Oh the stories we could tell....

The things I miss the most about home all revolve around the bathroom...
Picture this... potty training a 2 year old in a country that doesn't have public restrooms and is known for people using the bathroom anywhere and everywhere on the ground. These people are pros at it but picture one white lady taking her 2 year old yelling that he has to "go" but he doesn't speak the same language as me her.

Think about smelling this.... being in a province that is in a drought with people that go to the bathroom anywhere and everywhere. Oh yes... our ferrets have nothing on the smell at times.

And then tonight there was Isaac having to "go" #2 and Clayton taking him hoping to find a western toilet in Pizza Hut. As Isaac was squatting he says "Dad I just can't do this!"

Me, oh my... I will never complain about public restrooms in the States again... we are talking gas stations are sanitary compared to what we've had to do this week!

Wednesday in Kunming

Today we went to Kunming CWI and to Zhi Zhou's finding spot today. I'm just going to give you the details as I'm processing it all. To say that God did something miraculous is an understatement.

The pictures of the orphanage are obvious. The rooms are rooms Zhi Zhou would have been in before 6 months old and going to foster care and then also last week while waiting for us. I feel like Zhi Zhou was well liked at the orphanage because people came up to him and talked with him.

The pictures of the pavillon are his finding spot. This is the incredible part. The woman in the photos is one of the people who found him there. God orchestrated that she was resting at the same spot as she was 2 1/2 years ago around 6am. Two other people were with her on that day and one contemplated keeping him but he had 3 girls and they are street sweepers so they couldn't feed him.

We now have her and the other family's address and phone number. We plan on sending them a package when we get home.

We've had a good day to say the least even though our hotel room is getting small!! We are overwhelmed with gratitude.

Both boys continue to do so well. Zhi Zhou has his moments but based on how he responds to our guide I really think it is just the language barrier.

Our kids at home seem to be doing better... until we talk to Josh then he gets upset that it is still so long til we get home.

Tomorrow we go to Anning in hopes of finding a foster village near there. We met a middle school teacher of English that is going to be our guide so that was a gift from God too. Then on Friday we are off to the last part of our journey. We get to pick up Micah's passport in Kunming and then leave for Guangzhou. Getting closer to home... whoo hoo!!

Tuesday in Kunming

Today was a free day so we just burned time walking around and doing our time at the park. Waiting goes by slow without plans here. We did find a great place to buy jiao zi (dumplings). They are really yummy and were only 5RMB for 8 of them. Everyone but Isaac liked them.

Isaac is doing much better after a good nights sleep. We also ALL had a nap today so that was wonderful for everyone. We also took a trip to WalMart and Isaac found legos that he is now working on in the bathroom. When you have a 2 year old brother that doesn't understand your language and your in a small hotel room you do what you have to do!

AND as you can see by the pictures carrying 28lbs of 2 year old has gotten old when you walk everywhere. We bought a stroller... as long as Micah has food and a drink everyone seems to be very happy with the purchase. Never say never... I said I'd carry him in the carrier for attachment purposes... well when he doesn't like the carrier on our backs and in the front is uncomfortable it just isn't worth it. He seems to be attaching normally at the moment so we're all happy.

We also went to McDonald's and DQ today! The picture of the kids and I is at McDonald's. Isaac ate 2 cheeseburgers, he was quite happy.

The picture of everyone pointing to the sign is a road named Zheng Yi which is our friend's name so we took the picture for her.

Please also pray for our kids at home. We are reaching the half way mark and it gets hard for everyone! Thanks so much... your prayers mean so much to us!

What we know about Micah so far...

I know that he loves to laugh and be silly.
He knows what to do with a toy gun.

Micah enjoys mimicking his brother ALOT!!

He gives hugs when told "Wo ai ni!" (I love you)

I can understand 70% of what he says and it makes life a bit easier. So I can say I have enough Chinese language to communicate with a 2 year old... not something to brag about BUT it really is helpful.

He is actually potty trained... now in China that means squatting at the nearest tree when you need to go but he is actually telling us when he needs to go. He even goes on the western toilet in the hotel without being scared. I'm totally impressed to say the least. We, of course, are still putting him in diapers which is a big pain when he has to go but if he's still doing this when we get home I can move to pull ups and see what happens.

He seems a bit more relaxed even today, after only 24 hours of knowing him.

He LOVES to eat!

He likes to dip his food but doesn't like to eat that particular side of the food. He'll give the dipped part to us.... LOL.

Micah will tolerate the baby carrier when it is forward facing so he can see the world.

We were told he had one older brother and one younger sister in his foster family and he does very well with Isaac and other kids that we've seen out and about.

He is 2 and acts the part... doesn't sit very long... think long plane ride! Whew, I sure hope he settles a bit more before we have to go home.

We did adoption paperwork half the day which involved alot of sitting, rather Isaac playing the DS and us chasing Micah around the office.

We ate at Pizza Hut... seafood pizza for us and cheese pizza for Isaac. Micah had filled up on Cheerios while we waited on the pizza but he seems to be a carb-a-holic so I'm sure he'll come along just fine.

Then it was VERY obvious Micah needed a nap so we all slept a bit which was nice. Then off to the park again and KFC for Isaac at supper. Now they've already had their baths and are playing in the room. We are blessed indeed!!

Grace, Faith, Joy, and Josh... we miss you all and can't wait to see you soon! Isaac said he was a bit homesick this morning. We asked for what and he said, "everything"! He seems better tonight after we rested some this afternoon.

WE HAVE HIM!!!

The title says it all... he is asleep with me... well, I got up after he went to sleep. He sucks his first 2 fingers to go to sleep... isn't that just adorable?!!

Isaac summed it up when he said a few times in the first 30 minutes "He is cuter than I thought he'd be!!" And this momma totally agrees.

We are so in awe, humbled, and grateful at how well this day has gone. Except for the fact that he wants to touch everything in the hotel and wants to walk himself everywhere (in a Chinese city mind you), we are just so grateful to God who has orchestrated our steps and how sweet and fun loving he is. He has an infectious, deep belly laugh that he showed us within the first 10 minutes when Isaac was blowing him bubbles. He is silly and SO, SO cute!! Did I mention that already?!! ;)

I am just beyond grateful to God for giving us this sweet little boy that we will all enjoy getting to know more and more with each passing day! We are blessed indeed!

Pictures will be in the shutterfly account if you click on Micah's picture as soon as they download into it... takes forever here so I just do it throughout the night.

Much love to Grace, Faith, Joy, and Joshua. We are ready to see all 6 of you together. Only 10 more days!!

Dali City

First of all let me say that the photos are in our shutterfly account that you can click on Micah's picture to see. They are labeled as Dali City Friday and Saturday.

Friday we took a taxi to Dali 4 1/2 hours to visit with some friends that have a cafe there and they minister to college students. Our church helps them and is sending a team there this summer to do sports camps so we got some information for them. That is what all the hotel pictures and basketball courts and soccer fields are for so just ignore those :)

And the picture of the gigantic spider... well that was in our 50RMB a night/ $8 hotel last night. Ask me if I am glad to be back at our 5 star hotel in Kunming tonight. I won't even talk about the bathrooms in the hotel in Dali... we went cheap and convenient and boy did we regret it. The beds we seemingly clean... that was the only positive thing... even though the beds we like sleeping on a wooden box... beds here are known for being hard but hard doesn't even begin to decide these wooden boxes :)

We did have such a wonderful, refreshing time visiting with Lori and Shannon though. We got to meet some of the college students they minister with and to. We also got to meet 5 other families that live in Dali and serve the Lord and the people of China in one way or another.

Probably the best part of the trip was meeting their intern. Who by the way we wouldn't have met if we had traveled any earlier ;)!!

She is a 19 year old girl adopted from China to the States at 12. I absolutely loved hearing her story and asking her questions. We rode the motorcycle together. Just to talk to someone who is further on the journey of the complicated things that abandonment and international adoption bring. How she is learning to be content with one part of her heart in the States and one part in China. How she can see God's hand in her life even with the loss she has suffered with not being able to stay in her birth family and country. What Satan meant for harm God meant for good and to see her talk about that and God's hand in her life is such an encouragement to us who long to have their kids see His goodness in the midst of loss. How she can love her foster family and forever family simultaneously.

She came to stay with her foster family on this trip first so that she could share the gospel with them. Please pray for her foster family... that they would be drawn to the Jesus that has enabled Halli to forgive her birth family and has given her such a love for all of her families. Also, Isaac really took to her and she was so sweet to him!

Speaking of Isaac he has been such a joy to have with us. He is SO unbelievably easy going and has had a blast even though up until now we've spent more time in planes and cars than anything else. He has taken it all in stride and had as much fun visiting with people as we have. He and I got to help teach a ESL class for 2 little girls on Saturday morning and they LOVED him.

The highlight of Isaac's trip is definitely the electric motorcycle rides we got to take today around Dali City. We met up with several people within the city to meet their families and rode around the city with Halli, Shannon, Lori, and a worker at the cafe named Mueller (his chosen English name... named for George Mueller). Don't you love that choice?!!

Thanks to everyone who is praying for us. The kids at home are doing very well and we are so grateful!

And now we get to meet Micah Zhi Zhou tomorrow afternoon (China time) at 4:30pm. They will bring him to the hotel (that's the plan anyway) and we are so excited, nervous, elated, scared to death, etc., etc.

Please continue that God would miraculously knit our hearts together. I expect we'll fall in love with him long before the feeling is mutual ;)

Green Lake

We went to Walmart today and enjoyed some market Chinese food while Isaac ate KFC. At Walmart Isaac got to see chicken feet on sale nonetheless and in every flavor one could imagine.
We also enjoyed a boat ride on the lake and loved watching these sea gulls that are famous in Kunming. My understanding is that they migrate through here this time of year and all the locals love it! There were literally thousands of them.

Isaac also enjoyed watching all the tai chi and other exercising that happens in the parks in China. It's so fun for us to watch too!

We also ate at The Wicker Basket and met a family of 5 that have lived here for 7 years. The milkshakes were wonderful but pizza not so much.

Tomorrow we go to Dali to visit some friends. One of which we met last summer. They have a cafe there that they use to teach English in and share the Good News. We'll come back Saturday and then at 4:30 on Sunday we meet Micah!

Plane ride in pictures of Isaac

I am having a really hard time getting pictures to load onto my blogspot. The VPN is working great but the photos won't email or post from the blog.
SO... I am going to put them in folders in our shutterfly account instead. You can click on Micah's picture to the right to see pictures and I am going to label the photos with the date and blog post title so I can put them in later.

We are here!

The journey of a thousand miles (or 12,000 miles) is over!!

 

The flights were wonderful and we are getting settled in our hotel and Kunming today!

 

Isaac is VERY happy to be off the plane and we all slept well last night and enjoyed breakfast.

 

We are going out to exchange some money and go to Walmart and the park today!

 

We love and miss you Grace, Faith, Joy, and Joshua! Isaac says to tell you that his bacon was good this morning! J

 

I’ll post plane ride and today pictures later this evening. We are 13 hours ahead of GA time.

To be completely honest...

This is the point of this journey I'd like to stop dead in my tracks, keep all my kiddos at home, pretend the past year of paperwork didn't happen, and I don't know the little boy on my fridge.

Just being honest.

Leaving 4 of your kids spread over GA is difficult.

I wish we were bringing them all with us. Always do and Clayton always is the voice of reason.

God is good though and I woke up (at 4:45am) with God planting this verse in my mind.

The Lord is my light and my salvation- whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid? -Psalm 27:1

AND He reminded me of the verse He led me to months ago on this particular journey.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen! -Ephesians 3:20

Grateful He is so good and patient with me, always supplying what we need for the moment.

Now we need to wake up the 3 kids that are here and get over that big ocean to Micah :)

One Week from Today....

We will be holding him in our arms....

We are getting SO excited!!! And we are also packed and ready to go. The kids are getting a bit nervous, especially Josh so prayers would be much appreciated for us all!

TEST

Testing to see if I can email our blog if the VPN doesn’t work.

 

AND for the next person that asks me if we are packed WATCH OUT!!! It causes my heart to start racing and hands to sweat. I told Clayton last night maybe it wouldn’t be as bad if I had less time to think about it. He thought I was crazy since we really only had 10 days to get it all together to begin with. Really though I think I work better under more pressure.

 

Either way we’ll get there… it probably wouldn’t be so bad if I wasn’t trying to get to certain points with everyone at school that will make it easier when we get home. So I’m trying to do that (which to be completely honest my heart is not in it) and try to think about getting everyone everywhere they need to be. The only one that is packed is Micah Zhi Zhou since he’s been packed for months now ;)

Yi

Thought I'd give an update on Yi as I haven't in awhile. Not for lack of things happening just lack of the BEST thing happening.

It has become so difficult to feel like we watch her say no to the Lord and a relationship with Him. The more it happens the more difficult it becomes for me to take.

A week ago I went downstairs and shared this with her. How difficult and sad it was to watch her be miserable trying to fill her life with other relationships but miss out on God's best for her life. It was a long conversation and we both shared.

The worst part is that she knows it. She just says that she can't take that step of faith to make the great exchange. The exchange of her life for God's life for her. From conversations with her it seems to stem from a fear in what her parents will do or think, fear that she doesn't have all the answers.

We've been burdened for others in the past but this is very different since she lives with us. We do life with her. AND God has knit her and I's hearts together like I've not experienced with a person that is not like minded before. Literally I feel like some days I just can't take it anymore.

It seems everytime the Lord gives me an opportunity to talk with her about spiritual things I see Him knocking on her hearts door. There have been several times at church that I feel like He had made things clearer to her yet she did not turn to Him. Yesterday was one of them and it was so hard I could hardly stand up. It's just sad.

I've blamed myself for not being a bright enough light to her. Yet I've been completely honest with her about the ways God is chipping away at the sin in my life.

I've wondered if being with us enables her because she also relies on us instead of God for comfort, support, etc. I've wondered why God just won't take the spiritual blinders off her since I know from His Word that the battle is spiritual.

Would you please pray for her and us? We all just love her too much to sit around a watch her live like this and we also know that no one is promised tomorrow. She knows that too which makes it even harder.

 

 We love you Yi!

Please Lord don't make the next time the last time you knock on her hearts door. Do not harden her heart but soften it toward Yourself.

Amazing

Lots of incredible things going on here lately!

The most exciting is that it looks like we'll be able to meet Micah Zhi Zhou on Sunday, February 26th instead of Monday, February 27th!! I know that doesn't sound huge to you BUT it is!

First of all, the CWI where he is from is not exactly known for being the most flexible and helpful and caring toward children. That I know of only 1 other family in about 5 years has been able to meet their child at their hotel and not the government office on Sunday nonetheless.

I've never been able to meet one of our kids that way but I can tell you ANYTHING has to be better than some sterile government office with tons of people around!

At the hotel just seems so much more relaxed and less stressful than meeting your screaming toddler who has never seen a white person or heard another language, them being thrust in your arms, told this is your mama and baba, and then 5 minutes later those same shell-shocked parents being asked to hold this screaming, scared toddler while filling out paperwork claiming this baby as your own.

Words just can't describe what a whirl wind, highly emotional tim it is. Maybe now you can see just a little bit why I am so excited that God is orchestrating these events. And when I say it is God orchestrated IT IS!!!

We have been emailing the person who coordinates travel in China for our agency and he could do nothing else for us the entire trip and I'd think he's awesome for getting this for us! Now it hasn't happened yet so I'm not going to totally get my hopes up... who am I kidding my hopes are sky high right now.

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

The other thing that is amazing around here is the piles and piles of stuff to take and pack for 8 different people going to 4 different places for 16 days. My, oh my!!

Then all the coming and going that is going to take place is making me wake up every morning anywhere between 4 and 6a.m. to write lists for my lists of things that need to be done or bought. It's crazy exciting I tell ya!!

Maybe the getting up between 4 and 6a.m. from now till we leave will help with jet lag. Jet lag and leaving 4 kids behind are the only things I am not looking forward to! Melatonin will help with the jet lag but there's not a whole lot that can help with missing the kids not with us :(

Better go write more lists for my lists of piles that are accumulating!

Our latest drama AND travel plans!!

The fun stuff first...

We leave February 21st and get home on March 8th! We will make Micah part of our family and meet him for the first time on February 26th or 27th. Whoo Hoo!! So happy to finally be so close!

This is how excited Isaac is... (Hopefully that will soon change) He says he is most excited about the plan ride... surely by the time we get home his favorite part will NOT be the LONG plane ride. I know mine won't be.

Our newest drama...

Yup... never a dull moment around here. THANKFULLY Grace's arm is actually NOT broken but the doctor thinks she has a bone bruise given the length of annoying pain and off and on relief after resting it in a sling. So she wanted her to have a cast for 2 weeks and we all settled for 10 days since we leave in 11 days. Praying and thinking that this is the needed solution for longer term relief.

Finally a picture of little man's hearing aides (his newest toys)...

We won't talk about the fact that he is still in his jammies at noon! ;) We all have finished school for the day though so that is an accomplishment worth noting!

We are VERY excited around here... well, all except one little boy whose name is Joshua who really doesn't want his mama to go to China :(.

Shouting from the roof tops...

TA!!!!!!!!

We find out tomorrow when we can leave. It'll probably be around the 23rd but there is a small possibility it could still be next week which would be ideal. BUT we are just excited to be leaving soon to get to Micah!

Running a Marathon

We are still alive. Feeling like we have been running a marathon with no end in sight but we are pressing on... waiting, hoping, waiting, hoping... that seems to be the name of the game. My sister in law sent me this scenario today and it provided some much needed comic relief. The only difference is that God hasn't answered my why questions about this waiting yet but I guess that is part of this faith journey.

Me (in a tizzy) : God, can I ask you something?


GOD: Sure.


Me: Promise you won't get mad?


GOD: I promise.


Me (frustrated): Why did you let so much stuff happen to me today?


GOD: What do you mean?


Me: Well I woke up late,


GOD: Yes


Me: My car took forever to start,


GOD: Okay....


Me (growling): At lunch, they made my sandwich wrong and I had to wait



GOD: Hmmmm..



Me: On the way home, my phone went dead, just as I picked up a call



GOD: All right


Me (loudly): And to top it all off, when I got home, I just wanted to soak my feet in my foot massager and relax, but it wouldn't work. Nothing went right today! Why did you do that?


GOD: Well let me see..... the death angel was at your bed this morning and I had to send one of the other angels to battle him for your life. I let you sleep through that.


Me (humbled): Oh...


GOD: I didn't let your car start because there was a drunk driver on your route that might have hit you if you were on the road


Me (ashamed): ............


GOD: The first person who made your sandwich today was sick and I didn't want you to catch what they have, I knew you couldn't afford to miss work

Me (embarrassed): Oh.....


GOD: Your phone went dead because the person that was calling was going to give a false witness about what you said on that call, I didn't even let you talk to them so you would be covered


Me (softly): I see God


GOD: Oh and that foot massager, it had a short that was going to throw out all of the power in your house tonight. I didn't think you wanted to be in the dark.


Me: I'm sorry God.


GOD: Don't be sorry, just learn to trust me.........in all things, the good and the bad


Me: I WILL trust you God


GOD: And don't doubt that my plan for your day is always better than your plan


Me: I won't God. And let me just tell you God, thank you for everything today.


GOD: You're welcome child. It was just another day being your God and I love looking after my children.


I thought this was pretty funny!

We've been trying to get last minute things and appointments taken care of. Joshua's now the proud owner of hearing aides. It's been quite the challenge to get the molds that fit in his ears to fit just right but we are on the right track. They really seem to be helping him so that is wonderful!!

Joy has a cardio appt. next week... she has complained a few times of her heart "racing" when she lays down at night.

Grace is going to the orthopedist this week to see what may be going on with her arm. For about 2 months now it has bothered her off and on from a fall she took on a pogo stick. Falling off the rip stick on that arm probably didn't help a few weeks ago. I had taken her to urgent care a month or so ago and they didn't see anything but we are going to go to the ortho just to make sure since it's still bothering her when she uses it alot.

My grandmother is out of the hospital and recovering from her broken hip and home which is great news.

The Chinese Adoption Center has said our TA was sent out today, Tuesday, China time so hopefully it can arrive to our agency on Thursday or Friday. Nothing like waiting a month for something that is supposed to take a week or 2. BUT soon that will all be a distant memory I am sure :)

Hoping for some good news SOON!! We are excited to be waiting with a neat family from PA and should be traveling with them. They are adopting an older girl which will bring back fun memories of our time in China with Joy. Here is their blog. Looking forward to meeting them in person very soon. It has been fun to have someone to pray with and talk to during this race to the finish line!