11/25/2012

Her name and a care package!

 Lu XueChun
I don't know when this picture was taken, but it had to be sometime 
in Lucy's "2's".. as she is 3 now and this picture was one of the first ones taken for her file which was created sometime this past April/May:


Her chinese name is explained in her file:
On admission the staff in this institute named her Lu Xuechun.

Lu is the abbreviated name for Hefei
which is also the uniform surname
for children admitted by this
institute.

Xue means that she is glittering and translucent,
as well as beauty, like a snowflake;

Chun means she is innocence.

When Sean and I first started talking about names for our future daughter last February, we had a couple of conversations about the name, "Love".. we really wanted to incorporate that somehow.
We totally forgot that his grandmother's maiden name is "Love"

After we sent our LOI to adopt "Steffie" on Lifeline's waiting child list, we began talking and praying about her name.  We tossed around several names, but we really liked "Lucille" and "Lucy"
Lucille means "daughter of light"
Our family is also fond of the Chronicles of Narnia..
In "The Lion, the Witch, and The Wardrobe," Lucy is the one who walks through the wardrobe into a new and different world from her own.  She was innocent.. and when she walked into Narnia, it was snowing.  We felt this name reflected her Chinese name, "Glittering, Like a Snowflake, Innocent"
It all sort of fell into place for us and she became:

Lucille Love Kirkland
"Lucy"

Right now as I write this post it is 1am here and around 2pm in Hefei City where Lucy lives.
From what I understand, her care package is supposed to be delivered today.  Long Story Short, the lady who does the shopping and translating had a baby so our package got held up for a couple of weeks.  But on Friday, she sent me an email with choices for the doll and blanket and I got to choose which items she would receive.  Here is a picture of the items and letter telling the nannies that we are Lu XueChun's family and asking if they could please try to let her know...


I am not sure if Lucy has ever received a personal gift before.. something that was chosen specifically and uniquely for her.  I get the feeling that she lives at the orphanage and not in a foster family, but I am not totally sure yet.  So I am imagining that right now she is experiencing that for the first time.

Presents!! The knowledge and hopefully the understanding that someone out there knows who she is and is thinking about her.. I love the happy little doll!.. And a pillow with our crazy picture on it.. I hope she isn't totally confused by that..I mean we look nothing like her or anyone she sees on a daily basis, so I can imagine that if I were her I might be a little scared of us...praying that isn't the case..

  I wish I could be there to see her receive this and see her reaction and try to tell her.. I am your momma!! But for now, I only have my imagination.. and what matters to me is the knowledge that she is the Lord's.  From the day she was born, He has been carrying her in his arms and surrounding her with armies of angels. Long before I even knew she existed, He has loved her and provided people to care for her, and protected her. 
And that is what He continues to do - for Lucy, and for all of us.  

So while the sense of feeling out of control in this situation is new to me, it is not new to him.  It makes me realize how many times I am trusting in my own abilities to care for, to provide for, to protect my children here, how often I think I am in control of a situation, when really the Lord is in control.  
I may not be there right now to see her receiving this, but He is. And He is more than enough.  
That's all I need to know. 





4 comments:

  1. lucy love is the perfect name for her...after all, God hand picked this little precious snowflake for the kirkland family.

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  2. So excited for your family. We are adopting too! Haven't been matched yet. Still working on paperwork. Lucy is adorable and her name is perfect! Hope it won't be too much longer before she joins your family.

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  3. hi laura!!! i just got your christmas card in the mail, and was so happy to discover your blog and read about your little lucy! how wonderful. so so happy for you and sean! i will be praying for you, sweet friend. i'd love to make you a little stamped necklace to wear as you wait for your girl. come and check out my website (eagerhands.etsy.com) and let me know what you'd like! how about a necklace with the word "waiting", or "lucy"? lots of options.. i'd love to bless you with one! miss you laura! hugs, lora

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  4. I love her name! And I am so excited to follow your story and will be praying for your Lucy and you!

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