It's been awhile...

It's been awhile since I have participated in the Blog world. I can't wait to get caught up on all my favorite blogs :-)

It's been a hectic 5-6 weeks. Madeline should be coming home next month ( our A5 should have picked up this last Friday). I had my toddler shower ( I'll post pics later:-) and we  have her bedroom and bathroom all done! We have clothes, toys and lots of love waiting for her.:)

But, even in this time of celebration, we have suffered a devastating loss. Amanda De Lange. A woman whom touched so many lives.

She is the Founder/Director of Starfish foster home (where our daughter resides). Earlier this year she was found to have cancer. She fought, and she fought hard, but in the end the Lord wanted her home. She passed away last weekend...Saturday morning in Tennessee( she came from China to receive her treatments).

 Only just a few short months ago there was a Starfish family reunion. Since Amanda was in the States for treatment, families whom had adopted children from this Foster home came from all over to celebrate. I mentioned in a Face book comment that I wish we could have joined, but our little Star fishy wasn't home yet. Amanda  told us we should still come, that she considered us apart of this family.

We didn't go.

We never got to thank her for saving our Daughters life ( In person, we had exchanged several emails since last September).

I never got to give her that hug and to say Thank you, face to face.

I never got to meet her, in person, the woman who saved our daughter.

And that hurts.

What hurts worse is we could have financially pulled it off. It would have been tight, but it could have been done. But, we talked it over and decided that there would probably be another reunion next year...we would go to that one. We were sure Amanda would be around still...and we were wrong.

Amanda, you will always have such a big place in our Hearts. I have saved each and every email exchanged between us for Madeline in her baby book. I will be sure to raise her to know the Lord, to serve others before herself, and to love...unconditionally.

Amanda's last words to her Starfish Babies:  "To the babies of Starfish, I want you to know that I have given it my best effort, my all. My life has been to care for and love you. Wherever you go in your lives IO wish you the very best. May you always be drawn to those in need and may you never forget that at a very critical time in your life there was someone there at the door to welcome you into the house. Be the change you want to see in the world." Amanda De Lange 1961-2012