I recently posted a video introducing the world to the journey that my family and I are taking through the adoption of a little girl from China. I mentioned the Paracord bracelet that I wear but did not explain why I wear it.

Recently the kids organized a baked goods and bracelet sale to raise money for our adoption (which has turned out to be pretty expensive, even with the financial help that we are getting). And when I say organized, I mean they came up with the idea, decided what to sell, decorated the garage for the event, and even made the bracelets. When all was said and done, about $1700 was raised that weekend!

Following the event, with some of the extra cord that was left over I made my own bracelet. It turns out that there are tons of YouTube videos on how to make them and it’s quite easy in most cases to make your own. So why did I choose this design?

There is a Chinese proverb that we have chosen as our theme for the adoption that goes something like this:

An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet regardless of time, place or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break.

(Chinese proverb)

As I was weaving my bracelet I was thinking of the red cord that was woven down the center as that cord that is connecting us to our child. The gray cord that was being woven above and below the red cord were life events that were keeping us apart. Sometimes the red cord is obstructed. But it’s still there.

Kinda corny, I know.

But every time I look at my wrist I think of my daughter that is somewhere out there. Waiting for us. Until that time that we can be united.