You're Invited!

(This is a copy of the letter that we are sending to our friends and family. Please feel free to join us if you are so moved to do so.)

As many of you are aware, Brandt, Zachary, and I began the process last summer to adopt a baby girl from China. I recently ran across the tradition of the “Bai Jia Bei” or “100 Good Wishes Quilt.” To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in some parts of Northern China, to make a Bai Jia Bei. When a baby was born, family and friends would donate to the child's mother fabric scraps from old clothing with a wish for the baby. She would make a quilt for the child from the scraps. It is said that the luck, energy and good wishes from all of the families and friends who contributed the fabric surrounds the child when she is wrapped in the quilt. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.

There are so many good reasons to make this quilt for our “Little Sister” (Lucy as Zachary lovingly named her), tradition being one of them. We are hoping to find many ways to keep Lucy connected to Chinese culture. Another great reason is that our daughter will someday be able to see how much she was wanted and thought about even before she came into our family. (It also helps that I have been obsessed with making quilts for the past year or so.)

I am hoping you will be able to participate in my goal to make a Bai Jei Bei. If possible, please send me a piece of fabric, at least 8”x8”, and on a separate piece of paper your good wish with your name on it. Most quilts are made with 100% cotton fabrics; however flannel, decorator fabrics (tightly woven), silks, or pieces of old clothes are all good choices. Fabrics that stretch, such as T-shirt cottons, are very difficult to work with and I ask that you avoid these. I am hoping you will be able to find a piece of fabric in your craft supplies, old decorating projects, or among old clothes you no longer wear. Please do not go to a lot of trouble. If you do not have a piece of fabric suitable, just send back your good wish (es). I would really love it if those of you who are in possession of belongings of people who are no longer with us, would send us some reminder of that person. I want to be able to tell Lucy about all of the people she missed. More than one wish or square from a family would be great too, and especially sweet would be a wish from other children. Our plan is to show Lucy how much she was loved and cared for before she came into our family.

Please do not forget to add your good wishes for each square. The wish may be a prayer, poem, quote, or just wishes from your heart to Lucy. Some good wish examples (silly is okay):

May you have an abundance of hugs and kisses.

May you pass your driver’s test on the first try.

May your big brother always watch out after you.

The good wishes will be incorporated either into the quilt or into our adoption memory book. I will happily share pictures of the completed quilt.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and your wishes for Lucy.

Love, Erica

(Hopefully now that it is Spring Break, I will have some time to post pictures of the wishes and squares that we have already received.)

A little about me

We have two cats and one dog. I use the term dog lightly as she does not realize that she is in fact a dog. Her name is Honey. We inherited her after my grandmother died.

I work a lot, so I rarely have time to do the fun crafty things that I like to do. I want to be a scrap booker, sewer, quilter, a knitter, and a crocheter. At one time I thought God was calling me to minister to persons who are ill. But life has gotten in the way and I don't know what God wants me to do anymore. Right now, I am a teacher who really wants to be a full time mom, but I am working so that we can go to China to pick up our daughter. My family is my life. I love my husband and son with all my heart, and now I love Lucy even though I don’t know if she has even been born yet. My heart aches for her, and I can't wait to get her. So for now, I wait and enjoy the moments I have with my precious family.

Lots has happened

Well, obviously learning does take time because it has been eight months since I have updated this blog. So what is new, you ask? We finished paper chasing for our daughter, we became DTC on 12/5/06, and we became LID 12/31/06. Almost two months has passed since we were officially logged in with CCAA. Zachary lovingly named "our baby sister" Lucy Claire. I was skeptical at first. It was a name that was neither on my or Brandt's list, but he was so sure that was her name that we soon became as sure as he was. We have met and become friends with two families in MS who are in the China adoptive families network. One of the families, the Mintons, have already adopted a beautiful daughter from China. The other family is in the process like we are. Both of these families logged in just a few weeks after we did. It is wonderful to have people who are right where you are in parts of their lives. I have also re-begun to work on quilting. I got half of a quilt done for Zachary two summers ago. Now I have joined several swaps to collect and make a 100 Good Wishes Quilt for Lucy. I have received 6 squares so far. I mailed out about 40 today. The squares should come flooding in soon! I am also going to send a letter to friends and family asking for squares. So, lots has happened in the past eight months. Hopefully it won't be eight months before I visit here again!

Learning takes time

I am discovering how much time it takes to learn something new. In the past 4 -5 weeks I have learned many new things. I have learned a great deal about adoption, yahoo groups, quilts and now blogging. I don't think that I am very good at many or any of these, but I am trying to learn!