Gifts from 2013

Sihua holding her passport in Chongqing.

We have been home almost a week and settling in as our new family.  We celebrated our 2013 Christmas together and bringing in the new year in a not so exciting fashion, as we still were experiencing jet lag.  As I reflect on the year I am just amazed on how blessed we have been.   Of all the families...we were given this angel.  She melts my heart.   

Yesterday as I lay in bed with our youngest child I just smile as she peacefully sleeps.  How are we so blessed to have been given these four children?  I know there will be challenges ahead and  God has promised to walk us through them.  We humbly walked  into adoption of a child with severe medical needs knowing he will give us the strength to accomplish what his will is.  My heart aches when I look at her purple lips and clubbed fingers; for I am reminded what might happen.  When we accepted her as our daughter we did knowing we would do so giving her life to God's will.   I need to focus on the truths that I do know.  God is good, God is faithful, God is all knowing, God is all powerful, God is the creator, the Healer, Omnipresent, God is Love.

So we are blessed, every moment we spend as our new family, we are blessed.  We will learn to live in the moment-loving every moment as if it might be our last.  Adoption teaches you to care about others more than yourself.  That's how we are blessed.  Is that new car really important or should we be openingnour homes to an orphan?  Blessings come in our attitudes and how our hearts have been changed to see what God wants us to see.  My little girl called me "Wo Mommy" yesterday.  (which means my mommy)  That is a blessing.  She has already felt a connection to our family unit.  

As we were in China with 12 other Christian families, all meeting their new children I want to share with you how amazing it was to see the connections form over two weeks time.  We saw children break out of their shy shells and start to feel confident in their environment.  I saw a 14 year old boy who dreamed of having a forever family, as proud as could be, walk beside his earthly father, arm in arm down the sidewalk.  I saw a shy little 2 year girl, orphaned only a year ago, start to play and enjoy life with my little girl.  A little boy, with limited eye sight, smile and enjoy the love of his mother.  Children snuggled in their parents arms, sometimes scared, sometimes overwhelmed, but willing to trust us for their every need.  Adoption is an experience like none I have ever been through.  There are emotions and pains I did not know I could experience.  When you choose one child to become a member of your family, at some level you are saying no to the thousands left behind.  This hurts at the core of my being.  And then..... we saw their faces at the orphanage.  Little ones, big ones, and every size in between, awaiting their family to call their own.  If I could share something about the pictures you will see in their adoption files.  This is only a glimpse of this orphan on one specific day.  There is so much joy waiting to be found by you.  These children have a personality, and so much to give. They just need someone willing to walk out in faith and bring them home.  As  14 y/o Luke's father said to me, he is so glad they didn't turn the other cheek when they felt the Lord leading them to bring him home, along with their two year old daughter. on this trip to China.  Praise God for the faithful servants.  

Another day while in Guangzhou, we got off the elevator to find two teenagers playing with a remote control helicopter.  I immediately recognized the young 13 y/o Chinese girl.   Her features are just stunningly beautiful!  I had been praying for her to be matched with a family knowing she would soon age out of the system. What an honor to have meet her in person and her new family.  Again another family following God's will for their lives.    So do we recognize all the ways we are blessed.  I know I have said this before....But We ask for silver and God gives us Gold!

Getting better at the car seat since we travel down the to bus twice a day to get the kids.  Just make sure to have the Chinese songs ready to play and we have not needed the candy lately!  Did not care for the long wait this morning at the bus stop.  We sang Twinkle, Twinkle over and over again both in English and Chinese!

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Dad tickling them with his foot.  Even the dog is in on this picture.

Celebrating Justin's birthday at the bowling alley with a few of his friends. She fit right in and joined the table for some snacks.  Not big on the cupcakes!  Loved the climb around on the slippery bowing floor.

Finally Jordan has a dress up partner!  Here Huahua is demanding the fancy sandals from her sister.   Guess who was wearing them a few minutes later, only for a couple seconds, but her demand was heard.  Despite the language barrier, the message was clear!  She loves to dress up like any little girl and has begun to accessorize.  Notice the shoes in this picture.  She wore this an entire day--one of my healed boots and one of her slippers, but with matching turquoise shades.

Sihua has Jackson wrapped around her little finger.  Actually she has both the boys wrapped around her fingers.  They like to carry her around and they will get or give her anything she wants!  Here they were playing stickers.  Jackson asked to lay with her in bed last night.  Sweet, but they just ended up playing!  

She keeps asking to go outside.  How do you explain it's freezing outside?  I open the door and let her feel and then she does the burr, cold motion.  She is going to love living in the country with some fresh air and room to roam.