Take Three

The connection here will only allow me to upload a few photos at a time. And still it's slow going. I have managed to iron almost every outfit I brought for both Lilah and myself while the photo ball spins...soon I have to go to the grocery store for supplies because in a few short hours--3 hours and 8 minutes to be exact, I will be climbing into a van with two other families and heading over to Civil Affairs -- yes, it's Family Day! (I probably won't post these photos until tomorrow, as I want my girls to meet their sister over skype first)

But on with the hotel room...

Where I sit typing up my blog.

And that's it for now...we have a sitting area and an armoire that contains a fridge, but you'll have to take my word for it as the connection is preety bad.

I love you girls--it was great talking to you and seeing you on Skype today:))

I Have Arrived, Take Two

The flight was brutal. And not only because of the menu. 14+ hours cramped into a steamy cabin with 280+ others.

I thought I'd just take a look at it, just to see if I could possibly eat a bite or two--nope. I didn't risk it. So, it was  total of 26 hours with only 2 strawberry nutrgrain bars.

Now, onto the hotel room--my daughters have been waiting for this. They love hotels.

The commode--it has it's own little room and a few other personal (and some might say intrusive) luxuries:)

The bath/shower combo...do you detect a similar pattern or preference here?

The bed, looking in from the bathroom...ah, the plot thickens...

The bath/shower combo, looking in from the bedroom...haven't figured it out yet--I mean why?--but I haven't slept since 6 am Saturday morning.

I Have Arrived

First, a little recap from our celebration the night before I left. We brought an ice cream cake home and it was yummy. Then, the family sang me good-bye in the form of lyrics Maddie and Ava wrote--"Yeah, China. Yeah. Lilah. . ."

The gifts I left for the girls--one to be opened for every day I'm gone.
Having technological difficulties uploading pics...to be continued...

Next Post. . .Guangzhou

Tonight we are having dinner at Islands--celebrating a citizenship award Maddie received from school and also my send off. I am hoping to post daily while in China. I'm going to take lots of photos and I want to journal my first days with my new daughter, Lilah Zhen-Ju.

I won't touch ground in China until very early Monday morning--so still Sunday night here in the states. You can probably expect my first post around then.

This is my third adoption trip to China, but I am expecting a lot of firsts. This is the first time my daughter will come to me as a toddler, complete with a personality and language skills. I am hoping she will be patient with Mama while I fumble through the little Mandarin-Cantonese (a true jabbered mix) I know and pantomime the rest. This is the first time one of my daughters is coming from a foster home and I am praying that God has prepared Lilah's heart for her new family. While my first two were very young infants on Family Day and grieved the changes in their lives through sleep, I expect Lilah will react differently. I am hoping she will let me meet her needs, maybe even accept a little love from Mama while she begins her adjustment to her new life. This is also my first adoption of a child with medical needs. Lilah was born with congenital heart disease and needs surgery. The kind of surgery that is done on a child at the first weeks of life here in the states--Lilah has waited nearly 3 years for this and I am praying that God has kept her heart and lungs strong enough that she can handle the surgery well as soon as we get home (if not, it'll be meds and time and prayer to get her ready). I'm good in a crisis and experienced at advocating for children. Of course, I am so hoping that won't be necessary, that our time in China will be uneventful as far as Lilah's health goes. That our flight home is smooth and swift and that Lilah won't even need the supplemental oxygen -- but it'll be on-hand if she does (one of the last pieces to come together and I am very grateful to my adoption agency and the travel agency I am using who have been tenacious and gracious).

My flower girls. The lights of my life. Soon there will be 3 of you. Sisters. Friends. Lifelong confidants. Your hearts are filled with a beauty and strength that takes my breath away and I am so honored to be your Mommy.

Friday Night

is pretty low-key around here. We ordered a pizza then went outside for a little fresh air and exercise.

 These lovely roses are growing in my garden.

 And I'm not the only one who appreciates them.

This is something I haven't seen in awhile--my big girl jumping rope

 and laughing, and looking and feeling healthy.

She even got Nana to give it a try.

Three days symptom-free.  And she shines. Thank You, Lord. Another prayer answered.

Catching Up

I was field trip Mommy for Ava's class.

 Yep, we went to Sea World.

 I had it pretty easy--a group of well-behaved girls. So we did our girl power pact.

 Then went and saw a show.

 We had a few delays. Above, we were trapped in a small area of the park when the path was closed so an ambulance could pass through. The girls made the best of it:)

 My Mother's Day photo. We went to church and then I took the girls to the pool.

 Nana on Mother's Day.

Ava sporting her new high tops. This picture doesn't do their fanciness justice:)

Trusting

It turns out the adoption process cannot be expedited in China. As of the 15th, a new Chinese passport process goes into effect and cannot be rushed. Therefore, I will be away from my big kids for 11 days.

When I started this process, this was a deal-breaker for me. I have never been away from my kids even one night. I remember talking with God and saying, "I am trusting You--with all of this--but you know I can't go without my girls." (So, hmmmm, yeah--where is the trust in that?)

He has given me peace about boarding that plane alone.

I trust that God knows what He's doing. There's a reason why this journey has been so, well, refining. My faith is stronger, my humility deeper. And I have a testimony I have just started putting to paper. A testimony I hope will inspire others, lift others. And some of the people along the way, I know they've been placed in my life for a reason. They have opened their hearts, answered God's call to the orphan. If I've been used in some way to have made this happen, well, that is indeed humbling.

After all, this life isn't about me.

And yet, God has been so good to me. I am coming to the end of this journey--really, a mini-journey--where I've had to give up even the illusion of control (I really thought I had that) and lay every need at His feet. And every time, God has come through. I've had to ask for help--even 6 months ago I would not have considered doing this. I was full of pride and power--after all, being the one to help others is a very lofty place to be. How could I possibly need the help of others if I'm the one reaching out and giving out? And how could I possibly need others--this has been crucial to my growth. I think I became very good at giving and that God very much wants us to do this--to always be on the look out for those we can lift up--but that we are missing a huge piece of what He wants to give us through others.

It has been a beautiful experience, watching others open their hearts and support this adoption process. Bringing Zhen-Ju home has been a true family effort. The family by my blood and ties, but also families whose names I will never know, who stepped up when I couldn't. Families with like minds and hearts.

In two weeks I will be in China. My daughter will be placed in my arms. And an exciting new adventure will begin.

I have my plane tickets
I have my hotel reservations
My bags are packed
My heart is ready
And I know what it is to trust, completely