Happy Birthday, Charlotte!

Dear Charlotte,

Today is a very special day! You are turning two years old! Birthdays are very important in our family. I love to think about the day each child was born. I love to reflect on the memories of them throughout the years. Each of my children is so dear to me, and you are no different. Even though I wasn't there on the day of your birth and I have no memories of your two years on this earth ... I will celebrate you today. 

Another thing I like to do on the birthdays of my children is to think of all I wish for them in the future. For all of them I wish for safety and happiness. I wish for a deep love for God and to find purpose in their lives. I wish for more love than they could ever hold ... so much that it spills over onto everyone they come in contact with. Of course, I wish all those things for you, too. But today I'd settle for holding you and rocking you to sleep. Today I'd like to throw you a big birthday party where all your family gathers around to sing and watch you make an awful mess with your cake! Today I wish you knew how much this family already loves you and misses you! 

Since we couldn't be with you today, we did the best we could – sent a cake and gifts and a letter to you at your orphanage. I hope they made you smile! I hope the sweet ladies who care for you will show you our pictures and tell you that we're your family and that we're coming soon!

Sweet Charlotte, happy birthday! This will be the last one you'll ever have without a family to treat you like the princess you are. We adore you already and can't wait to spoil you rotten! 

With all my love,

Mommy

These are the gifts we ordered through a service called Red Thread China. Charlotte received them along with a cake today! They labeled the pictures and translated our letter for her! I can't wait to get pictures of her at her very first birthday party!