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1st Photo - Jan 2000
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Hannah was born in China on October 26, 1999. She spent the 1st
year of her life growing and waiting for her Mommy in the
DianBai Children’s Welfare
Institute, an orphanage facility located in Shuidong Town, a
small town nestled on the coast of the South China Sea, in DianBai County,
GuangDong Province.
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DianBai Children's Welfare Institute |
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Throwing Kisses to Mommy from the orphanage!
Approx. June/July-2001 |
Hannah was given the name "Mei Yao Lin" by the DianBai Orphanage
director Mr. Lin. Mei Yao means "Beautiful Jade" in Chinese.
Jade is a very precious stone in China.
They took good care of Hannah at the orphanage and she thrived! She was
a good baby and the care takers described her as "always being happy". |
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Referral Photo
Taken July-2001 |
But it seemed like a very long year, at least for Mommy.
Finally, on August 5, 2001 Mommy got the referral and photo. This
picture is the first picture Mommy had ever seen of her beautiful little
girl. |
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Hannah Mei Yao
Sitting outside the orphanage
Approx. August-2001 |
Mommy knew the story in the Bible about a woman named Hannah who made
a promise to God. Hannah promised that if God gave her a child,
she would raise her child in the church and give her child back to God.
God gave her a son and Hannah kept her promise. Mommy also made
this promise to God and intended to keep her promise too. God gave
Mommy a beautiful little girl. So Mommy decided to name her
daughter Hannah as a reminder of that promise. Hannah means
"Blessed by God" and "Full of Grace, Mercy, and Prayer." What more
could a mother want for her child. |
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| Then on the wonderful day of
Saturday, October 7, 2001, Hannah and Mommy were finally able to meet
for the first time. |
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Our 1st moments together - At the
orphanage October 7, 2001 |
It was a big day for Hannah and
Mommy. Hannah watched everything silently as four other girls also met their parents for the
first time. The girls were all very scared. Most of the girls cried. But Hannah never cried a tear the whole day. She was a
brave little girl.
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Back at the hotel, a few hours after
meeting Mommy
October 7, 2001 |
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| Two days later on Monday, the official adoption ceremony was held.
Mommy promised to love Hannah forever - an easy promise, and then Mommy and
Hannah were officially a family. |
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Hannah with her adoption certificate
At the White Swan hotel October 9, 2001 |
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| Then the following Saturday, October 14, 2000,
Hannah and Mommy came home to the United States. Hannah celebrated her 1st
birthday less than two weeks later. |
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Hannah's 1st Birthday Photo
October 26, 2001 |
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