become someone's KID.

Less than 2 weeks ago, Melia was a distant image in my mind and a photograph on my wall.  Today, she is a miracle and most importantly she is MY DAUGHTER.

I am so thankful for the gift of adoption and want to shout it out to the world that adoption is a beautiful thing.

Thank you for listening to my thoughts.