On Second Thought and Overview of Saturday

Typed this afternoon at 2pm....

Well, so sorry to leave you hanging.  I was just exhausted.  Somehow I am still in the dark because JAKE IS TAKING A NAP!!!  Whoohooo!!  That is a praise in and of itself.  We are finding a bit of a schedule amidst the chaos, and I will say it must be chaos for him.  I just can't tell you how grateful I am right now.  I need to write about our visit to the medical clinic today, but I better go back to Thursday.  I am overwhelmed at the thought of just having to capture all this, but I just need to tell.  I've never typed so fast and I must go for an "Important" paperwork meeting at 3pm.  The children and Jeff can't come (they only want one parent, and I have done all the paperwork).  Jeff has done most of the things since in China but I know our documents back from the States best.  Plus Jeff, and me for the matter, we are just like first time parents...a little nervous, shaky, and just pure overcome both with joy and fear.  What a responsibility!

I thought of naming this blog "I have a weightloss plan FINALLY", but I'd better talk about our visit to the foster family.  I'll try to remember to tell you about that.  Oh, one other thing...the sound of a baby boy sucking his thumb in the night is all the same, no matter where you are from!  Sorry, so much on the brain right now.

Typed at 11:36pm

After a little more thought, I decided to do this post when I get home.  But I will tell you about our visit for the medical today.  The 4 other families that are in the same travel group with us met downstairs briefly before we all headed off for medicals.  There were lots of instructions given on the bus and I became so nervous that I couldn't really think straight.  All I could hear was one phrase...."one parent will need to bring the child to do the paperwork and it IS very important paperwork".  Well, turns out I combined a bunch of things but I just couldn't imagine having to both watch Jake and do important paperwork.  I have done more paperwork than I ever thought humanly possible.  Anyway, first step in the process was a picture (still don't know what that was for).  Turns out that was one thing that only 1 parent needed to take the child to do.  Whew!  Piece of cake :).  I'm happy....UNTIL we go back in this waiting area and I notice everyone else's children sitting quietly.  But not Jake.  He was so busy wanting to get into everything.  It nearly took all 5 of us at some point to watch him.  We then proceeded to do parts of the medical.  First ENT, then doctor?? (have no clue but this guy was just totally shocked that Jake didn't seem to have any issues...I actually thought we might get stopped somehow but remember Jake was adopted last Tuesday:)), then height, weight, and then the dreaded TB test.  The nurse said in very broken English for Jeff to hold him tightly.  I was prepared with the lollipop.  A quick cry then lots of sticky lollipop.  It was totally fine.  We do have a couple of medical things to investigate including a swollen lymph node on Jake's head, but we'll take care of that.  It was so awesome to meet all these sweet families that we'll be with this week and exchange stories.  I am so grateful already for their lives and the lives of their families.

At 3pm I went for the IMPORTANT paperwork meeting (and that was to be totally alone...see I combined a few things in what I heard on the bus, but it worked out good).  Everything went well and after one and a half hours everything was lined up.  I found out that this was the last of the big paperwork pieces and for that you all get a PRAISE GOD!!!!  Obviously I'm getting tired again.  I don't have time to edit.

Oh, one more thing.  We went to the Trust Mart today which is like Walmart.  Carries the Great Value brand on some things but have no idea why it's called Trust Mart.  Just getting there was an experience.  We went with some other precious new friends, but we were quite the crew.  It was a bit too much for us.  When we finally got back to the hotel I told the children to remember how difficult that was and how easy we have it back home.  So many things are that way here and we really haven't seen that much. 

If we get permission, I'll try and blog further about Thursday.  Thank you for praying for the things I mentioned yesterday.  The blister like things on Jenna's arm are better and her stomach isn't hurting.  That's a praise.  And the breakfast buffet is included at this hotel so that gives the girls a good meal each day.

Oh, I didn't tell you much about our new little guy.  He is doing well.  At the medical he came up to another newly adopted little one "who cries easily" per her mom and pats / hits her too hard.  He is totally baffled that she is crying and I ask him to use "nice hands" and show him how to gently rub her arm and he does that several times.  That was followed with praise and he kept coming back to check on her and rub her arm.  It was priceless.  Our God is so patient and gentle with us and yet he wants to lead us to a better way of living...one more like His Son.  I am so grateful for that example.  I want to reflect that to Jake.  This is such a journey.  And it's going to be a long one, but we are grateful to have the opportunity to love Jake.  He will melt your heart.  He has one of the sweetest, most precious smiles and does the funniest things.  Please keep praying for us.


I have no idea why there's a picture of luggage here and can't seem to get rid of it, so ignore....unless you really like luggage.  Sorry for only luggage pictures.  I'll try and post pictures tomorrow.

Thursdays visits...Part 1 (Visit to the orphanage)

It's 12:38am China time and everyone is asleep.  I should be asleep but I must tell what I can for now.  Today which is really yesterday, but anyway, Friday China time, (I know, it's very confusing), was a day that started out with a mess of tears.  Not for Jake or anyone else, but it was just me shedding the tears.  The flood came when I read that some dear friends had gone to clean my house, which I knew they were going to do, but couple that with all the emotions of the day before, and it was almost too much to bear.  I don't know how to explain it but I am just so grateful for being so blessed.  Blessed to have such sweet friends, family, and neighbors in our lives....and a very precious new addition to our family.  We are starting to see who Jacob Elliott Hongfuxia Stanley really is....and it is amazing.  God's plan is so amazing.

I don't want this trip to sound like anything more or less than what it is.  Anyone that knows me, even the least bit about me, knows I'm riddled with sin.  I'm selfish, impatient, short-tempered, but I serve a God who has conquered all that and more.

Yesterday, China's Thursday, we set out about 2:30pm to go do three things...visit the orphanage, visit the foster family, and visit Jake's finding spot.  I can not tell you how nervous I was about all this.  Questions raced through my mind....were we doing the right thing for Jake, would he have an awful time leaving, would we be safe, and the list of unknowns just went on and on.  But we did go and we started out with the orphanage.  It was in the oldest part of town and the roads were very bumpy.  Lots of mopeds, pedestrians,and PEOPLE,  just absolute beyond anything I could picture.  As we wound deeper and deeper into this oldest section and got more and more stares through the windows, it was just the most surreal experience I can describe.  I'm sensitive though and I began to picture my sweet Jake living here and the precious people....it's hard to describe.  We finally got to the orphanage and the conditions were much different than what I could tell from the picture.  Don't get me wrong.  We weren't allowed to go inside and there was a "garden" area, but it was still just run down looking from the outside.  We did some walking and met some precious little boys from "the outside" meaning outside the orphanage.  They were there collecting mangoes.  Andrew and our guide noticed that one of the boys had gotten a crab from a little lilypad covered pond.  Jeff and I weren't sure about whether we wanted Andrew to catch this crab that he had seen, but before we knew it this little boy wisked over and jumped in with one foot submerged a good foot or more and just went to fishing in there with his hands.  I don't know why I was so touched by this gesture but I was.  Boys are the same all the world over.  Anyway....David began to connect with ayis walking the grounds and they invited us to come with them to collect mangoes.  David wanted to right away and I did as well, but I began to see that this was a group of severe special needs children.  It began to break my heart.  They had so much fun using this instrument to cause the mangoes to fall and then collecting them in a blanket.  We tried to help, but the whole experience was almost too much.  We ended up going back and walking the grounds a little more and going to the clinic where Jake would go monthly.  Still didn't get to see the inside.  But we could hear lots of older special needs children singing and learning and talking somewhere behind the clinic.  We finally decided to head back up to the front of the orphanage where we met the director.  She kept saying that she was very grateful that we adopted Hong Fu.  This conversation with her and passing over a present to her was so surreal.  As we did this, the special needs children began to encircle my children and I could see the nervousness on their faces.  I went to draw closer to them in an attempt to help my guys and began to speak to a young boy and the verse that says what ever you do to the least of these my brethren, you do to me...that verse came to my mind.  I saw Jesus in his face.  I am so grateful for that moment.

We finally left the orphanage and started towards the foster home.  What happend over the next two hours or so, was just unbelievable.  It's late though, so I'll have to blog and add pictures tomorrow.  Jake has his medical at 10am and we got in late from Guangzhou.  I am exhausted from being up with Jake last night.  Tonight, once we go to our room which was about 11pm, I got him into pjs and went to stroll him (sort of a bit of a routine) and finally his sweet little face just looked back at me and I parked the stroller and began to walk the halls with him.  He's heavy so I took my chances and just sat in the hallway and he didn't wail.  Finally he went to sleep.  It seems like at night he gets to thinking and gets upset.  I think he's grieving.  He is the happiest little boy during the day.  Having to work with him on typical two year old behaviors but I can already see progress.  Oh, the sweetest thing happens when I sing Jesus loves Me.  He just stops and listens so intently.  Something about it captures his attention.  Anyway, if you could please pray for the following:

the 15 hour flight home (if tonight's one hour was any indication of how things will be, we will have our hands FULL)
pray for Jenna...she has some sort of strange rash on her arm.  I am going to get it checked when Jake has his medical tomorrow
pray for safe travel about town this coming week
pray for Jake and his attachment to us
pray for patience for Jeff and I
pray that Jake's tb test will come back negative so that we won't have to stay here any longer than planned'

Oh better go to bed.  Many thanks to you all for journeying this with us, Kimberly

Yesterday was a good day.  We are a bit tired and ready to go on to Guangzhou.  The realities of a very busy two year old are setting in.  They aren't bad, but just something that will take some readjustmet to.  We went to the People's Park in Nanning which was nice but it started to rain and on the way back we got soaked.  This was apparently a new experience for our guide....I guess having a family get soaked but we took it all in stride.  Jake was confused that he was wet.  He laughed as we walked in the rain and did a sweet little shiver (another one of those things that's the same everywhere).  Probably not one of my favorite things that we did was going to this bouncy house / padded play area things in the park, but the children enjoyed it.  I didn't like the pit with balls in it as I could picture snakes nestled down in it and children who are used to urinating in public going in there.  And my precious Parker and Jenna and Jake were in there.  The park is outside so I could easily see how something bad could be in there.  But Jake was fixed on it and Parker and Jenna were oblivious.  So I just kept trusting God.  There were lots of moms with their only sons (David commented that the boys were getting spoiled by moms and grandmoms because of the one child policy) and Jake took to an older boy in the pit.  They were speaking in Cantonese or Mandarin back and forth and throwing the balls everywhere.  It was okay; this was normal for Jake.  But just the whole scene, recounting it now, makes me feel a little queezy.  Plus combining that with incredible humidity, I was uncomfortable.  Finally I went over to the pit to try and get Jake out because the girls were tired and spelled the most awful smell. Jake did a typical two year old fit and so to avoid lots of stares, I let him stay.  Finally we told David we were done and we got him out.  The language barrier is an issue even for a two year old.

Sleeping is when I think it hits Jake that his whole world has changed.  There are many things I have to learn but I am trusting and need to remember to trust God that He will reveal all that I need to know.  Jeff was both mine and Jake's hero last night.  I wanted to do our bedtime routine but Jake has figured that out.  So the whailing started (don't know if I'm spelling that right).   It's almost like if he doesn't have to go to sleep he won't think about how much has changed.  He's grieving I think.  So Jeff just looked out the window with him and talked to him so sweetly.  I was so tired from the night before.  I had that feeling like I do with my other three children like I just have to get them to bed so I can sleep.  Jeff cuddled up with Jake on this couch thingy in the room and brought out a flashlight pen thing that I had bought for the girls for Christmas. I had also packed some glow sticks from Target and Jeff just quietly played with him until he finally fell to sleep.  I was so zonked that I went to sleep before Jeff had finished this routine but I woke up when I heard Jeff laying him down.  I am already adjusting my thinking for tonight.  He won't sleep in the bed with us...we tried that right away.  But he has slept since Jeff laid him down and is still asleep.

Today will be a big day for all of us as we go to meet the foster parents and visit the orphanage.  Honestly I am anxious about this.  Please pray for all of us...for our safety, for Jake and the time when we have to leave that a peace will overcome him, for the foster family.  And pray for our visit to the orphanage and to Jake's finding place.  It all honestly makes me feel a bit sick.  I am trying to remember the verse that says that perfect love casts out fear.  It keeps coming to mind.   

It is official!

As of today, June 26, 2012, we are the official parents of Hong Fu! I am having to peck this on the iPad so it probably won't be fancy. We had to go to the notary which was quite interesting. First of all I don't see how more people don't die on the roads in China. Not because it's terribly fast because there are lots of mopeds and congestion which makes it slower than the US, but more because I don't think lanes or road directions really mean that much to anyone. There were a couple of times today when I thought surely someone was going to die. But all was well.

Going to the notary was supposed to be a simple thing but it turned out to be a little of a hassle for David and the driver. We found out after the fact that it was a simple changeover in the security (starting here from yesterday and now on the laptop) but with two men in uniforms and voices beginning to raise on all parts and in a foreign country with a gated government building, I was a little worried but, it was funny, I felt right in the middle of God's will, so a peace covered the situation in my heart.  Oh the lengths that our God has gone to us for us, for all that will receive Him to adopt us into His family.  His peace, in this situation and for this time, usurped my anxious heart.  Plus God has give me Jeff, our Captain, and a very good guide David who eventually told the driver, who is older, in Chinese to "settle down, settle down, that it was okay".  Our guide knew that this man was doing his job and that it wasn't worth getting in a bad situation for.  Turns out it was all about being able to drive us up closer to where we were going.  I said once or twice to David that it was okay and that we didn't mind walking.  It was raining and they didn't want that.  David is a negotiator, facilitator at heart and we left the place yesterday with the new security folks understanding who he was and what he was doing there (he's done this for 10 years but the security guards are new) and the security people apologized.  They said they hadn't seen the family in the back of the van.  Anyway...sorry to elaborate on this.

Then on to the civil affairs office where we had to answer some questions but the most important being why did we want to adopt "this boy".  Why were we stunned??  I had forgotten to tell Jeff that that question would be coming (in typical Stanley fashion) and so we both just looked at each other.  I figured I'd better answer since I at least knew they'd ask this question at some point.  So I said "because we want to love him and care for him".  That she quickly wrote down and it seemed enough.  If she'd have looked at us and not written, there's no telling what type of dissertation (sp?) she'd have gotten.  Parker, Jenna, and Andrew just tagged along through all this and were taking it in.  Parker ended up being the guarder of my Small World paperwork so that was helpful.  Maybe I'll do a post later and tell you about each one of them and what's going on with them.  Anyway, at the civil affairs office, two ayis from the orphanage were there.  I can see love in their eyes for Jake and that he recognizes them.  They say a few things to him in Chinese and I gesture several times that they can take him or hold him if they'd like while we do the paperwork but he ends up staying with us.  He was exhausted and stunned seeming.  Finally he fell asleep in Baba's arms on the ride back while we looked at a package that the orphanage put together for him and for us.  We got a photo album (so priceless for us and for him) and the journal that I had sent for the foster mom had been signed by the orphanage staff and she had made some entries as well and had pasted some pictures in of him and some special trips they had taken.

Jake slept from 4:30 - 6:30 and then we went down to the gym.  There are some big balls like you would use in special exercises classes in an open part of the gym and while Jeff worked out (and the other children off and on) we played with himwith those balls.  We're probably not the favorites here but we always return things to where they should be (mostly....except for a water bottle that somehow made it's way up onto a light ledge in the gym....we didn't even attempt to try and explain what we'd done, but it was one of Andrew's juggling attempts to entertain his brother).   Jake understands the universal sign for "shhhh!!!" with pointer finger to the lips (another thing that's the same in all languages).  He does a lot of squealing and just loves the children. 

So back up to the room and Parker, Jenna, and Andrew are pretty zonked and getting ready for bed.  Fed Jake (not sure that he really drank the formula that was reported to the orphanage, but loves water.....hmmmm), got pajamas on, and began the simple little bedtime routine we'd started just the night before (but added brushing teeth which he has done and loves to do).  The routine was adjusted several times because he was apparently very hungry for a fruit that is so cool that David had given us when we got in the van.  I've never seen it before.  You peel it and it's very fleshy.  Need to look up the name of it because he LOVES it.  Very sticky.  I have no idea how many of these I peeled and he ate, but a LOT.  We read "brown bear, brown bear" and I fed him.  It was very quiet and I tried to hold him and rock him and then some tears came.  It wasn't too long before he was calmed down and I could lay him down in his crib and he went to sleep.  In some ways this was all very natural...... and in some ways it wasn't quite honestly.  It reminded me of how many of us know that love is a choice.  So many married couples separate and then eventually divorce because they "don't love each other anymore".  It also reminded me of the fallen state of the world where children don't grow up with their biological parents.  It grieves me.....but not enough and certainly no where close to what it does the Lord.  Please continue to pray for us, for Jake, and for his foster family.  Though we get closer each day to going home, still so much has to happen.  And now going home is the goal and loving and raising "this boy" to the glory of God.  Thank you for coming alongside us.  We really need that.

A Yawn

Well let me tell you what else is the same in every language....a sweet precious yawn.  I just put my newest one to bed and he is oh so sweet.  My heart is so full of emotions that I just can't begin to tell you.

Let me start from the beginning.  About 2:30 Jeff led us in a time of prayer that was so dear.  I admitted to him several times over the course of the hour 2-3pm that I was so nervous.  But he reassured me and we talked about how this was God's plan or otherwise we wouldn't be here and now.  We talked with the children about a few things.  All this, along with lots of putting things away (and then away again) really helped the hour to pass.  But it was still slow.  And then about 3:15 or so we got the call that they were on the way up and to ready our cameras.  Our personalized photographers (Parker and Jenna) were all lined up along with an ipad.  I'll post what I can.

Hong Fu came right in and really took to us.  He just seemed to want to see us and see the toys we had.  He understood who Mama was and Baba was and who the Jie Jies were (please forgive me, I know I'm not spelling this right, but it's the Chinese word for older sister) and who Ga Ga is (again, no time to look up how to spell it) which is older brother.  He and Andrew immediately began to play and David needed to have some forms filled out.  Most of you know that I have done all that up to now, but now it was Baba's turn so I could be with my boy.  I had to!!  He has just as much energy and enthusiasm as Andrew and that is a ton.  I needed to keep him safe.  The next hour or two was filled with games and toys.  We saw so much of his personality and it is vibrant and alive.  It is obvious that he has been loved and prepared.  His foster mother called three times to our guide.  She is wanting to make sure he is okay.  Jeff and I had talked about whether or not we really wanted to go visit on Thursday and I told Jeff that I thought we'd know what to do when we saw Hong Fu and spent some time with him.  I think she really wants us to visit so we will probably do so. 

Hong Fu is a very bright little guy.  He has already learned how to do High Fives with Jeff and mimics some of the words we are saying.  He's doing very well with letting me know he needs to potty.  Right now he is konked out.  He usually takes a 4 hr nap, but not one today, so I had to finally hold him still and make him sleep which he did within 5 minutes.  He was taken by his foster mother's grown son to the orphanage this morning because she could not do it.  My heart hurts for her.  But she has written that she wants a loving family for Hong Fu and knows this is best.  She also wrote that she would like to get updates and we are thrilled to do that.  I can see God's amazing plan unfolding before us.  We had so many sweet times today that I would not even be doing it justice to describe each, but one came for me when I was in the other room alone with Hong Fu and he laid his head on the side of the bed as did I, following his lead.  I proceeded to tell him in Chinese that I love him (wo ai ni, again not spelled correctly I'm sure, but it is said woh eye knee) and he just got the biggest smile.  So I said it again and more smiles.  It was precious.

I've got a feeling that I need to sleep while he is so I won't write much more.  I am praising God for loving a little boy on the opposite side of the world and a family wanting a little one on the other and uniting us with each other.  If you could please pray for Jake's safety here in the hotel (we have already found many things that could cause him harm and he is into everything) and for the times when we'll be flying as he has much energy.  But it was an exciting day. 

Here are a few pictures.  Hugs to you all!

Formula and Faithfulness

David called about 10:30 and said he had talked with the orphanage and that Jake was already there and doing well.  He gave us a few details about Jake's formula.  We didn't know if he is still on it or not, but apparently he is and drinking lots of it.  Might explain why it looks like from the pictures that we have gotten that he is a nice size 2 year old.  Apparently we can't get this type of formula from the Walmart down the street so the orphanage is sending us with 4 packets of formula. David wanted to know if that would be enough for our trip.  He asked me!!!  Isn't that funny.  Formula here isn't the same thing as formula in the US.  It's not at all similar I hear.  Even if I could look at the packet, I couldn't read it!!  And he didn't tell me the packet sizes or how much he drank a day or anything.  This already makes me laugh (which is a God thing).  Plus it's been a while since I've had a baby and mixed formula.  But I handled it...no problem, because we'll learn more when the ayis and orphanage director get here plus when we meet the foster family.  We'll not have to use bottled water for him since David says he's used to tap water.  Oh my!!  I've already packed our bag for the trip to the civil affairs office tomorrow.  My stomach is in knots.  This is like having a baby, but so much more.  I feel sort of exposed the same way.  There will be at least 3 other non-family people here watching how this all goes.  And we already get so many stares...add to that a precious Chinese boy.  OH....I learned something else that's the same in all languages....A SMILE!!!  Praise God for that.  At first I was so scared that I didn't want to look anyone in the eye.  But perfect love cast out fear.  Now I just smile so big and let the love of Christ permeate through my face and  heart to everyone that passes.  Some smile back...others glare.

Okay, so this morning my sweet God spoke to me in my usual place (several of you moms will relate to the shower being a place of solitude and reflection).  My prayers are so gutteral right now.  Not beautiful or eloquent.  We can't manipulate God with our prayers but just call out to Him for help anyhow and that's about all that I can utter right now.  I wasn't really thinking though on this heavily but just somehow feeling disappointed in my prayers but that still small voice spoke to my heart again and reminded me of you all.  I know many are praying and covering us in prayer.  How can I thank you??  But God just let me know that it was okay and that that's what the body of Christ is for.  I was so grateful.  He is so precious and faithful to me.  He has been faithful to meet us at our point of need in so many ways in the last 5 years and one of them has been to have folks come alongside us.  We have been so needy and broken.  Thank you to you all.  We are very grateful.  

We'll meet our new little guy in about 1 hour 15 minutes though I'm not looking at the clock:)

M & M

Today we met our guide at 10:30am and it was refreshing to get out.  We started out to head for the park but it started to rain and so we ended up going to theGuangxi museum (which was so neat because Andrew had asked me about doing that and I had asked David but he said that most families preferred the park...we are deferring to him).  But the museum was very interesting and gave us some one on one time with David to ask him about the area and just learn more about the culture.  It was very fascinating. 

Afer we left I thought he would want to take us back to the hotel but he wondered if we wanted to go to the local market or take a houseboat tour to see local life.  He thought that was more interesting than shopping and I certainly agreed.  He was appreciating our interest in the culture and people and wanted to share that with us.  He was so relieved to find out we weren't big shoppers.  So he ended up having the driver drop us all off at the local market and that was really something else.  I had heard about it but was really shocked at how it felt to be there. The sights and sounds were unbelievable. We were so out of place it was hysterical.  Not really.  I felt very nervous.  But I was so grateful for the experience.  David stopped to buy a couple things along the way which was good.

As we rode we learned more about Jake and his foster family.  In the market David showed us a house that was similar to where Jake lived.  It made me sad for the sweet family and him and helped me to see the need he has for a forever family and how much his life will change.  He lives in a very tiny apartment in a building which David has told the foster family that the government will close down soon.  I sighed but he said this was good news for the family because the government will provide better housing.  He told me about how he tracked down Jake for the initial pictures back in October.  He doesn't do that through the orphanage.  But he had an idea and begin to talk with some adoptive families in the area.  One foster family whose father runs a grocery store recognized Jake and pointed David in the right direction.  This family has two little boys with CP (one mild) and asked David to help them find families for these boys.  They are on the shared list David thinks and are friends of Jake's.  There is so much need here.

We firmed up more plans for our meeting of Jake tomorrow.  We also found out that the foster family might even want to have us for dinner later in the week.  Though the foster mom and dad aren't very techy, the son and daughter-in-law might be able to help us keep in touch by email and blogging. 

I am becoming more excited by the hour.

Oh, the girls and I ventured into the local mall that's less than a half block from the hotel.  We were able to find a play area that David says Jake will enjoy.  We also went back to the Walmart (we get so many stares!!) and were able to pick up a couple of things for Jake (we think his scratching is very dry skin so got some special lotion and also got a Pleasant Goat toy).  I am sorry if I am boring you with the details but also trying to journal our trip. 

Awake too early

Jenna, Parker, and I have been up since 2am; we're not completely acclimated to the time difference.  Jeff slept from about 3pm yesterday, woke up for an hour around 8pm and is still asleep  Andrew is asleep with Daddy in the other room.  The girls and I are going to be some kind of sleepy this afternoon.  We're planning on a nap and then trying to get back on a good China schedule with bedtime around 8-9pm. 

The plans for the day are to meet David in the lobby at 10:30am and we are going to a park here in Nanning.  We are following his lead on everything.  He says this will be a fun place for the kids to get "some fresh air".  We haven't seen the sun yet and are wondering if it's pollutants or pollutants plus clouds.  It's hard to tell. 

David has already warned us that Americans keep their rooms too cool so to make sure to dress Jake warm.  He says long sleeved pajamas, but I had heard this ahead of time.  But it is so hot and muggy that I can't imagine putting him in long sleeves during the day. 

It's been good to be here to get settled before Jake comes (and two rooms was a must for space reasons) especially with the children and food issues, but it has also been hard waiting.  The anticipation is building.  There are so many things to think / worry about with how all this will go, but I know intellectually that worry is sin.   Please pray that I will be flooded with confidence in the Lord and that great peace will overcome me.  Pray that He will help me to trust in Him with all my heart and acknowledge Him in all my ways. 

Walmart

So we went to Walmart and that was quite the experience.  Thank goodness we had a list and Jeff and I had talked through it together.  It wasn't really a bad experience, just a lot of people and with everything being in Chinese it was impossible to tell if something is gluten free.  Fruit is the safest thing for the girls, but it also has the potential to cause bad stomach problems if not handled correctly.  Again, trusting the Lord with this.  Our guide helped us to order pizza and brought us back to the hotel and went over some paperwork with us.  We got to ask more questions about the foster family and Jake and firm up further our plans.  I tried to communicate that we don't want Jake to be told anything like that he couldn't cry or be upset when he saw us.  We want him to know that we love him no matter what and that he doesn't have to be brave for us to love him. 

We were excited to get our boiling pot working and the girls got to eat their instant mashed potatoes with real bacon bits.  This was a hit!  Oh and tennis shoes was the way to go...no sliding about this time for me.  Whew!

Feeling a bit more adventurous so we're heading down to the gym.  Andrew is really needing to get some energy out!!!! 

One more thing...

Okay, please don't think I'm crazy.  But I am making a list of things that we all do in the same language.  From yesterday.....people burp (like a man did in my ear in the airport and it was "buuurrrrppppp") and from today.....people squeal (both from excitement or fear, like the two ladies I saw on the slimy sidewalk who were just about to tip over on their moped) in the same language also. 

We're in Nanning!

We arrived safely in Nanning and after going through lots of different checks, we gathered our luggage (I really only packed what we needed, but the luggage sure is a bear to tote around, but we are getting it down to a science) and were greeted by our guide David.  He is very nice.  We could tell that he had some words with a lady who wouldn't let us take our carts any further than the curb.  We managed to get it all in the van somehow and were on our way for an hour drive to the Marriott.  None of us had seatbelts.  I am trusting the Lord with all of our safety but I honestly can't say that it isn't stressful.

We were able to do a little planning for the week with David.  It looks like Jake will come to the hotel Monday afternoon and then we'll go to the Civil Affairs office Tuesday for all the adoption paperwork.  David knows Jake and I was right that he was the one that had taken the pictures and video back in May and I also think he took the ones back from October.  He was able to share some things about Jake that are precious.  He says Jake is really smart and can say many words.  He's friendly and outgoing and has a close, close attachment with his foster mom.  David thinks he sleeps mostly with her and likes the yogurt drinks we'll be getting from Walmart in a little while.  They do call him Hong Fu.  Many of the children get nicknames so we'll still see what the ayis (short for aunts, but like nannies) call him.  We think he will come to the hotel with David and some ayis from the orphanage.  Please keep praying for his adjustment.  David says that the foster mom would like to meet us and, although we think that this could be difficult in the short term, we also think it could be very good for the long haul.  She wants to wait until later in the week once he has had time to adjust to us.  This tells me that she loves him.  We'll see how he does with everything.  We also are going to get to go see the orphanage as it is within 10 minutes walking of the foster family.  Apparently Jake is the last foster child they will have as they have a new grandbaby and want to spend time with him / her.  I asked why the family has fostered and David said because they love children.  We are praising God for this love.

Today we have been hanging out in the hotel room.  The food for the girls is much more difficult than I had expected. 

We're doing all the things that we were told to do like using bottled water for brushing teeth and making sure that we don't get water in our mouths during showers and making sure we don't plug something up without adapters.  I think this wouldn't be hard with just Jeff and I but having the children here is making it more difficult.  We're still glad we brought them but are having to change some expectations on our parts.  God is using this trip to refine us still. 

Our big outing for the day is to go to Walmart.  You might laugh, but I dread it.  I guess the big reason is that I nearly totally lost it on the sidewalk.  I mean talking about making a scene.  Apparently flipflops from Old Navy are very, very slippery on slimy side walks.  It was very scary but as soon as I got my balance, guess what?  I almost lost it again!!  Talk about standing out.  So I then looked like an oversized old lady American because I was walking SO slow.  This put us all into hyper vigilant mode.  Not a good combination for a family under the stress of being in a foreign country for adoption.  So when the children asked about going to the dragon boat festival, the answer was clear for me. 

We can count on one hand the number of folks here in the hotel that speak English...okay, maybe just one. 

So for prayer requests, pray for patience for Jeff and I and for the children.  Pray that God will work mightily in all of our hearts as we move closer to Jake and for sweet Jake.  I can't wait to get to know him.  There will be so many things to plan for at that point for any outing.  I can't imagine quite yet.  Diapers, underwear, or just going on the street as Parker and I saw during our one outing for something to drink (the time when I nearly wiped out).  Planning for gluten free meals to go, a toddler, in a foreign country with three very dependent, normal children.  I can't yet imagine getting back on the plane with all of us.  Could be so interesting!!!  Please keep praying Friends!!  We so, so appreciate it. 

We got a pretty decent amount of sleep last night (11pm til 6am China time) so we are grateful.  It's a bit odd because it felt like 11am til 6pm but we hadn't gotten much rest on the plane.  We are trying to just go with China time though now our bodies feel like it's 9:21pm as I type this.  I'm not letting the children dwell on this but it is quite interesting.  We are in China so just trying to go with it!!  We really do stand out even here at the hotel. 

Our big objective today is to get to Nanning.  I will feel much closer to Jake once we're there.  I also look forward to meeting David, our guide, and hopefully will feel comfortable asking him the thousand questions that I have (don't worry for those of you that really know me...I'll narrow my questions down to just 5-6 big ones cause we have a few days with him and I can probably get in a good 20-30 questions:)). 

We have seen lots of little Chinese children here and there and my heart melts.  I can just picture him.  Okay, ready for a really obvious statement.....children cry the same in all languages.  This morning I heard a little child fall and immediately the Mama in me wondered if it was one of my children and then I saw that it was a little Chinese boy.  He started to cry.  It was the same as my children's cry.  My heart was filled with love and anticipation to hold the one sweet little boy that the Lord has given to us and to wipe away his tears.....because he cries just like Parker, Jenna, and Andrew.  I know that's really simple, not deep and profound, but that's where the Lord has me. 

We're here!!

We are here!!  We got in to the airport in Hong Kong a couple of hours ago and are so grateful for safe travel.  I really just didn't fully comprehend what a 15 hour flight would be like.  It was exhausting.  And I can't imagine doing that again, especially with a 2 year old.  Parker, Jenna, and Andrew enjoyed their first plane rides (Parker can't remember her airplane trip at 18 mos. old to see Aunt Beth).  The plane ride was a bit turbulent off and on all the way culminating with a few pretty severe drops in the last 30 minutes.  It was pretty scary but I am a bit of a whimp.  Prayers were offered up:)  It was neat to hear them (the children) talking all about the clouds, time differences, landforms, locations of states, countries, etc.  Thanks so much to their awesome geography teachers this past year!!

It's Thursday night 10:43pm here and we are getting ready to go to bed.  We didn't get much sleep so hopefully the jetlag won't be too bad.  I am very emotional.  I guess that somewhat comes with being tired.  But mainly I just can't fathom (is that how you spell that?) that we'll be united with Jake in just a few days.  How can it be?  How could God have brought our lives together in such an amazing way?  Looking at all the folks in the immigration line (mostly Asian) I am just more amazed at His love for each one of us.  Every single person is created uniquely with a unique design, personality, gifts, and abilities.  God has given us the opportunity to invest with unconditional love in one more little life.  I am so amazed!!

Please pray for safe travel to Nanning. 

one last prayer request

Oh, one more thing.  Pray that I will have clarity of mind.  All the forms look the same right now wiht the nerves and sinus infection. 

OH MY!!!

Less than an hour before we head to the airport.  I still don't feel well.  I had forgotten what a sinus infection feels like, but hopefully the antibiotic will kick in soon.  The plan for today is to fly from RDU to Detroit and then from Detroit to Hong Kong (15 hours).  Once in Hong Kong we'll spend the night there and then fly out tomorrow (or whenever it is...China is 12 hours ahead of us).  Not on my agenda to figure out just yet.  Trusting in God's grace for all the small things.  He cares about even those!  Once we get to Nanning in Guangxi province, we will be recooperating, touring Jake's hometown, hopefully visiting the SWI (Social Welfare Institute) where Jake spent the first year of his sweet little life.  I have a couple other things that I'm hoping to see / people to visit if the guide will coordinate that for us.  Our guide's name is David.  Please be praying for him.  It's not like he's not done this before, but our Sovereign God might ask something of us and we want to be faithful.

Please pray for safe travel, sleep, adjustment to the time difference, preparation for us, Jake and his foster family, David, my precious bio children, Jeff (he's the mighty captain on this voyage and my rock), and pray that I'll be able to answer (and sometimes acknowledge) all the questions that Andrew will ask from here to Hong Kong.  It is a joy but tiring at times.  But God has given me focus already.

Thank you for your friendship or reading this blog.  Praying for you as well.

Captain calls......

We're just about ready

Well, it's been a long day.  I am so exhausted!!  And our trip hasn't even started.  I have emotions right now that I wasn't expecting.  Way more nervous than I would have guessed.

Jeff and I have some of the sweetest friends.  So many have stepped in to help here in the last few weeks.  It has been precious to have them rally behind us.  It helps us not to feel all alone in this.  Certainly we know that we have God with us but He also uses His people to strengthen and encourage His children.

Today was Jeff's birthday and he turned 50 years old!!  I managed, again with the help of sweet friends, to have a quick lunch with him (alone:)).  I must admit that while we ate I looked at him and thought a time or two "We're crazy; he's turning 50 and we're about to have a two year old!".  And then I was reminded by that still small voice that many saints before have done great things in the latter halves of their lives.  I don't know what we'll do (I have certainly grieved the Lord many a time) but I am praying that God will use all the years we have to make an impact and that we will lay down our lives for the works that He has laid out before us.  So grateful the He is faithful even when we are not.

I'm not sure what else to write right now.  I feel a bit like a "deer in headlights"!  Please pray as we fly out tomorrow.

My joy....her pain

Today my heart is excited, anxious, nervous, ready to make the journey....but mostly filled with joy at the thought of being united with our son.  But it is also very sad because I know that another woman on the opposite side of the world has just put my baby boy to bed and maybe standing over him watching him sleep and I can only imagine her pain.  She couldn't adopt him.  It wasn't possible.  And she's known we were coming.  She even saw pictures, got care packages, known the timeline.  But I imagine her heart breaking.  Please pray for her.  Pray that God will comfort and keep her and that if she doesn't know the One True God, that somehow she will.  And that God will give her joy, strength, help and that we would be faithful if He calls us to do whatever He asks us for her.  Also pray that we will get her contact information and be able to stay connected with her, give her updates, and that Jake will have that connection as he grows.  I'll post more later, but God was impressing on my heart to share this.

Video is working and a quick update

The video is working now.  Go back down and look in the post from a few days ago.

We are making progress in all of our travel arrangements.  We got our travel itinerary from our adoption agency yesterday and can see so many things coming together.  We weren't sure what type of room we would be in in Guangzhou (that's where we'll stay for the 2nd week of our trip) but we knew we were staying at the Garden Hotel.  Today we found out that we'll be in a room that is like a small suite which is awesome.  The real suites were much more expensive.  We also didn't know if all 6 of us would be allowed to stay in a single room but we were.  Not sure yet if we'll have 2 double beds or 1 king.  We're taking egg crates for the children to sleep on and may be ordering some air mattresses.  This is truly an adventure! 

We've worked out most of the food concerns.  Some of you don't know but my girls have to eat gluten free due to Celiac Disease.  We have a suitcase full of gluten free food and I have printed off a card in Chinese that will help explain at least to our 2 different hotels what our concerns are.  Thanks to a sweet friend from our homeschool co-op I think we've at least got some safe things for them to eat. 

Our agency thinks that Jake is still with his foster family.  This is a huge praise.  Oftentimes the orphanage will move the children from the foster home back to the orphanage because they think that's better for them.  I sent a letter 3-4 weeks ago requesting that he remain with his foster mom and dad because Jeff and I think one transition is better than two.  It hurts my heart to think of how many caregivers he's already had.  Please pray that he will have a special love for us right away...that God somehow miraculously would calm his sweet spirit and speak to his heart and let him know that it's okay that he trust us. 

I could bore you with the details of travel because they are so incredibly interesting to me and help me to feel one step closer to my baby boy, but I won't.  Or maybe I will.  Let me think.  What else exciting have I learned today?  We will actually get to do some touring in Jake's province (Nanning) and in Guangzhou.  But much of that depends on how Jake is.  He will be our first concern.  We will have 3 days in province before we get Jake.  We learned that we will be united with Jake on Monday, June 24th.  We will then complete the adoption the following day at the civil affairs office it looks like.  We will then hang out in his province until Friday when we leave to go to Guangzhou.  I could go on and on but I'd better do some other things.

To any of my DTC Winter Friends:

Bought my sparkly silver ribbons today!! 

I tell you, I'm not a good blogger.  I don't just automatically think about blogging.  It's just not yet natural.  I wouldn't have thought of it tonight if I hadn't been thinking about my new little guy.  I was just looking at another mom's site and thinking about how close we are.  Tomorrow will make just a week til we fly out of RDU!  It's hard to believe that in less than 2 weeks we'll be united with our little guy.  I can't wait to see who he is, what he likes, what he dislikes.  I just want to learn all about him and hold him.  I am praying for his little heart.  I pray that just a sense of peace and calm will come over him and that he'll know, somehow, that this is all good and that there's a God who loves him so much.  There's times that I think "how did God do this?  How did he meld two hearts on opposite sides of the world together?"  It's amazing to me that He's always known, before I ever thought about Jake, that the day would come where we would be mother and son.  I am in awe of God's hand in our lives.  It's way beyond my comprehension how He weaves things together in our lives and makes this beautiful tapestry.  Sometimes, actually for me it seems like most of the time, we can't really see what He's doing.  But then the day comes where we can look back and see what He was up to.  I must believe that because He is allowing our adoption to move forward that He has brought all of these things about.

{All that was written last night....see...I'm not a good blogger!)

This morning all the children were at camps which was really helpful.  I bought food for the girls to take on our trip (we need to eat gluten-free in China) and presents for officials and the sweet foster family.  I have been blessed by such good friends at our taekwondo program, through our homeschool co-op and church.  Several sweet ladies stepped in to do things for our tkd camp that I did last year.  I couldn't have done it this year.  My hands were full and they knew that.  What a blessing!  There are many around me who are so selfless.  I want to be selfless and yet I find myself dwelling on...guess who...myself!  We are so prone to wander.  Prone to leave the God we love.  For who?  Often for ourselves.  But the good news is that we don't have to live ashamed and that by His grace He made a way for us to live in fellowship with Him.  Oh the sweet, sweet blood of Jesus!!  He has taken my payment.  And His grace and forgiveness are enough.

Better keep this going....

Well, it's technically tomorrow (Sunday) and it's 12:30am.  And I have spent many nights like this...up late way after everyone else.  I have been preparing for the arrival of little Jake for a while, but mostly it's paperwork, keeping up with my China facebook friends on the latest things that I need to know and ways to pray for them all.  I know I need to change that because I'm constantly tired.  We got more done with our travel arrangements today.  Right now we're having to fight to get seats for us altogether for the long legs of our flights (Detroit to Hong Kong and back) which are 15 hours in duration.  I think we've worked out a way to get us altogether, but it involved some begging and pleading of sorts.  We keep being blessed by attendants who want to do their jobs right but who also really want to help us so they go the extra mile and check with supervisers, shift things around, etc.  Well, better run for now.  Cleaning up Jake's room which used to be our craft room.  Still doing some final sewing and then the sewing machine must go out.

We're going!!!

Well, I am just not a blogger apparently.  I thought back in March when I made my one entry, "well this was fun...I can do it again".  I think I even posted that I might do it each day.  But life has just been so, so busy.  I do see value though.  Especially given we're getting ready to travel and really want to be able to posts pictures, prayer requests, and updates.  We want others to join us in this journey because it seems bigger than us.  It is!!  It's a God-sized thing!  We want others to be encouraged to consider adoption or one of the many, many other ways that you can be a part of caring for the orphan. 

Just a quick update and then maybe I'll post later tonight..

We got our travel approval on Tuesday.  I just couldn't believe it.  We thought at the very earliest that we'd get it on Friday or early next week and so to get it this early was just unbelievable.  Actually the date on the TA was May 31, 2012 (just 1 week since pick up of Article 5).  All this means something to my China adoption friends.  You wait and wait and wait some more so you mark each wait and learn all the while to wait better.  I'm just not a good waiter.  I've gotten a lot of practice with this.  Many of you prayed and tracked with the medical challenges that we faced for a couple of years, and that was a lot of waiting and uncertainty.  This journey has been like that in the waiting aspect.  All of my sweet family knows this isn't my strong suit.  But God is faithful when we seek Him to help us to grow and like a good parent gives us what we need to be holy and not happy.  Honestly, can't always say I like it because I'm just like a little kid at heart sometimes, but I know it's for my good.

The first order of business after getting TA is to get a Consulate Appointment so we began liaising with our adoption agency Tuesday evening.  This turned out to be more of a task (and also a harder wait) than I had anticipated.  We probably are traveling at the worst time possible humanly speaking....but also at the best because it seems to be God's perfect timing for us.  We can see His hand all throughout this adoption.  I wish I had logged in all the many, many times that He has heard and answered prayers.  Okay, back to the travel.  Turns out it's the high season in terms of travel to China, the dragon boat festival and the US Consulate is closed on July 4th.  Without boring you with the details, all three of these things made it difficult to get any seats on planes and so finding good deals was really not an option.  But where we saw obstacles, God has opened doors.  We had some sweet friends step up and transfer points towards one airfare and even some new friends donate points for our hotel.  What a blessing!

We, of course, are beyond excited to be united with Jake.  We already love him so much.  Please pray for him.  Pray that he will grieve as he needs to (he's leaving everything he's ever known) but that he won't grieve without hope and that God will give him peace and comfort and surround him with His love when he is grieving.  Pray for safe travel for us.  Not everyone knows this, but I used to travel for my work all over the country and some internationally.  I never really feared flying too much.  But as I got older I started to become afraid.  Help me to rest in the Lord and to remember that perfect love (such as comes from the Father) casts out fear.  Well, better run.  Many more things I want to share, but hopefully I will find some time to do that tonight.  Please overlook any blogging faux paus I may be making....I really don't know what I'm doing.  But I'm just trusting.  Seems to be the theme of my life these days.  Oh Lord, grant me all that I need!

We got new pics, video, measurements

We received a batch of pictures on 5-21-12 and were thrilled beyond measure.  We had been requesting an update since early February just to see if Jake was able to walk, talk, if he had grown, how he was doing and had resolved that we just weren't going to know until we went to China.  So you can imagine how thrilled we were when we got a whole batch of pictures, 6 video clips, and new measurements.  So, so thrilled.  In this video he is looking at a care package that we sent him.  He is looking at pictures of us, our cats, and dog.  His foster "baba" (dad) is showing