God is Good, God is Faithful

 I  have one more request as I close out the blog...for those who pray, please simply write the name Gary on your list.  If you have followed the blog you know who he is...praise God that he has emailed me since our return to the USA and that has allowed for Nicole and I to begin sharing the gospel with him.

Before I completely stopped the blog I wanted to thank everyone one more time for the prayers and encouragement.  God is good and God is faithful.

Our reunion on Friday night was fantastic.  The reaction of the boys, the response of Bo, and the love that was shared will truly go down as one of the great earthly moments of my life.  My spirit was so full and I could not hardly contain the goodness of God...my soul sung "How Great Thou Art."  I have attached a few pictures of Bo and the boys. They both beg to feed her, to hold her, and to play with her. They even follow me when I change her diaper and help throw away the "remains."  Neither boy can totally focus on anything if she is in the room.  When we play games and Bo sits in my lap Gunner comes over to hug on us or to kiss her when he completes his turn.  Jackson stared at Bo tonight while we were watching the AFC Championship game. God is good and God is faithful and can use these events to change so many...

This closes one chapter of this story, but I wait with great anticipation to see this story continue.  I am amazed by how Bo changed Nicole and I (not that Nicole needed much changing) and I see her little life changing Jackson and Gunner as well.  They are learning more about life and God's love through this than through any amount of talking that Nicole and I could have done through their lifetime. As a man, husband, and father this does my soul well.   Thank you God for being faithful and thank you God for being good to us.

Again, if you are considering adoption at all, please allow God to work through you to change lives....

God Takes Care of the Details

Sitting in the Chicago Airport waiting for the last leg of the journey....a 10:15 flight to Nashville.  After traveling since 3:45 yesterday afternoon it is abundantly clear to Nicole and I that your prayers have been answered.  Every step of the way, God has taken care of all the details.  As I look back to the events of the last 28 hours it amazes me how even our smallest needs were met...from the bulkhead seating on the 12 and 1/2 hour flight and the bassinet that was waiting for us in the overhead to the man who allowed me to use his credit card (after I paid him the equivalent in American cash) in China because they would not take an American credit card to the very small acts of kindness the big guy whose son plays football at Iowa offered to us in Shanghai and the little American woman who was traveling home from a mission trip in India who offered encouragement and the man who offered us space in his overhead compartment because we ran out of room in ours.  We have run into more special people during the last 30 hours than I can remember or could write here.  Time and time again, whether by a specific act of an individual or by me stumbling across information that I needed to know but did not, God has made Himself known and it was clear that He was preparing a path for us.

I've been skeptical in the past, but I've been convinced during the last two weeks.....God cares about the details.

Good-Bye to China

I just put Bo down for the night.  It will be her last night of sleep in China, at least for a long time.  I have to tell you that there are some mixed emotions.  China has been a great place and our experience here, while exhausting and frustrating at times, has been fantastic. As I put it more than a week ago, we had the time of our lives. It will be nice to go somewhere and be able to communicate more easily. I definitely have developed a new compassion for those who come to our country and don't know the language. 

In about 35 hours Bo will be a US citizen and in about 40 hours she will meet her brothers and one set of her grandparents.  What a fantastic couple of days we have ahead of us.

I want to thank everyone for the encouraging emails, responses to the blog, and the Google chats.  I don't know how we would have made it without your prayers and communication.  We are very, very happy.  We will see you soon.

To the Lady Cats, compete hard tonight and tomorrow night and two more big wins.  I will be on a plane during your games, but will be praying earnestly and cheering you on.  I will probably say, too many times, "C'mon girls"

To our boys who we have missed a great deal, we'll be home soon. 

Before I shut my computer down for the last time in China (unless I can't sleep tonight) I have one request, please pray us home.

A PS to the Letter

There have been a few questions regarding our arrival on Friday night.  Nicole, Bo, and I are arriving very late after 32 hours of travel. We are planning for my father to be the only person to meet us at the airport. Please let me explain...

We believe it important that our boys be the first to meet Bo. Jackson and Gunner have been waiting anxiously for five years with Nicole and me and these two weeks have been difficult for them as well. We want Friday night to be a time for the boys and Samantha to begin the bonding process.  They are not going to meet us at the airport, so we will be in a hurry to get home so that they can meet her and have some private play time with her.  We thank you for your understanding and your patience.

A Request for Your Understanding

First, Nicole and I want to thank everyone who has helped to make this happen.  Too many to name, but the support prior to our leaving, the comments that have been left on the blog,  the very kind and supportive emails, and, most importantly, the prayers that have been lifted up on our behalf have allowed us to make it this far in the journey can never be repaid.  We are almost done after more than 5 years of preparation and waiting for this time.  It is also special that so many of you want to continue supporting us in this journey once we arrive home. I know many are excited to meet Bo, and Nicole and I cannot wait for her to get to know her family and extended family that has been so supportive.  We particularly want to thank Bo's brothers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, niece, and nephews along with our loving DCA family.  With all that being said, Nicole and I have drafted the following letter.  It is not easy to be patient, but we ask for your help.  This letter has been written with the help of Leigh Ann Harrington of the International Adoption Clinic at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.

Two nights ago an older, distinguished Chinese gentleman entered the hotel elevator with us.  He spoke very good English and appeared to be an important businessman.  In a baritone voice he inquired about Bo's age.  Then he said something which caught me off guard..."It is a very nice thing that you are doing for her.  You are changing her life."  The only response that came out of my mouth was, "Thank you, but she has changed our lives."  With that being said, we simply ask that you are patient with us.  We want every special person in our life to help change the life of Bo forever; but also maybe to have your life changed a little by this wonderful little baby girl....maybe she will even encourage some of you to move forward with adoption!!!!

Dear Family and Friends,

As we set to come home from the very exciting events of the last few weeks, we have been thinking a lot about the people around us and how much our lives are changing.  We are so very blessed by our gracious God to have such loving and involved family and friends. We sincerely appreciate all the support and excitement that you have shown us during this journey.  We are thrilled more than you could know to bring this sweet baby home.  We've read, researched, and asked a lot of other adoptive parents about this process and feel prepared to help our baby become a well-adapted member of our family.

We know that every child is different but we also understand that there are many possible things that have impacted Bo's beliefs and behavior since her little life began last March. These include how much nurturing she received, if there was abuse or neglect (which we do not believe occurred), the amount and quality of food received, illnesses, the quality of care, and Bo's unique temperament and personality. The results of these things can vary and can include a sense of grief from being separated from the only home she has ever known.  We want her to feel attached to her new home (family) as quickly as possible. Adoption, while a wonderful thing, is a traumatic and scary event for any child, whether they are newborn or much older. Even babies will feel grief and sadness at an event like this.  In order to help Bo feel safe and learn that we are her parents, we are creating the type of environment that will help promote security and stability during this stressful time.

Here are some things that we are doing for our child based on our findings. We'll be living a very quiet life with limited trips out of the house and few visitors in for awhile. Experts tell us that when children are first adopted, they may be overwhelmed, scared, and nervous. By keeping our lives boring at first, we'll be helping Bo feel safe. We still want visitors coming to visit with us. We will just have to limit it a little so it is not overwhelming. We certainly want family around us as well, but we cannot pass Bo around for everyone to hold and we have to be mindful of overloading her with new things and people. We respectfully request a quiet return to Nashville on Friday night.  It will be a very long  journey for us. There are also some events that both Nicole and I want to attend, with Bo.  If you see us, we won't mind being greeted.  But please help us keep Bo from feeling overwhelmed.

We know that many are excited to hold, hug, and spoil Bo, but it has been recommended to us by multiple sources that we be the only ones to do that at first.  It improves the chances for a strong attachment to her parents. Until we feel Bo has attached and clearly knows we are her parents, we will need to feed, change, and take care of her. I know this will disappoint some of you, but there will be more chances in the near future.

As strange as it may seem, adopted children who act very outgoing and affectionate with strangers is NOT a healthy thing. It is called "indiscriminate affection" and can mean that an adopted baby has not really attached to anyone. It would not be a good sign that our baby has attached to us if during her first months home she will let just anyone take her and hold her without searching for her mom or dad.

There will be a lot for Bo to take in over the next several days...many hours in an airports/airplanes, a new house, new brothers, a new time zone.  So we do appreciate your understanding as we set out to do what is best for Bo.  We have absolute faith that everything will go well.

Having said that, we believe that God is working a miracle among our three lives right now.  We believe that this is a very natural feeling for the three of us and firmly believe that God will continue to work miracles as she is introduced to her brothers, grandparents, extended family, and new friends. We trust that God has intervened in little Samantha Bo's life and worked to intertwine her spirit with ours and know that He will continue to do the same.  Therefore, we will seek His wisdom and understanding when introducing Bo to new people and situations. We will not follow steadfast rules, rather His lead.

Sincerely,

Bret and Nicole

Two Days, An Adoption Tradition

Missed writing yesterday.  Got back to the hotel and was just ready to sleep.

However, there was a good deal of excitement for me yesterday. After doing a little shopping, buying future presents for Bo and a current present for mommy, we had our appointment with the US Consulate.  Every immigrant must swear an oath but since Bo can't, we had to in her place.  There were 31 other families with adopted boys and girls of all ages who took the oath at the same time.  It was really a joyous event.  We learned that Bo would officially become a citizen when we land in Chicago and make our way through Immigration and Naturalization. At the moment that the agent stamps Bo's passport, she will officially become a United States citizen.  That will be particularly exciting for me.

For dinner we took a river cruise.  I have added a few pictures.  The bridges and buildings were all lit up.  The food was not so good, so I stuck with the reliable noodles and rice.  Some of the food was a little scary...but no eyeballs or heads.  There was also a Chinese magician who was pretty entertaining.  The best part for me was to watch all of the Chinese people on the boat look with curiosity, laugh and talk amongst themselves.  It was a good time, but I was ready to get back to the hotel for rest.

Today was a free day.  Before the families went their ways to enjoy the day we all gathered in the hotel lobby for a traditional picture.  For years adoptive parents have dressed their babies in traditional Chinese dresses or outfits and had a group picture.  I'm not much for picture taking, but this was pretty cute.  I have included some photos of that event.  None of the babies cried and most of them looked at each other. Of course Bo was the bully putting her hands in the face of another baby and grabbing her ear...hopefully she won't be a mean girl. Bo was very pretty in her traditional blue outfit...Nicole thinks she'll frame it and put it in her room.  As I have through most of this trip, I just say OK.

We went back to Shamian Island where I had to buy a large piece of luggage so we can get everything home.  We had heard we could purchase luggage cheaply and it was a plan all along. Another traditional baby outfit, a traditional Chinese game for the family, and a few other items and it was time to go.  Hailing a cab for this trip was much easier than the last time we tried.

Gary update...last time I wrote I told you about Gary and his girlfriend.  He and I spoke again and he told me that he was going to ask her to marry him anyway.  He was set to go across the street to buy her a ring.  I encouraged him and then tried to tell him a story of my life...how I had thought I was going to marry a previous girlfriend but that didn't work out and then I met Nicole and it was even better..you know, kind of like the Garth Brooks song "Unanswered Prayers."  I must have been confusing with my English because he thought that I said that I had a wife and a girlfriend....so I had to redo that and I'm still not sure.  I warned  Nicole that Gary might think I have a girlfriend too.  She laughed and rolled her eyes.  Nicole went to exercise and spoke with Gary as well.  She was all set to pray with him when she had finished, but he got off work and she couldn't find him.  I am always impressed with my wife's spiritual boldness. 

We are off to dinner here in the hotel.  Hopefully an uneventful, plain meal.

Nicole and I will be posting a letter to you all soon.  Please consider carefully and ask if you have any questions.

God, please get us home!

Gary, Flowers, and an Adventure

I introduced Gary the other night.  He is a worker in the Fitness Center here at the hotel. I speak with him every time I work out, but before tonight we have only spoken for a total of 5 minutes.  His English is good and he is very charismatic.  He is 25 and graduated from the University of Guangzhou in 2008 with a degree in Physical Education.  I think this guy would make a great teacher.  After my run tonight I spoke with him again and asked him how he was...he told me not so good and his eyes kind of welled up. He then shared this story...he has a girlfriend for five years and he asked her to marry him last night.  Her mother will not let her daughter marry Gary...not because Gary is a bad guy or because Gary doesn't love her enough.  The reason, Gary does not have a house.  He works hard, makes a living, but is not rich.  He lives 40 minutes (by bus) from the hotel and rents a room there because it is cheaper.  Not only did the mother deny his request, but she also introduced her daughter to another man.  Talk about salt in the wound.  I was moved with the passion that this young man had for his girlfriend and how he would bear his soul to someone he did not know very well.  But it seemed easy to talk with him.  I gave him some of my famous 10 cent advise, that is the value including the Chinese exchange rate, and when I opened my mouth to tell him I would pray for him I caught myself...and said as compassionately as I could, which isn't much for those who know me, that I would be thinking of him a lot....he was so thankful for the talk...he shook my hand twice and followed me out of the room to say thank you again. This is turning into a bit of a struggle for me...but getting Bo and Nicole home is the priority right now!

Someone refresh my memory about teething....a lot of drool, some crankiness (particularly at bed time), runny nose, some runny poo...can I get a diagnosis?

We enjoyed a beautiful day today.  Nicole was feeling better, not great.  It was also a bit adventurous.  We started the morning at 10 and part of the group headed into the subway system to go to the new Guangzhou arena, the Flower Plaza Park, and the largest shopping mall in China.  With Bo attached to me with the little carrying thing, we headed out.  The arena and park were very nice...all built and designed for the Opening and Closing ceremonies for the 2010 Asian Special Olympics.  I have included some pictures (the picture of all the people was a group that came and ooohhed and aaaahhed over the babies after we took a group picture) of the flower park and the arena and huge television tower behind the arena.  It was very neat and peaceful  We enjoyed a sunny day that got to about 60.

Following our walk around the park we went to a very large shopping mall.  There we a lot of stores, very pricey.  We found a department store with some reasonably priced baby clothes and bought a couple of outfits....Jackson and Gunner, I hate to tell you this, but we are bringing more pink home....something we are all going to have to get used to.  The group split up at the mall and we told the guide that we would just get a taxi home from the mall.  How hard could that be..he said that all we had to do was raise our hand? So, we finished shopping a little late and were in a hurry to get back so that we could meet the laundry guy who was coming to our room. We headed outside, walked down the street a bit, and began to start hailing cabs....and they just kept passing by.  Mostly, they were full but a couple passed by and I'm not sure why.  So you can imagine the two crazy Americans with a Chinese baby attached out in the street trying to wave down cabs...and failing every time.  It was like fishing...if we didn't get a cab after a minute or so we'd move to another spot.

After failing 20+ times to hail a cab we decided to head back to the subway station to try our luck there.  I was a bit unsure, but had to play it like I knew exactly what to do for Nicole.  Now, I know she is going to be reading this confession and I will not tell her, rather I will let her read it whenever she checks her email and see how she responds.  Anyway, I walked right up to the machined where you buy the tokens and bravely stated, "That's where we need to go right there.  This should be easy. All we have to do is transfer one time." Honestly, at that point, I had no idea how I was going to know how to get on the train that was going the direction we wanted...I knew we needed the Yellow Line and that we needed to end up at Taojin Station, but at that moment I had a 50-50 shot of choosing the correct direction....in my mind the worst thing that could happen was we would go the wrong way, eventually figure it out, and then head back on the other train. To make matters trickier, the stations was LOADED with people..shoulder to shoulder everywhere we walked.  At times Nicole hung onto my shirt to stay with me but if we slowed down or stopped we'd be swallowed by the crowd. 

We headed down the stairs and I immediately began looking everywhere for clues to which train would be the right one for us...this is where all of those years of my dad telling me to "Pay attention" paid off.  He did a great job of teaching me how to figure things out.  I remember the times we would travel to Chicago and get lost on the El and he would always talk me through how he was finding his way...he did the same when we got lost driving too. Anyway, when we got to the trains I looked, and of course everything is in Chinese, but I figured there had to be some context clues somewhere.  Anyway, I looked above the trains and saw the path the trains were taking and figured which one I needed to make the transfer from the Yellow to the Red.  It was one stop away....when we got out, finding the correct Red Line train was another story...the signs were not just for the Red Line, but there appeared to be an A, B, C, D, and E Red Line as well, or something to that effect because all I saw was Chinese and then the letters,. who knew what they were saying....AAAHHHHH.  So I just kept walking...didn't turn, just followed the  path and figured I would run into a train eventually.  To make a short story long, again, we made it to the station we needed but there were two different exits...and I have to give credit to Nicole for finding the map on the wall and discovering that we needed exit A...and it worked.  So, we weren't lost in China, but it was a bit uneasy for awhile.  Thanks dad for teaching me to pay attention, to think with common sense, and to stay rational and to always show confidence no matter how unsure you might be....it was fun but I gotta tell you I wasn't completely sure that we did the right thing until I saw the hotel. 

Day ended very well with exercise and my favorite Chinese restaurant....Pizza Hut!  The pepperoni pizza tasted so good!  And then Bo puked on me, again...darn teething.

Good night to all (still weird to think it good morning where you are).  Tomorrow we do our work with the American Consulate and at some point we have to swear an oath, not sure what that is all about...anyway, an important day but one I think we can get through OK.  In between we do some shopping at a Jade and Pearl market and we might eat dinner on a riverboat cruise tomorrow night, if we feel up to it.

God, thank you for restoring Nicole's health and for keeping me healthy.  Help Bo to get rid of her little aches and pains quickly.  Be with the people of China and I pray that there will be salvation brought to the great people of this country. Work in a mighty way in and around these people, and their government.  Get us home. Comfort our friends who hurt and our boys who miss their parents.

An Old Hymn, A New Song

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

Did you sing along or read along.  I've been humming and whistling that song all day. I don't know if you are this way, but today it felt like my soul was singing. It has a newness to me.... Enjoy your Sunday.

Something that I have missed about being a daddy of a little one:  Hearing DADADADADADADADA over and over.  Very sweet sound.

Something that I have not missed about being a daddy of a little one:  Cleaning up throw up out of the crib. (She's not sick, she got really upset about being put down for bed, or maybe some food did not agree with her, but I think it might be from the teething that is going on....)

Something that I have missed about being a daddy of a little one:  Two little hands stretching out towards my face and grabbing my nose or rubbing my cheeks.

Something that I have not missed about being a daddy of a little one:  Cleaning up explosive poopy that is so bad it requires a trip straight to the bath.

I could go on...but not so much with the things that I have not missed.  This little one has reminded me of the great joy that babies bring.  It's been an interesting 24 hours.  Still not feeling completely right, but we might stay in again tomorrow to make sure that everyone is well.  Important appointment on Tuesday at the American Consulate.

A very uneventful day today because we stayed in the room most of the day. I had my first experience in a Chinese pharmacy picking up some kind of cold medicine for Nicole.  Our guide went with us because I would have been completely lost.  He asked the pharmacist what she recommended and I bought some Chinese version of cold medicine...for about $1.30...not sure why so cheap, but it seemed to work.

Some interesting things, to me...

This evening I went to get Nicole a Subway sandwich.  It's about a 5 minute walk from the hotel and on my way, keep in mind it was still light outside and there were several people walking the sidewalk, I was approached by what appeared to be the Chinese version of Cheech or Chong...he said something that didn't register right away so I looked at him and then I realized that he said, "Want some hashish?" in a raspy kind of voice.  I said no and then behind me I could here him say "It's good stuff."  I just threw my hand up.  I'm not sure the laws of China, but I can't imagine the strict government would encourage the sale of hash.

When you go to a store to buy things you have to pay for a bag if you want one...grocery stores, Wal-Marts, 7-Eleven...it costs 30 Chinese cents which is about a nickel.

There is no such thing as pedestrian as the right of way...cars will not stop.  There are many intersections that have no road signs....I have yet to see a stop sign so everything is yield and if a car is ahead of another car, it pulls out, no matter how close...

Because of that, at intersections with a stop light, at least in the city we are currently in, all four roads have a red light when it is time for pedestrians to pass.  So, when the lights go red and the pedestrian walk sign comes on, for a little more than 20 seconds, the intersection turns into a three-ring circus.  It's actually kind of fun because you can just kind of turn circles in the middle of the intersection while the cars just sit there...not that I have done that.

There is a mall across the street with a lot of American products...a Nike store, North Face store, Addidas, etc...and I noticed that the prices were about a 50% premium to prices in American store.  So, American products seem to be very expensive and are certainly a status symbol. Another funny thing, they consider American made cars to be a status symbol as well...but there are much better, cheaper choices. There are some exceptions.  For instance, I can go to the 7-Eleven and buy a bottle of Gatorade for about 60 American cents (4 Yuan) or a bottle of Coke for about 55 American cents. 

The people here are fascinating to me.  So many will go out of their way to help.  Some seem very intimidated by me, particularly the younger ones who work at Subway, or at the hotel or wherever...so I try to joke with them a little bit to lighten them up...of course, they never get it.  There are these young guys who work at the fitness center at the hotel, which is a very nice fitness center- high class, and they all choose an American name (or someone does for them).  I look at their name tag and see a Chinese name and then I ask them their name and one is Gary and the other was Jackie.  Most all of the employees at the hotel, and our guides, work with an American name.  These guys in the fitness center would wipe the sweat from my face as I run...very awkward for me.  But when I walk in they come running up...get towels, offer to get water.  Gary saw me get on the treadmill with my iPod in my ears and a book I was reading (a Singer novel) and he came to me and said, "I think that is dangerous."  When I told him that I do it all the time he then said, "Ahh, I think you are Superman."  A good sense of humor.  I told another worker at the Fitness Center that I was American and he was immediately intrigued.  He asked me where I was from and I told him Nashville, TN.  He didn't know what I was talking about so of course the next two words that came out of my mouth were "Country Music."  He looked puzzled for a second and then said..."Oh, Taylor Swift."  I ran into him again today and told him that I was leaving in four days and he said that he would miss me being around.

That takes me back to the curiosity about America and Americans...they hang on every word when you talk about America and they want to speak English badly.  All children who go to school start studying English in elementary school.  But they do not learn how to speak it, just paper tests.  If you do well enough on the paper tests than maybe they will be allowed to study English at the university where they can move into some pretty good career interpreting.  So these kids take all these years of English and can say "Good morning."  "Hello."  "Good afternoon."  I think if I told these people that I was going to start an English class in my hotel room that there wouldn't be enough room for all who showed up. I don't mean that arrogantly, I just say there is that kind of thirst from what seems like many, particularly the younger crowd who would like to leave China...which leads me to this thought, they are so receptive and hang on every word...I think they'd be very open to the Gospel...before we left for China, and because my place of employment is Donelson Christian Academy, I had to sign a form promising that I would not proselytize while I was in China..very odd to do.

Most of what I am writing is as much for me as it is for anyone else.  This has turned into an easy way for me to journal about our experiences.  If you get a kick out of them, great but please do not think that I am intentionally disrespecting or being politically incorrect.  This is not edited, I sit down and start typing what has happened along the way...

No pictures tonight, but Bo does this cute clicking with her tongue that I am determined to get video of to post here. I think that many of the women click at the babies to calm them down.  In the states we shh in their ears...but don't do that here.  When they (and this might just be the orphanage, but I think it might be a broader cultural thing) shh in China they are training babies to go poop.  I didn't believe it, but Bo has done it a couple times and once I forgot and did it and the poor kid starting pushing without any success..so, if anyone plans to babysit Bo at all and she gets fussy and you shh in her ear, be ready for a surprise.

God, simply and repetitively, meet us at our point of need and get us home.  Continue the bonding process and get us all healthy. You promise that you are working right now to bring about good in every future event, help us to trust even when it might not be good by our definition.

Good Beginnings, Rough Endings

The day started early and pretty anxiously for me this morning.   I woke up well before I wanted to worrying about something I had no control over...and it was happening half way around the globe in Nashville, or more specifically Antioch.  By the way, the city we are staying in is really a great place.  It's a bit like New York City with huge buildings everywhere, shopping, good restaurants..like I said yesterday, very international.

This has been a fantastic trip but there are a couple negatives.  First, and most of all, Nicole and I miss the boys a bunch!  They are sweet to send videos saying hello to their baby sister.  Today I got a video of Jackson and it was him reading a book for Bo...and what did he choose but my favorite to read to the boys when they were little....Oh The Places You'll Go. I am so very proud of them both for being such troopers through this.  Second, it was extremely difficult leaving one aspect of my job, coach of the DCA Lady Wildcats.  To this point in my life, it is what I have been most passionate about professionally.  Don't get me wrong, I like my job...but this one part of my job has always been special. 

During my weeks in China I will miss seven games and too many practices to count.  Yesterday at 6:00 Antioch time, 8:00 am China time, the  girls and coaches traveled to Ezell-Harding for a very important region basketball game.  I was very anxious to say the least, just ask Nicole and Bo.  At 8:00 am we were preparing to go to breakfast, in fact, Nicole and Bo had already left.  I dropped to my knees and asked God to be with the girls in a powerful way.  I got said a very selfish prayer, because I wanted them to be victorious.  I asked God to honor and bless what Nicole and I are doing by giving the girls a competitive spirit and a strong will to win.  It was a bit of an emotional couple of minutes.  I knew it wouldn't be easy, but it was harder than I thought, knowing that the kids were playing a game, actually their second since I have left, and that I would have no say, no control, no way to "encourage" (you can take that in a number of directions).

So I get down to breakfast and I knew that I would be getting text updates from my father and I had a feeling our A.T., Clint, would be keeping me up on the game status as well.  By 8:23 am I had received no info, and Nicole can testify to this, so I set my phone out on the table and yelled at it.  Just as I was "encouraging" my father to get the info to me the text popped up and I heard the first news, not so good at the end of the first quarter.  Anyway, to make a short story long...I don't know how many times I checked my phone and said "C'mon girls" 

This is the part of the story where Bo comes into play.  The game ended when we went upstairs after breakfast.  I was sitting at the desk by the computer when I got the text that informed me of our 62-52 victory.  I screamed "Yes."  Bo was sitting just to the left of me and when she heard me scream her head swung around, she looked at me, smiled, and threw her hands in the air. Already a Lady Wildcat!

So most of the day was spent on this great island kind of in the middle of the city.  It's called Shamian Island and it is bordered by a river and a canal.  It is a very small island and it reminded Nicole and I of an old town in North or South Carolina...very colonial.  It is where Bo got her picture taken for her visa and received her medical exam.  It took a little more than an hour to complete the events...which by the way Bo came in at 70 cm (27 inches) and 8.2 kg (18+ pounds)...the medical exam was assembly line, not very sterile and I'm not sure that the medical personnel knew what they were really talking about...not by American standards anyway.  But she passed and her health will not keep us from getting her home.

Nicole and I then went shopping.  We bought her some traditional Chinese dresses and outfits.  Jackson and Gunner, look out....there is some pink headed to our house.  But I guarantee you this boys, you will like the pink with Bo inside of it.  We put a couple of the outfits on her and I have added a picture or two from that adventure. They might appear sideways because I don't know how to rotate them before I put them on....just tilt your heads...and on the way home we stopped by a grocery store for baby formula, diapers, wipes, and bottled water...oh, and Gatorade...and Coke Zero...and Lay's Potato Chips....and Snickers....and some Peanut M & Ms...went a little overboard and I really did want those snacks which will certainly gone before we go, but I was also buying a little taste of America.  Not too often that I can buy Peanut M & Ms at the same store where I can pick up some eel or squid....

The day ended with Nicole completing a ton of American paperwork with the group and then a nice dinner at a local Thai restaurant.  A nice end to the day.....however...Bo got home and threw up twice...as a result of overfeeding or it may have been the mango at the restaurant..and Nicole is getting sick...not stomach but a sore throat.  So, let's hope nothing serious.  We were supposed to do some touring of the city tomorrow, but I think that Nicole, Bo, and I will stay in and rest and bond and maybe watch a little of the playoffs that will actually on in the morning here on Sunday and Monday (Saturday afternoon and Sunday afternoon in the states)

God, I have to pause and thank you.  I know it's just a game, but I have to believe that in some way, you were with the girls on Friday night providing them with some measure to empower them to victory.  Thank you for honoring my request and continue to bless them and the coaches. 

God, please be with Nicole.  I need my partner to be well.  There is much to do and her sweet spirit has a strong attachment to Bo....help her through this and give her a great night's rest..please help her to feel well and refreshed in the morning.  Bo and I need her well.  If she is not well, meet us where we need you, please. I could use a good night's rest as well.

God, we are in the home stretch.  Get the three of us across the finish line....and back to our entire family. I pray there are no glitches or problems from here on out.

God, also there are some friends at home in a good deal of pain. When they read this, they will know who they are...encourage them.

Not Much to Tell...

Bo successfully completed her first airplane flight.  Man, was I glad to get out of that last town.  Dirty.  And she was an absolute trooper on the plane.  No issues at all.  Nicole and I are sore from lugging her and all our luggage around, but a good sore....of accomplishment.

We are now in Guangzhou, some might know it as Canton. This city is much more commercial.  It is close to two major financial centers in China, Hong Kong and Macau.  In fact, the Canton, Macau, Hong Kong triangle holds 1% of China's population yet 65% of the country's banking occurs here.  A very international city.  In one evening, I have heard many languages being spoken and I have seen multiple ethnic groups.  Bright lights everywhere and lots of shopping and restaurants.

The hotel we are staying in is way too nice for me, but this feels a little more like a vacation. Fancy shops and restaurants...all places that I have no idea how to act in...sounds like a fun time to me.

Tomorrow's agenda includes a medical exam for Bo, some shopping, and then filling out paperwork for the visa that we have to get for her so that she can travel back to the United States with us. We travel so some small island, I think it is called Shiamin or something close to that.

Not much to say today.  Probably much more tomorrow.  I have to thank God for getting us to another destination safely and for God's work in strengthening the bond between Nicole, Bo, and me.

Ate dinner at Subway...that was refreshing....now going to satisfy the little boy in me with some peanut m & ms.

I miss my boys and I wish my girls, who play Ezell-Harding tonight (Friday), victory!

Last, I have to brag on my wife.  Simply put, she is an absolute winner.  There is no one with whom I'd rather be on this journey with.  God, thank you for blinding her more than 14 years ago so she'd agree to marry me!

The People

I have to start with a story of something that just happened. Every night when I come to the lobby lounge to write the same girl waits on me. I have ordered desserts, soft drinks, odd Chinese tea, and water. She always is so gracious and happy to see me.  She speaks English well and is very proud, but wants to learn more so she can get better.  She is studying in the University to be a travel agent, but she wants to do that in a foreign country.  So she says, "Excruse me, I want to ask you a question. If I want to learn better to speak Engrish how can I do that?"  I don't write it that way to make fun of her, but to give you an understanding of how it went.  It was like I was some great philosopher and she was hanging on my every word....and I really didn't have any advice for her other than to practice.  I wanted to say "I will teach you."  But can't happen in the next 16 hours....she was so thankful for me taking the time to speak with her.

I don't know if I have mentioned this, but the people here are so endearing.  All so kind and willing to help. And so curious when they see us walking around.  There are some who aren't so endearing like the young guy who tried to mess with my wife, the foreigner, when we were walking through a store this evening....he didn't see me with her at first, he got the death stare and backed down.  And, as we walked away, two or three more stares to make sure he knew to stay where he was. I'm sure he could have broken me in two with his kung fu grip, but I get off the point.

Being that Nanchang is a "smaller" city of 4 million, there are few Americans around.  When Nicole and I walked to a restaurant and back this evening we saw only Chinese people.  It was at least a 10 minute walk, one way. There are very few that we see in our hotel also. So, needless to say, we are way in the minority.  The only person that I have seen who came close to my height was the manager at the KFC.  So, I also stick out like a sore thumb. Having said that, they don't make you feel uncomfortable or out of place. I watched carefully as we walked around this afternoon, but no one seemed the least bit threatening towards us.

My favorite here is Mary, a small lady who is our adoption coordinator in this city and our local guide.  For the DCA people, she is like Mrs. Moss in hyper-drive...100 miles an hour all the time and always wanting to help and she absolutely, without fail, gets the job done....and does so with a great deal of grace.  I love it when she starts talking Chinese to people when we want or need something.  If there is something that we want or need, it's done before we finish ours sentence.  She takes a great deal of pride in the job that she does, but also has a sincerity of heart that sends the message that she really does want to help.  She has two children, one an 18 year old son who is on Winter Break from the University.  I asked if she was glad he is home and she said, "No, he only sleep and play computer games and when he is home I have to cook breakfast 3 times.  I want him to go back."

That reminds me of something else.  The school day in China is very odd.  Elementary students go to school from 8-3:40....with a TWO HOUR break for lunch....12-2.  Upper school students go from 8-5:30 and get the same break.  When we told Mary that students at our school had 25 minutes for lunch she said "How they eat?"  Mary is also very mothering.  When we take the babies out and she doesn't think we have enough clothes on them because it is cold or something like that, she says "I think maybe you should...." She doesn't know it, but she has been an absolute gift from God in this process.  We have worried about NOTHING.  She has taken us everywhere we need to go,and want to go, and has organized the whole process.  Yesterday evening at about 7:00 she shows up in our room with all the copies of our important paperwork here and tomorrow she will show up with the passports for our babies. A great example of someone who loves her job and takes a great deal of pride in doing it well.

Today, we got a nice taste of the city culture.  Nanchang is known as the Porcelain capital of China...some say the world. So we went to a porcelain shop.  I know I run the risk of completely losing my man card when I say this, but we bought this really cute porcelain tea set for Bo's room.  I envisioned myself playing dress up and drinking tea some day...oh my.  She helped us negotiate our prices with the owner of the store and did so very well.

The next experience was great.  We went to the People's Park.  It reminded me of like a Central Park.  A very large green area in the middle of the city.  This place had it all; scenery, fishing, gym sets for the kids, (these two Chinese dudes just walked up to the table I am sitting at, laughed, and took two of the chairs sitting at my table, so many odd things), a place where people gathered to play MahJong, a small theme park...it was really neat.  Best part was watching all the people.  There was one guy standing in the middle of the park doing this Karate Kid dance thing and this lady that walked next to us, pointed at her mouth without any upper teeth, laughed, and started saying things I didn't understand so I started talking to her about the movie "Hoosiers."  I had no idea what she was saying and she had no idea who Jimmy Chitwood was, so we were at an impasse and she just left.  Dozens of people came up and looked at our babies.  They went on and on and we did not understand much at all.  Our guide spoke with many of them and we asked what they were saying.  One man was troubled because he thought that Bo did not have enough clothes for such a cold day.  But most told Mary that they thought the girls were lucky to be adopted by us....I know I have said this before, but we are the ones who are lucky to have a God that would bless us so!  I am posting pictures of some of what we saw at the park. (and a few pictures of Bo!) O yeah, and at the entrance to the park was a sugar cane stand...not a hot dog stand, but a sugar cane stand.  There was a woman who was chopping the cane and peeling the outer layer and selling it for people to chew on.  A pic should be included.

There was another little boy with split-bottom pants on.  He was probably close to two, maybe a little older.  When he walked or ran, you could see his little rear end.  Mary saw our reaction and she said, "All babies in China have these pants."  It's how they potty train. 

I had a great time today watching people...getting a little taste of how others live and relax.  In the end, we are all the same...longing for relationship.  Whether you are in Nanchang playing MahJong with your friends or in Nashville heading to a football game with friends, it's more about who you are with than what you are doing.  The people of China feel comfortable, at peace when they are with others, enjoying relationship just like we do....and that's because just like us, that is exactly what they have been created to do; to live in relationship with others. But, like us, many times we miss the end purpose of all relationship.

Tomorrow we leave Nanchang and arrive in another very large city...Guangzhou.  First plane trip for Bo, should be interesting.  But everything to this point has been easy, we are ready for something that might be difficult.  Good thing, it is a short flight!

God, thank you for our friends and family...thank you for new friends and allow us to boldly share the story of your work in our lives.  I'm not even exactly sure what to pray, but I pray for the Chinese people.  So many of them...

Two Things That I Have Never Seen Before...

I've sit down in this hotel lobby each night and  morning I have been here and I am being driven crazy by the Chinese version of "I Wanna Know What Love Is"....over....and over....and over.  It's like Chinese Water Torture!

Before I get to a couple of the strange occurrences of the day, I love how God gives us very simple things that we can enjoy.  Our hearts don't always need major events to get filled with joy.  One such small event involves Bo....duh!

When she is sitting up and playing, she looks straight down at her toys.  She bangs the cups together, grabs the colorful triangles or circles...the typical kinds of things.  And, for the most part, I sit behind her or in front of her while she plays.  Every once in awhile she'll stop, look up or behind her to make sure I am still there, reach out her hand towards my face until I kiss her hand, and then she goes right back to playing.  It is such a good sign for her to be comforted by our presence....or maybe she is becoming a Diva...either way, right now, I like it.  I miss my family back home a great deal (we do love and miss you boys and can't wait to get home to unite our entire family!), but I have a great peace and contentment.  God is so faithful in meeting and surpassing our every need....overflowing and abundant joy. It was another very happy day.  And though we are tired, nothing but happiness reigns over our days here....except for when we long to be back home with everyone.

The day started uneventfully and ended uneventfully.  Another fantastic breakfast with Bo (a favorite time for me with her), I got to listen to some of the Preds game, and then off for a visit to the Teng Wang Pavilion for a short show and looking around.  I did have another politically incorrect moment.  When we all shuffled into the bus/van and sat down the door to the van was still open, I looked and ask "Anyone up for a Chinese fire drill?"  Maybe not the best thing ever...which reminds me of a middle school story.  I once got run over by a van while attempting a Chinese fire drill.  I did not break anything, but it did run over my lower legs and I had perfect tire tread bruise marks on my legs...I was the coolest kid in school for the first and only time in my life.

Back to today.  I have attached a few pictures.  We went to a really neat pavilion that sits along the river.  Only really exciting thing happened on the way, get to that in a second.  But it was beautiful.  We got to see a Chinese show with one of those dancing girls that has the fan thing, a song that was half opera/half the old lady that everyone has at their church that sings just a little too loudly, and then a really beautiful song by a band playing a bunch of old, traditional Chinese instruments.  We toured the pavilion, made some fun purchases for Bo, and headed for a traditional Chinese lunch before heading back to the hotel.  I exercised and relaxed.  We got our laundry back and it was amazing.  They had tagged everything we had with our room number, folded it nicely and put it into bags, and placed it all together.  I was worried, but they did do a really good job.  We didn't really eat dinner tonight.  We mainly played with Bo, played with Bo, gave Bo a bath (which is getting a little better), and then she headed to bed and I headed down to write, read, and drink some funny, but good, tasting Chinese tea.

OK, to the two weird events of the day.

First, actually the second event but I will tell it first.  After I finished running I noticed a body guard looking guy standing in the doorway of the men's locker room. I wasn't sure, but I thought he was standing their to protect someone so I wasn't sure if I should go in.  I filled my water bottle up and headed into the locker room to put my workout towel up (which by the way for those of you who read yesterday's know that was a language barrier thing for me to this point but I went up and said the word to the guy...maotin (guess at spelling) and he went right to the girl who went into the female locker room and brought me a towel). So anyway, I am in this locker room, I go to wash my hands and there are two men in front of the sinks...no big deal, right?  Until I paid attention.  The tough looking body guard guy was drying and combing the hair of an older guy.  It caught me off guard, I stared, I froze and couldn't stop staring, then I was embarrassed when they both gave me a dirty look.  But it was weird to see a fully dressed body guard dry and comb the hair of a perfectly healthy man standing in his underwear.  Sorry if that offends.

Second, and the first thing that happened that was strange.  I saw split-bottom pants in action today.  For those of you who do not know, the Chinese work very hard at potty-training their kids at a young age. They use different tactics and one is the use of split-bottom pants.  These pants are exactly as they sound, there is no bottom in them.  There is a big gap so the kid can go to the bathroom.  No big deal, right.  EXCEPT THAT THEY GO WHEREVER AND WHENEVER THEY NEED TO!  They squat on the sidewalk, or wherever.  As we were driving to the pavilion we saw to older women take to little ones to some flowers, open up the split-bottoms, hold them over the flowers, and allow them to do their business.  Of course I videotaped it and it is solely up to a good friends as to whether he puts it on the blog tonight.  I don't want to violate some international law by showing little kids going t-t or making stinky.  If he puts it in, enjoy.  While Nicole and I were at Wal-Mart the other day we saw a young couple with a little boy and they were right in the aisle of the Wal-Mart training him to take a piece of plastic, squat down over the plastic, pretend to go, and then pretend to carry the soiled plastic away...they were so proud of him.  I just stared, and got embarrassed again.

Prayers...

God, I have spent some much time concerned about what is going on here.  I have very good friends half a world away who are going through some very tough times within their families.  God, you know who they are and what they need, please meet them where they are and carry them the rest of the way. You are faithful and you can provide a peace that passes understanding, we claim that promise for our friends who love you and suffer.

Anyone who reads this, please pause and pray for someone you know who is in need of God's love, peace, and/or wisdom.

Bless you all.  One more day in Nanchang than we are off for a week in Guangzhou where we take care of all the details of allowing Bo to travel to the US and be a citizen. Talk to you all soon.

Better Than a Dream! (By Nicole)

(especially since the only dreams I had before we left was that recurring nightmare about forgetting our passports).   But if I HAD dreamed about a most amazing little girl and a smooth meeting and a perfect first few days...this would still be WAY better!

Hi, everyone.  Bret's running and I'm trying to stop staring at this beautiful little angel long enough to say just a few words.  First, thank you all for the prayers and support and encouragement.  God has carried us every day – through huge prayers being answered and also in small details that show His very intimate love for us.  It's amazing how He loves us – Bret and I have both spilled a few tears in pure wonder at the blessings He has granted.... well, Bret shed a few... I shed a few more.  (big surprise, I know.)

Ok – I have to take a break to film the cute chattiness that comes right before nap time.  I told you it's hard to stop staring at her for long. I'll be back...

I love getting to know our sweet Samantha Bo.  I love that we can see trends already and that we are learning her habits.  For example, when she is about to fall asleep, she gets really talkative – I would even call some of it singing.  Then her song gets a tone of irritation (I can't call this sweet thing whiney). Next, she rubs both eyes with both hands and it's time to lay her down in the crib.  Within 2 minutes, she's OUT.  Blessings! (thank you orphanage aunties for the routine that makes life simple)

Today, she is sitting up even better, playing independently (loves the stacking cups, but her favorite is the empty water bottle – go figure!)  She also got her first teeth brushing and nail clipping... loved the brushing; slept through the clipping.

We went to a beautiful pavilion that I'm sure Bret will tell you about.  We watched a show – music and dancing – but to be honest, nothing held my attention for long because the view in my lap was much better.  I am just a little bit in love!

The most surprising and wonderful thing is how easy this has been.  From the moment the auntie handed her to me.... I should tell you that it was supposed to be Bret holding her first... He won the paper, rocks, scissors on the elevator ride down to meet her.  But when the elevator doors opened and I heard crying around the corner... I bolted without thinking... true protective-mother instincts kicking in with full force... too bad for Bret.  (I would say that I'm sorry... but I'm not).  Anyway, when they handed her to me (well, when I snatched her right out of the poor lady's hands) - even though she was very upset, crying, hot in all of those clothes, hungry, mad, scared – it felt natural.  It felt right and wonderful and perfect.  You never know what to expect – after hearing countless stories of the smooth and the not-so-smooth first encounters.  But we couldn't ask for better.  God has answered our prayers in every way!  No anxiousness, no tension, no worries. Just a wonderful time with a very fun little sweetheart who has lots of personality and a million smiles and giggles.   I think Bret posted pictures from our first real playtime – my favorite smile is the crooked one where one eye closes more than the other.  From that, she usually goes into full blown, eyes disappearing, wide mouth, Cheshire cat (with less teeth) grin. 

She's waking up and I want to grab her – Bret just called me a crack addict.  Nice.  But he's right.  I'm addicted to my little morning sunshine.  Keep praying... God keeps answering.  Love to all!

 

To Whoever "Me" Is...

You posted a comment that you have friends in Nanchang right now...who are they?  Most all adoptive parents stay in the same hotel.  As for Facebook, you have to purchase a VPN to get to that and other unapproved sites in China.  We have tried and are blocked from using. Instead of posting a comment on the blog, please email me at bschierling@dcawildcats.org. Thanks.

A Day of Rest....and Milestones

Today we had nothing official to do.  I was worried that it would get boring being in a hotel all day.  I thought about walking around town some, but decided to stay in, watch the national championship (which started at 9:30 am local time and was in Chinese...it was funny to watch the Americans talk but Chinese come out, kind of like a reverse Godzilla movie.)

As if it were not so already, this day that Nicole and I have had to spend with just Bo has led to highway robbery....she has completely stolen our hearts.  We are so giddy around her and we want to photograph every move.  I feel so silly, but I can't stop being silly with her.  Jackson and Gunner are going to see me with her and ask "Where did our dad go?"  Boys, I'm sorry, but I am stupid in love with this little girl and, well, she gets anything she wants:)  Just kidding fellas, but I think you will know what I am talking about when you meet her and get to play with her. She will make you act silly too, even you Gunner!  I don't know how I can continue to be the Dean of Men, I'll just stare at the boys who are in trouble and say "OK".  And she sleeps the entire night.  Like 9:00-6:30.  We are going to have to find a quick way to get her adjusted to the different time.

Milestone #1- When Nicole left the bedroom and walked into the bathroom this morning Bo cried.  It is a very good sign for her to have separation anxiety, it means she is bonding.  Only problem this morning was that Nicole left and I was still in the room...so much for daddy.  But it is only natural for her to bond first with Nicole....she was born to be a mother and I amsure that Bo feels that in a strong way!

Milestone #2- At breakfast we were working more with her using her hands.  She really liked the toast with Strawberry Jam.  I started to feed her and then when I would put the toast close to her and her little mouth opened like a baby bird we would take her hand and help her get it to her mouth.  By the end of breakfast she was eating food off the high chair.  The young ladies who work at the restaurant are also smitten by her and make eyes at her every time she walks by.

While I am on breakfast, I had a run in with the Soup Nazi of Seinfeld fame.  The other night we were at dinner here at the hotel and a friend was ordering steak.  He had the choice of sauces to go with the steak and after the woman ran through the list he said he wanted the white wine sauce and she responded..."WHITE WINE SAUCE< WE NO HAVE WHITE WINE SAUCE...I SAY RED WINE!"  She scared us all...every time I asked for something I was very polite, worried that the Chinese Soup Nazi would yell at me.
This morning when we left for breakfast Bo was fussy so I went ahead of Nicole.  When we got downstairs and were greeted you get to choose your table but they are ready to get your table ready right when you sit down.  It's high class service that I am not used to...so I am walking around the restaurant with Bo, keeping her calm before we eat and I notice the hostess is following me around, waiting for me to choose a table.  At first, I was not doing it intentionally but I found it kind of funny that this girl was following me, waiting for me to choose a table.  So, I started to weave around tables and go circles....until I ran into the Soup Nazi.  She looked at me and said," WHERE YOU WANT TO SIT?" and I immediately sat down at the closest table.

The people here are so friendly.  They want to take care of everything and I think that they really want to impress Americans, particularly the people who work at the hotel.  Not nearly as many here in Nanchang can speak English, so communicating can be kind of rough.  Last night I was blogging and when I finished I got out of my seat here in the lounge and almost ran into the girl who had been my server.  I said "Excuse me" and she looked back at me, with a confused look, and said "Echuse Me?"  Simple things like ordering a Ginger Ale for Nicole and getting a towel at the fitness center have been hard to communicate.  When I want to get a towel I have to pretend that I am running and that I need to wipe my face.  Yesterday I accidentally followed one of the workers into the female dressing room thinking I was supposed to follow her to get a towel...almost started World War III.  But the good thing is that most of the time they smile, or maybe laugh a little, and say "Sorry" if you can't get your point across.  I found out today that towel is pronounced kind of like mountain in Chinese, so I think I will avoid any more embarrassing mistakes at the fitness center, maybe.  It's hard when I am not politically correct to being with...the other day a woman at the hotel was trying to figure out how to pronounce our last name and she was sounding it out and I said, "No, it's pronounced Chang."  Poor humor.

Milestone #3- She sat up on the bed quite a bit on her own.  We had to sit her, but she was able to maintain her balance well and reach for toys in front of her to play with.  And like every child when the toys are in front of her and there is an empty water bottle nearby she went for.....the empty water bottle. (I just opened a can of ginger ale here in the lounge and it's got a tab from the 1970s, you remember the ones that actually pulled all the way off; haven't seen that in a long time) She did a great job, her reach is rather limited and she falls sometimes and can do nothing about it.

Milestone #4- This isn't a complete milestone, but I am betting she has it down tomorrow...she is almost able to hold the bottle by herself.  There should be some pictures added that show her trying to get her bottle of Strawberry-Guava juice to her mouth. And, yes, they are cute.

A little concerned about my clothes.  All the families needed laundry done...our adoption coordinator brought a local woman in who gathered the clothes we needed cleaned and took them for the night...just not sure what to expect...

Great day.  Played a lot with Bo, watched the National Championship, took a nap (YES!), exercised, and went out to an authentic Chinese dinner with our entire group.  It was a family buffet style dinner...we probably had more than 10 dishes, tea, and Pepsi all for a grand total of 498 RMB.  It came out to 125 RMB per family, or just about $20 American per family.

Nothing official tomorrow or Thursday, but we are going to do some light sightseeing both days.

Thank you for the comments of encouragement on the blog.  I cannot see the blog in China, but when you post a comment I get an email.  I cannot wait to wake up in the mornings to come downstairs and read your comments to what is happening.  It makes us feel closer to home.

Lastly, let me thank all of you who have been praying, specifically for the bonding process.  It has been better than Nicole and I could have ever dreamed, but just as God has ordained.  Thank you for your petitions to Him on our behalf.

Prayer...

God of all creation, I thank you for creating this little life and ordaining in all your wisdom for her to bless my family.  Thank you for the other families on this journey with us and for their encouragement.  Bless them like you have blessed us with bonding...and God, thank you for the love that is being displayed by our friends and family at home.  Thank you for honoring their prayers for successful bonding and bless them for spending time in prayer for us. Please continue to keep us rested, healthy, and prepare our way.  Amen!