A Christmas Video...receive the greatest blessing...adoption

I'm posting a video that was put together by one of my cyber-sisters...she used pictures from several blogs and family within our adoption community and then sent us an invitation to "open" our Christmas present...

Imagine my joy seeing 3 of my blessings appearing in the slides!

Couldn't you use a little more blessing? These are children who at one time the world said were "unwanted"...but just see how they've changed the world...where might your child be waiting for you to find him/her?

Open your heart and mind to the greatest blessing I've ever known...adoption!

Home Two Months Today...

Where do I start? This young man has amazed us so...he is so easy going, happy and generally just likes to "be."

I think this picture may demonstrate his adjustment...this was taken after his dedication at our church...he gave this huge, "hammy" smile to the entire congregation then nodded in approval when everyone smiled back...he stole the show...no one heard a word that the Pastor said!

Speaking of words...his vocabulary is astounding...he told his sister the other day..."Sit Down Jie Jie!" ...sit down, of course, the English element of the sentence...Jie Jie, meaning big sister in Mandarin! He doesn't turn 2 until Dec 26th...so with a vocab of about 20 new English words...I'm impressed...

He love to kiss his Momma...he likes to sit on my lap when I'm on the computer, such as now...and he's a riot when he plays with anything that resembles a cell phone. He goes on and on with his imaginary conversation...some in Chinese, some in English.

However, nothing takes the cake on the cute factor like him walking around the house singing "Tomorrow, tomorrow...I luz you tomorrow..." in a sort of Elmer Fudd voice!

We finally get to go to the eye specialists on New Year's Eve and we'll get the plan of action for his prosthetic eye...I'll post more pictures through the holidays...

Thanks for checking on this darling boy and his adoring family!

Home...I like it...

It would seem that Isaiah is settling in well to his home...he feels free to eat well, smile a lot and spend time on musical pursuits...as all great artists do...

Re-entry...we've nearly ground our feet off...

When the plane comes down...it hits hard and bounces around a bit...

When you return from foreign travels after nearly 3 weeks...your dream is to "hit the ground running..." Once again...we have the sensation that we've nearly ground our feet off trying to get back into the rhythm.

These are the images of jet lag...when you come in the door to warm food, a full refrigerator stocked with love and welcome signs...you're so happy...but all you can do is crash onto anything that will hold your weight...shoes and all...

Isaiah is doing very well. We had our first public outing tonight, though we were exhausted...we forced ourselves to carry on and break the power of jet lag that is reigning over us!

A few more days and we should be nearly back to our old selves again...funny thing is...seems like he's always been with us...being spectators to another miracle...how blessed we are...

I'm going to try to continue to blog weekly, so keep checking on us...

And there is love...

As we leave China...this picture says it all...Busy Bee and the little boy we came all this way for...her brother...

Riding on the bus...easy together...in love...

................FAMILY.....................

Shopping...Sailing and wet pants...oh, my!

Pictures of the market where we've spent a couple of days shopping...you CANNOT imagine how much stuff is in this place...stall after stall for endless hallways...we could shop here for weeks!
Isaiah's dinner on the Pearl River Cruise...
This is our travel group! Wow...what an awesome group of people...and then our kids....ALL the kids on our tour group...split over the couples represented in the adult picture...

Sorry for the delay in posting...we've been in a whirlwind of activity finishing our visit here to China...we're sad to leave...yet thankful to come home!

We've spent most of our time shopping these past two days in Guangzhou...had a great time at the Haizhu Square Market...and yes...it's September, and I believe I have my Christmas shopping done!

We took the Pearl River Cruise last night...it was enjoyable...but there were lots of laughs when the word reached me on the top deck that Isaiah had wet his pants and that it had gone all over our Chinese Family friend who is traveling with us here...

I quickly came downstairs, somewhat puzzled, because Isaiah is for all intents and purposes...potty trained. He does wear a pull up usually until I can be clear on his language for "potty." But...the report was so strange...that he would have wet THROUGH his pull-ups?

Sure enough, our friend's pants were soaked...a significant puddle on the floor and Isaiah's pants were very wet in a spot. So, I quickly undid the snaps between his legs, lifted his pants up and away and I received my first reminder/lesson...."Boys are Different from Girls"...

I nearly fell over laughing as it was clear that whomever had last pulled up Isaiah's diaper had not gotten his equipment securely stowed. In fact, it was trapped, along the waist band, in a directly upward facing position...an unobstructed, perfect fountain...

Note to self...confirm that essential parts are well covered by diapers in the future.... :)

Recent Daddy Funny: We were on the elevator today with several Chinese...one man received a phone call and he answered it in the typical Chinese fashion "Wey?" (pronounced just like "way")...Then another "Wey?"...."Wey?"...."Wey?" (at this point it was clear that there was a problem with the connection)...frustrated he folds up his phone and grunts....Daddy...without missing a beat, looks at him and says..."No Wey?"....lots of laughter ensued...

We leave for home in 5 hours...so I need to try to get a little sleep...please pray for our safe and SANE travel...we came with 5 "binkys"...at this point...we can only find one and we have 2 binky dependent souls on the trip!

We'll be home Wednesday morning...can't wait to see all of you!

1 Bicycle wreck, 2 white tigers, 3 hours of meltdown...

Picture 1 - The Bug...with our guide Connie...she loves to hang with her wherever we go... it really helps that Connie remembered her from last year and always comments on how well behaved she is!

Picture 2: Is of Daddy, er, I mean...a Giant Panda chillin' for my camera


Picture 3: This little guy was just peeking out at me as I walked by...it's a Red Panda...cute!




Picture 4: Daddy, Magpie and Busy Bee

Picture 5: Is Daddy, er...no, just an effigy of him at the park today (this guy is a trash can)...many comments were made by our traveling party about him and of course his likeness to Daddy... :)




Picture 6: The little man, honkin' on a bean Popsicle...not a mung bean, for those of you who know of our appreciation for them...just a plain old...very YUMMY bean Popsicle (I've forgotten to tell you that at Mc Donalds instead of Cherry and Apple pies...they have "Green Pea" Pies...YUM!


Picture 7: Potato...and ice cream

Picture 8: Busy Bee...and ice cream (Daddy said they looked like the "Dutch Masters" today when he saw them at the park)






Picture 9: This guy just stared and stared at me...

Picture 10: We fed this dude by hand...the kids went wild!
Picture 11: Busy Bee on the train ride through the safari park

Picture 12: Magpie and Isaiah...he was squealing and talking very quickly in Chinese at every animal we saw!



Picture 13: These two rhinos were having a dispute...but they of course made us think about our own Rhino...back in "fish-ville"


Picture 14: Sadly, though we saw several White Tigers...not a single spotting of Seigfried and Roy :(

Picture 15: The man team...just hanging out on the bench...thinkin' man-type thoughts...













Today we hit the wall...really. It's been a fantastic trip...but we just had a meltdown today. This morning we woke up and everyone was off..grumpy...easily disturbed...


We spilled orange juice all over the bed...we lost and subsequently found my purse...we wept at the breakfast table (others among us gnashed their teeth)...and while walking home from our meal...The Bug fell off a planter she was walking along and was run over by a bike in front of a crowd of 45 or so gasping, horrified, Spanish tourists!

Needless to say...it was a day that needed prayer...(The Bug by the way, sustained no lasting injury...only her pride remains bruised)...so we stopped and prayed as a family asking God to help us and redeem the day...and immediately, things began to improve!


At one pm we left for the Chime-Long Safari Park...THIS was a tour event WELL WORTH it...by far the coolest open zoo I've ever been to...excellent! The pictures well tell the story of the day so I'm going to devote most of the space to them...


On the way home in the bus, we nearly laughed ourselves silly as the children (keep in mind that there are 13 of them in our local group of 4 families)....got a hold of the microphone that our guide Connie uses on the bus and it was Karaoke time! Each of the kids sang a few tunes...it was a great day...

The weather is absolutely sauna-like! We were wringing wet most of the day but the outing to the safari park was well worth it. Our guide explained that the park is owned by one VERY wealthy man who is in his 50's...he was first a butcher, then owned a small restaurant, then a big restaurant, then a 4 star hotel...making more and more money...then he opened the safari park, a circus, water park and an amusement park...but the only part of this guys story that everyone talked about all day was that this guy has 8 wives! More specifically, 1 wife and 7 concubines! Even the kids were trying to figure out how that worked! Lots of jokes were made between our traveling companions about such a lifestyle...but Connie, our guide said that this was why she makes certain that her husband does not get too wealthy...with money comes concubines! IN THE YEAR 2007!


Tonight we had a pizza picnic in the hallway of our hotel...then a swim before bed...everyone ended the day on a very "up" note.


Tomorrow we hope to have our Visa approval in place for Isaiah to come home, then a huge shopping afternoon at a major street market that we've heard rumor of...we plan to take it by storm!

More from Guangzhou tomorrow....we'll be home soon now!

Pictures from our Day in Guangzhou

The first pictures says it all...it's our mantra...."Keep quiet"...but as you can see, Isaiah, at his medical exam today was anything but agreeable to the policy posted on the wall. It's kind of a funny sign because this room is the holding cell for dozens of adoptive families with their children who often are not so fond of medical exams...I imagine that the only time it is quiet in there is when no one is around to read the sign..."if a tree falls in the woods and there is no one there to hear it...does it really make a sound?"


Picture number three is of a back massage line up at our dinner party tonight at the popular "Lucy's" restaurant...where you can always get really good American food. These kids are CRAZY excited about being together in China...we're having a great time!

The fourth and fifth pictures are are a bit of a "story" of adoption for me...

Isaiah...still so tentative with his Daddy...unsure of these aliens who feed him, treat him well...but are so strange...

Then a picture of family...two sisters, biologically born of different mothers...half a world apart...once so unsure of each other....fearful and cautious, just like Isaiah is sometimes now...but look at them now...asleep together, having traveled many miles together...fully in love with each other and sisters in every sense of the word...the miracle of adoption...

Adoption is born of tragedy...a child loses his/her family...but when full grown, it becomes a hearty, magnificent hybrid plant...family...completely...

Thank you Lord!

It's hot people...and we're kinda wimpy...

We've had quite an adjustment to the climate here in Guangzhou...think sauna...with lots and lots of MOIST heat...really hot, steamy heat...and yes...the hair does so well in this climate!

Today we had Isaiah's medical exam done for the US government...those of you waiting at home to welcome him will be glad to know that he is free of all communicable diseases and he is big...just like I told you...although, he was not a real fan of the exam in general...

Then, we had our photos taken for the US visa...he looked so cute in his little Polo shirt, birkenstocks and plaid shorts...all of the families were commenting on how handsome he is...how true that is!

The afternoon was full of our final paperwork for this adoption so that Isaiah will become a full American citizen when he clears immigration at our port of entry in the US! I'll be so pleased when this part of the process is finalized..we like to have our children all carrying a US passport...citizenship is so precious.

This evening we went shopping...closed up the shops...I really like to bargain for my purchases..I've had many shop owners say that I am a tough bargainer (I'm sure they say this to all their clientele)...but tonight...it was so funny, because one of the shops I went in...the owner said...I KNOW YOU...You were here last year?....You are good bargainer! (Yes I did buy a few things from her store... :)

We also went swimming on the rooftop pool here at our hotel. Lots of kids and families (that being us, the Z family and W family)....we make up 19 in our group...when we arrived at the pool for our party...strangely...some others left?!

Isaiah was slow to warm up about his first swim...but as long as he was with me...he was okay...I think he'll be a little fish in no time at all.

In general, Isaiah is doing very well. He likes to laugh and play imitation games...and now he's taken to hollering at his sisters when they do something he knows is wrong..he yells "Jie Jie" (big sister in Chinese) then a string of Chinese words to them...he's got another thing coming if he thinks these big sisters are going to take any guff from him once they know what he's saying to them...

But they're devoted to him! Tonight, he got into some apple juice and it spilled on the carpet. Daddy was none too happy and when he took the apple juice away...the waterworks began...the reason this is a newsworthy report is that each of the sisters was SOOOOOO upset that their little brother was crying. Their reactions:

1) Magpie got teary and went to her bed...she said "he's just little Momma...he doesn't know any better"

2) The Bug decided to comfort him....she swooped down and tried to lift him into her arms...using her best Chinese and saying "Bu coo...Bu coo" (Don't cry, Don't cry)

3) Potato stormed in and said "Daddy...you making him cry...give him that juice Daddy!"

4) Busy Bee put her hands on her hips...and with her most scolding look said "Daddy...don't make him cry...he's a baby!"

All this drama...for Daddy simply taking the juice that Isaiah was squeezing through the straw gleefully onto the carpet and saying to him, "Bu Bu" (No No.)

Wow...what little Mommas...no kid better ever think he can mess with this little brother...he's "girl pack" protected!

Tomorrow we're going to a safari park to see lots of wild animals...we're hoping that it is a great tour...

We leave China in only 4 days...cannot believe how fast it has gone!

Please pray for opportunities to speak more in depth with our dear friend while we're here...only a few more days...

Thanks for all your continued prayers...we feel so loved and blessed.

Our God is so big...so powerful and yet wants us to experience him in such a personal way each day...being in China always makes me think of his expanse and his care for each of us...Praise His holy name!

We're in Guangzhou...the last stop of our trip...

We made it into Guangzhou and the loudest group of adoptive families every received by Connie, our guide, surely took her by storm!

Our dear friends the Z family and the W family met us at the airport as we hugged, kissed and marveled over each other's beautiful newly adopted children. The bus ride (we had one bus to ourselves) was SOOOOO loud with the voices of thrilled children and parents catching up! What fun!

Tomorrow we have medicals for the kids, lots of swimming and our final ream of paperwork.

Our dear Chinese family friend is along with us and he's really enjoying visiting with the Z's son, 8 years of age, and the W's daughter, 7 years of age. He was able to speak with them, in Chinese, of course, and hopes to help relay to them some information about American culture. Since he was in the states with us just last year and in our homes...I believe he will be able to help the kids with their adjustment.

We're at the Victory...and we cannot imagine why anyone wouldn't choose this hotel over other competitors. We have adjoining rooms, soft beds (an amazing reality in "stone tablet" bed China) and free internet! I was somewhat nervous about choosing this as I've heard others say some negative things about it...but, I am VERY pleased indeed!

We said goodbye, a very teary one, to our sweet former babysitter and friend in Wuhan today. She will remain in Wuhan until next August teaching English to children of various ages. For a treat today, we took her out to Pizza Hut for lunch...she, as we, love the Chinese food, but we wanted her to have a little taste of home on our last day together.

For those who know our children well, I thought I might use this post, without pictures, to relay how the kids have been doing while traveling:

1) Magpie (7 years) - Everywhere we go she is saying "thank you" for the dozens of compliments she receives for being "such a fine girl, very mature and poised." She's had a great time traveling this time. Just the other day she told me that she feels safer in China than at home. Now this is REALLY saying something as she shares genetic ties with her father "Safety Boy," the man who can spot a safety violation at 70 paces. She brought a little bit of birthday money from her Grandma D and has now purchased an MP3...which is cool...but Momma nor Daddy know how to load any more music on it. There are two, Chinese pop songs...but she's nearly getting down some of those lyrics! And, she's picked up a Tomagachi (sp?) some electronic pet...we limit the screen time severely...but she's really having fun with some of her technology.

2) The Bug (5 year) - Miss socialite is definitely in the running for Junior American Ambassador to China. This chick has a following! She's constantly pressed for more photos...and enjoys at every opportunity some dialogue with Housekeeping or the Front Desk at our Wuhan Hotel. Today, she had to be the one who called for more toilet paper (we doubt they've ever seen a room go through so much in so little time) and I heard her talking to the person on the other line : "Oh hello, Ni Hao, yes, we would like you to bring some toilet paper to our room. Yes, toilet paper....toilet paper...oh yes....well, really, I only speak a tiny bit of Chinese...Xie Xie....Xie Xie...thank you....oh yes, room 8 eleven....room 8 -1-1" (This is only one of a dozen conversations with her staff today! :)

3) Potato (3 years) - Of course as we're touring "her" China...she's been pretty bossy around here. When we're in China, she gets to have her fill of "AD Milk"...it's a sort of sweet milk drink that all the children love here. We found something like it in an Asian market back home, and she was so thrilled, she calls any such drink her "special." Well, she's had a straw in her mouth with an AD bottle at the end most all the time. At home we've experienced her practically going to blows over her "special"...but she's also pretty high on this new "brudder" who she had "to come and get and bring home to her home." It was pretty precious when I heard her saying, I-saiah...I-SAY-UH...look at me... I'm talking to you...I said you can have some AD milk...right here...some AD milk...you're so darlin'....so darlin'...you'll like some AD milk!"

4) Busy Bee (3 years) - Still the most desired for photo ops..yet the most recalcitrant by far. When some well-meaning soul asks her if they can take her picture, I have (though I'm not proud of it) promised her a cookie to comply. She turns on this ultra sweet, posed mega smile. As soon as she hears the camera snap....her face falls flat and she says to me..."Momma...my cookie!" And, she loves wild and crazy taxi rides...she loves getting in and going to another part of town...usually because she gets to be on Daddy's awesome lap...but a few times, she and Isaiah have been up on my lap in the front seat. Taxi rides, elevator buttons and electronic door keys...yeah...she's practically in heaven!

5) Isaiah update: how many times a day can you play the "where's Isaiah" game?...you know the one...he covers his eyes...you act like you don't know where he is...then he takes his hands down and you acted shocked that he's right there in front of you! The answer to my query is...you play it as many times as you want for the sheer joy of getting a big grin, giggle and a hug from your boy!

This boy can eat! We are amazed at the amount of food he puts away at a meal and he makes all these cute little sounds of pleasure when he tastes something he really likes.....

And, this boy LOOOOOVES his Momma...'tis so sweet...

Daddy is standing strong...many admire him everyday when we're out and about...he's quite the traveler, unfazed by an unwilling taxi driver, or weaving through traffic on foot with his little seedlings in tow. I'm so impressed because he had not traveled much internationally before last year, but this guy is savvy and cool when he's rolling around China. He's showing great appreciation of the differences in culture and lifestyle. He always helps me "see" more of what there is to see at any given time on the trip....what a guy!

Latest Daddy funny: our girls (the three year olds) often break out in song...not just any song...the ABC's song...and often crowds gather...but suffice it to say...we've heard it a lot! And it never seems to end....Potato does it perfectly, except there are two X's and no S's in her rendition....anyway...tonight, Daddy was commenting that the Chinese have 300 basic characters in their language...Daddy said "300 characters...now that is crazy...somebody should have thought about that...think how long it takes to sing their alphabet song!"

And your Blog author?...I'm doing well...I am SOOOOOO blessed...as I write about these I have been given to love....I am profoundly grateful...

We've got shoes...and sweet memories...

"Take me shopping"...that was the mantra of the girls...enough of this adoption stuff...we need school shoes! And, we can always do well shoe shopping in China. The first two pictures show you this start to our day...some 10 sales ladies...and 10 pairs of shoes for 5 kids...the total...right at $140! The flurry set the shoe department on it's ear...I THINK we all got shoes that Momma approved...but, I'm surely not going back if there's a problem!

Then we were thrilled to get our hands on Isaiah's passport and the finalized adoption papers complete with his name change! Although we celebrate the finality of his adoption...we marvel at the way he fits into the family...he is AMAZING and I'm blown away once again at God's plan. He loves his Momma...is pretty slow with everyone else, except Magpie, and he hugs me and lets me kiss and squeeze him. I am positively silly over him! I am so thankful to the Lord and our wonderful adoption agency, Children's House International, for bringing us together with our son!





Tonight, we had dinner with our extended Chinese family, the sisters and brother of our dear friend...a big family style feast in a private dining room at the hotel. The focus of the evening and discussion was: 1) How beautiful the girls are...2) How handsome and clever Isaiah is...3) How Daddy and I are fantastic parents...4) Are all parents in America as wonderful as we?

It was a riot. If they only knew how crazy we are as parents...then they'd have something to talk about! The warm fellowship was bittersweet on our last night in Wuhan. I was so pleased to hear from our friend, interpreting to us the discussion between he and his family members, that he told his family that he thought we were such wonderful parents because we are Christians.

I finished the night with a foot massage with our friend who's come to teach English in Wuhan. Actually, it was a nearly 2 hour experience and a great way to close my last night in Wuhan for this trip.

We get on a plane tomorrow and fly South to Guangzhou where we'll meet up with our dear friends for 5 days of celebrating our new family members! Lots of fun ahead before we make the LONG journey home...

Now that we have him...we see how worth every step of the journey has been...he is a jewel!

Potato...this is your life....

Today was all about Potato and our journey to her hometown, Wuxue. We visited important people in her past and took time to reflect at her "finding place."

Potato was happy but apprehensive. When greeted by these precious people of her past, she was hesitant and wanted to keep her distance. She remembered familiar things about her life there and we witnessed once again the depth to which she was loved. Before we traveled to China, we talked for some time about going to this special place and she would comment very little about it...only to say..."we go to China, we get my brudder and we COME HOME, right Momma?"

There were gifts exchanged and many, many tears by these loving people.

At her finding place I felt sick...the treasure that she is...her birth mother will never know...how sad I am for her and what she's missed. How blessed we are to have her in our family...a treasure her Momma was unable to keep...I am so sorry for her.

And being confronted with others who love her so deeply, yet had to let her go...only able to love her now from afar through pictures and memories...this was a difficult realization.

The pictures: 1- Two men, different languages - share the love of one child

2 -How happy he was...a key part of Potato's foundation

3 - At Potato's finding spot - I'm holding her - he is clinging to the last touch of

her...with tears...so many tears...so much tenderness

4 - Her Daddy holds her where her birth Momma last held her...

Tomorrow we receive Isaiah's passport and the finalized adoption papers....we must find some shoes for this boy...his feet are HUGE!!!...then on Friday...we depart our beloved Wuhan for Guangzhou in the south of China...to clear the final hurdle and get Isaiah's visa at the US Consulate.

Bonus shot of our little man...

This is a little extra eye candy for those of you who'd like to see Isaiah on our third day with him...

I can now fully understand why some mothers eat their young...

Adopted Officially...by a lovestruck family

Where can I begin my tale of this day? There have been many amazing things...deep, relational things, that have made every effort to get here...worth it.

This morning we signed on the bottom line...we bought no extended warranty...and he's officially an H Family son! What a celebration today has been. Especially as we see more of this wonderful personality! He is so easy going, relaxed and happy. When I lay him down for a nap or just a little while ago for bed...no whimper...arms raised for me to pick him up from the floor, put him in the crib and giggles as I smothered him in kisses. What a good boy!!! Daddy just keeps saying that over and over! God has been merciful to us! We are blessed beyond belief!

Isaiah's easy manner fits so nicely with his sisters. They ADORE him...poor thing...I keep reminding them "He is not a baby doll!" They all want to hold him, feed him, sit by him...they are stuck to him like glue! We had some great laughs with him today. Daddy just had him laughing heartily as he tickled him on the bed.

And finally...as a mother I've experienced the purest joy...

I was not around to hear the first words of our oldest two H family members...but for the next four I was...and each of them, EACH OF THEM said "Da Da" before they said Momma. Even Potato last year when we adopted her, she said "Baba" FIRST...

Had I only known the love of a boy for his mother... :) :) :)

Today Isaiah was smiling at me and rolling his head around on my chest saying "Momma....Momma....Momma" I was in absolute HEAVEN!

Daddy however, quite uncomfortable with his slip from "first name called" status...with an upturned nose said...."I don't think he knows what it means"....yes... I punched him right in the gut! :) :)

Tonight we went to our Chinese family's home for dinner again. It was a good time as the girls played with a huge foam puzzle on the floor.

But the night turned amazing as we came back to our hotel room for more deep conversation with our dear friend. Such inquisitiveness and openness to sharing life stories and experiences. Daddy was finally able to share the story of his back's miraculous recovery just three years ago...to a mesmerized audience of one.

Lots of emotion and profound relating...led to an incredible experience for Daddy and I. Continue to remember these pivotal conversations and ask for deep interpretation and understanding to be given...

Tomorrow we're off to the countryside to meet with important people for Potato...big day for her...big day for us to express gratitude.

Please pray for safety, a continuation of the bonding process with this darling son and more opportunities to discuss important matters.

We can feel your prayer every step of the way!