We are 7!

Molly is beautiful, helpful, smart, and soooo sweet! She is sound asleep wearing her 'I Love Daddy' pajamas that she came with, she was so proud to take them out and show us!
Now that was a fast Gotcha Minute! I think it lasted all of 5 minutes before we were whisked away to our hotel! We thought it would just be us at Gotcha Day...not so! We were one of maybe 30!
They brought us into a room to meet Molly (with about 15 other families) she said "Hello Mommy and Daddy and gave us each a kiss and hug...melted our hearts right away! We then sat with her for about 2 minutes then had our photo taken, then we were asked if we wanted to buy the photo etched into glass that said Happy Family (We did not as we were missing 1/2 of the happy family :)), then our guide said "Let's get outta here and go back to your hotel." We agreed! It was hot, crazy and loud! Once in the van we could really hear her sweet voice and she shared her english vocabulary with us! We were able to ask her many questions and tell her lots of things through our guide. Then we hung out with our guide in the hotel room playing Barbie's, her favorite toy, and asking lots of questions. She has been so sweet as we learn to take care of her physical needs. It will be a learning curve for us but so far she is bearing with our crazy ways! :) We went to a noodle shop for dinner and she ordered shrimp with noodles, and a fruit iced tea. Before we were served the waitress came over with the bill and we just looked at it not knowing we were supposed to pay. Molly took it and read the whole thing out loud and then her and the waitress talked about something like the crazy Americans not knowing what to do with this bill :) She ate a lot for dinner and said it was very good, she gave it a thumbs up.:)
Oh, she is also mastering my mac. She found my music and sang along to some chinese music I had downloaded. She has beautiful voice!
Cannot wait to learn even more about our new daughter tomorrow!

2 HOURS

and this MAMA is ready!!!!!
Backpack packed, translation notes in hand, stroller ready, camera charged, and heart open!
I just praise my Creator for placing me on this path of being a mama 5 times and having a hubby who is ALL in!
Next post 'Gotcha Day'!!!

18 HOURS TO GO

We finally made it to Nanning! Our flight was cancelled and they wanted to put us on a flight the following day! UGH! Praise The Lord, there was a gentleman behind us who spoke English and Mandarin and asked if there was a later flight! We did NOT want to miss Gotcha Day!
So now???
18 hours until we meet Miss Molly and get to love on her! It has already been an incredible journey this past year, but one that we are truly beginning tomorrow at 3:00pm on this side of the world!

Tourists We Are

Busy but Fun day in Beijing today!
Bill and I took a walk to the market near our hotel. Lots of interesting food on sticks...corn, fried crabs, scorpions, seahorses, centipedes, and HUGE spiders! We were curious but not that adventurous!
We did buy some artwork from a local University Coop and were able to chat with the teacher, Andrew, and one of his students, Amy. They had a calligraphy writing with the word Mei Li on it, so of course, we had to buy it!
Then we were off to The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, A Tea House, the Olympic Grounds, and an Acrobat Show.
Loved learning more about the dynasty history of China (We have an awesome guide!) and seeing the grounds of the Forbidden City again. It brought back many memories of our first adoption trip 5 years ago. We then stopped for tea and learned about many teas in China and how they are served. We left the Tea House with 3 kinds of tea and a teacup and we do not even drink tea at home...it was that good!
Next, off to the Bird's Nest. 3 years too late but it was neat to see the stadium and buildings that were built just for the 2008 Olympics. Loved watching all the kite flyers, and no we did not buy one...looked like it took some talent to fly them.
Our last stop was the amazing acrobat show...we were wowed!
The boys are crashed and I am off too!

Call Us Tourists

Yummy breakfast today at the hotel. We then headed to a Jade Factory, learned a lot about Jade and China, and of course, shopped some. Then, we climbed the Great Wall. This, was a steep climb! The boys made it pretty far...I gave up and people watched half way up...it was a lot of work! You can see the part of the wall they climbed. Yikes!
All that climbing deserved a cold coke and a delicious lunch on the way to the Summer Palace. Way too much food for 3 people...3 main chicken dishes, rice, soup, nuts, 3 vegetables, and fruit. Of course, we did polish it off! It helps to have a 16 year old boy with us!
We capped off our tour today with a stroll and boat ride at the Summer Palace. Loved the art and detail of the buildings and the beautiful old trees!
Now, heading out to dinner as soon as the 16 year old wakes up!

24 Hours

We Are Here! Praise God for our safe travels! We are off to the Great Wall, a Jade Factory, and the Summer Palace!

WHEN GOD KNOCKS

10 days until we meet our daughter Molly Grace Li. I am in AWE!

Awe of how our lives have changed in the short time since seeing our daughter’s face for the first time. Bill and I are better people, changed people, because of her. She has already been a blessing to us! Growing us in our marriage and faith!

If you had asked me a year and a half ago if we would ever adopt again. The answer would have been “I would love to one day…when Lilian is older, finances are right, vacations have been taken, dreams have been fulfilled. And Bill? He is definitely done and I am fine with that.”

But then spring came…

and Lucy would ask for a sister her age, we would pray to open hearts, if that was where God wanted us.

Then summer came…

and I prayed the same myself.

Then fall came…

and I started hearing about a little girl who knew Jesus on the other side of the world, a little girl who needed a family.

I sent a blog post about this sweet girl to Bill, usually this would have ended with a “Yea, I saw it, she was cute.” But this time? This time?

He said, “So, bottom line, how much would it be?” then left to go jogging. On his return he asked if I wanted to get more information. Did I?? Butterflies swirled in my stomach, I could not believe what I was hearing! Get it? Only God could do this! But then my saner side thought absolutely not, she was in a wheelchair, a special need too BIG for our family!

But…she was now imbedded in both our hearts.

AND THEN GOD STARTED KNOCKING…

In our BSF lecture I hear:

He will call you and communicate in ways that you are able to understand. He will not call you until you are ready to listen.

I was reading Radical by David Platt…enough said!

Our sermon series at church was Reaction… stepping out of your comfort zone when called, take risks for our love of God, it may be a little uncomfortable but are we willing to step out?

During quiet time one day I opened my Bible and this popped out at me:

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your path straight.

It did not make sense that we were drawn to this little girl with a wheelchair. It would be too hard. Our life is easy now. Our kids are more independent.

GOD CONTINUED TO KNOCK LOUD AND CLEAR…

Received an email…Plain as day:

God does not call the equipped, He equips those He calls.

Called a wonderful friend and was talking to her about maybe adopting this little girl and she reminded me of a time when she had first met me in college and I told her I would not mind having a child in a wheelchair, Huh? Really?

I do remember faithfully watching the CP Telethons on tv when I was young.

I do remember always wanting to sit behind a family at church because they had adopted many special needs kids.

I do remember begging my mom to adopt.

I do remember telling Bill when I was pregnant with our first that if God gave us a physically handicapped child I would be fine with it. Huh? Really?

“Karen” was my favorite book and I loved Clara from “Heidi”

Met a friend for lunch to specifically discuss adopting this girl and minutes after we sat down, a man in a wheelchair came through the door and sat at the table next to us.

The words to My Own Little World by Matthew West really sink in…

What if there is a bigger picture

What if I am missing out

What if there’s a greater purpose

I could be living right now

Outside my own little word

We needed an orthopedic doctor and a radiologist to look at paperwork…

friends, check.

Met a pediatric physical therapist in BSF, check.

HMMM? The BSF lecture kept coming back to me:

He will speak to you in ways you can understand but we must be ready to listen.

People, music, now that is my language, He was speaking to me and He had already gotten Bill on board! Bill was right there solving all the problems I threw at him about adopting a child in a wheelchair.

And so we prayed and discussed, prayed and discussed, and prayed and fell more in love with this little girl we had never met.

GOD CONTINUED TO KNOCK AND OPEN DOORS

AND THEN:

On October 26, 2010 we submitted our application to adopt this little girl.

On October 26, 2011 we leave for China to meet our sweet daughter, Molly.

Gotta love God’s Confirmation!!

THE DATES!

Soon this sweetie will be ours!!

We have received our finalized itinerary!
October 31, 2011 is the BIG GOTCHA DAY!
We are simply BEAMING amid the duffle bags, suitcases, the ever growing cesspool of 'things to take' on our bedroom floor, the dwindling list of 'to do's', and numerous trips to the store for that 'one last thing' (thinking that one never dwindles)...

October 26- Leave Dayton for China
October 27-30- Tour Beijing
October 31- Meet Molly in her provincial capital, Nanning
November 1- Adoption paperwork
November 2-3- Visit Guilin, Molly's city
November 4- 8- Guangzhou for medicals, visa, passport, and consulate appointment
November 9- Train to Hong Kong
November 10- Back Home to Ohio

Dance Dance

I feel so old!
Oliver and Noah were off to their Homecoming high school dances Saturday night.
WOW!
I can only imagine what it will be like when the 3 girls are going to their dances!
From what I hear boys are easy in this area despite the:
new blazer
new suit
2 new ties
new shoes
dinner reservations
photo plans
driving plans
wrist corsage...yikes never knew how expensive those are!!!