Fall Happenings

We went with some good friends to a local pumpkin farm. We enjoyed picking pumpkins, hay rides, pig races, and a cow train!

Ah yes the blending of two cultures... our Georgia born child giving the Chinese victory sign in! I guess it's kind of like the her Georgia born brother telling us he is Chinese since he has a Chinese brother!

These girls have been friends literally since birth! They are 6 weeks apart in age and we have a picture of Grace in her baby carrier with Anna moments after Anna was born! How did they become pre teens so quickly though?

On a tractor ride!

This is why the kids love this place- The Cow Train!

This is the kids waiting for a turn at the potato sack race! We went to a Holt International Adoptive Families picnic and had a blast! We were in the norm with children from China and with 5 kids. We met so many wonderful people and made many new friends. Being with other adoptive families is always so fun!

Pumpkin carving and costumes! Aren't these boys quite the pair? I don't have a picture of the girls yet but after this weekend I will! They haven't been running around the house in their new dress up clothes and costumes for a month like the boys have!

Joy's Story (the shortened version!)

According to her mommy anyway! She is old enough to tell her own story and we are starting to get bits and pieces of it as she learns English. But here is the shortened version according to me....

We met our new daughter and sister in April 2010. We had the privilege of taking a train to Guilin from Nanning in hopes of meeting her foster family. She lived with them from the age of about 1 ½. They volunteered to care for her during her 1st surgery and ended up grafting her into their family for 8 years. This surgery is the one that those at the House of Love raised money for that saved her life. Wen Qian was the second child that Brian and Kirsten helped when they arrived in China and were starting the House of Love. Bikers in Australia rode 1,000 miles to fundraise the money for a child they’d never meet. When we found all this out after Wen Qian’s adoption we were so amazed at God’s mighty hand in her life. We were also so grateful for Brian and Kirsten following God to China to help so many that otherwise may or may not of received medical care at all, but especially for our daughter and those that loved and cared for her in China.

Here is the picture of our daughter around the time Brian and Kirsten first met her.

This is a picture of Wen Qian with her Nai Nai and Ba Ba as she was growing up, loved and accepted.

Us in Guilin with Wen Qian and her foster family.

 

 

Forever Family at home. Forever grateful to God, Brian and Kirsten, and Wen Qian’s China family!