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.

Feeling Renewed

Thank God for some much needed rest! We're still adjusting to the time change. Much like my grandfather usually is, I was wide awake at 4am. Even though I adore sleeping in, I now understand why he is okay with being awake early. I was able to spend some quality time with God and some time soaking in a hot bath. I finished reading a book passed down from my grandmother titled "FEEDING MY LAMBS, The Joy Ranch Story" (copyright 1986). It's about a couple that founded a home for needy children, providing them with "love and care in a wholesome, structured environment." I remember my grandparents hosting children from Joy Ranch and wondering why these children didn't have grandparents of their own. Many of the children at Joy Ranch came from very hard places of abuse, neglect, and desertion. One notable section of the book reads:

A few paragraphs later the book quotes Psalm 27:10, "When my mother and my father forsake me, the Lord will take me up." In case you've forgotten, we are His hands and feet.
Many people have asked us "Why adoption?" especially after they learn we have a biological child of our own. But holding a child of our own only makes us want to care for other children even more. If I had died during childbirth, would I not want my child cared for? If my child had a medical need I could not meet, would I not want someone to meet that need? If I never made it off the airplane, would I not want my child to still grow up in a home with loving parents? These seem like ridiculous questions, but how can they be answered without someone on the other side saying yes to my child? That's where adoptive parents step in. We say yes to the parents that could not meet their child's needs. I believe God worked in our hearts to say yes to adoption so that Elijah's birth parents could be at peace with the decision to give him up for the surgery that he needs. I cannot fathom how difficult their decision was. Itt will always be easier to make the decision to add a child to your family than to give one away. But I know my God takes care of His children.

That wonderful book, written years ago by such s lovely couple, started with the verse Matthew 18:14. "Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that even one of these little ones should perish." Amen to that! That's what this whole journey has been about, caring for the little one.

We made it to China!

After lots of travel and very little sleep, we are finally in China! At the airport we met two representatives from the organization we believe is supporting Elijah's orphanage. They were grateful for the two suitcases of supplies we were able to transport and we will eternally be grateful for their important work here in China. We then met George, our representative from CCAI, and five other families before heading to our hotel. Although it is dinner time, I can only think of sleep... Good night!

On our way!

Tonight we leave for Charlotte! Bright and early at 6am tomorrow we will be on the first of our many flights. Our layover is in D.C. and then on to Beijing. After a little rest and recovery from jet lag (and hopefully seeing the Great Wall), we will fly to the province of Henan. We will finally meet Elijah face to face for the first time!!! I cannot even fathom how emotional this will be. I will probably cry harder than he does. We are taking snacks and toys to help win him over. While in Zhengzhou, the capital city of Henan, we will register the adoption, apply for and receive Elijah's passport, and obtain adoption finalization documents. Next we will fly to Guangzhou, where the U.S. Consulate is located. We will prepare Visa paperwork, complete Elijah's Visa physical and photo, and receive his American Visa. Lastly we take a van to Hong Kong at 5am and fly out at 11am. This will be a really long day of travel, especially with a child that is grieving the loss of everything he's ever known and leaving with a couple he just recently met. We will have a 14+ hour flight to Chicago, a 6 hour layover, a 2 hour flight to Charlotte, and then a 2 hour drive home.
We are incredibly grateful that you've joined us on this exhilarating, exhausting, extensive journey! We really appreciate your prayers for safe travels, good health, accurate paperwork, and Elijah's emotional attachment to our little family. We probably won't communicate back to the U.S. much while in China, but we will definitely share stories and photos when we return! Lots of love!

"It's the breath that's breathing new life
Into what we thought was dead
It's the favor that takes orphans
Placing crowns upon their heads
It's the hope for our tomorrows
The rock on which we stand
It's a strong and mighty fortress
Even Hell can't stand against

Some may call it foolish and impossible
But for every heart it rescues, it's a miracle
It's nothing less than scandalous
This love that took our placeJust call it what it is, call it grace"

Call It Grace, Unspoken

TRAVEL APPROVAL!!!

Today we received official travel approval and dates!!! As this day has drawn near, this anxious Momma's heart has beat a little faster everyday. I had no idea how much faster it would beat with travel dates set! Full speed ahead! We still haven't received any updates on Elijah so we are elated to run to him as quickly as possible. We have so much to plan and prepare in the next week that it's quite overwhelming. Yet I cannot fathom Elijah spending one extra day without loving parents holding him tight. Please pray that God prepares his heart to meet us and join our family. We leave for China on January 13 and meet Elijah on January 18!

If you're reading this blog post, you are already invested in this blossoming little life. It's not too late to add your family's names to Elijah's keepsake puzzle. Visit www.AdoptTogether.org/Hanks
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