Then a day later we caught our first glimpse of a precious little boy we flew half way around the world to find. He cautiously warmed up to us. Justin was his first liking and then slowly came to me. Being our fourth adoption I was okay with this, because its about the child , not me. I know in time his heart would warm to me.
After a hour or so of playing and some care and medical questions answered by the caretakers we were back in a cab to our hotel. And just like that I became his mother.
We would spend the next few days getting to know each other better and figuring out how to do life. We learned he loves to snuggle and have his back rubbed. He is ticklish from head to toe and loves to be tickled and will put your hand back on his body where he wants to be tickled. He is rough, loves to climb, ride on shoulders and swing around. He doesn't use many words, only two, but can let you know what he wants very clearly with his affirmative head nods.
Oh and kisses....he gives kisses...but warning they are very, very wet!
Justin loves this part and always has his picture taken "officiating" the ceremony in each province we have been at. Maybe he will be in politics?
From day one of our arrival I conveyed with our guide, Glenn, the importance of finding Joseph's foster parents. We adopted Joseph in March of 2015 and he has always talked of them and we had wished to remain in contact with them. The traditional routes we had taken to find them had fell on deaf ears and finally we had hope. Glenn made the connections to that secured a meeting with them. It was the most unbelievable thing, we were going to meet the people responsible for raising Joseph for 2 years. This was the next best thing to meeting his birth parents. They had insight to who our child is and was before he was ours. God give us a gift of a miracle with the connection. On Wednesday we boarded a 2.5 hour train for Guilin. The countryside was beautiful and the anticipation and opportunity to be in the city where two of my children were born was amazing.
These are Joseph's foster parents. We recognized them right away at the restaurant and hugged. I cried as this woman cared so deeply and so well for my child. How do you thank her? They were so gracious and loving. Bringing gifts for Joseph to keep him warm in Wisconsin. They miss him so dearly and asked when will we return again for a visit?
Only God can weave such a story ... these same foster parents had been asked to be Jacob's foster parents, but were too heart broken since Joseph's adoption that they have no longer taken on anymore children. They have had 14 over their lifetime. What a blessing this family has been to so many children. But they do know Jacob's family well and we will all be connected from here on out. Jacob apparently knows Nana too!
I struggle with whether to post this picture as it is very personal. It's a simple lamppost under a certain address, marking where our seventh child was laid to be found when he was three days old. But I do so in that we are humbled, burdened and feel the weight of what an orphan is. They are placed somewhere by someone, most likely a parent in extreme distress, hoping for a glimpse of HOPE for their newborn. I walked away from here speechless, in agony for another mother, with silent tears running down my face, with answers I will never know this side of heaven. Why do I get to be his mother....WHY NOT HER???? He is beyond precious....I LOVE HIM dearly....... but so does she.
Ephesians 1:3-14
Praise for Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he[b] predestined us for adoption to sonship[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he[d] made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
11 In him we were also chosen,[e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.
SOME FUN IN THE PARK....
I am not sure if something was lost in translation, but visit the Nanning airport bathroom for this helpful sign :)
In China there will always be something to talk about, or make you scratch your head and say what?
This is a major river with paddle large dinner boats, tourist boats going up and down. Look closely and you will see and a man swimming right down the middle of the river! And he was not the only one. At first I thought he was drowning, nope, just out for a swim in the middle of a large river, with the large touring boats, swimming up stream! Yikes.
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