WanYing's Care Package

A Mommy needs something to occupy the months of waiting. Well, something besides caring for her 3 kiddos, preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas, working full-time, catching up on the family photo albums that haven't been touched since Sasha got home, and blogging. This kind and quantity of nervous energy needs multiple outlets.

As a result, tah dah!, WanYing's care package is all ready for her! Our agency doesn't want us to send it until we get our Letter of Confirmation, so you better believe that as soon as we get that piece of paper this puppy is hitting the mail!

It looks like such a little, piddly thing. The CCAA doesn't want parents to send anything elaborate, which totally makes sense when you consider the number of children that a welfare institution is trying to oversee and care for... but what a tiny, empty-feeling collection of little toys and trinkets this is. What an odd way to be introduced to your new family (assuming that she even gets the package, it's not uncommon at all for the packages to never get to the kiddos). But, oh, we have labored over each item, selected each with care, and packed each with love.

How do you communicate a whole family full of love in one little package to a two-year-old on the other side of the world? It can't be done. But we have to try. Here's our attempt:

Dear Wan Ying,

We are so very excited to meet you and welcome you into our family. We can't wait to meet you face-to-face!

Until we are able to see you in person, we have sent a few things to make you smile and help you to get to know your new family. We hope that you enjoy these little gifts.

We hope that your foster family or one of your caregivers can help you use the camera to take pictures of you and the faces and places that are dear to you. If the camera could be returned to us when we come to meet you, we will happily develop the film. We would treasure these photographs to remind you of your life and heritage in China as you get older.

Until we see you face-to-face, we will hold you close in our hearts.

Sincerely,

Dad and Mom
Steve and Jamie Morningstar

亲爱的万映,

我们感到很高兴见到你，欢迎你到我们的家庭。我们迫不及待地想见到你,面对面！

直到我们能够看到你的人，我们寄送了一些东西，让你高兴, 和帮助你去了解你的新家庭。我们希望你喜欢这些小礼物。

我们希望你的寄养家庭或你的照顾者可以帮助你使用相机，为你照些你现时朋友和地方的照片。我们来接你时,如果相机能退还给我们,我们会很乐意胶卷。我们会珍惜这些照片，提醒你幼儿的生活和中国文物。

直到我们看到你面对面，我们将紧紧拥抱你在我们心中。

真诚的，

爸爸和妈妈
Steve and Jamie Morningstar