Welcome to Amelia AiChun's NEW website!

Our contract was up on our "chinastork" site, and since the stork landed, delivered, and has long since flown the coop, I decided to move our blog to a free site. Welcome to eblogger, home of The Chunster's new website! Thank you for following us over here and for your continued interest in our family.


Our six-month anniversary of becoming a family is rapidly approaching. I am amazed when I look back and realize all that has happened in such a short amount of time. When I received Amelia's referral paperwork on June 1, 2006, it described her as a quiet child, reserved and cautious. I had not one photograph of a smiling or laughing little girl. That's the child I met in China, and yet, six months later, it's hard to believe that my Amelia is the same AiChun of the referral papers. Even having met her when she was that scared, timid, preferred-not-to-be-touched child, it's hard for me to remember her that way.

My daughter is now outgoing, affectionate, lively, determined, spirited - and yes, pushy! She smiles and laughs easily. She asks for and gives hugs and kisses freely. She is the proverbial "sunshine on a cloudy day." Don't get me wrong - get out of the way when The Chunster is mad! She is a spicy Sichuan girl all the way! But early in the mornings, when she says to me, "Mama, I Baby Amelia" and crawls in my lap so that I will rock her like a tiny baby - well, nothing is sweeter than that.

There is a story in the Bible where Jesus compares the Kingdom of Heaven to a pearl of great price. A man seeking the most precious pearl sells all he has to obtain it. I sort of feel like Amelia is a pearl of great price. While I didn't sell all my possessions, there is sacrifice to becoming a parent, especially a single parent through international adoption. The logistics of parenting alone, the costs, the physical demands, etc. - and yet, in Amelia, I have a pearl of great price. I am so thankful to God that He chose ME - of all the people on the face of the earth - he chose this humble servant to be her mother. Thank you, Lord, and may Your Face shine always on my sweet pearl.