Lame Turtles

Dear Carline,

In keeping with my New Year’s resolution, I am now reading my second adoption book of the year. The book was much better than the first, and I see a series of letters coming on as I continue to read it.

The name of this fabulous book is The Lost Daughters of China: Adopted Girls, Their Journey to American, and the Search for a Missing Past by Karin Evans. This is the first adoption book that I’ve read that I have felt as though the author really gets it!

The book is really complex in its duality. Part of the book is about an individual family’s journey for their daughter and the other half a complicated history of why their daughter was abandoned in the first place.

My first reaction made me cry. Lately I’ve been tearing up when we are out in the world and we see beautiful Asian babies. I have been asking God in my prayers lately, why does this process have to take so long! I think of you often and lack in understanding.

The greatest piece of inspiration I’ve walked away with from the book came from Mrs. Evans experience. She applied with a group of friends to go to China to bring her baby home! As is expected with the adoption process there were minor derailments and hurtles. Many of her friends left for China and completed their families while she continued to wait. And wait. And wait. She too was feeling the discouragement I am feeling, and vented to the new mothers. One of her friends was in awe of her new daughter and the perfect fit. The new mother simply told Mrs. Evans that she was waiting because her daughter had simply not been born yet. She was waiting not just for any daughter, but HER daughter. That resonates with us as we aren’t going to China for just some girl. We’re going to bring home our daughter.

One of my favorite Chinese proverbs is

“Traveling as such a slow pace,

Do you think you will ever get there?”

A fast steed asked a lame turtle.

“Yes, as long as I keep going,” said the turtle.

I feel as though we are moving at the pace of a lame turtle, we are still moving and eventually we find each other.

Wish #40: I wish for you to know true perseverance.

Love always