This post is a little tribute to Kara, one of our His Hands Taiwan babies who is going home to be with her forever family this week.  We Hatchlings (i.e. Christel, Sara, and Ashleigh) love all the babies at HH, but every adoption situation is different, and sometimes we get to know a baby better.  Over the past 8+ months, Kara has wiggled her petite little way into our hearts.

From Day 1, Baby Ting-Ting (her name before she was referred to her family) knew how to furrow her brows.  Ashleigh’s favorite question to her has always been, “Why so serious?”

When Ashleigh was here working with HH for the summer, she spent a lot of time with Kara and really fell in love with her.  Kara was not a great eater and she tended to be fussy in the nursery, so she needed a little extra attention and care; since Ashleigh was a full-time volunteer, she got involved with helping Kara (and the busy nannies!).  Aunt Ashleigh was definitely the first one of us to fall in love with sweet Kara.

After Ashleigh left Taiwan to return to the U.S., Sara stepped in to give Kara some extra love.  As Kara got older and it was obvious that she would be in the nursery a little longer than some of the other babies, Aunt Sara started fostering Kara.  Sara picked her up every afternoon after school and then dropped her off at the nursery in the mornings.  During this time, we watched Kara start crawling, pulling herself up on furniture, eating solid foods, and overall becoming quite animated and entertaining.

Aunt Christel (that’s me!) has just been the bystander in all of this.  Kara hasn’t lived at my house, but she has certainly found a place in my heart.  I, too, have fallen in love with Kara after many hours spent snuggling with her, making her laugh, and going on outings with her always by our sides.

Kara truly has become a part of our family, but today she will join her forever family, and we will say goodbye.  This is a bittersweet time for all of us, but we have all been so blessed by having Kara as a part of our lives, so we wouldn’t change a thing.  Alfred, Lord Tennyson said it best in his breathtaking poem, “In Memoriam”:  

I hold it true, whate’er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
‘Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

Kara, we love you, and we’ll miss you.  We pray that you will grow into a beautiful woman who earnestly seeks after God and loves Him with your whole heart.  We pray God’s abundant blessings on your life and the lives of your family.  You are a treasure!

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I really could write a post like this about almost every baby that comes through His Hands since we love them all dearly.  Every time we say goodbye, I am reminded of the nature of love and sacrifice.  I am reminded how much God loves us and gave for us.  I remember that love always costs something, and, honestly, I always question whether the joy is worth the pain of parting.  But my answer is a resounding “yes!” so I keep doing what I do.  I just have to process it somehow, and so you get a blog post like this one.  :)