Briley's 7th Birthday

I can't believe Briley's 7th birthday is today. She is growing up way too fast. We had her birthday party Sunday along with my 2 neices and nephew whom also have birthday's this month.

Tucker was born 10 days before Briley. I got to be present for Tucker's birth and had the honor of being the first to hold him. The first time I watched him at my home, he was 9 days old and of course I took photos of him. Shortly after bringing Briley home from China, I found those photos of Tucker and they were dated 2/16/02. Since China is 12 hours ahead of us, Briley may have been born when it was still 2/16 in the US. It made me have goose bumps realizing that I was taking care of Tucker the day that Briley was possibly born in China.

The 4 birthday kids...Briley and Tucker in front turned 7 on the 7th and 17th, Bentley in the back left turned 13 on the 16th of February, and Lexus in the back right will be 17 on March 2.

Briley's turn to blow out the candles. Tucker took a turn too. Every year on Briley's birthday, I can't help it but to think about her birth mother in China. I was holding Briley on the couch last evening, and I started thinking about her birth mother and how difficult it must have been for her to birth this beautiful child on 2/17/02 and then to have to abandon her a day later on 2/18/02. We will never know why she couldn't keep Briley and the circumstances around her decision to leave her baby. Did she wait close by the spot and watch to make sure someone found her and took her somewhere safe? Does she still think about her? Does she have any idea that Briley is a happy, bright, and healthy 7 year old living in the US? I wish we could know her. I would let her know how eternally grateful I am for the selfless act she had to perform the day after she gave birth to the baby who would become my daughter, my life, my heart.