Claire Has a Pen Pal!

Claire received a very special letter this week. From a very special friend. It is her friend Hope. Hope Barrett from Kansas.

Hope and Claire spent the first 10 months of their lives together at the Yueyang Social Welfare House in Yueyang City, Hunan Province, China! They were cared for together in this crib room.

This is Claire and Hope in China together after they were united with their families.

Aren't they the cutest!?

And here they are along with others from the same orphanage on the day

we finalized the adoption at the Civil Affairs Office in Changsha.

{Hope has the fuzzy hair and Claire is the one sucking away!}

Hope wrote this precious letter in her own handwriting.

She introduced herself and said,

"I just wanted to get to know you more."

Then she asked a whole series of questions that were darling!

Claire was so excited.

We had to get out the travel photographs of course because she did not know who Hope was.

Claire asked lots of great questions about her little friend.

And about how they found their families.

And about their friendship in China.

I told Claire we don't know about their time together as little babies, but

that it was so exciting that they could get to know each other now.

Hunan friends!

Claire set about, pictures of Hope in sight, to write her little friend right back!

This pen pal relationship will surely be another tool God will use to knit Claire's beautiful life story together and keep her connected to her beginnings! These Hunan babies are growing up to be beautiful young girls. To God be the glory for His watch over these chilren.