Yang Guo Dan was 7 1/2 months old that day and living in an orphanage in Yangjiang, China. We wouldn't see her in person for another six weeks, but starting that day we were parents. I remember studying that photo (we printed off dozens of them and plastered them all around the house and our clsasrooms) and wondering what she was like, who she would grow up to be. We showed that picture to everyone we knew (and probably some we didn't) and people were gracious enough to agree that our Katherine was gorgeous. All we had was a photograph, but we poured our hopes and dreams and all of our love into it. This was our baby. Ours! And soon, but not soon enough, we would hold her in our arms.
Eight years later, every time I look at that picture I remember the very first time I saw it. I imagine that photo will be prominently displayed in my house for the rest of my life! I still think my Katherine is beautiful and I still look at her and wonder who she will grow up to be. Judging from the past 8 years, I'm pretty certain she'll be amazing. Because she was in that first photo and has been ever since.