Heirlooms

On October 11th 2005 a petite woman, barely over 5 feet tall who wore glasses, whose name I never knew handed to me the most precious gift I have ever received. Ye Hong Hua soon to be known as Lydia Honghua Schneider came to me without a tear. She looked at me, looked at her and them never looked back again as she studied my face and tried to understand why I was crying and saying over and over..."You're doing so well. I am so proud of you." As all this was happening she wore a traditional Chinese garment from her province of Guangxi. It was too big for her so it was rolled up at the sleeves and cuffs. It had a stain on the arm where she had spilled some of her lunch (before I ever met her) and someone had hastily tried to clean it off. Probably the same small woman whose name I will never know who smiled so brightly as I tried to thank her repeatedly for her gift. All the children...all 13 wore these garments, creating yet another link in their lives that bind them together forever. This humble little garment...still stained on the sleeve, now hangs framed on the wall of our family room. Reminding us about what is most important always. Family.