Exciting news for Tao!

Thirteen year old Tao got some very exciting news this week.  Can you guess?

It started with a package that arrived all the way from USA - just for him!

What's inside?

His foster brothers are just dying to know!

Oh, wow!  It's a package from his adoptive family.  And they are coming very, very soon!

They sent a camera so he can take photos of his friends, his school, his foster family, everything he might want to remember after he leaves China.

And a photo album!  Now he can learn more about his new mom and dad and brothers and sisters before he even meets them.  Isn't that cool?

And a letter, which Ruth (our group home coordinator) helped him read.  His family wants him to know how excited they are and cannot wait to meet him.

Tao is excited and nervous about meeting his new family.  They'll be here in just three weeks to complete the adoption.  We'll be sad to see him leave, but we are truly overjoyed to know he will soon have a family of his own.

And the Smile Award Goes To...

Last weekend, at the Austrian Charity Ski Race, each racer posed for a photo after the race to enter a "Best Smile of the Day" contest. During the evening program, the Best Smile Award was given to one of the participants. Inspired by this little competition, we had a look through some of our Beijing Baby Home photos from so far this year. There are definitely enough smiles to fill a whole book! If you were to choose from all of these great smiles, which one would you choose for the Best Smile Award?

1. Chen, looking oh so cheerful in blue stripes at playtime.

2. Fei, looking very content.

3. Hong--such a handsome smile, and such knowing eyes!

4. Hua's smiling so big her eyes are closed! Now that’s happiness.

5. Jie: what a doll! She has such a coy, smart little smile.

6. Kang, a smile wrapped in lots of love. Who wouldn't be happy with such a soft bed and cute, comfortable moose pajamas?

7. Kuan: a snack-filled smile full of glee.

8. A gentle, happy smile from Le.

9. Little Fei. She may not have all her baby teeth yet, but that doesn't stop her!

10. Ming – all love in red stripes. We can probably guess what's making her so happy at this very moment--the play tent set up in the middle of the toddler playroom.

11. An exceptionally bright smile from Nian, with his nanny.

12. Ting: This little one is struggling a bit at the moment with some intestinal issues, but she still has so many smiles to share.

13. Wan's very cool smile as she tries on a daring pair of shades.

14. Wei's smile is so charming.

15. Yang's ready to play her maraca and dance!

16. And Yu doesn't forget to give everyone a wave!

It's hard to choose, isn't it?

All of these little ones in our care have been through a lot, but each and every smile that we see every day across our projects is proof that doing small things with a lot of love can make a world of difference.