My how she has grown!

Last night we were looking through some of Anna's China documents....her Chinese Birth Certificate, Adoption Certificate, her birth note, etc. We also found her Certificate of Citizenship paper. Isn't it amazing the Bush passed the 2002 law that stated that adopted children would become American Citizens when they set foot on American soil? So, we we set foot off that airplane with Anna in Chicago, she was automatically an American Citizen. Amazing.

Some people in our group, though, did not travel with their spouse and in those cases, the families had to readopt in order for their child to get the citizenship papers. Anna's cousin was adopted from China prior to that law, so she had to be readopted in Illinois, as well. We will actually be readopting, Anna, too. We would like to do so in order to receive an American birth certificate for her. There is another way that some folks do this, but it is our understanding that the readoption is the best way to insure that only certain information appears on her new American Birth Certificate. Anna will attend Preschool on Monday and Friday mornings starting in Sept. and it was a weird feeling having to copy her Chinese Birth Certificate. It is saddening to even look at it. It states that her biological birth parents and place of birth are unknown. GULP. She is such a perfect part of this family that we forget that she was indeed born to someone other than us.

Anyway...after looking at all those documents last night, it reminded me of how much the little scared girl that we met in China has grown. I went back and looked at all of the China pictures. WOW...what an amazing trip and an amazing place. We had a wonderful trip to China and I cannot wait to return. I am still hoping to be able to go to Beijing to see the sites there and then work in an orphanage for a few days and then head to Guangdong Province and then Hong Kong as I leave. I have some wonderful friends who are also eager to return to our daughters' birth country. My college Professor is Chinese and I had no idea that he has been living in Hong Kong for the last 8 years. We could have had a wonderful visit while we were there, so I would Love to visit with Dr. Lian. The only thing stopping me, of course, is the funds to go, but I will get there sometime! We will also take Anna back on a Homeland Tour to China when she is between 8 and 11.