To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or 100 Good Wishes Quilt. It is a custom to invite friends and family to contribute a patch of cloth with a wish for the baby. Part of the patch of cloth goes into the quilt for the baby, and the other part of the cloth can go into a creative memory notebook with the wish for the child. The quilt contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.
We have joined several Yahoo! groups related to our adoption and through one of these groups we are participating in a Bai Jia Bei or 100 Good Wishes quilt square swap. This week we recieved our first quilt square along with a wish for our future child (see photo) witha beautiful quote from Eleanor Roosevelt. It was so exciting to receive something in anticipation of our child. It will be even more exciting to give it to our child knowing it comes with love and good wishes from so many people. It doesn't get much better than that.
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