very excited here!

Last night, I checked the Yahoo group for Elizabeth's orphanage and read a post that gave me an idea.  It just so happens that her orphanage is one of 24 orphanages that the Altrusa Foundation assists in Jiangxi Province by sponsoring children in fostercare, sponsoring school tuition for orphans, and providing "hugging grannies" for the children who remain in the orphanage.  They also pay for surgeries, rehab equipment, vitamins, clothes and bedding, toys and learning materials for the children.  I read about their latest visit to the SWI in their November 2010 newsletter, and you can imagine my excitement when I saw a photo of Elizabeth's foster mother in it.  I recognized her immediately:  she has that same warm, loving smile that I remembered in the photos I have of her holding baby Elizabeth.  One of my greatest regrets of my time in China was that I was not allowed to meet her, and that I had no way to contact her--to send her letters and photos as Elizabeth grew.  I immediately emailed Altrusa's Peggy Gurrad to see if she could get the foster mother's contact info, and I heard back from her this morning.  She doubts that I will be allowed direct contact but she said she will see if they can carry a letter and photos from our family to the SWI to be given to Elizabeth's foster mother.  It's something that I've wanted to do for a long time.  I'm sure that she's often wondered about Elizabeth.  I cannot wait to show her what a beautiful, loving, smart little girl she's become!