Introducing...Our Daughter!!

It is with great JOY and EXCITEMENT 

that we present to you... OUR DAUGHTER!

 

Isn't she the most darling little girl?!!  I bet you can't take your eyes off that sweet little face!  I have her picture with me everywhere I go... on my phone's background, framed in the living room, on the kitchen table, on my bedside table, in my purse... I can't get enough of her!  I do have a couple more photos of her, but I will save them for my next post so we can spread the cuteness out.  Otherwise your heart might melt right into your shoes like mine did.   :-)

Now allow me to put a name to that adorable face!  Her Chinese name (first and middle) is "Yan Tao".  It sounds like "Yen" and if you want to try using the correct tones you would make it fall then rise: Yàn Táo sort of like saying, "Yen! Tao?".  This name was given to her by a nurse or nanny, and it means "Gorgeous Peach."  It makes me smile.  It suits her.  We are keeping it as her middle name, and giving her a new first name.  We will be calling her... VIOLET!  I have loved that name for a long time, and it's one that Curt likes as well (not easy to find one like that!)  Also, her Chinese name "Yan" means "gorgeous", but it also means "colorful", and that is kind of a cool coincidence.  :-)  So she shall be called "Violet Yan Tao" and we couldn't be happier to add her to our family!

Violet is 21 months old right now.  She will be turning two in November and we are hoping and praying that we can celebrate that day with her in person!  So far, according to the timelines of some adoptive friends who are just a few steps ahead of us in the process, it looks like that just might be a possibility!  So pray with us!

As you know, Violet was part of the "Special Needs" program due to a medical condition.  We are perfectly comfortable talking about this, but we will also be sensitive to what we publish online.  But we can tell you that she simply has a skin condition.  It is genetic, and there is no cure.  Basically, her back and torso have dry, flaky, somewhat scaly skin.  (I know, no big deal, right?!)  It is not contagious, and likely will not even spread further on her own body.  We have spoken to a team of Pediatric Dermatologists in the area and they have reviewed her medical file and photos.  We are certain that we will be able to keep this condition manageable through exfoliating baths and special moisturizers.  After learning so much about her condition, I am all the more eager to bring her home and start taking care of her!

I could go on forever... but I will leave you with this parting picture and save the rest for another post.

So proud of their new sister Violet!