China trip - last full day

Today is our final day in China proper.  We leave this afternoon via train for Kong Kong.  The pediatrician gave us some meds for Mei, very similar to Dramamine.  Praying for the best!  Mei likes her new American name of Kinnley Meilynn.  She keeps repeating it.  :)  I think she is getting comfortable with us, as she is starting to test boundaries.  So far, she is pretty obedient when told no, but it is very hard for her to simmer down once she gets excited.  She is either shy in a crowd (asks to be carried), or very animated, usually the second.  I suppose it is based on her comfort level.

The girls are feeling better, but Jaci still has headaches.  I think she is not drinking enough water.  I am driving her crazy with reminders to take another swig of water.  :)  Please pray for an easy trip home with healthy kiddos!

I dedicate the remainder of this post to the amazing families and children we have met along the trip. 

First to the parents in our group.  Two of the families adopted cleft lip/cleft palate babies.  Can I saw two words about these kids?  Pre-cious!  Both of these kids are under two.  I can't wait to see them with a full head of hair.  Just too cute.  :)  Two other familes waited 5-6 years for their babies.  Both just turned two years old.  I am amazed by their fortitude to stay the course for such a long time.  These kids are adorable, and it's so clear that they are just the right children for their families. 

There are several other families we met on this trip.  One, like us, had three other children.  They adopted a little three year old boy.  He is as amazing as his family.  So much Christian love being poured out on this little boy.  I can't imagine how his life will change.  :) 

Another family adopted a little premie baby.  She was just two pounds when born.  But in God's plan, he found a family who had experience with premies.  This little girl has the longest eyelashes I've ever seen.  Just adorable, like her big sister.  :)

While at the medical clinic, I met many families while queued up for exams.  I saw two little boys, probably 8 and 10 years old.  Sandwiched between them was a sister, who had one arm.  She was busy wiggling a tooth, urging it to fall out.  I asked the boys "did you get a sister this week"?  The oldest smiled widely and said "yes, she is in that room with my mom and dad.  She can't feel her legs so we carry her.  She is 3 and she is great!".  Out popped the parents, proudly carrying their new daughter.  We talked a bit and found they are at the same hotel as us.  "See you at the pool!".  Another mother was there with her teenage son, adopted on a previous trip.  They were there to get a medical exam for their newly adopted sister.  She had just turned 14.  They were able to adopt her just days from her "aging out" and being in the forever unadoptable category.  The mother's eyes smiled with kindness like no other, and her demeanor showed the patience of Job.  Perfect for two teenage kids.  :) 

There were so many other families, many more than I can put into words.  It's amazing to me how many are Christians.  It is well over 50%.  I once heard a startling statistic...if only 6% of Christians chose adoption, every adoptable orphan would have a forever home.  If you are someone who is on the fence about adopting, but feeling overwhelmed by the obstacles of life, please contact me.  There are so many options and variations to adoption.  Truthfully, the first step is for a willing heart to follow God's lead.  Somehow, He takes care of the rest.

I leave you with a picture of my favorite orphan.  This is Avery.  When we first saw pictures of Avery, we assumed he was a girl because of the shirt he was wearing.  The short haircut should have been a clue for us!  Avery was Mei's foster brother, and is 3.5 years old.  His papers are being prepared for adoption.  He falls into the special needs category.  We had the blessing of meeting Avery in person on Gotcha day.  What a little character!  He is quite camera shy though, and you have to be persistent to get a picture of him looking at the camera.  You can also see pictures and video clips of him on Mei's video link on the left hand side.  He is such a darling little boy!  Our prayer is that this sweet little one will soon find a home of his own.  Please join us in praying for him!

Love to all -