Daddy's Girl

It is funny, a few days ago, Emery didn't really have a lot to do with DH. she would smile at him and tolerated him, but not hold his hand or let him carry her. She is now daddy's girl! She doesn't have a lot to do with me but loves loves loves her baba. She is so cute and funny and has started posing with one leg out and fingers in v's at he cheeks. it is so funny when she passes a mirror. She LOVES the water. She had her first bubble bath today and had so much fun. She is doing great, we had no meltdowns or fits today, only one potential but I was dancing with her and spinning around and she was laughing while she was scowling at me, It was pretty hilarious and finally she let herself have fun. she doesn't like it if she doesn't get her way, but she is a good sharer, so it is interesting to see her personality change and have her become more comfortable with us. I can't wait to get pictures up. there is a great one from our first day when she put every bow I brought, about 10, in her hair. it is actually the most adorable look. She is absolutely gorgeous so she always looks adorable, she loves playing with other kids And is so excited to get to her brothers, her geges. but for now she has her baba to play with and her mama to do her hair lol!

Having Fun

We went to a beautiful park this morning with our FABULOUS guide, Aron. She is so kind and helpful and great with translating and I cannot say enough good things about her. our two other families are wonderful. emery is having a lot of fun being with other kids and getting to play with someone other than boring mom and dad. we averted a couple of melt downs yesterday, she learned if she says please baba at the store it works miracles, and we had fun watching the street life from our room windows. we all slept in until 7:45 this morning, it was amazing! The breakfast buffet is wonderful, Emery loves eggs. she also really loves her saws. We got her an American girl knock off at Walmart, it is Asian. She absolutely loves it, sleeps with it, does her hair, talks to it. emery was in a half the sky sponsored orphanage and they had time with dolls so it has been gear for her also the picture dictionary with a Manley app has been really great. emery loves the water. LOVES the water. It is so fun to hear her gut laugh when she is swimming or playing in the water fountains at the park today. there is a cement section that shoots out fountains in random patterns and she absolutely loved it, I think it cooled her off, she told Aron she felt good after she was soaking wet, she would stand so the water could get her soaked. It was so fun to watch her. We asked her if she Wants to go swimming now, you can say any word in chinese and add a ma to the end and it is a question. She smiled and nodded, so we are off to the rooftop pool! As long as we are in our room together she loves us and is such fun, she is an independent girl who loves life and adventures. it is fun to see her new things. Hi boys, I love you sooooooo much! Less than a week! as always thank you so much for your prayers. We are healthy and happy and doing well! and have tons of pictures to upload when we can.

Guangzhou

Catching up here in Guangzhou. we have WIFI so I'll be able to blog a bit more regularly. min is doing great. she was so excited to go on an airplane. we were at the airport for five hours before boarding and then sat on the Tarmac for another two hours before take off and she was a champ. she is such a brave little girl. when she is being good she is the smartest cutesy most adorable little girl, and when she is being naughty, she does that well too:) It is nice that she is moving through some of these phases so quickly. it is nice that she trusts us enough to test and get mad. she is really disappointed to be in Guangzhou because apparently she thought she was flying to see her brothers and was telling people on the plane that she w going to see her four brothers. t was a bit sad for her to realize that they aren't here. we had a really long day yesterday and got to our hotel, the HolidayInn shifu is awesome!, around one am. we had a medical appointment this morning. it is so nice to speak English answer other Americans. It is really fantastic and warm and blue skies and Min is taking her first nap so she will be happy. I am so excited to hear her trying out new words. the best is Shui Jiao(not spelled right I am sure) Go to swee( sleep) It is so cute. she is so smart and loves to have her hair done every morning at least once. she got to play with a little boy in our hotel today and it was great for her to play with a kid, I think she is getting bored with the two grown ups and was happy to see and get to play with another person her size. thank you for all of your prayers, we have been healthy and are having a good time getting to know our daughter. she is Having moments each day where I think she is uncertain of her situation but they only last an hour or so and then we can get a smile again. thanks again to Kick, It is nice to know my sons are safe and having fun. I miss my boys more than I can truly express, it is hard being halfway around the world from some of my favorite people in the world but it is nice to talk to them on the phone

Adjusting:)

We are still here:)  We can get WIFI but not internet on the Ipad so back in the business center.  We do not get to go to the orphanage so we are really sad about that.  Yes, Mary, they are thrilled about YiLin and your family, they knew you were adopting her so they were happy that you still are:)   Thank you so much for all of the emails and prayers, it means a lot to have them and to hear(read) English).  We got really, really spoiled in Beijing!!!  In many many ways.  Min's honeymoon is wearing off and she lijes to be a little naughty, she smiles bigger when she is getting in trouble!  Yesterday she didn't like Dad but today he is ok.  We had huge breakthrough on the second day, she was tired, said a real goodbye to caregivers at the adoption signing and smiles were a little slower in coming.  That night I asked her if she was sad, and the dam broke.  She cried and sobbed and then let me hold her and stared into my eyes and cried silent tears.  It was heart wrenching.  Then she smiled when we got her ready for bed.  She loves her wawa(doll)  and sleeps with her.  She is doing really good.  Last night we had been trying to get her to say please instead of just grabbing or pushing for something.  She did it and got a bunch of treats at the store.  Then we were going over colors and she said them ALL in Chinese and ENGLISH!!!  Then we said go to sleep in chinese and english and she mimiced so it became a fifteen minute joke before she would go to sleep.  Thanks again for the prayers!  Tomorrow we go to Guangzhou.  I am thrilled to sleep in a soft bed:)

WE HAVE MIN!!

We finally are able to get into yahoo to blog, but it is through the business center at the hotel, so it will be breif since it is  pay by minute.   But I have every day written down and will update hopefully when we get to guangzhou:)  Sorry for any typos, I have a little cutie helping me!   Thank you for all of you prayers and best wishes, it meant a lot to read some emails this morning!   I am just going to go over yesterday since really that is the day that we all want to hear about!  I have dreamt about meeting Min for months.  Some dreams were good, some were bad.  I was admittedly nervous walking in to the adoption affairs center to meet her knowing that she had had a long car ride and could very well freak out when she met us or melt down.  So DH and I were just praying that she would be comforted and we would know how to best help her.  In my best dreams and imaginations of the day, it was no where near as wonderful as it really was.  We walked into a glass room and there she was with her caregivers.  She smiled at us and said Ni Hao mama Ni hao Baba.  We got hugs and kisses.  She LOVED  her doll.  She was happy and smiling the whole time and when it was time to go took my hand and walked out of the building.  She has been happy the whole time we have had her.  She is WAY cuter than even the pictures.  We can't upload...so sorry, but I will get them up as soon as we can.  She is a dream so far and we are reveling in it.  She shares her crackers, is extremely neat and tidy, is potty trained, took a shower this morning and loves watching the videos of her geges  (brothers)  HEr name is also pronounces meanmean:)   She is doing so well.  We are even more head over heels in love.  Thank you so much for your prayers they are so amazingly being answered!   Kimberly, when we told the orphange director your daughter had a family and a mom who loved her very much, the orphanage workers all clapped:)  We are trying to go to the orphanage but are still not sure if they will let us.   Thanks for following us on our journey:)

We Are Off

We are off!  We have a nice long layover before boarding our nonstop to Beijing tonight:)

I am running on excitement and fumes at this point.  I can't believe we are at this point.  It seems a bit surreal.

If you wouldn't mind keeping us in your prayers for the next two weeks.  It would be so appreciated. Please pray for our safe travels and health and for Min to have comfort and strength, this could be a really rough time for her to leave all that she knows to go with a pair of strangers so your prayers for her health and comfort are so very appreciated.  I can't view my blog in china, so forgive any typos.

Thank you to great friends and sisters and niece who will take great care of my sons.  I am so grateful to know they are in good hands. 

We had another minimiracle yesterday.  The miracle of the fantastic Fedex woman who was going to drive an important piece of paper out to the airport for us to have and make a later flight today.  But for some reason(unbeknownst to the Fedex tracking system) the paperwork got on a day earlier flight than scheduled and the same nice woman was sorting the new freight, saw our package, called me and held the warehouse open for me to pick it up so that we would make our flight today.  Our whole adoption has been like that.  Thank you for your prayers on our behalf, they are so definitely answered!

3 Days

We leave in 3 days.  WE LEAVE IN 3 DAYS!!!!!!!  I am amazed at the way this is all coming together and so quickly.  We are getting ready to leave, finalizing plans, cleaning house, getting Min's room put together, making sure we have things ready for our sons and packing.  You would think that we would be ready to go since we knew this day would come, but we are not quite there yet, although we are pretty close.

Yesterday some wonderful friends threw me a shower.  It was beautiful.  There were so many wonderful friends there who have been with us and supported us along this path and it was so nice to feel everyone's love and prayers for our family and for Min.  I cried in a slobbering sort of way and would love it if that is out of my system:)

What is amazing to me is how I can see God's hand on my life and on this adoption process.  I am so very aware of the many things that fell into place and the many people who were put into our adoption process who helped to move it along quickly.  This weekend I have really reflected on this journey and it has been an amazing one for me.  It has been, and still is, a walk of faith.  It has been, and still is, life changing in my view of the world and of my place in it.  It has been, and still is, a reminder to be thankful for the blessings in my life and for the relationships that I have.  It has been, and still is, a reminder that above all my family is central to so much of what I do.  It has been, and still is, a constant walk with God, a constant reminder that when I feel out of control, He knows and is there.  When I feel unsure or discouraged, He carries me.  And when I take a tiny step forward with a mustard seed of faith, He rewards it hugely. 

He knows His children.  He loves us all.  I don't know why there is so much inequality in the world.  I don't know why I am blessed with health and family and peace.  I can't fix it.  But I do know that we all change lives by the way we live our own.  We change communities by the service and care we show.  And we can change the world for the one who is hurting that we care for.  So while, I don't know how to fix the problems that I am aware of, I know that our small efforts are rewarded hugely.  I am thankful for everyone who has blessed and changed my life and I can't wait to meet Min(NEXT WEEK!!)  and see the changes in hers.

Test Run

I am hoping to be able to blog a bit from China so I am doing a test run to see if this option works for mobile blogging before I do something harder:)  Things are getting checked off of the To-Do List which is great. Thank you for your prayers. I really, really appreciate them.

LEAVING IN 1 WEEK!!!!

WE HAVE TRAVEL APPROVAL AND A CONSULATE DATE!! WE ARE LEAVING NEXT WEEK TO MEET MIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so much for your prayers!  I am so grateful for them all.

Next week is my daughter's last week in an orphanage.

Shower

I am so excited!  Some great friends of mine are throwing me a shower.  It is really cool because Min is not my first, she is my fifth(Oh my goodness that sounds like more than four!) 


It is kind of last minute because things are coming together so quickly with this adoption, but it is going to be so much fun.  I am so worried that someone is going to get missed who has followed our adoption journey and it will not be intentional.  I apologize if that is you.  The shower is on Saturday.  It is at my church at 11.  For more info give me a call or an email.  I so appreciate everyone who has been with us on this journey.  For the many, many people who have and continue to pray for us.  For the people who helped us with our fundraisers, it completely made the difference in being able to expedite at the time and we are so grateful.  For all of the people who have followed our story, it has been so wonderful to share it. 

This week is getting crazy, we should(might, will probably) have definite travel plans by the end of this week!  THIS WEEK WE WILL KNOW!!!!!!!!

And it is a sunny day today, they have been few and far between this summer.  So I am taking my boys to the beach to enjoy hanging out together before coming back to my to do list that seems to be growing instead of shrinking.

Butterflies

I have butterflies.  You know that anxious, excited anticipation that comes before something big?  I have that.  I feel like we are so very, very close to meeting EmeryMin and I am so excited, and to be honest, nervous.  It is like the very end of your last trimester of pregnancy when you can't wait for it to be over and are so thrilled to finally be meeting the little person that you have held in your heart for 9 months, but a little bit nervous to go through the process and hoping that everything will go smoothly.  I am a little nervous just like when my sons were born.  Will I know what to do?  What if she doesn't like me?  Will I know how to be a good mother to her?  Will I know how to comfort her?  What if she doesn't like me(I had a son who really liked my husband first from the get go.  Me?  Not so much...it took months for him to like me for more than just food)  Plus, there are the added throw ins, will we be able to communicate?  Will she understand the situation?  Will she be able to attach?  Will her heart be strong during the trip?  The butterflies are growing.  And I am thrilled that they are there.  I am so excited to meet this little girl. I am so excited to see her face and hold her hand.  I am so excited to sing to her and read to her and hold her.  I am so excited to be with her and get to know her.  It's like Christmas Eve, or the even better analogy, for me, the night before an opening night of a performance when you have worked really hard, know everything you are supposed to do, and are excited to share that and see all of that hard work pay off, but still nervous to make sure you get it right.

I got to talk with a mom who is adopting a little girl from EmeryMin's orphanage and room.  It was so fun to talk with someone, who should have been a stranger, but was more like a close friend from the start since we are bonded through our daughters for life.  It was neat to see how our experiences differ and are the same and so wonderful to see these children finding loving homes.  This woman is so gracious and kind, she told me she was going to change her prayers for us to be more specific and I appreciate that.  I feel like I ask and have asked for a lot of prayers.  I feel and appreciate them so very much and have felt their power.  Here's where we are at:  We are waiting for Travel Approval.  I am praying for it to come this week and for us to be able to travel next week.  This is a tall order, but doable.  I am hoping the answer is 'yes'.  If not we should be getting our travel approval next week and traveling shortly after that.

We are getting so close.  I am amazed at all of the blessing that have happened in this adoption.  We thought we would travel in late October or early November.  We will be traveling in late July most likely.  That is pretty fast.  I was at birthday party for two great friends last night and we were talking about some flight horror stories with medical emergencies.  Someone noticed that I was looking a little green:)  Another friend said  that God hasn't brought us all this way and kept EmeryMin healthy just to have His blessing end on the flight.  I feel that way now.  Even with the butterflies, I have felt carried and blessed, my road has been made smooth.  I have known that minimiracles have happened.  And I have no reason to expect for those blessings to suddenly stop.  We have felt so strongly that we have been prepared to bring EmeryMin home and while I am still praying hard for everything to continue to work out smoothly, I just have no reason to doubt that it will and am grateful for that peace.

I will keep this blog updated when we get some travel plans...you might hear my screaming down in the lower 48:)

Can't wait to meet my daughter!

Final Step

We are (should be) on the final step of this adoption.  We are waiting for our Travel Approval to be sent from China giving us permission to travel to adopt Min.  It is an important step...partly because IT IS THE LAST ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!   So now we are back in a waiting mode with an undetermined wait time.  I have to say the last couple weeks have been so nice to know there was nothing I could do, or needed to.  There was no need to be wondering every day if that day was the day that we would have our Article 5.  We knew exactly what day it would be and it was so very nice.  Now we are back to the wondering if this day could be THE DAY.  Conveniently, I know it won't be this weekend so I can relax.  But we have plans that need to be made for travel.  We have our children who are not going with us to China, we have an energetic 9 month old lab who will NOT be going to China:)  We have responsibilities at church and work that need to be covered.  We have doctors appointments for Min that need to be scheduled 4-5 weeks in advance.  So we have tentatively set some of these things in place and are hoping that we are able to make those dates.  And we are praying hard for our Travel Approval to be expedited and come quickly and for us to be able to get a fast consulate appointment when we need it, and for us to find inexpensive flights:)

I guess it is kind of like life, you don't necessarily know what is going to happen or when.  I can't predict where our family will be in 5 years, I used to try.  I don't know what I will be doing in 5 years, I used to try.  I don't know what my children will be doing in 5 years, I used to try.  Now I am grateful for today.  I am grateful for my life.  I am grateful for my health.  I am grateful for my husband.  I am grateful for my children.  I am grateful for a home to live in and for heat that works and food to eat.  I am grateful for running water and electricity.  I am grateful for great friends and family.  I am grateful to live in a wonderful community.    I am grateful to know and feel love from God.  So, even though I don't know how everything is going to work out in detail, either with this adoption or in my life, I am grateful for the things I have experienced and the love I have felt, and I am hopeful for the future, but over all grateful for the journey.