Home and Family

Thursday, December 5, 2013

"THANK YOU" Prayer Warriors!

The time in China is nearing an end.

I will have a few posts close together to share all that is happening!

You may want to check the post after this one- you may have missed it!

What a wild ride it has been!

After losing Jim's sister in July our world felt...

unexplainable.

We still struggle with that loss.

I actually look forward to the time when we can think about her and talk about her without crying.

She would have followed us every step of the way.

If I had missed a day blogging- I would have gotten a text!

She would have sent us cookies.

How blessed we have been to have had her in our lives!

So much has happened this year.

More than we could humanly do...

We gave it all to HIM and just kept moving forward.

HE did it ALL and blessed us along the way!

The blessings have been jaw dropping amazing!

AND

YOU,

yes you,

were there with us,
every step of the way!

THANK YOU!

For your prayers, for your kind and encouraging words!

You have made a difference to us and to our two new little boys!

Excuse me!

Joey... over here!

Good boy!!
You are both under arrest for being "too cute"!
Your sentence will be life in MN with your forever family!

Getting these two precious children home is a milestone for us.
It's a time for us to exhale, regroup and enjoy the many blessing from God!

We are so thankful for your prayers sustaining us while Hubby was in China
and while I have been at home.
We believe it was the right decision for our family.
The children at home are doing very well and life has continued on with Mommy right there for them!
They are all at a good place!
(Today is Emma's last day of school- so that may be hard on her but she seems to be handling everything just fine right now.)
They are excited to meet their two new brothers "in person"!

There is still more to do than we can possibly do... so once again we will give it to God!

Thankfully he wants all our stress, anxiety, to do lists, busy schedules and variety of feelings!

Ben's trying to wink!
So cute!
AND
Why do they do the peace sign?
No reason that I know of!
It's kind of a coming to the USA thing to do and I am guessing the nannies told them too!
Maybe to make them more appealing or to somehow communicate PEACE!

The guys in China are having their last sleep right now!

Tonight Hubby will call be from Beijing-
before they board the long flight to
the
USA!

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Only 3 More days!

My heart is soooo ready for them to come home!

I am completely in love with these two... I mean three boys!

He has been told that he "CANNOT stick out his tongue".

So he is practicing smiling instead!

Good, good, good boy!

They went to the zoo with the group.

The group is HUGE!

Two greyhound busses - that kinda huge!

So many nice families bringing home their treasured children!

God is so good!

So many "firsts" are happening right now in this little boys life!

I love that my boys are in the same shirt!

In the orphanage Joey never wore the same clothes as the other children...

I don't know if you have noticed but he has truly earned the name Joey.

He is a dickens!

Previously, he was Joseph... he's going to have to earn that name back ;-)

Both Jim and Mark are very happy with his progress!

AND

The Momma at home is thankful for his progress!

They tell me that I will get the "new and improved version" of our Joey!

He gives me tons of kisses on Skype while sitting on his Babba's lap!

Hubby and Mark are doing such a great job with our little guys!

And calling them(Hubby and Mark) "hermits" did not go over well!

No siree!

(personally, I think they are getting out more because I called them that...

but we'll just keep that between us!)

They are outdoorsy, active, real men!

I LOVE THIS PIC!

The consulate appt is done and they are . . .

almost

. . . ready to come home!

It is such a joy seeing these two having FUN!

AND being loved!

However, we need to keep our holiday and life in general plans "low key".

It has been a busy and wild ride...

7 years and 13 children, later!

Praising GOD for HIS abundant blessings!

As a family we need to take a deep breath and regroup.

We need to somehow find a rhythm and new normal to our everyday life.

We have no doubt it will happen!

God always does this, in HIS time!

Once they get home we have Dr appts. galore!

There are many questions to be answered.

Ben was born with spina bifida and has not had any recent tests done.

He will most likely begin physical therapy in January.

They have already reserved a spot for him.

Many of our children have therapies of some sort - whether it is speech, OT or PT.

So thankful we have such wonderful therapists to help the children!

Thank you for praying us through this adoption.

We are so grateful!

Your prayers have made a difference!

Mark is ready to come HOME and get back to his real life.

He has asked me to "start his car" and "warm it up" once they land in Detroit . . .

excuse me . . .

we live in Minnesota!

I think you might run out of gas IF I do that!

A car wash and a full tank may have been mentioned, too!

IF I can get around to it... he deserves it!

Only 3 more days!

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Target Practice!

Their latest purchase were two nerf guns!

No pearls, no jade, no chopsticks, no porcelain, no purses. . .

Just nerf guns!

And they had target practice!

I am just thankful they are not shooting them at each other...

and if they were...

I don't want to know!

In the evening they had dinner with our friends!

Cathy and Lee Lee!

Ahhhhh. that would be my son with his tongue out, again...

I think they are sending me these pics to prepare me!

I know I said the other pic like this would
be
the
last
one...
BUT,
I was wrong...
I am hoping this is the last one!

Joey broke a few of the toys they had in the room (his nerf gun and beach ball).

Ben let him know that was not okay!

Ben keeps Joey in line!

I think it is so cute and so funny when they do that!

I remember Ava and Sam going at it like they were an old married couple!

We have had Ben for 2 weeks. He is saying many English words!

Joey has been ours for one week now!

He has improved behavior wise- immensely but there are still many more things we will be working on! He listens to his Babba now and will do what he says.

The four of them are really bonded! Joey is always sitting on Hubby's lap! he is sad when he "gets into trouble", he recovers fast when he is sad and he looks to hubby for approval!
All good signs!
I'm looking forward to meeting our boys in person!

Skyping has been wonderful!

We do it twice everyday- morning and night!

We skyped tonight and took a tour of the house!
They liked their bedroom, the kitchen and the doggies!

Now, they are talking about coming home on a plane to America!
I can't wait to hug and love on these two little boys!
They are definitely going to be wonderful additions to our family!
Praising GOD!!

They are at the Consulate Appointment right now! Yahoooooo!

Monday, December 2, 2013

Meeting Friends in GZ!

Hubby and Mark have been hermits.

They have not been out and about meeting people.

Instead they have focused on the boys and survival.

For me, being social is part of my survival!

I love talking to the other adoptive families!

But,

I am just happy

that "they are happy" and doing well!

Joey is very creative!

He built this machine gun out of the connecting blocks we sent him.

Andrew(Katie's hubby) would be proud of him!
Maybe he will be a future GI Joe!

I am surprised the orphanage didn't keep the blocks.

He is all boy!

I love this picture of our two little guys!

Only 4 more days and they will be home!

WoooooHoooooo!

The children at home have done very well but they miss their Daddy and big brother!

I miss all of them!

I'm trying to stay focused and trying to get things done here at home!

Thank you for your prayers!

Ben's new shoes did not fit him - at all.

I bought him a size 2 thinking they would be big and trying to leave room for his braces.

But he will need at least a size 3!

All of our other children have such tiny feet!

BTW- Honey, he is supposed to wear those pants with a different shirt!

Our 2 new boys seem to really like each other and they chatter away!

Hubby was so blessed to be able to meet up with our dear friends the Healds!

We met in July 2007 in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province!

Our 2 girls were only 2 weeks apart age wise, they had their cleft surgery together in China and their foster Mom's were friends and lived close to each other!