Introducing Elizabeth Bo Satre

With great delight Caroline and I are thrilled to introduce to you, our daughter, Elizabeth Bo Satre.

We received "the call" from our agency on Friday, April 4 @ 11:45 a.m. Elizabeth (Ellie) was born on July 29, 2007 in the Jiangxi Provience of the People's Republic of China. Ellie's Chinese name was Bo Tong; Bo means "waves" and Tong means "red". Ellie is waiting for us at the Social Welfare Institute (SWI) of Poyang County. Ellie was found at the entrance to the Poyang County Bus Terminal and processed for intake at the SWI on July 30, 2007.

We had expected the "stork" (UPS Truck with the official referral documents package) to arrive sometime on Saturday, April 5. Caroline and I held a vigil on our front porch from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., looking down the street at any vehicle sound. No "stork" came. An email later that day provided the answer; the "stork" had been scheduled for Monday, April 7 delivery.

The "stork" did arrive as promised on Monday, April 7 @ 12:45 p.m. We eagerly poured over the documents, wanting to absorb all nuggets of information about Ellie. One of the documents that needed to be returned to CHI was an adoption agreement; this form needed to include Bo's American name. We sat in our family room, practicing names saying things like, "Sophia, it's time for lunch," or "Carly Elizabeth, I'm not going to ask you again," or "Ellie, it's bath time," or "Elizabeth Bo Satre, do I have to stop this car!" Ellie and Elizabeth Bo Satre stuck.

The birth narrative of Jesus in the first chapter of Matthew's Gospel reads, "Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, fro he will save his people from their sins.." All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 'Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel, which means, God is with us.' When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus."

In antiquity, the giving of a name was a sign of acceptance; in the receiving of a name, a child was claimed to be the father and mother's very own. This story of Joseph, is an adoption story. In his act of naming the child born of Mary, Joseph claimed Jesus as his very own son. On Monday, April 7 a bit after 1:00 p.m. Caroline and I claimed Bo Tong as our very own...she is our daughter...Elizabeth Bo Satre...a daughter who is precious in our sight.

God's peace and love,

Brad

Precious In My Sight

In the Old Testemant of the Bible, the prophet Isaiah writes:

• "But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine...because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you." (Isaiah 43:1, 4a)

After nearly a three year journey, these words of God spoken to the prophet will take on new meaning. Within the next few days, our international adoption from China, begun on Mother's Day, May 2005, will begin moving to completion; we expect to receive our referral notice. Thus begins our journey as parents; parents who will shortly thereafter travel to China and say to the little one resting in our arms for the very first time, "we have called you by name, you are ours...because you are precious in our sight, and honored, and we love you."

Many of you have been with us on this jounery, too, for which we offer you deep graditude. Over the course of the next few months, we invite you to continue with us as we travel to China. It is our hope to be able to send you updates, pictures and videos so that you may also become familiar the one who is precious in our sight.

God's peace and love,

Brad