Home a week...

We have been home a week and are finally beginning to feel like we are getting over jet lag and beginning to find the "new normal," whatever that maybe! The kids are not waking up at 2:30am anymore and we started school again the end of the week. We have been out a few times with Nate, he's very quiet when we are out and only wants to be held which is good. In the coming weeks, I'll be posting some "Reflection" posts from our time in China as I have a little more time to share more about our journey.

Thank you again for your prayers, notes of encouragement, gifts and emails. I promise to be caught up with all of you in the near future!

Some facts about Nate....

Nate loves bananas and don't get between him and his banana!
Nate has the greatest giggle and we hear it often when he is playing with his brother and sisters.
Nate is learning sign language quickly, his favorite signs... "please" and "all done."
Nate loves to brush his teeth, but all water sources (e.i. toilets) must be supervised during this activity:)
Nate can say Lenna, Abigayl & Eli and can often be found running after them calling their names.
Nate gets really excited when he sees a dog.
Nate is not so fond of his carseat:(

friendship awardMy friend, Terrye, blessed me with this award, I was surprised as it is the first I have ever gotten. Thank you my sweet friend! Terrye and I met through an online group for adoptive moms while we were waiting for referrals of our daughters from China 3+ years ago. I have been blessed by her friendship and specifically her wisdom and faith that she has shared. Our families received the referrals of our daughters at the same time and we got to meet with our little ones in China. Terrye has continued to be an amazing friend, often sending me notes during our journey to Nate when I was struggling the most. I wish we could sit and have a tea party on a lazy afternoon with our little blessings, but since the distance is far, I hope you'll have a moment with your Heavenly Father and a good cup of tea today, Terrye.

"These blogs are exceedingly charming.
These kind bloggers aim to find friends and be friends.
They are not interested in self-aggrandizement.
Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships will be propagated.
Please give more attention to these writers.
Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly- written text into the body of their award."

I am passing this blog award on to the following friends....

Joanna at www.achoate.blogspot.com
Carolin at www.hunterhappenings.blogspot.com
Jen at www.ianemvivi.blogspot.com
Doreen at www.blessedfamilyjourney.blogspot.com

Some thoughts from the Psalms...

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm19:1
May they sing of the ways of the LORD, for the glory of the LORD is great. Psalm 138:5Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever. Psalm 111:3I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalms 139:14

Fun with Friends...On Sunday night, some friends brought us supper and our kids played together. Our kitchen has an island that the kids love to ride their bikes, tricycles, plasma cars and other "ride able" things around. They had a blast! Both Daddies got in on the action as well! Here are a few pictures of M, M & M and my kids having fun! Nate even got in on the action riding on a car with daddy!

Self Portrait of a boy with jet lag...

Please pray for this guy & his mama this morning...E & his Mama are going to the US Embassy this morning for a Visa appointment at 7am Central Time. We are praying that God will move mountains and allow a visa to be issued so E & his mama can come to the States to be with his daddy. E was adopted in the DR in the summer of 2007, there have been complications with his paperwork and he has not been allowed to come to the States,we are praying for this visa so his family can be together while they finish the papers need to get his final visa and then citizenship. Will you join me in praying this morning???

UPDATE:
I heard from E's mama about an hour ago. The answer at the embassy today was "no." Though they have been preparing for the answer to be "no," I know it has still been hard. Please pray for this family as they make decisions about what to do next, as they process through knowing that this means more time that their family must be apart, etc. I appreciate you who have prayed for them and hope you will continue to pray for them. They are a very strong family with great faith, these times are difficult and they can use your prayers. Thanks again!

FOR TODAY Jan. 26, 2009

Outside my window... It's a cold, dark, wintry morning

I am thinking... Happy Chinese New Year!! It's been awhile since I posted a day book because of life's adventures... I hope I can get the kids over jetlag soon, I've been up since 2:30am with one of them:( Crazy early mornings are making me tired! How blessed we are and reflecting back over the last 3 weeks of our lives.

I am thankful for... a safe journey, amazing children, wonderful husband & people who prayed for us and continue to pray for us and for our new son and other children.

From the learning rooms... We are starting back slowly this week after a 4 week break for Christmas and our trip to China. We need to get back on track with Math & Handwriting, we kept up with some reading as we traveled. We'll also celebrate Chinese New Year all week with some activities (check out some coloring sheets and ideas from the Crayon's website that I found through my friend's blog.)

From the kitchen... Cinnamon Yogurt Pancakes, Chocolate muffins and a cup of coffee

I am wearing... old sweat pants and a long sleeved t-shirt

I am creating... Thank you cards & organizing pictures from our trip to China (read back through all the earlier Jan. posts if you haven't already and you see our 3 week journey to China to bring home our sweet boy.) I am also excited about many new great ideas from the Feb 2009 issue of Family Fun Magazine to do with the kids!

I am going... to a welcome home lunch for our son at daddy's office today (hopefully all the kids can stay awake:)

I am reading... My Bible study, not time for much else right now

I am hoping... that our family continues to adjust well, we get good rest and I have some time to catch up on emails.

I am hearing... My hubby making pancakes and chatting with our kiddos, Nate toddling around holding a toy cell phone saying "Whey"- the Chinese way to answer to the phone...

Around the house... luggage still to unpack, laundry to fold, toys that didn't get put way last night but best of all... my 4 children finally together playing!

One of my favorite things... brewed coffee in the morning

A few plans for the rest of the week: just focusing on adjusting, getting over jetlag, a doctor's appointment for Nate, getting back into routine of life, starting dance and piano again for Lenna.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...Don't get between this boy and his banana!!!

Thanks for stopping by today and please feel free to leave a note. Head over to Peggy's to check out some other daybooks today!

It's 5 am... what have you been up to???

Jet lag, you have to love it right?!?! We got back to our place about 5:30 last night after our long journey home. The kids did great! We got them fed (thanks for the pizza, Rhett), let them play awhile and then put them to bed late. At 3:30 am, i heard a little boy voice... "Mommy, I'm hungry..." We headed upstairs, found some cereal and had a snack, mommy hoping we might head back to bed. But... it was not to be! Soon another little boy joined us and we have been up since:) We have played with cars, the basketball, eaten Cheerios and are now playing with Baby Mary & the stuffed animals... hope you have a wonderful morning too!!! Here are a few pictures along the way on our long journey home...

Thankful...

We have so much to be thankful for...

Being at home
Laughter
Friends and family who have prayed for us
Good health
Safe Travel
Friends who met us at the airport & those who let us stay last night
Most of all... a loving Heavenly Father, it is ONLY because of HIM that this was and is possible!


More soon as we adjust...

We are in Detroit...

We arrived safely this afternoon. We were the very last family through immigration, it was crazy today but Nate is now a US Citizen:) We ended up heading out of the airport for awhile, my cousin Brad, his wife Shari and their daughter, Kristi, met us at the airport and we ate with them. It was great to see them and a blessing to have something to do for several hours.

My good friend, Shannon, and her 3 kids drove from Maryland to meet us as well. Her in-laws live here so they will visit for a day or two before heading back. It meant so much to us to spend time with friends and family who have prayed for us and our family in this journey.

The kids have done well traveling (thanks for praying:) but we are exhausted! We have had a 6+ hour layover here and we are all so sleepy! Please pray this last leg of the trip goes well! Can't wait to see some of you soon!

Just a few more pictures before we catch a jet plane...

We are almost packed tonight and will be up at 4:30, leaving the apartment by 5:30am. Our flight leaves Guangzhou at 8:30 am here, 6:30 pm (Weds night) there.

I thought I would share just a few few more pictures from the last couple of days...

Our little man all smiles:) Go K-State!!!

Nate, Daddy & I right before we left for the Consulate today to pick up his Visa and for his swearing in ceremony. It was great to see several families there that we know and will be flying home with tomorrow.Our 4 little ones out in the courtyard in front of our apartment building here.The family that lives in the apartment next to ours are Americans and he works at the Consulate. This morning his wife gave us their Brio train set for the kids to play with. They had a blast! What a blessing this family has been to us in our brief meetings.

Nate loves to march, we were all marching home from breakfast this morning:)

Thanks again for your prayers and we can't wait for you all to meet Nate!

Our last full day in China...

It's bittersweet knowing this is our last day in China. We are excited to head home yet sad to say goodbye to the country of Abigayl & Nate's birth. Our time here has been such a blessing and we are so thankful for those of you who have prayed for us and encouraged us while we have been traveling and in the months leading up to these trip.

Nate had a great day yesterday, really his best yet. Lots of smiles, a few more words and good sleep. Praise the Lord!

We were coming home from the zoo in the taxi and I realized he was snuggled on my lap singing something. The more I listened, I began to pick it out... He was singing "Happy Birthday" in English. We wasn't getting every word in but it was recognizable and it made him smile when we started to sing with him.

This afternoon, we will go to the Consulate (Shawn, Nate & I) for our swearing in ceremony. They will give us Nate's visa to return home and all the papers we need so he can become a US citizen when we land in Detroit tomorrow.

We ask for your prayers on the long flights home tomorrow, especially for the kids. Thanks again for your prayers and notes. We can't wait for you to meet this amazing little guy God has entrusted us with.

Blessings,
gayly

Psalm 145:10-21

10	All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.
11	They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;
12	to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.
13	Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
14	The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.
15	The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.
16	Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
17	The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
18	The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
19	He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
20	The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.
21	My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.

Quilts & StarFish Home (catching up from Xian)I'm up and was looking through our pictures of our time here in China. I found some special ones I wanted to share. First- THANK YOU for all the quilts that were made and donated for us to bring to China. Each one is making a difference in the life of a small orphan in China. They are helping to keep them warm, they are comforting them and they are brightening their days! We brought over 100 quilts and blankets because of you who were will to give of your time and talents. The quilts were shared with 3 orphanages/foster homes during our time here. A few went to Hope Foster Home in Beijing, a large number went to XianYang SWI in Shaanxi (where our son is from and the rest went to Amanda at Starfish Foster Home in Xian. You can read more about Starfish by clicking on the Starfish on the right side bar.

I thought you might like to see some of the kiddos at Starfish modeling the quilts. Each of these little ones are so special and have some type of a medical need. Amanda, the woman who started Starfish and runs the work there was very thankful for the quilts and is already putting them to good use with the little ones they serve. Keep Amanda in your prayers, they currently have a little over 20 little ones in their care, including some special little ones that just joined them this week!This quilt was made by Zadie & her grandma, Dorthy! Rose loves this quilt, she latched on to it quickly and snuggled down on the couch for awhile:)

Only 2 more sleeps...

Only 2 more sleeps and we are heading home! We had a wonderful day here in Guangzhou. A few people have emailed and ask about arriving at the airport/coming home. We'll be coming in on Thursday night about 8:45pm on a Northwest flight. We'd love to see anyone who wants to meet us (Nate of course) but we know it will be very late! Email us if you have questions!

More soon!

Prayer request for our friends...You might remember me mentioning our friends who have served in the Dominican Republic with Crown for the last 5 years. They adopted their little boy, E, about 1 1/2 years ago. There has issues with his paperwork and him returning to the States. RIght now, His daddy is living in the States for his new job and E and his mama are still in the DR. Please pray for them... on Jan 27th at 7am CST, they will be going to the US Embassy to request a visitor visa for E so that he and his mama can come to the States for awhile and be together as a family. They are being told that this visa is unlikely, but we know that we serve a really big GOD who loves families to be together and who can move mountains... please pray that this mountain can be moved and that E and his family can once again be together. If this visa is not issued it could be as long as another year before they can get a visa for him to come home.
Thanks my friends!!!

You don't feel good?

Well, walk this way... there is surely something here that will help you feel better... maybe just looking at it and getting the "prescription" will cure you!!! Near Shamien Island is this "Medical Market" for traditional Chinese Medicine. You can find all sorts of interesting things there. The kids really enjoyed walking through it to see the different things!

At the end of the medical market is a pet market, we had fun looking at the fish, turtles, puppies, cats and other live creatures!

A few pictures from our day in Guangzhou...

Nate's first plane ride!Daddy & Nate at the apartment chilly out together. Nate is starting to like daddy more and even gave him kisses today:)Checking out the fish at the White Swan Hotel.Nate getting checked out at this medical appointment for his Visa to go home.

Guangzhou

We arrived here in Guangzhou yesterday afternoon. Our flight was great, a little over 2 hours and the kids did really well. Nate slept almost the entire flight. Our guide met us and got us to the place we are staying. We are not on Shamien Island this time but down just a little ways on another island in the river. We are staying in a beautiful apartment with tons of room. The kids love having the space and so do we!

We are off this morning to Nate's medical exam for his visa. All the paperwork here in Guangzhou is for his Visa to come home. We'll post more later today.

Thanks for your notes and prayers!

Thoughts on saying goodbye to Xian...

(Maybe a bit jumbled as my thoughts come tumbling out...)

It's hard to believe that the week here is Xian is almost over and in a few hours we fly to Guangzhou. This week has been a blessing and though I am excited to move forward to the next step in our journey home, there is a great heaviness in my heart in leaving Xian, this is the birth place of our son... some where here, his birth family is. I will be ever thankful for the choice they made to give this little boy who is now our son life. I can't imagine what those days leading up to his birth were like, nor to I even claim to understand the pain of abandoning a child... the heart ache, the physical pain, the brokeness... yet i know someone who has experienced this pain and last night, it was to Him I turned on my knees in the quietness. And there I have given so much thanks for the blessings He has given us. And here, my heart cried for those who are abandoned and alone... for those who for whatever reason have been left behind and for those who have had to do the leaving. My prayer is for grace and peace, knowing that the only true freedom they will ever find will be through our Heavenly Father, the Great Physician who is the healer of the broken. I know that He understands and He hears the cries of many... even those silent cries that the world passes by.

I have spent most of the week posting about places we have been and things we have seen in Xian, not a lot from my heart about the experience here. I think mainly because this has been an intensely emotional week for me and one where the Lord has confirmed so many things to us about His power, glory and might. It has been humbling... we have praised Him for so much and we have cried out to Him in heart ache. And He has answered each time in His way and His timing. I look back over the months of waiting for Nate's paperwork and the memories of the hurt is still very fresh, I hold Him in my arms and I am thankful for the time to praying for his little heart to be prepared for the days ahead with our family. His road will not be easy, we have times that are quite "heavy" but I am thankful for my Father who has promised to carry our burdens and walk with us. Our son is amazing and I rejoice in the One who has brought us together. There is so much I love about China, her history and her people and yet there is so much need... need that can only be met by our Heavenly Father.

I want to remember these precious moments of this past week. All of the "firsts" for Nate... Meeting our family, having his first "starbucks" and McDonalds with friends... eating cotton candy, being hugged by his sisters and brother... the first giggle we heard from him... praying together as a family in thanksgiving for what He has done for us...

I also want to remember and not forget our precious time here in Xian. The amazing places, beautiful people, walking the streets, enjoying the tastes, experiencing the smells and most of all knowing that part of our family's story will always be rooted here.

There is a part of me that is sad that we missed the first 25 months of his life, that he had to experience it without a family living in an orphanage... that he faced his first surgery without mommy or daddy to comfort him... yet I am thankful that their were people in his life who loved him, cared for him and hugged him. I can not say thank you enough to each of them and the part they have played in his life. They made a difference and I am thankful!

So last night on my knees with so many emotions and thoughts tumling out to our Heavenly Father, I kept going back to the words of a song by Casting Crowns... My prayer is that as our son grows, he will first come to know our Lord and Savior... that he will grow in Him and desire to love and serve Him... that his Life Song will sing praises to the Father for he was lost but has been found!

I once was lost,

but now I'm found

I once was lost,

but now I'm found

So far away,

but I'm home now

I once was lost,

but now I'm found

And now my lifesong sings

Hallelujah

Hallelujah

Let my lifesong sing to You

~And Now My Life Song Sings.... Casting Crowns~

Our last night in Xian...It's been a wonderful day. We sent time upstairs with little ones from the foster home and then this evening, we headed out to see the fountain show (a free water fountain show set to music near the Big Goose Pagoda.) The kids loved the show, it was beautiful! Afterwards, we ate at a little Chinese Muslim place near the fountains and then had cotton candy afterwards! It was a grand evening though we were a little sad on the way back to the apartment knowing that we need to pack and prepare to head to Guangzhou tomorrow. It will be hard to say goodbye! Our uide for the week, Emma, went with us this evening and is in the picture with our family. We introduced Emma to Hot Chocolate tonight, the kids were excited to share with er and she loved it!

Meet an amazing little man!

This week, we have been blessed to stay at Starfish Foster Home here in Xian. Starfish is an amazing place, the work Amanda, the nannies and volunteers do here is amazing with little ones who are truly "the least of these..." We have enjoyed playing and loving on little ones this week. This little man has won our hearts! He is currently living in the volunteer apartment under the care of a volunteer named, Gigi... (pray for Gigi, she is a young single woman who has taken up the challenge of "motherhood" for now in caring for this little man 24 hours a day!) This little man's story is amazing. He has 4 significant special needs, all of which need repair work but they must be done in order... right now his most pressing need is heat surgery for a signicant heart defect. He has many other surgeries in his future, one step at a time...

This week we have held and fed this little guy. Lena loves to bounce him in his little bouncy seat and sing to him as well. He melts our hearts! He makes us smile and our hearts sing!

Will you join us in praying for this little guy? They are hoping that he will get to go to Hangzhou next month for heart surgery but heneeds to stay healthy to be a good candidate for the surgery. The cost of his health care is also very signicant as is the cost of the surgeries of many of the little ones here at StarFish. If you feel led to help cover any of these costs, it can be done by donating on the StarFish website (check link on the right side of my blog by clicking on the Starfish there.)

Shawn & His "Maky Bakery Man Bags..."

Not far from our apartment is a "Maky Bakery," it has become our favorite place! We buy our bread and yummy pastries here for breakfast and snacks. It is Shawn's favorite place in Xian I am convinced! They have these reusable bags there that they charge 5 RMB for, whenever I go to the bakery, I can't manage to get one of these bags! EVERYTIME that Shawn goes to the bakery, he gets one and they give it to him for free! So it has become the big joke of Shawn and his "Maky Man Bags!" The pastries are really good (though beware, a few are filled with red bean paste and some other strange things.) the Bread, choclate muffins and cream puffs are awesome!

Last night we had "technical difficulties" getting into our apartment. he boys had fun playing in the storage cubes right outside the door while we waited for the locksmith:)