What's In A Name?

A lot in fact.

In our daughter's case, more than I think we originally considered.

Her mother named her. She picked a name that sounds beautiful, and means something beautiful (Joyful Birch Forest).

She is 10 months old now, and KNOWS her name when you call her.

It is the one thing that we can take with us, for her, when she permanently moves away from her country, her culture and her language.

It is the one piece of her birth-mother that she will ALWAYS have as a part of her.

She doesn't look or feel like and Olivia.

We don't feel right after almost a year of her life being called one thing, to just go and change it on her, when so much...EVERYTHING... else in her life will change in the blink of an eye when that day finally comes that she can come home with us.

SO...

The name Olivia is gone and our daughter will retain the beautiful Chinese name her mother gave her...

Hsin-Hua Lin.

Hsin-Hua will be her first name, Lin (which is currently her last name) will be her middle name.

It looks a lot harder than it actually is to say...so here is the pronunciation for you all to practice :-)

SHIN (like the lower part of your leg)

HWA (a soft H before WA)

LIN (just like it looks)

We have loved this name since the minute we heard it, and after debating for the last few weeks, it just feels like her name. It feels right.

Pauly is already referring to her as Hsin-Hsin! I am currently sticking with Hsin-Hua.

In other news...there is still no movement in our court case.

I really didn't plan on updating the blog...but the name change was big news we wanted to share.

Please keep your prayers up that Hsin-Hua comes home by or close to her first birthday.

We REALLY want to share that big milestone with her.

Taking A Break Again

I have no news and nothing to post...so I am taking a break again.

Until we have news that we are travelling...I am not posting anymore.

Heather