November 06, 2008

Our sweetheart


I don't think there's much to say. Six years old and in first grade. Where did the bangs go? The baby face?

3 comments:

wordwitch said...

a question came to mind this morn - what do you tell Su of her birth parents? I'd be surprised if you haven't told her something already, she seems a bright, intelligent, curious young girl - observant to her differences compared to you two. So...what'd you tell her?

Bob said...

A story about when you were overseas with the military probably wouldn't be appropriate, huh?

Six years already... unbelievable. Su may never realize how lucky she is, but at least you know how lucky you are.

epota said...

wordwitch - We tell Su the obvious -- that she looks just like her Uncle Earl and Aunt Maude. :-)

Actually, we've always been very open with her over the years. We, of course, have no history about her actual parents, just her caregiver. We tell her about the hardships her parents had to go through and how agonizing a decision it was for them to comply with government regulations. And we have made a point of never dismissing any thoughts she may have about where she's from. We're not threatened by any of her past and go to great lengths to help her truly appreciate her heritage. And we already plan to return to China in a few years, when she's a bit older, and she can take in a bit more of her culture and her birth province.

The bad news: We had to inform her that, at present time, she cannot be President of the United States. Something about being a natural-born citizen. :-)

Bob: The military story might ALMOST have been serviceable if she hadn't already seen all of my more youthful photos with hair down near my rear end. No way that any military branch would have allowed THAT to happen! :-)

And you hit it right on the head. My wife and I are TRULY the lucky ones. This little girl could have ended up anywhere. No telling what her future would have been like (good, bad, so-so), but OUR life is clearly better with her in it.