Home

We made it home at about 1am Sunday morning. We were all so excited to be here. Joy Wenqian got excited when we pulled up and exclaimed, "Jia" (home). Then this morning, after I slept until 11am (thank you Clayton), Joy Wenqian went outside and took me to the front porch started pointing around and asked, "Ni de jia" (My home). It's so sweet to see her start putting pictures with reality. They are all playing nicely while we are resting and starting the putting away process.

In the picture of Joy and Faith they are putting on play make up in the mirror. So far Joy Wenqian is a girly girl. She likes make up, doing her hair, pink, playing the piano, singing, and riding her bike. It is so fun watching them all play at home together.

There are so many amazing things that we are putting together and processing now that we are home. There are many organizations that work with the orphanage Joy was in. One of the organizations is at www.anorphanswish.org. They are the ones that raised money for her surgery. One of the ladies that works with them was actually in her first surgery with her, praying for her. She even has a photo of her heart that she's sending us along with many other pictures and information about Joy Wenqian over the past 8 years. A group of bikers raised money and rode 1,000 miles to pay for one of her surgeries. Her foster family started caring for her after one of her surgeries. So she was with them since she was one years old. We are going to work on getting pictures together of her and us to send to her foster family and all those that have cared and loved her. The organization that she was sponsored in foster care through is at www.grace-hope.org. I really see the benefits of foster care when I compare our two adoptions. Joy Wenqian misses her China Nai Nai (foster grandmother) for sure and asks about her. We hope to get together with our friend from China to allow us all to better communicate tomorrow or Tuesday.

We'll update in a week or so as to how Joy Wenqian is adjusting. Language is definitely an issue but we are muddling our way through and know that it is short term. We'll have her pediatrician, cardiologist, and dentist appointments in the next few weeks so please pray for us and the doctors as we make decisions and gain information. Thank you for praying for us during our trip to China. It was wonderful and we are glad to be home with our new daughter. To God be the Glory!!