Ni Zao!

"Good morning!" (or "Good Evening!" to you), from Beijing. This is the view of our sunrise from the apartment we're in @ Embassy House. We gazed upon this after already being awake for several hours because our internal time-clocks are just completely out of whack. Poppy woke up at 3:00 a.m., and finally crawled out of bed around 3:30. Victoria and I followed soon thereafter. Barret continued to snooze until about 8:30 (we're all jealous). At about 4:30 a.m., Poppy looked out the window and said with all sincerity, "Momma, I love China."

We talked to our dear Austin and Annie this morning from the voice over internet protocol; technology that simply amazes us. Victoria and I read from the Psalms (one of our favorite books of the Bible, which always brings us comfort), and then we went for a little swim in the beautiful pool and sauna area of Embassy House. We're about to head out for our excursion to hike around The Great Wall.

That's it for now. We're loving the wonderful posts and e-mails encouraging us along our journey. Thank you so very much.

Warmly in Christ,

Tom

Ni Hao!

I will never cease to be amazed at the miracle of flight. Our bodies have been successfully transported across the globe and we are ready to close our weary eyes in Beijing. Poppy managed to stay awake for all but two 30 minute naps (one photographed here)! She was the Energizer bunny, but really a good little traveler. She finally conked out about an hour ago...4:00 AM her time! She practically pulled an "all-nighter". We are enjoying the matchless hospitality of the Hines folks here at Embassy House and look forward to these few days here before traveling by train to Willow's province. Tomorrow Tom and Barret will hike some remote areas of The Great Wall while Poppy and I either enjoy the scenery from another vantage point, or we may decide to stick around Embassy House and bask in the luxuries here.

We thank the Lord for His tender care of us in our journey thus far. We miss Austin and Annie though and have many memories of our previous times together here in China. Forgive this short post, we are sooo tired.., we'll write to you more tomorrow!

Gotta get some zzzzzz......,

Victoria

"We're Outta Here!"

We are happy to report that our five suitcases are all finally packed, our flights have been confirmed, we've gathered our armload of adoption paperwork, and the LAST purple dot has been glued to Poppy's chart!! Our friend Kim Smith brought us an amazing dinner tonight, and what a treat to NOT think about dinner!

Thank you to all of you who have shared in the specialness of our preparations by reading our blog, calling, and praying for us. We leave as a family of six and return, forever, as a family of seven...it sort of feels like it did when I left for the hospital in labor knowing I would return forever changed by what was about to transpire.

Our next post will be from Beijing, China!

Goodnight,

Victoria

Heartache In the Midst of Joy

One of our greatest heartaches in the midst of our joyous journey of over 10,000 kilometers to the other side of the globe is leaving behind our two precious eldest, Austin and Annie. While we know they'll be with us in spirit, we so wish they could be present with us, but their college schooling just won't permit it. We accept this, too, as from the God of all creation who holds our lives in His hands.

They will pick us up at the airport in San Francisco on May 17th, and we cannot wait to be joined together as a family of seven for the rest of our lives.

We love you Austin & Annie!!!

"2 Darktimes till China!"

This is the calendar we've used to help Poppy count down to the day we leave for China. We have it posted on our refrigerator right at her eye level. Tonight she put one more purple dot on it before she went to bed, leaving only one dark-time left when she wakes up in the morning.

"I have good idea!"

So...I have been trying to gently explain to Poppy that Willow may be sad when we meet her and may need to sit on Mommy's lap ALOT. After mulling this thought over for a period of time, Poppy told me a few days ago, "Mommy, I have good idea!" I reply, "What's your idea Poppy?" Then she said in all earnestness, "Annie can be Willow's mommy and YOU can be MY mommy!" Problem solved! : )

Yes, there will be some adjustments ahead!

"6 Darktimes till China"

The excitement is building! But...as the excitement builds, Poppy, then Victoria and now Barret have all come down with a nasty cold/sorethroat/tired and dizzy "bug". We are hoping and praying for quick recoveries! 13 hour flights are not fun, period, and even less fun with a head cold. As wonderful as our trip will be, it will also be incredibly draining, both physically and emotionally and we would love to be at full power at the onset! : )

Our dear Annie cannot come to China with us this time. She just has too much school work towards the end of her semester to work around. We will miss both our Austin and Annie, but know they will be with us in spirit. We love you guys, and we think Willow is a blessed little girl to have you all as her big brothers and sister!

"8 Darktimes till China"

This is how we are counting down the time with Poppy until we leave for China on Tuesday, April 29th!  She has been a VERY patient sister-to-be for 9 long months. So every night she is gluing a bright purple polka dot on her "countdown calendar". It's great counting practice as well as providing a way for her to understand the short (but long to her) stretch of time ahead.

Today I packed Willow's suitcase. I folded her sweet little clothes, then added the diapers, some board books and small bath toys and bubbles (she will probably be afraid of a traditional tub). I packed an array of medications, just in case...and a variety of tasty toddler snacks to distract her from the inevitable trauma of the being handed over to perfect strangers - US!

She has seen our pictures, but I doubt that she has ever seen " a foreigner" in person before. We will most likely smell funny to her, speak in a language she has never heard before and seem strangely emotional and affectionate all at the same time!  It is a valuable exercise for us to often consider this wholesale life change from her perspective...Wow.

We meet her and become her parents on Sunday, May 4th (May 3rd US time).  We will catch a sleeper train Saturday late afternoon out of Beijing and travel the 800 miles southwest to Lanzhou, in the province of Gansu (map at right).  We will arrive in Lanzhou on Sunday at 2:00PM, meet our local guide (very few people speak English here so he will be invaluable to our survival), and then take a taxi to our hotel.  The "plan" is that we will meet Willow on Sunday at 6:00PM, but the orphanage staff from Wuwei are known for showing up early, so she may be at the hotel when we arrive.  Willow's day will have consisted of getting up at her foster home as usual and then being driven 4 hours south from her much smaller town of Wuwei to be given to us, the near-perfect strangers!

Another family from our adoption agency will be receiving their daughter from Wuwei, (and also from foster care) at the same time and we will be glad for their company at such a surreal time and place.

Some children grieve the loss of their foster homes with great intensity and others seem to miraculously adjust within a day or two. Much will depend on Willow's temperament, of which we will become quick students! Watching your child grieve all that was dear to them is a painful aspect of adoption.  What the children cannot realize, however, is that although they were being cared for by a foster family, they were indeed fatherless and most likely had a very bleak future apart from their adoption.  

We have prayed that Willow might experience a quick and secure bond to us, but we are prepared to walk through her sorrow too if that is what she needs.  The Lord knows her and we trust His sovereign path as He will lay it out for us all in the days ahead.

We are thrilled that Barret (our 15 year old son) will be with us!  We have learned that Willow has had one foster sibling...a brother in high school.  Of course, Poppy will be the ultimate "distraction" and we look forward to seeing them chase each other around the hotel room soon!

Thank you all for your interest in our next parenting adventure!  

We covet your prayers.

P.S.  Interestingly, all of China is on ONE time zone...so the Lanzhou time posted on the right is "our China time" during our entire trip.