Finding Hannah

As I stand in my kitchen gazing with a blank stare into my pantry that has the same ingredients as yesterday and the day before, I try to decide what to cook for lunch, I feel a tug on my pants leg. I lookdown at the most beautiful eyes staring up at me. It is my daughter, my daughter! Those words still seem so unfamiliar yet so comfortable to me. She lifts her little arms up for me to pick her up, which I gladly oblige. I give her a little tickle which always elicits a smile and a giggle and there it is…..her one little dimple on the left side.

We have been home just over 6 weeks and I still am amazed that my husband and I traveled almost 10, 000 miles to China to find Hannah and bring her home. As a couple, we wanted a child and began the journey to adopt. The road became difficult at times but having Hannah home I cannot imagine life without her. The sweetest kisses, tight little hugs and then those greetings in the morning (very early in the morning) are such precious moments in our lives now.

Finding Hannah led us to Hubei, China. My husband, Mike, and I will never forget our trip to our daughter’s amazing birth country. We decided before we left, not to try to compare our lives in the US to China. Keeping this in mind, we were amazed at the similarities not the differences. Teenagers texting their friends while parents are worried about the bill. Families love each other deeply and a do things together such as play in the park.

The food is wonderful and is nothing like American made Chinese food. The people of China are beautiful, hard working and very loving. The scenery in China is breath taking. One minute you are looking at architecture that is thousands of years old sitting next to a skyscraper. You will simply fall in love with the culture (over 3, 500 years old), the people and all of China. We tried to experience as much as we could to relay to Hannah later in her life.

I am forever grateful to God and China for their greatest gift, my daughter. She is a beautiful, loving and amazing child. I marvel at how much we love her, how well she fits into our lives and family. I am also very thankful to Villa Hope for assisting us in the process, especially to Michelle who was invaluable during the wait and assisting us with our paperwork to after referral to travel.

For those still waiting do not give up! If you believe your daughter is in China, your dreams will come true and they are more fantastic than you ever imagined.

-Rhonda Gibbs