Four years ago today - October 29, 2002 - was “Gotcha Day” or “Metcha Day” as some would prefer to call it. This was the day that Eliana was placed into our arms for the first time and would forever become a part of our family.

Looking back over the last four years, it’s amazing how one child can bring so much frustration and at the same time even more joy. She has definitely been a perfect match for the Henderson household.

We previously submitted a list of 100 things about Carmi and 100 things about Doug. In honor of this special day, I thought I would give you ‘100 things about Eliana’. Here’s a further glimpse into the personality of the ‘spicy baby’ from Hunan who turned our world upside down:

1. Eliana’s name is Hebrew.
2. It means “my God has answered”.
3. Her birthday is February 20, 2002.
4. She was born in the province of Hunan, China.
5. She was found on March 6, 2002.
6. She lived at the Shaoyang SWI for the first 8 months of her life.
7. Her Chinese name is Shao Fu Zhou.
8. She was called ‘Jo Jo’ in the orphanage.
9. She was placed in Carmi’s arms on October 29, 2002.
10. When she was handed to Carmi, Eliana was wearing 3 sets of clothing.
11. One set still had Wal-Mart tags on it.
12. We brought her home on November 9, 2002.
13. She went on a Caribbean cruise with us in December of 2002.
14. The orphanage said she liked music.
15. She always wants us to play music CDs in the car.
16. She loves to sing.
17. But not in front of people she doesn’t know.
18. She actually sings quite well.
19. She started sleeping through the night just 4 days after bringing her home.
20. She still loves her sleep.
21. She is a night owl.
22. She could sleep through a hurricane.
23. She sleeps with a night light.
24. She is quite ticklish.
25. I have to tickle her to wake her up in the mornings.
26. Her favorite color is pink.
27. She is left-handed.
28. Her favorite food is ravioli.
29. She loves to be read to.
30. She likes pirates.
31. She dressed up as a pirate for Halloween 2004.
32. She can count to 100.
33. She likes to watch The Wiggles.
34. She saw The Wiggles in concert.
35. She loves the Cheetah Girls.
36. She probably will not see the Cheetah girls in concert.
37. She likes chocolate ice cream.
38. She always wants to stir it until it becomes soup.
39. She eats one food at a time from her plate.
40. She’s good about tasting new foods.
41. She likes to blow bubbles.
42. She will not let daddy lay down with her at bedtime.
43. She likes for mommy to tell her the ‘Blackbeard’ story before going to sleep.
44. She also likes the ‘Eliana’ story about mommy and daddy going to China to bring her home.
45. She likes to help mommy cook.
46. Her favorite princess is Cinderella.
47. She has a cat named Tommi and a beta fish named Bubba.
48. She makes up funny names for her stuffed animals.
49. She talks a lot!
50. She’ll probably get in trouble for talking in public school.
51. She has a great sense of humor.
52. She has the most pleasant laugh.
53. She likes to whisper secrets in our ears.
54. She removes her shoes and socks as soon as she enters the house.
55. We call her our little Chinese hillbilly.
56. She likes the cold.
57. It’s nigh impossible for her to sit still.
58. She’s been to the dentist 3 times to have cavities filled.
59. In the dentist chair is one of the few times that she actually did sit still.
60. She always kicks the covers off in bed.
61. She likes fruit roll-ups.
62. She is good to share.
63. She is not so good to share mommy and daddy.
64. She loves small children.
65. She’ll be a great big sister.
66. She told us that she wants an older brother.
67. Her love language must be ‘physical touch’.
68. She loves to be held.
69. She prefers to play outside.
70. She loves to run.
71. Her favorite playtime activity at preschool is the monkey bars.
72. She likes to play games at playhousedisney.com
73. She loves to play in water at the pool.
74. She has been to Antigua in the West Indies with us on a mission trip.
75. One of her favorite breakfast foods is instant grits with butter.
76. She is very emotional and cries a lot.
77. She cried during a sad part in the first Cheetah Girl’s movie.
78. She didn’t want us to see her cry.
79. She likes for mommy to spray her with a little bit of perfume in the mornings.
80. She is pretty much not afraid of bugs.
81. She’s not even afraid of snakes.
82. She is taking Chinese language class.
83. She occasionally has mommy paint her fingernails and toenails.
84. She has a very good memory.
85. Her memory is quite selective.
86. She likes to shoot basketball inside with her daddy.
87. She has a southern accent that is really cute.
88. Oftentimes she will run to the phone when it rings and try to answer it before we get there.
89. She wants to high-five mommy whenever she poots on me.
90. She colors very well within the lines.
91. She always wants me to drive faster and pass cars in front of us.
92. She likes to wear jewelry like mommy.
93. She is very proud that she can snap her finger.
94. She’s wants to whistle but just hasn’t grasped it yet.
95. She likes to watch lightning out of our kitchen window.
96. She likes to go to Target.
97. Her nickname is the Little Empress.
98. Her most-oft used phrase is, “But it was an accident”.
99. She loves Pokemon.
100. She will go to China with us to bring her baby sister home.