Hanks - Party of Four

Today the whole family was finally together and Ethan met his little brother. Ethan knew exactly who Elijah was and called him brother right away. He gave Elijah a kiss on the cheek and handed him a toy. (Don't get too excited, Ethan had a tough time sharing the rest of "his" toys.) Overall, they got along well. And why shouldn't they? These two are remarkably similar. They both love to snuggle and be held. They both hate sleeping. They both love rolling around on the floor and being tickled. They will both bring your shoes and insist you put them on. They both have ridiculous poopsplosions. They both even like putting a small piece of food on top of a full spoon (example blueberry or noodle on yogurt). Our immediate families visited and blessed us with groceries and meals. The boys played with their cousins. We celebrated my brother's birthday with yummy cake. We had a wonderful first day as a family of four!

Saturday 1/30/16 (aka Longest Day Ever)

We left Guangzhou by van at 5am. We had to go through Immigration to enter Hong Kong. Our 14 hour flight departed around 11am. We had an almost 6 hour layover in Chicago. Lastly a 2 hour flight to Charlotte and the drive home.
Thank you for all of the prayers for safe travels. While Elijah did his fair share of crying (as did the other newly adopted children on our flight), our flight attendants as well as the other passengers were nothing but courteous. During Elijah's first battle on the flight from China to the U.S., one sweet woman offered to give me a break and take a turn walking the aisles with him. Just her words alone gave me encouragement. We were so tired, we were all laughing at everything by the time we made it to Chicago. The poor guys working in Immigration had to tell us three times where to exit. No one could focus, so it's a good thing all our paperwork was completed ahead of time!

Sooooo tired. 

My new friend Angie and her new daughter Josie (from the same orphanage as Elijah)

Friday 1/29/16

Hallelujah, we received Elijah's American Visa and everything appears in order! Today we spent packing and walking outside (since it's the first day here without precipitation). We walked to a street market a block away. We enjoyed cheap local cuisine for lunch. I thought it was a Chinese pancake, but turns out it was filled with cabbage and meat. Yummy! We tried walking into what we thought was a park, until guards told us "No!" As we turned to walk away, we realized it was a Muslim tomb. Oops, the entrance was very well landscaped anyway. We walked around our hotel's courtyard instead, which has nice water features. Finally a beautiful day!

Thursday 1/28/16

This morning we went to our Visa appointment at the U.S. Consulate. It was pouring down rain and quite difficult to get through all the umbrellas. We went through security, took a number, and waited for our turn at the window. I held Elijah while Phillip lifted his hand and took the oath (with our group). When the clerk called our name, she reviewed Elijah's paperwork and asked us a few questions about him. Everyone was very nice (and spoke English!). We were back to the hotel by mid morning. We played in the hotel room, ate lunch, and played in the kiddie room. We visited the "mall" (aka flea market) near our hotel again. We bought a magnetic toy set that other families in our group loved. We really enjoyed playing with it this afternoon, as all this rain has made us a bit stir crazy. Now we wait for Elijah's Visa for America to be delivered tomorrow. Please pray that all the paperwork is in order and the Visa is ready so we can come home!

While shopping today, Elijah was sound asleep in the baby carrier when all of a sudden he started screaming. His eyes were still closed but he was kicking and throwing his head back. One young lady (probably hearing him for a few minutes around the corner) tried putting a toy in his hand from her booth. (Many sales people do this so the child attaches to it and you have to buy it or the child screams for it when taken away). When Elijah didn't reach for it, she asked "Baby hungry?" Feeling the need to explain my child's behavior, and my own, I simply said "He has nightmares." She backed away and my heart dropped as the words fell from my lips, remembering why he has nightmares. I don't know the exact reason, and never will, but she could tell by looking at him that he had been an orphan. Even the word "orphan" brings all kinds of terrible images to mind. It pains me to think about all that he's been through. And it's little reminders like nightmares, or even that he's 18 months old and doesn't know how to turn the pages of a book, that give us patience for his journey. He has already experienced more pain and loss in his little lifetime many young adults. Remember to be gentle to this precious little soul. 

It was bittersweet to see off some of our group members today. On one hand, we are getting ever closer to North Carolina. On the other hand, we have made valuable relationships with some dear new friends. These are people that we've now shared smiles and tears and all kinds of stories. These are the children we met on their own Gotcha Day and will forever follow their story. I never knew I could get close to other families so quickly and never imagined having such awesome families with us in China. It's so amazing to look back at this whole journey and see how God orchestrated every part for us, down to the finest details. I'm not sure we'll ever go down this road again, but if God calls we'll come running. 

"The helpless put their trust in you. You defend the orphans." Psalm 10:14

The sidewalk to reach the U.S. Consulate. 

The kid loves phones. 

We finally got some use out of the crib. 

Wednesday 1/27/16

It's been raining since yesterday afternoon. Quite frankly I'm a bit tired of precipitation. Today half of our group had their Visa appointments at the U.S. Consulate. Since we were one of the last families to join the group, our Visa appointment isn't until tomorrow. This morning we had a meeting about leaving Guangzhou (even though it still seems like a long time from now). We talked about paperwork, flights, luggage, etc. The rest of the day was left for bonding with our sweet babies. Elijah is growing closer and closer to us everyday. He cries now when we walk away and he wants us to hold him more. He holds on to our necks and arms when we hold him. Sleeping is still tough for him. I was able to help him take a good nap this afternoon by swaying side to side for an hour. When my legs got tired and I sat down, he started screaming shortly thereafter. He's not usually awake when he screams and flails, so it takes a while to calm him down. Sometimes he stays asleep, sometimes he wakes up grumpy. Again, not looking forward to the flights home. 

When we got off the elevator in the hotel today, a Chinese man said "Love those cheeks." It's funny how many people comment on Elijah's adorable cheeks. They are just so pinchable and smushable!

Tuesday 1/26/16

This morning Phillip and Elijah enjoyed some time at the outdoor playground while I visited the Pearl Market with the other moms. Holy cow, I've never seen anything like it. Imagine a 5 story mall with tons of side hallways, except every single store is all jewelry. It was quite overwhelming and I actually got lost for a few minutes roaming around. Once I finally made it back to the middle and found our group, I stayed put. It was fun looking at all the pearls, jewels, and stones though. This afternoon we roamed around a little local "mall" (aka flea market). They had clothing, luggage, and toys. The sales lady at one booth kept trying to get me to buy squeaky shoes for Elijah. I've heard several other mothers speak of the squeaky shoes but I'm not sure why they're famous here. Sure they are a novelty, but have you seen the episode of SpongeBob with his squeaky boots? Unless I go blind, I'll pass. This evening we enjoyed a nice dinner with most of the families in our group. I love group dinners because we order a bunch of entrees and eat family style, so I get to try lots of different foods. This usually works out well as I love Chinese food (and refuse to eat McDonalds or KFC here). I've read and heard not to eat Western food here in the East, as the Chinese are not great at replicating American food. That was obvious tonight as the one dish I didn't like was "beef and cheese," which sounded good except I think it was mixed with french fries, ketchup, and mayonnaise. Now that I think about it, nothing here is served with cheese. That should have been my first clue. 

I'm not as impressed with this hotel. The water temperature fluctuates, the water pressure is poor, the hair dryer isn't great, they don't have "creme brûléggs" at breakfast, and the street is very noisy from our room (even though "honking" is supposedly illegal here). As I made this list in my head at breakfast, I glanced past the gigantic decorative tree made of macaroons and realized how many people would love to take my place. We've stayed in (discounted) very nice hotels in China. There are so many orphans that would love to eat any of the food I've eaten or taken any of the hot showers I've taken. We all know money can't buy happiness, and the happiest moments of this trip have been just the two of us enjoying the sweet smiles and giggles of our new son. If only we could find them all a forever family. If only every orphan had parents to feed and love and care for him. Unfortunately CCAI's annual adoption stats have dropped from 1000 to 400 matched/adopted children each year. Please prayerfully consider whether adoption is the right choice for your family. If not, find another way to support an orphan until his parents can take him home. 

I'll end with some of our favorite Chenglish. 

A waterproof bib we bought. 

Snow globe spotted at the "mall."

It's called yogurt people. 

So close. 

There are just no words. We really don't know. 

And this picture is just in case you've never experienced an "Eastern toilet" (aka squatty potty). I wait in line for the one Western toilet everywhere we go. Don't forget to grab TP on the way in (or bring your own) because you won't find any in the stall!

Monday 1/25/16

This morning we started out early. Elijah was required to take a photo for his visa and have a medical exam. The nurses weighed him, measured him, and took his temperature. One physician reviewed his chart, listened to his heart and lungs, and examined his body. Another physician looked at his eyes, ears, and mouth. The doc said Elijah has good vision and hearing, which we were unsure of since past reports solely stated "uncooperative." I asked the physician to review a paper I received during our orphanage visit. (We will hopefully receive all of his orphanage medical records at some point through the mail. I specifically asked about Elijah's surgery so a nurse provided the one paper, written in Chinese, for me.) Based on what the CCAI rep translated, Elijah's hard palate was repaired but the soft palate may require additional surgery. This was disappointing news as no mother wants their child to endure surgery, especially multiple. Looking at what teeth Elijah currently has, I'm sure he will need orthodontics. But hey, Ethan will probably too, based on me and Phillip. 

This afternoon we enjoyed a little time in the kiddie playroom again. That is until several Chinese mothers arrived. Instead of taking off their heavy coats and their kids' multiple layers, they opened the window. One poor child could barely move as he was bundled u like the kid on The Christmas Story movie. It got cold in there really fast so we walked the hotel halls for a while. 

This evening we cruised up and down the Pearl River. We ate (half price Monday!) Papa John's pizza while staring at the brightly lit buildings and bridges go by. It was quite relaxing, until Elijah got down and we chased him everywhere. While on the top of the boat, a photographer started taking pictures of people with the beautiful backgrounds. I've never seen people line up so fast! Pretty much everything we've heard about China is true... Chinese people love getting in line, love taking pictures of foreigners, love criticizing how your baby is dressed, and treat adoptive parents really well. Many people, even middle aged men, smile at us holding Elijah and several people have gotten up to give me their seat while I'm wearing him. Oh, and the smog is terrible but the food is delicious. I didn't expect traffic and driving skills to be so bad here... 

This was a picture I snapped of a lady taking Elijah's picture. She tried to pick him up a couple times throughout the night and we had to keep redirecting. Crazy people, do not pick up someone else's child, even if they look more like you than like their parents. 

Sunday 1/24/16

Today was a relaxing Sunday in China's second largest city. When I looked up the forecast for this subtropical location before we left NC, it was supposed to be in the high 60s. Apparently we brought the snow from Beijing to Zhengzhou to Guangzhou because it snowed here today for the first time since 1929! It was fun watching the local children dance around and the adults filming it. Our CCAI rep said that people here believe snow is good luck. It was definitely cold but we bundled up and headed out anyway. We toured a bit of Guangzhou relatively close to our hotel. We visited an active Buddhist Temple (where an older woman pulled on Elijah's pants and spoke harshly in Chinese, I'm assuming saying he wasn't wearing enough). We also visited an Old Chen House, which used to be a school and meeting place for the Chen family. Both places had incredibly ornate carvings and decorations. Randomly while walking around today, I had one of those new baby moments. I remember holding Ethan upstairs in our bonus room, with tears running down my cheeks, and thinking what an amazing blessing from God. At the time I figured it was post-partum hormones. But today Elijah fell asleep in my arms and my eyes welled up with tears as I looked at his beautiful face and realized what an amazing blessing his is. We are blessed beyond measure with our two wonderful sons. After returning to the hotel, we spent the afternoon in the kiddy play area and then pre-filling out forms for tomorrow's medical exam. 

Thankfully we were blessed with good rest last night. Tonight Elijah has cried twice in the last hour since we put him down for the night. I think it's bad dreams, as he screams and flails with no way to console him. I don't know if it's due to the orphanage or the hospital, and I don't know how long this will go on. Please pray for comfort and peace for him, and the other new sons and daughters. Every child and every family has their struggles here. Some children are loud and strong willed, some children are quiet and anxious, but all of the children are still in a transition of shock and grief. Some of the parents are experienced and some are brand new to this wild ride. Please pray for strength for the parents as we have medical and visa appointments coming up, as well as travel back home. 

Saturday 1/23/16

We were up at 5:30am. Met in the hotel lobby at 7:30am. We left early due to road conditions and thank goodness, since we were turned away from two airport entrances. The third finally let our bus in so our 45 minute drive turned into 1.5 hours. Our flight was delayed. Our bus ride to the hotel in Guangzhou was in 5 o'clock traffic. Between Elijah screaming for a while on the plane and screaming for a while on the bus, I am dreading our trip back to the States. He can only handle being confined for so long.
Now to unpack, again. So tired.

Friday 1/22/16

Today we just had to wait on Elijah's passport to arrive. In the meantime, we visited the Zhengzhou Aquarium. It was such a cold and snowy day that an indoor activity sounded like fun. We haven't done much shopping, well, because adoption is really expensive. But we have enjoyed this beautiful land and all it has to offer. We've taken lots of pictures to show Elijah what his home town and home country are like. Perhaps some day he will return and take lots of pictures too. The aquarium had many fish tanks as well as a small amphitheater. I thoroughly enjoyed the sea lion show, which involved hoops, balls, and dancing. It was really amusing when another mom was feeding the giant turtles and almost had her finger bitten off. Otherwise, lots of cool fish, coral, sharks, stingrays, penguins, etc. one thoughtful mom bought all of the kiddos light-up dolphin souvenirs. Unfortunately, the roads conditions were poor so it took a while to get back to the hotel. We spent the afternoon playing in the hallway and then made one last trip to the nearby store for diapers and formula. We spent the evening repacking suitcases. Tomorrow we fly to Guangzhou! (Weather permitting)
Funny mistranslation of the day: Phillip tried to ask housekeeping to empty out garbage (since we all enjoyed a hallway pizza party) using a translation app. I'm pretty sure he called them "trash" as they seemed off put and never came to our room. 

AM Note: A huge thank you to those praying for Elijah. Yesterday he fell asleep on me in the baby carrier seconds after I put him in.  Last night he slept in his crib for a long time, so we could pack and fall asleep. Once when he woke up I was able to pat his back and get him back asleep. He eventually woke up and we put him in the bed with us as usual, but no screaming, kicking, and flailing or up every hour last night. Progress! And much needed rest!

Thursday 1/21/26

Elijah is really opening up to us and showing his sweet personality. He likes to play peek-a-boo and dance by swaying side to side. He enjoys clapping, putting objects in a bag, and dragging bags around the room. He will repeatedly lean his head to my face so I can kiss him. He loves it when I say an extended "muah" and he can pull his head away when he chooses. Elijah sleeps much better in our arms than in the crib. Although he is doing really well, he still struggles with insecurity, especially at night. I love when he lifts his arms wanting to be picked up and I absolutely adore when he runs into my arms with a big grin. Phillip thinks Elijah has very loving eyes and that they sparkle when he looks at us. I truly believe he was prepared to meet us, maybe by his caretakers but definitely by his Creator. It's interesting that when I look around at each couple and their child, it's almost like I could have matched them based on personality without knowing who belonged to whom. These children were meant for these specific families. They are truly matches made in heaven. 

Yesterday some of the families visited their child's orphanage in other cities, which revealed bleak conditions and heartsick nannies. We were warned against bringing the children back to the orphanage, as it may be traumatizing (especially for the older children). Many of the children and the nannies became very attached over time. Today we visited the Zhengzhou orphanage with three other families. It was about a 40 minute drive from our hotel (in a rickety van and crazy traffic). Just outside the gates was a wasteland of a poor and dry area. I was glad Elijah fell asleep on the way so I could keep him close in the baby carrier. The director met our group and showed us several buildings. The first buildings were dormitories for older boys and girls, with many beds in a large open room. The next building was for the babies. We saw the rooms sponsored by Show Hope, which were clean, warm, and painted nice colors. We saw Elijah's room, including his bed, and met his nannies. They immediately recognized him and their excitement showed on their smiling faces. The nannies started pinching his cheeks, briskly rubbing his face, and loudly saying his Chinese name to wake him. One nanny in particular tried several times to take him out and hold him, but Elijah never reached out for her so I kept moving along. He was content to hold onto me, so I let him. One little girl (previously in a room close to him) was on antibiotics, so her mom took her out of the carrier and let the nurse listen to her lungs. The nannies then passed her around until the girl started crying, so I decided to keep Elijah close (no matter how warm he was, layered up and strapped in). We met Elijah's two little friends, in his room and the room next door. They were adorable little boys I would have snuck into my bag given the chance. If you're looking for your future son, I know just where to find him. ;) We moved down the hall to the rooms sponsored by CCAI, which were also quite nice. So many innocent children waiting for a forever home. We took pictures of the children we saw today, hoping to give their family an sneak peak like a family tried to do for us at Christmas. We also saw rooms for activities like physical therapy, occupational therapy, acupuncture, and instruction. Before we left, we returned Elijah's red Minnie Mouse coat, pink Hello Kitty now suit, and a bag of goodies for the nannies. Orphanages are heart wrenching, even the best ones, and especially when you see all the faces left behind and how eager they are to be loved. It was great to take pictures of the place Elijah spent most of his life thus far in case he wants to see it later, but I promised him when we left he never had to return. You will always be my baby, Elijah, always.

Show Hope Sponsorship
CCAI Orphanage Partnership

Wednesday 1/20/16

Finally a day to relax! Elijah was up multiple times during the night, so we were thankful we didn't have an alarm set. This morning we went for a stroll with Elijah asleep in the baby carrier. We were trying to find an indoor mall but ended up above it in an outdoor park. It was nicely landscaped but way too cold to stay long with a high of 36 degrees. We made it back down to the street and finally found an entrance to the two story mall. We walked around until Elijah woke up and went into a children's store. The shoes he came with had zero tread left and velcro that no longer stuck. The nice sales clerk helped us find shoes that fit him. When I sat down to try both on him, I could hear her phone camera click beside me. We've gotten used to having our picture taken, as this happens at most meals and well, pretty much everywhere we go. We paid for the shoes and Phillip offered to let her take a decent picture of us. The funny part is that she pulled out her tablet to do so. So look for us on Facebook China edition later today. Next we stopped at Gymboree in the mall, which is like a little gym for toddlers. Everyone was super nice and allowed us to play for free. Elijah had a blast climbing and sliding. We ate some sort of boiled fish for lunch, which was brought out in an electric frying pan.

Funny mistranslation of the day: When the waitress brought us hot, white liquid in a pitcher, I poured it into my glass. She laughed, took the cup away, and poured the hot liquid over the fish dish. Oops.

We ate dinner with two other couples at a Korean restaurant. There was only one high chair so I held Elijah on my lap. The waitress was constantly adding food to our big hot plate and occasionally reached over to feed Elijah a bite while I took a bite. She also offered him stickers and a cup to play with. After a while, she reached over to touch his belly. I thought she was tickling him until she told me his belly was full and he had eaten enough. She then removed his plate of noodles from in front of us! He was still motioning for food (and many orphans struggle with food issues), so I continued to feed him scrambled egg. She motioned that he was full and would get sick. She offered to walk him around the restaurant (I assume by her gestures) but I had to say no three times so she would stop trying to pick him up. We had been warned about pushy moms and grandmothers around here, especially about bundling up babies to keep warm. It seems people feel they have some sort of right to tell me how to treat my Asian child since he is apparently foreign to me, even though they met the child a few minutes ago. Ironically, I told Phillip earlier today that the people near us at lunch were probably thinking "those Americans must overfeed that child, look at his cheeks!" But I love those cheeks no matter what others may say. 

Tomorrow we are visiting the Zhengzhou orphanage. I hope it goes well for us, Elijah, and the nannies.

Tuesday 1/19/16

Today was full of paperwork! First stop was to complete the adoption registration in the same building where we received Elijah yesterday. I teared up when the official handed us Elijah's adoption certificate, indicating he is officially forever ours. 

Next stop was the Provincial Notary Office where we did a lot of waiting around and then took a family picture. (I'm glad we pre-filled out most of our paperwork yesterday so there was little chaos or confusion.) We had a break for lunch and then back on the road again. We stopped at a building to take Elijah's passport photo, which he had to be roused as he had just fallen asleep. Last was the Public Security Office (similar in agony to the DMV) to apply for his passport. All of the children were ready to get back to the hotel and rest, eat, or play. We ended the day with washing laundry in the bathtub. So ready for bed tonight!

Today Elijah showed us that he can blow kisses! He also started saying "hey" when waving, especially after popping out from behind a corner. Such a smart boy! Elijah enjoys putting on our shoes and walking around as well as listening to his little music box and patting his hand to the beat. His laugh and smile are contagious. Everywhere we visited today, our CCAI rep was interpreting all the sweet things people were saying about him, like "adorable" and "good personality." We are so blessed by this little boy! We are definitely in love!
Funny mistranslation of the day: Phillip tried to ask for a little plate to put his pastry on and the waiter then proceeded to show Phillip how to use the tongs.

GOTCHA DAY!!!!! Monday 1/18/16

I tossed and turned so much last night, partly because hotels in China are infernos but mostly awaiting our newest addition. All fourteen families met in the hotel lobby this morning at 9:30am. (We are a really big group this week!) We divided into two buses and headed for the Civil Affairs office. Orphanages were told to bring their children between 10 and 11am. A few children arrived shortly after us, brought in by foster families. The rest of us anxiously awaited our turn. We made small talk to keep from crying at just the site of other parents and children being united for the first time. It really is like being in a delivery room, except everyone is fully clothed. A few more babies trickled in from other villages. We were still waiting on the largest group to arrive. As we stared through the window, a flurry of activity outside proved the time was near. The first child was brought in and thrust into the arms of a CCAI rep. She said "I don't know his name so I cannot hand him to anyone yet" but I knew the second I saw his cheeks that he was Elijah. More babies were brought in, and the minutes before she called his Chinese name felt like an eternity. I rushed over to him and held him close as the tears rolled down my face. The world stood still in that moment and I pressed his face up against mine. There is no better feeling in the world than holding your baby in your arms for the first time. The entire room was filled with everyone taking pictures of everyone else's beautiful moments in hopes of the same. (I cannot wait to see all those pictures!) There are just not poetic enough words to portray what it's like to be in an adoption room like that. It is overwhelmingly amazing. 

Eventually we sat on the floor and brought out toys and snacks for Elijah. He stared at all the activity with bewilderment. He was so bundled we could not even find his hands. After removing his coat, he still had on a snowsuit of sorts but at least he could hold an object. His orphanage representative brought a bag to us with the photo album we mailed to Elijah and a photo album the orphanage put together for us. When I opened the bag, Elijah immediately flipped open the album and pointed to our pictures. My heart melted faster than a snowball in the desert. He recognized us! Someone somewhere knew how important this day would be and tried to prepare him. When we finally removed the snowsuit to change his diaper, we noticed he was wearing the outfit in our care package. He seemed so much like a baby, yet bigger than I had imagined he would be.

Elijah spent the rest of the day impressing us. He walked, waved, clapped, and even put Phillip's phone up to his ear. He was calm and well behaved, sometimes even giggling and smiling. By the end of the day he was running into my arms and putting his open mouth to my cheek. I will forever be grateful for all of your prayers leading up to this day. I believe God prepared us for Elijah and Elijah for us. Right now, Elijah is sleeping on Phillip's chest, just like he is meant to be. My heart is so full that I'm on the brink of tears just writing this down and reliving the moment. I will never forget this glorious day!

Sunday 1/17/16

This was our last morning in Beijing. We ate our breakfast favorites at the hotel, including egg tarts we nicknamed "creme brûléggs" and dragonfruit. The anticipation is building as TOMORROW IS GOTCHA DAY!!!
Outside, the landscape was brushed with white, as a thin layer of snow covered the ground. Not surprising since it was so cold, yet amazing since Beijing receives so little precipitation each year. A lovely backdrop for our ride to the airport. Then we walked to our terminal and I realized with snow on the runways, it may have been better if it snowed a different night...

Cecelia, our other CCAI rep, rode with us on the bus this morning. She asked us how we slept and said she hoped we enjoyed our time in Beijing. Then she spoke a little about the coming days and our next set of CCAI reps that will help us complete paperwork. Cecelia thanked us for adopting Chinese babies and for giving them a home. As she turned her face I thought perhaps she needed to sneeze, but as she turned back it was apparent she was holding back tears. This beautiful soul, who introduced adoptive families to China every single week, has still not forgotten how amazing this journey is. Apparently her heart is touched every time she thinks about an orphan finding his forever parents. For us, all of these children are matches made in heaven. Though I wonder, what is her story, and what brought her to participate in the adoption process? She may not even realize how important her role is in the beginning of this trip. Yet we are experiencing Elijah's culture and adjusting to this time zone so we can be prepared to meet him. I told her as we departed, "We are the blessed ones, thank you for sharing your babies with us."

We made it to Zhengzhou! (Albeit delayed like both our other flights.) The smog is way worse here. 

On the bus ride to our next hotel, Yisha gave us name tags with our children's name in Chinese and Pinyin (English characters). She told us she had updates to pass out on our children, such as what they eat and when they sleep. Oh how my heart leapt with joy! We haven't received anything about Elijah since we first saw his sweet face on Match Day. Yisha handed the paper to Phillip who started reading it as I crossed the aisle to him. I said "Let me see Elijah's info!" and Phillip said "I think you mean Ethan's," as the front page said he likes to eat bananas and take baths. Every time we read a description of Elijah, it reminds us of Ethan. I hope they are the best of friends! Then we turned the page... My giggle quickly turned to outright weeping. I've been praying for healing for Elijah for a while now, not knowing what condition he's been in and having been so sick myself. Turns out, he had surgery without us. My heart dropped to the floor and my stomach turned. He had incredibly painful palate repair without a mother or father to hold him and love him and kiss him and tell him everything will be okay. He braved this all alone. Ok, so there was probably an amazing physician donating his time, a kind hearted nurse holding his hand, and maybe even a nanny stroking his hair. But it wasn't me. We weren't there. But we are now. And always will be Elijah, forever. Don't get me wrong, I didn't know how we were going to pay for that expensive surgery but I never, ever wanted him to do it without me either. God works in mysterious ways. I have to accept that. I thank Him for bringing us this far and bringing Elijah to us, no matter the cost. I see how well God has taken care of me and I know Elijah was in great hands. But oh how I wish I could hold him right now!

Please pray for us tomorrow. (I'm already an emotional disaster.) Please pray for courage, ours and his. Please pray for healing, physical and emotional. Please pray for all of the families with us, some of them first time parents, and all the new sons & daughters. 

There will be a baby here tomorrow, grown in our hearts and delivered by a Chinese stork. :)

Funny mistranslation of the day: Our group tried to ask for bottled water at dinner but the waiter just brought us taller glasses of water with lemon. 

Saturday 1/16/16

Today was quite the workout! With a high of 30 degrees, cloudy turned into snow flurries while hiking up the Juyongguan pass of the Great Wall of China at 9am. Yes, I had on two pair of pants and never got too hot. Our water bottles had ice in them by the time we got back down to the bottom. A friend's phone said we climbed 96 flights of stairs! My legs will be jello tomorrow! It was definitely hard on the body but the views were breathtaking. Then we enjoyed local cuisine and shopping at the jade market. Jade is one of China's national treasures. This afternoon we watched an amazing acrobatic show. Oh how I wish Elijah could enjoy the sights of his great nation with us. One day you can come back Elijah, and see the majestic wonders we witnessed today.

We ended the evening by watching a bit of the awards banquet in our hotel ballroom. Such beautiful attire and talented dancing!

During our time traveling on the bus today, our CCAI rep George told us about his family. He has three older brothers and an older sister. His mother had her tubes tied but ended up pregnant with him eight years later. When she visited the doctor, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and given treatment. She didn't realize she was pregnant until she about 4 1/2 months along. At that point, she figured the baby was probably unhealthy and decided to abort. The medicine from the doctor didn't work, so she tried medicine from the hospital too. After two failed abortion attempts, she decided that this baby was meant to be and gave birth to George. After becoming an adult and working with adoptive parents, his mother said George was predestined for that job. I believe God definitely had a plan for his life! Although I don't like to think of my boys growing up, it will be amazing one day to see what they've become!

Friday 1/15/16

The high today was 36 degrees in Beijing yet we spent most of the day outside. So grateful for the warm clothing we borrowed from family and friends! We toured the famous Tian'anmen Square and the beautiful Forbidden City. We visited Hutong (Old Town), where we rode in a rickshaw and had lunch in a local family's home. After an afternoon nap, we had dinner at a local restaurant with excellent cuisine. Since it was served family style, we were able to try a lot of dishes including Peking duck. We walked around the city a while looking at the stores, street market, and decorations being set up for Chinese New Year. What a wonderful day exploring the landmarks and culture of Elijah's homeland.