On Christmas Day 2008, Scott and Annie returned from Vietnam to the U.S. with Elise An. They chronicled much of their adoption journey, including their trip to Vietnam, on their blog — McClellan Town. Months later, Annie wrote these brief but poignant thoughts about Elise and their journey together.

In a bible study, I came across this sentence, “…a precious little stranger wondrously comprised of the two of them.” The precious little stranger is a new born child in the hands of his or her biological parents. My first thought was I can’t relate or that excludes me from the moment. But it so happens, that after some thought I can relate.

I looked back at our videos from our trip to Vietnam, and I see a different Elise. When placed in my arms for the first time, she was “a precious little stranger wondrously comprised of the two of them (her birth parents).” Elise had (still has) beautiful eyes, skin, full lips, and a petite stature. When she was brought into a new situation, she observed everything in silence, but when she relaxed she had an inherent joy. When she came home and met her dog, she immediately adored him. These are precious gifts from her birth parents, and they were strange and new.

Now, that Elise has been home eight months the lines are beginning to blur, and Elise is a stranger no more. We know her sounds — cries, squeals, and laughter. We see her likes and dislikes. We receive her hugs and kisses. We see she loves books. She wants to be read to and to pour over the pictures herself. We, her mommy and daddy, love to read. She loves to listen to music and even dance a few steps. We, her mommy and daddy, love music, and daddy plays guitar though neither of us can dance. She loves to play with my jewelry and shoes both of which I love, but I also loved to play with my mommy’s things when I was a child. She, of course, loves the iPhone and the laptop as does her daddy. She loves to laugh and be silly, mommy and daddy do too.

Somewhere along the way Elise became comprised of us, too. We don’t share DNA, but we are sharing our lives together as parents and child. Elise is our “precious little stranger wondrously comprised of the two of them (birth parents) AND us.” Thanks be to God.