My Husband is a Genius!

Tom made a way to get photos from here to there and there to here...here are some of the better ones, most of which you have already seen if you are on Facebook...

Have I Mentioned that She's Ours?

Today made that even more evident than any adoption decree could.

After a quick skype to the kids and Grammy at home (I sure miss those guys!! Sorry I wasn't there to help with your Chinese homework, Jared!), we packed up some donations and headed to the van to take us to the Luoyang CHildren's Welfare Center, about a 2-hour drive from here. One other adoptive mom from our travel opted to come since her son was also from Luoyang; the other two Luoyang families opted not to come (just as we opted not to go to Lilly's orphanage because of the distance and possible emotional trauma for Lilly).

The ride itself was mostly uneventful--it was nice to talk to the other adoptive mom, who has also adopted from the Ukraine--except for Ya Ya getting carsick about two thirds of the way there. (of course I hadn't brought extra clothes).


We had explained where we were going and that it would only be a quick visit, but that she would come back with Mama and Baba. WHen I asked her if she wanted to go see her friends and ayis, she actually slightly shook her head "no." I made sure she thoroughly understhood she would not be staying there again by having our guide reiterate it in case I wasn't making it clear enough in my Mandarin, and she still didn't seem thrileld by the idea of going. We still carried through with our plan to go, figuring she would still do ok and we really wanted to see where she had lived and have the chance to get some photos of the children there for waiting and prospective adoptive parents in the States, just as we had benefitted from others sending us photos of Isabel while we waited.

When we pulled up, her face brightened when she first saw the outside of the building. She very clearly recognized it. She managed to say hello to the director who met us at the entrance. THen we went in. The smell was the same smell that was on her clothes when we received her--not a good stench. It was pretty grim and dark in the hallways. They led us down the hallway to see her "school room" and her little classmates were SO excited to see her! They came running over calling out her name and smiling. The teachers/ayis were also happy to see her and smiled and said "look! Huanya has come to see us!" Isabel responded by closing her eyes and wailing a wail quite similar to the one she had cried the day we received her. Please don't leave me here with these people! Only *this* time we were the GOOD people.

I immediately scooped her up and held her close, remining her quietly that we were only visiting and would soon leave to go back to the hotel with Mama and Baba. The ayis gave me a piece of artwork she had done at some point, and then we moved on to see the sleeping rooms. I continued to carry her (she is quite heavy!) throughout the orphanage after that, just to reassure her and prevent any ayis from attempting to pick her up. One of them actually attempted to take her from my arms but I held tight and leaned back and Isabel made no motion toward the ayi at all. By the time we got to see her bedroom, she was secure enough to set down and she immediately pointed out her bed to me when we walked in. She willingly Stood by the bed for a photo, but the look on her face is clearly not the same joyful look she has had for the past few days...much more subdued. Once we got outside again, she was willing to smile and pose for some pictures in front of the orphanage.

I had hoped to talk with some 12 year old twin boys, but they were still in class. So we said we would come back after visiting the train station where the other adoptive mom's child had been found abandoned. She took lots of photos there, then back to the orphanage we went so I could meet the boys. That meeting went well and I have some photos and some video footage to share with a prospective adoptive family. Isabel and Tom stayed in the van while I did that to further solidify to her that she is absolutelty DONE at that place and when we got back to the van Tom told me she hadn't stopped babbling happily to him (in Chinese) since I had left. She has been more animated and happy now more than ever. She seems to have even more life rather than just a pleasant attitude, showing more personality and talking more. I think it is sinking in her for as well as for us that she is, indeed, ours and nothing can change that now.

We were supposed to stay and have lunch with the orphanage director and some workers after that, but Isabel had starting throwing up in the van after the train station, so we had a good reason to bow out of lunch.

Once we got back and had a nice bath and did lots of laundry, we have been having hallway playtime with the other kiddos and their parents. We have opted not to take part in any tours tomorrow so she doesn't have to ride in the car again (since the next day we fly to Guangzhou).

An update on our friends adopting the 12-year-old, praiase the Lord she has given her consent and has even become friends with an American 11-year-old in our group who is here adopting her little brother with her family. They are even having a slumber party in the hotel tonight after a girls' shopping afternoon with one of the guides and the 12-year-old's new adoptive mom. Praise the Lord! They definitely will have work ahead of them, but a huge hurdle is now over and it is so good to see smiles on their daughter's beautiful face now that she has a friend.

We are praying for better rest tonight than we have had for the past few nights...Tomorrow will be a low-key day--we may try to hit the pool with Bella and see how she likes it.

And, yes, I am still technologically inept. Because I am updating the blog on my iPad, and my photos are on my iPhone, I cannot seem to find a way to get the photos from there to here. Even when the photos are on my iPad, I cannot seem to find a way to get them onto the blog. I kjnow a way must exist, but someone more technologically savvy than me (and less droid-centric than Tom!) will have to show me someday. For now, I will continue to put most of my (many) words here, and some of my photos on Facebook (*not all of them as upload speeds are so slow...)

Thanks for reading!

She is Ours!

Yesterday was official adoption day. Huanya is now legally our daughter...even though she has been our daughter in our hearts for 10 months. It was almost breathtaking as I stared at the adoption decree and realized that--yikes! I am Mama to 4 kiddos now!

She continues to simply be happy, cooperative, smiley, and sweet. She was easily entertained with crayons at the notary's office, and simply stood by my side as we waited for the adoption paperwork to be finalized at the registraion office--the very room where just 24 hours prior she had grieved the removal from her ayi and her placement into our arms. We had more ramen noodles for lunch in the room, and headed to the Lotus Center for soome shopping this afternoon.

This experience has been so different from our trip to bring home Lilly. Different ages and different personalities has made this almost too easy this time...we were ready for a much more difficult trip.

We continue to spend time with a couple here, who are here adopting a 12 year old girl. They are an amazing couple--losing a son 2 yuears ago and now attempting to welcome home a little girl who has experienced so many losses of her own. They are now facing the prospect of this little girl possibly turning her back on this opportunity for a new life, as she is struggling to give her verbal consent for the adoption. Lisa and Stan are amazing to me and I find myslef praying for them constantly and helping them to communicate as much as I can.

Last night we all had somewhat fitful sleep...even Ya Ya, though you would hardly know except that she lies quietly and whispers to herself.

Tom and I each were not feeling well yesterday but some zithromycin and some motrin hasa done wonders for me.

Today we visit Luoyang Orphanage. Hoping to visit some 12 year old boys who have a family considering their file. Praying that Ya Ya will not be in any way traumatized by going back to this place, but will understand this is just a visit and mama and baba are forever.

Time for breakfast! Then on with the day. Photos to come on Facebook!

Official Adoption Day in Zhengzhou

Morning, February 13 "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God." 1 John 3:1 , 2 "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us. Consider who we were, and what we feel ourselves to be even now when corruption is powerful in us, and you will wonder at our adoption. Yet we are called "the sons of God." What a high relationship is that of a son, and what privileges it brings! What care and tenderness the son expects from his father, and what love the father feels towards the son! But all that, and more than that, we now have through Christ. ~Charles Spurgeon

The paragraph above was in my devotional yesterday morning, the day we received Isabel. How appropriate and how gracious of God to give us this reminder on the very day that we adopt her as our daughter.

I stand amazed at what a smooth first 24 hours we have had with Ya Ya. I know we are likely to have some rough moments--especially as she feels more comfortable and safe with us and make be less inclined to be compliant all the time--but she has been so pleasant and easy so far.

Last night it was so fun to watch her smile at the screen when we skyped with Anna and Lilly (Jared was already out the door to school), and she happily played with her new little doll in Baba's lap as he dozed. She has no problem letting me brush (and brush and brush) her teeth (which surprised me--when I saw how bad her teeth looked I suspected she had never seen a toothbrush before or had always put up a fight when brushing). When I told her it was time for bed, she smiled and said "ok!" and happpily cllimbed up into what is probably to softest, plushest bed in which she has ever slept, wearing new soft fuzzy footy PJs, and laid right down. I prayed over her and kissed each of her hands and her forehead just as I do with Lilly and she just smiled. I told her daddy and I were tired too and would be going to bed soon in the other bed and she said "ok!" By the time we were done brushing our teeth and getting ready for bed, she was asleep without a whimper.

It is now 6:40am and she is still sleeping soundly--barely a peep through the night (just sleeping noises and squeaks now and then). I am curious to see how she'll feel when she wakes up and sees that this is all not just a dream.

Today is the official adoption day--after breakfast we will head to the registration office and the notary office to have all of the paperwork sealed, notarized, then sent for translation.

Tomorrow we may get to visit the orphanage at Luoyang--today we will continue to evaluate her to decide if a visit will cause her any anxiety or renewed grieving. I suspect she will do just fine.

I think she likes us!

Day 1 with with Isabel (they call her "Ya Ya") has been amazing.

She is so very easy going!

When i suggested changing her clothes since the room was so very hot, she was thrilled to see her new clothes to put on. When I tried to put some of her many layers back on later to walk to the nearby Walmart in search of shoes for her, she took one look at the old clothes and said "I'm not cold...I don't need to wear those." SHe didn't mind, however, wearing an extra layer of *new* clothes to stay warm outside!

She is eating well--and eating normally without hoarding food--and played most of the afternoon with us,coloring, playing with a ball, going for walks (counting stairs), and beginning to talk and relax quite a bit.

She seems to us to be cognitively and developmentally normal...counting into the 20s, copying shapes tom drew for her, interacting appropriately, displaying normal gross and fine motor skills. Not really knowing what to expect, we were prepared for much less.

She played happily in the bath tonight and read through her photo album with Tom before we skyped with the girls and Grammy at home. Fun to see her smiling at her big sisters...we hope to catch Jared Monday evening EST...

Now we are settling in for sleep...we'll see hhow the night goes. Hoping it is a smooth and easy as the day has been!

I promise tomorrow I'll figure out a way to post some pics here...too tired now.

"Ya Ya" Has Arrived!

It has been quite a morning here!

Let me start by saying I am technologically inept and cannot seem to post photos to the blog for some reason, so for now the pics are all up on facebook. I WILL figure this out soon,though, and get some pics up here.

Isabel's group from Luoyang was the first group to arrive to the registration office, and she was all smiles as we watched her walk in from the van with her ayi.

She continued to be smiley as the ayi pointed us out to her and we smiled and waved. I offered her a lollipop which she happily grabbed, but did not want me to open it for her. She continued to look over her shoulder to make sure her ayi was still nearby as Tom and I talked to her and attempted to coax her a little closer. The minute I made a move to touch her or pick her up, however, the wailing began. Oh. My. Word. She has healthy lungs, to be sure. And stamina. She may have triathlons or marathons in her future becuase it was a work out just watching her scream for about 30-45 minutes straight. No amount of food offered, words in Chinese or English, smiles, or touching made a lick of difference. So we waited. I pulled out the photo album we had mailed to her awhile ago with photos of our family, and began to turn the pages and point people out.

Slowly, so she could hear me, the wails stopped and became whimpers. Then stopped altogether. Then she began to even answer me when I would ask her "who is this?" in Chinese when pointing to photos of the kids and Tom and me. She began to relax in Tom's lap. She began to look around the room with curiosity at all the families and Chinese children.

Then it happened. The smile. I don't remember now even what it was that made her smile. But once they started, they stayed. She has been smiling and talking ever since.

She answers my questions in Mandarin and seems to understand everything I'm saying. She laughs when I say somthing silly (for instance, as I was asking her what her favorite foods were and I threw in a silly question "do you like to eat shoes?" at first she smiled and said "yes" but when I said "really? You eat shoes?" she looked at me and laughed.)

She has a pretty nasty case of tooth decay...I think the dentist will be our friend for awhile when we get home. She came with very little--they returned the photo album and the disposable cameras I had sent, but she was only wearing her clothes and a pair of slippers. No coat, no shoes. Wow. They ayis answered all of my supplemental questions for which I was thankful.


I cannot wait to skype Jared, Anna, and Lilly tonight (morning their time zone) and let her see her siblings!


So it begins. A new little life, being grafted into ours. Praise the Lord, Glory to God.

Getting fueled up and ready!

This is it.

We slept decently last night but by 3:45 I was pretty much just lying there with thoughts of the day ahead racing through my mind. By 5:30am, we gave up trying to sleep any longer and headed down for a quick workout and swim.

We are now enjoying our last "date" breakfast--just the two of us--and will be headed out in just under 2 hours to go meet the children.

In our travel group, many of the couples are receiving their first child ever--how exciting to see them make the transition from 2 to 3! And a few of us are back for another adoption, one of the children being adopted is as old as 12! How exciting for her to finally be received into the loving arms of a mama and baba.

Oh, I do not feel worthy for this journey, this joy, this privilege. How blessed we are to receive a precious child to love and nurture. Even though we still have a sense of trepidation, we also have the joy of knowing that, no matter what challenges lie ahead through this process, it will all work together for our good (for each of us in our family) and God's glory.

May He be glorified today in our hearts, minds, words, and actions.