What We Know About Our Baby Girl

When you see your daughter's face for the first time there is nothing that will prepare you for all the emotions and thoughts that follow.

I couldn't take my eyes off her as I studied every ounce of her picture from her sweet little lips to her tiny fingers to her sweet little eye brows.  I wonder just how big she is under all those layers of clothes. Then something happens and your emotions hit as your heart collides with your mind and the reality sets in that it will more than likely be 6-9 months until we will have our little girl in our arms.



I poured over her file that was translated for us thinking maybe I had missed something the first time or the second.  This is what we know about her ....  our little Ellie An Na was abandoned at the gate of the Jianxin Social Welfare Institute on November 15, 2011.  She was sent to be raised in this institution by the Huibi police station.  On admission they gave her a birthdate of October 20, 2011. They named her Gan An Na.  Gan is the sur name of kids that are brought to this specific orphanage. "An" means safe an d"Na" means good girl.  More than likely they call her Na Na at the orphanage.  They said "On admission she was timid and weak, but now she is different.  She has a beautiful face, and she is clever.  Her receiving ability is good, she has good memory power, the actions her aunt taught her, she make them quickly.  She has a ready smile, no matter who talks to her, she will smile.  So she is very lovely, and every body wants to hold her in arms."

We also know that little Ellie An Na was born with VSD so she has a hole in heart.  We are praying BOLDLY that the Great Physician will place his hands on her and heal her heart even before she is in our  arms. Please pray BOLDLY with us for the healing of her heart!

After the files and pictures were poured over numerous times I went into research mode! Thank goodness for Google and yahoo groups. I quickly joined a yahoo group for families that have or are in process of adopting from her orphanage.  It is a huge blessing to be connected with families who may have information about the place that our little girl is living.  There was a family in her orphanage yahoo group that traveled there a month ago with their 9 year old daughter who was adopted from there as a baby.  The information she was able to share in invaluable and the pictures are priceless.

Ellie An Na is living at the Jianxin Social Welfare Institute.   The above buildings are part of the old orphanage.  

 The babies are living in this newer building. The family that just visited was able to spend time in the baby room.  The said, "The little ones we saw were all between about 3 months and a year - all very swaddled up and we couldn't take them out of the cots just chatted and made them laugh etc!"

These pictures are priceless as we believe our little Ellie is in one of these cribs.  I have looked at these pictures over and over trying to see if I see her little eyes in any of the pictures.



It is also heartbreaking to see the "sea of cribs" and know your daughter is laying there day after day with out the love of a family! I know we will be there soon but this mommy's heart is saying it just isn't soon enough! We are praying God is holding her and protecting her little body, heart, soul and mind until she is in our arms.



The orphanage is in a very rural, poor area.  These are pictures right outside the gates of the orphanage.



This is a glimpse of what surrounds the orphanage.  These pictures are a gift.  We are praying we can go to the orphanage when we travel to bring Ellie home but if we don't have the opportunity these pictures will be a treasure to us!

We will share more about Ellie An Na's city and her province in the days to come!