Graci's Website

A few of you have asked what happened to Graci's website. It is now viewable again, either by the link below our family pictures to the left, or by going to www.mychinajourney2.com/goingbackforgraci.com

As I was looking through her site this morning, I re-read a post I wrote 2 1/2 years ago, just before our trip to go get her. I'm going to paste it here:

Dear Graci:

Hello. You're 12,000 miles away, probably can't read English, and who knows if you have access to the internet. But hopefully someday you'll be able to read this. Hopefully someday you'll want to read this. It's crazy. I've never met you in person, and yet I feel like I've already bonded to you. You are my daughter, and I am your father. I hope you have been able to feel this to some extent as well. I love you Graci. I miss you. I am SO excited to hold you in my arms and tell you that. I will say it in English and Chinese. I am trying to learn Chinese, Graci. I'm sure you'll be disappointed in my miniscule little abilities, but I have tried. I'll keep working on it until I meet you and long, long after. I hope I can help you just a little bit to stay fluent in Chinese throughout your life.

Graci, I had an interesting conversation on Friday with two of the doctors that I call on. We were taking about going to get you and the challenges you have in store for you with your heart condition. Their comments had to do with the very large amount of money our insurance company will be paying to help extend and improve the quality of your life. They questioned whether it would be better to spend so much money on one child to vastly improve her life, or to spread the money out over several thousand children and help improve each of their lives a little bit. What a question. Truly, there is much good that can be done for the many. And ultimately, everyone must come to their own decision on such questions. Let me tell you why it is right for us to devote many resources to the one, to YOU.

First, and most important, Graci, you are a child of God. He knows you. He loves you. He wants you to become part of our family. He has prepared us for you, and you for us. I know this because He has told me. Not in words, but through the spirit. I have looked into your eyes countless times in the photographs we have of you, and you are ours. This is the right thing for you and for us. So Graci, regardless of whatever logical processes and comparisons of costs and benefits of different options that can be made, this is the right decision. God has said so.

Secondly, Graci, and I believe this is something my physician friends did not take into account, is the incredible impact one human being can have. Surely it is a great thing to build an orphanage in a poverty-stricken area. Surely it is a great thing to feed many children, to give them clothing and shelter and medicine. I have some good friends in Tennessee who have spent a tremendous amount of their time and money doing just that, and I can't tell you how much I admire them for it. But it is no less important to take one child and give her all the love a family can give. It is no less important to take one child, and give her access to the best medical care in the world, so her life can be preserved for more years than would otherwise be possible. For while taking care of the many will bring joy, happiness, and love to the many, so taking care of the one, especially when that one is YOU, will also bring joy, happiness, and love to the many. For Graci, you have a special something within you. You are going to touch the lives of many in ways that nobody else could. There is no doubt you will bless Jeremy, Christianne, Taylor, Parker, Jessica and Elizabeth. But Graci, I know that your sweet spirit will be the means of blessing countless lives in countless ways in the future.

Already, before you are even here, I can't tell you how many people have been touched in their hearts when they hear your sweet story. People have stopped to think about things a little bit differently. People want to know what happens to you and how your life will unfold. And so, Graci, you will have the opportunity not only to bless the lives of your new immediate family, but also the lives of countless hundreds, even thousands around the United States and beyond.

Graci, I love you. I have waited my whole life to meet you. Ten years ago, I had no idea I would have two daughters from China. But then, I didn't know I would have my precious princess Jessica, nor my two amazing sons, who will soon become your two best friends.

Thank you for waiting for us. Thank you for being who you are. I will see you in about 11 days!

Love,

Dad