For the most part I like my job, I enjoy being at work. I do love my quiet mornings at home though, and since I work during the day, that only happens on the weekends when I have absolutely nothing planned that I HAVE to do. So, this morning I puttered around the house, drank my tea, and just enjoyed my quiet time!
I also finished a layout that I struggled with all yesterday evening. I don't know why this one was so hard for me. Maybe the odd sizes of the photos? Multiple photo layouts are just tough. I have a hard time getting them to balance and then I wonder what to do with them after I figure out where to place them. I decided to just be satisfied with this one and let it go. I keep telling myself that it's the memories that matter and I'm not making progress when I spend hours on end trying to make it perfect. LOL!
Mother's Love Orphanage is where Meikina spent most of her first 8 months of life. She was very fortunate because Mother's Love was one of the nicer institutions, clean, with lots of space to play and a somewhat bigger budget for food and other necessities. That particular orphanage mostly cared for special needs orphans and only took healthy babies when there was extra space. The first orphanage Meikina was assigned to was really full, and since there was room at Mother's Love, she was sent there 22 days after she was found. Mother's Love was going to close at some point, and once a baby was assigned to a family for adoption, they were sent out to foster care until their adoption day. Meikina went to live with a foster family when she was 8 months old. She was very well cared for compared to many of the babies that are adopted from China. One family that Tammy traveled with were given a baby that they weren't even sure would live through the first night, because she was so tiny and sickly, lethargic, and malnourished. Very sad. It didn't take long for her to perk up though once she was given plenty to eat and lots of love.
The Mother's Love nannies took several photos of Meikina as she grew. It is rare to have any history of the babies, especially photos. God has truly blessed us because Meikina's birth parents even left a note stating her date of birth. Many babies are assigned a birth date based on how old they appear upon first examination. Meikina's foster mother took lots of photos with her digital camera and gave my daughter a CD of all the images when they met at some point during the trip to China. Before that she was emailing them, now that was a huge treat!!
Here is the layout, with photos of Meikina's first day at Mother's Love Orphanage.
Credits:Bg paper by JulieO, pink flowers by Amber Clegg, Tiny Flowers by Coreen Silke, Jewels by Syrin, Ribbon by Kylie Clark, Butterfly by DebF, Button by Ronna Penner, Swirls by LaWanna Lesjardin, Frames by Nancy Comelab. Fonts are CalistaMT, Unnamed Melody.
Lately I have been using oodles of different products on my layouts, and most of the ones I used for this one were freebies! Love that!
Ok, I'm gonna get off the computer for awhile and do something else. Later I will start another page of Meikina's life in the orphanage. I think I am really close to being done with layouts for the Shutterfly book. I do need to get a photo of her with her 100 good wishes quilt and plan to do that either today or tomorrow. And somehow I want to get a photo of Meikina and I together for the back cover of the book. I have no photos of myself with her, hard to do when I'm the photographer!
Have a wonderful Saturday!
Blessings and hugs,
Cheryl
1 comment:
Way cool that you had some putter time yesterday. Bet that felt great! Loved your comment, "it's the memories that matter, and that you're not making progress when you try to make it perfect". Will remember that phrase today. Tell you what, your LO looks awesome as it is! What a dear, dear, gift to Meikina. Love the colors, and even the butterfly ties in with them. This book will no doubt be the precious favorite of Meikina's for the rest of her life.
That is incredbile re everything from her birthdate being provided, to the Mother's Love Orphanage, to the photos being shared, and the appreciation and love she was being given before you all had her. Was so touched by the other infant who perked up with love and food. Thank God for families like yours, that are giving these children the love that they deserve and long for!
Blessings and hugs to you, and have a great day. :-)
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