Hearts of Adoption: Adjustments to our new life

Adoption teaches us so much. It teaches us that we can love those that did not grow under our heart for months but only in our hearts. This little person can fill our home with such joy and excitement. She has learned to trust us with such love and endurement, like the love God has for us. No strings attached. Adoption teaches us how life is not about what we want, it is about loving and giving to others. In the process of giving, we receive so much in return. Adoption teaches us about how precious life is, and to appreciate how much we have truly been given. Christ sacrificed his life; gave his life so that we might not pay the penalty of death for our sins. When God asks us to give a little of us to serve the orphans or widows of this world, is he really asking that much?

This little spirit is demanding, persistent and strong willed and why not, she survived in an orphanage for almost three years without a mother and father to support, defend and advocate for her. I admire her tenacity and drive and know God gave her a personality not to be defeated. We celebrated one month this past week of her adoption. It feels like yesterday, but also like she has been with us forever. Oh how she has grown to love each one of us in such a short time, even that huge furry gou!

She is such a character. Here she is using the doll house furniture to sit on! Notice the underwear on the outside of her PJ's. And she has a diaper on to boot! Gotta love her sense of humor :)

Jordan loves to dress Huahua up and they both love to see what new style they can find in my closet. Here Jordan has her decked out in her cowgirl outfit with the boots on the wrong feet.

At our one month placement visit we realized we have taken lots of pictures of the kids, but none of everyone together. We have to send reports back to China every so often on her process. I find this interesting that they all the sudden become interested in her well being after she leaves the country. This is a child that would have been left to die without heart surgery. Aunt Katie, along Love without Boundaries, and hundreds of people from AL, advocated and raised the $12,000 needed to save her life!

My heart just sinks if I allow myself to know this little life could have been lost, my daughter would have died, if people turned the other way and chose not to get involved. She is full of life and has so much potential to give. God has so much in store for her and we are humbled to be given the opportunity to be called her parents.

If you have called our house, you may have already spoken to Huahua on the phone. She loves to talk. If the phone rings, she assumes it is for her and needs to give the caller an ear full on how the day is going! She has play phones and here her doll is getting the low down on the day.

We try to get outside if it's not too cold because she loves the fresh air. She is going to love the summer! The boys thought she should try snowboarding again, but Mom intervened and said let's stick to sledding. They do have Jordan snowboarding this year. I kept asking her to go inside and she would say No! She learned that word really quickly!

Isn't it every little girl's dream to have a little sister to play with and dress up. Jordan and her have this bound that is so sweet. Huahua follows her around and repeats everything Jordan says! That can be good and bad! Huahua does not like when the kids are at school and will ask for Jordan. When the school bus arrives home- its like a party!!! And then Dad arrives home a little later and another party!!! Don't get me wrong-Mom is still her number one person :)

When you strip her down and say Bath in chinese this is what you get---a crazy little person running around the house yelling "sheets aaawwww" Which is chinese for bath. Last night we did the bubble bath with jets and she went bananas!

So cute to see the different relationships forming with each sibling. We talked with the kiddos to see how they were feeling about the transition and all agreed they loved having her home.

Few prayers requests. Huahua has a chronic heart condition, prayer for us as we learn to manage her needs. She has been to the Dr three times since being home in the last two weeks. She will have her "normal child check" this week. Pray for her as she has already been traumatized by all the medical care she has all ready received in the past. Pray she will learn our medical care is more compassionate and she will have pain management/control through procedures here. Pray for her Cardio appointment to be moved earlier than Feb 11 and that Ryan and I will have the understanding to know how to move forward with her care.

Thank you to everyone for your support through this journey. Thank you for those who financially supported us, made meals, watched the kids and prayed for us. She is truly a blessing to us all! Some have asked what do we call her. It just seems natural for now to use the name she is used to--Huahua (or Sihua). She loves when we say her full Chinese name! Daddy and her have a chant with it. It is part of her and her heritage which we will always celebrate. So we will gradually incorporate Jessica in, but to help her feel comfortable, why add something foreign?