China Day #2

This country is amazing.  Today we climbed the Great Wall, drank tea with a local resident in her humble home, rode in a bicycle rickshaw, drove by one of the world's two 7 star hotels, saw the outside of the 2008 Olympic Park, watched Jade being carved, ate Chinese cuisine and did this all with our animated, expressive and knowledgable guide, Arthur.  Ryan has a wonderful description of the days events on his blog, so please check it out.

I will mention that during the day we quizzed Arthur on Chinese phrases and pronunciation.  It is a very difficult language because of the tonal aspect of words.  For instance, one word said three different ways means three different things!

We also asked how to pronounce Melia Xin Ai's name in Chinese, knowing that when we meet her it will be important to say it correctly.  I spelled it out to Arthur and when I spelled Xin Ai he said, "Oh, that means literally 'heart, love' and we would say it means 'love of my heart."  How prophetic and beautiful (Melia) that the name chosen for her before anything was even known about her heart condition had to do with her our heart and hers.  She truly is the love of my heart and a gift of love from the heart of God to us.

Tomorrow, which is really today now because I had to go to sleep at 7 last night and I just woke up at 3:30 a.m. today, we start the adoption aspect of our trip to China.  We meet with William today to learn more about our trip to the capital of Hebei and Gotcha Day.

Our kids are doing so well.  They are patient, have incredible endurance and are enjoying China with us.  This is a true answer to prayer!

Some pictures from our day...

China Day #1

We have arrived safe and sound!  Praise the Lord!  After our journey across the North Pole and Russia we arrived in Beijing, China.  All the kids traveled beautifully.  I wonder how well Melia will do on the way home. ~smile~

We met my parents in Beijing, slept, ate a huge buffet breakfast, went to the zoo to see Giant Pandas and saw an amazing acrobatics show.

We don't meet Melia for a few more days, but the anticipation is mounting.  We saw many adorable, toddling children at the zoo today and all of us stared with wonder thinking about having a little toddler with us.  We are enjoying learning and experiencing the tastes, sounds and sights of the Chinese culture she was born into while we wait to meet her.  This experience is truly amazing!

My Heart Is Full

I prayed for encouragement from the Lord last night and today He graciously threw open the flood gates.  I received emails, prayer texts, an unexpected meeting with a friend, songs on the radio spoke to me, a meaningful lunch with a dear friend, phone calls and a precious prayer time with our closest friends to bid us farewell.

We are ready to welcome this gift, our beloved daughter, into our family.  In just 5 days I will be holding her, singing to her and loving her as a mommy should.  I can't even quite express with words the joy mixed with anticipation mixed with gratitude for the opportunity to be chosen by God to parent this dear child.

I humbly ask that you pray for this journey over the next two weeks.  Would you please pray God's best for our family?  Would you pray that the Holy Spirit would lead us all in ways that are everlasting for His Name's sake?  Would you pray for peace to reign among us and in us?

Thank you and farewell...my next post will be from China!

Below is what brought smiles to my face today...

First Cardiology Appointment

Yesterday I made Melia's first Cardiology appointment.  Mixed emotions here.  When I called and scheduled the appointment it was one more task that made the reality of her health and our future much more real.  It also means we are super close to having her home with us! I keep reminding myself to take it one day at a time and rejoice in my calling as Melia's mommy.  I keep taking deep breaths and leaning into Jesus for the courage to take on the challenge of heart disease.

It was good

This morning our family started a one year adventure!  We are determined to read through the bible, chronologically, in one year.

To kick off this resolution we went to a church service with many other believers that are taking up the same challenge.  The sermon was of course from Genesis, Chapter 1.

I had many take away messages but one thing that really stuck out to me was how God called His creation good.

How could God, all-knowing, make man in His own image with the foreknowledge that man's disobedience would bring pain, suffering, sin, scarcity and sickness into the world and break His relationship with the created ones that He loved?  How could He call it good?

How could God call this creation good, when he knew that His very own Son would have to die?  How could He call, "good" what he knew would break His heart?

Of course, I have adoption on my brain big time.  So, I began to relate this story of God's good to my own life and circumstances and I understand a little bit better what I think He meant when He created man and said, "this is very good."

Having children, adopted or biological, will bring us some pain.  I have no idea what hurdles and obstacles we will have to cross with Melia's heart, health and attachment, but there is a good chance that at times choosing her to be our daughter will mean some hurt for us.  But, I can still say that this adoption is very good.  

As parents we have a bigger, broader understanding.  I know that giving myself away sacrificially brings deep joy.  I know bringing this little girl into a loving family, with the freedoms provided in the United States and the medical system to help her precious heart is good.

God, must have seen the end in the beginning and in doing so was able to call it all good.  I don't know the future for our family, my life or my childrens' lives, but I know the God that planned it all, counted me, my husband and children worthy of creating and I trust in His definition of forever good.

Knowing how good and wonderful this adoption is, we are waiting just a few more days to travel around the world and embrace the child that God has chosen for us.  It is very good.

Merry Christmas

I am waiting downstairs for my little ones to wake up and scurry down the steps to tear open Christmas presents in brand new pajamas.  The thought of their excitement lifts my heart and gives me joy!

These last couple days I have been wrestling with the reality of peace of earth and joy everlasting.  Jesus came to the earth to bring us these gifts but we are only able to receive them through his death, not just his birth.  Life through death.  Hmmm?

Our family finished our advent readings yesterday and each of the kids talked about what brought them peace, joy, love and what they hope for.  And then we ventured into a discussion about how to have joy when we are sad.  You see, one of my dear friends lost her 11 year old boy to cancer this week.  That hurts.  That is painful.  Where is peace, joy, love and hope when we are deeply hurting?

Hallie's answered the question so simply and so completely.  "Well, it's like we are joyful because, like, we can hope about heaven, and like that makes us feel peaceful."

So, I am learning to fix my eyes on Jesus and the hope of heaven this Christmas.  Because, without him coming, living and dying to bring everlasting hope there is too much sadness to bear:  my daughter has lived in an orphanage and a foster home and is apart from me this morning, another friend lost her child this Christmas and yet another is remembering the child lost many Christmases ago.  

But, rejoice through the hurt and tears!  Jesus overcame the world.  There is life through death.  There is hope everlasting and peace on earth, because we can know without a doubt that we are loved and everlasting joy can be ours through Jesus.

For to us a child is born, 

   to us a son is given, 

   and the government will be on his shoulders. 

And he will be called 

   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, 

   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

Isiah 9:6 

Getting Closer

Today was the day we bought five plane tickets to China!  Before we know it we will be holding our beloved daughter in our arms.  It seems surreal and makes my heart skip a beat when I think about her.

All of us were giddy this weekend as we painted pink walls, bought diapers and desitin, washed 24 month old clothing and went back and forth with our travel agency to plan tours and tickets.

The best part is watching my family react to the news that we will be traveling soon.  My dear husband is finally letting his heart get swept away in anticipation.  Having agonized through the long wait of our first adoption, he chose to distance himself from daily thoughts about this adoption to guard his heart from hurt.  Not anymore!  He is planning and preparing how we will video all the special moments and thinking about sharing those videos with our daughter as she grows.

Hallie, my oldest, squeals with delight at the thought of having a sister.  She was just giddy thinking about whether or not her little sister, Melia, would pick the pink or purple bath towel.  

Jacob, wanted to help with everything to prepare her room.  His acts of service are an expression of love and adoration for his new little sister.  He painted, and helped dad with the crib and wanted to put her books on the bookshelf.

Zachary is very verbal in his expression of love.  He talks about how she is, "the best sister ever,"  to which Hallie laughs and gives him a hard time.  He talks all day long about how he will change her diaper.  Hmmm, I think he is all talk but we'll see!

All in all, I am feeling the excitement building in our home as we await our newest family member.  One day, we will tell her all about how much she was loved and adored before we ever met her face to face.  After all, her name, Melia Xin Ai, does mean Beautiful Loved One.  And, she most certainly is our beautiful, loved daughter and sister.