Day ??? - WE ARE HOME!!!

The trip home was 3 flights, 13 hours in airports, ~ 9000 miles, 15 hours in the air, many bottles, diapers, and walks.  (Pic above is before going through immigration line in MSP airport- Evian is now a U.S. citizen!)

We were greeted by dear friends, Pete & Erica Lehner who picked us up from the airport.  When we got home Elianna and Ember were ecstatic!  For the rest of the weekend, the big sisters have learned Evian's tickle spots, smiles, cries, pushed her in a stroller and swing, and are very glad to entertain her.  It will be hard for them to peel away from their new little sister and go to school tomorrow.

Thanks for your continued prayers for us throughout the trip and now as the transition to MN begins.  We are jet-lagged but joyfully resting in God's grace over our family. (Pic below is minutes after we returned home to Woodbury.)

Day 15 - Homeward Bound!!!

Our time in China is coming to an end.  Yesterday we had our appointment at the US Consulate where US immigration takes place.  Each family signed one last document, and then all 37 American families, adopting a total of 40 children, raised their right hand and repeated an oath stating that all of the information that we presented to the US government on behalf of our child is correct and true.  The woman who led us in the oath explained that in 2009, 3000 Chinese babies entered the US as adopted immigrants.  Praise the Lord that these children have homes and families!

Today we are waiting for Evian’s passport to be returned to us with her visa stamp.  We will pick that up this afternoon, head over to the airport in the evening and fly to Hong Kong late tonight.  Early tomorrow morning we will fly back to Minnesota with a layover in Tokyo. 
We’ve prayed all along that throughout this trip we’d walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and that we’d connect as a family and love others well.  Even though we’re separated by continents from Elianna and Ember, God has given us sweet times praying for them and talking via Skype.  We know that airports, long layovers, and long flights are also within God’s tender care for us…along with jetlag and culture shock (no more housekeeping, laundry service, or eating out every day?…we are actually very much looking forward to “regular” daily life at home!).

As I reflect on our time here, I wondered if we did enough to capture the Chinese culture – did we take enough video/photos and buy the perfect gifts for Evian and her sisters?  I started to ask myself if maybe I should have gone along to the orphanage.  I began to feel  pressure to make sure that we did all of the right things in these 16 days to document the first 8 months of Evian’s life - where she’s come from, her heritage, and her culture.

Then the Lord gave me a simple picture.  The other morning I was looking out the window and a beautiful monarch butterfly fluttered by the window, then landed on the bush right in front of me.  It lingered there and while it did, the Lord reminded me that He is all about exchanging old for new,  bringing life out of something that is dried up.  I thought about that butterfly, which was once stuck inside a cocoon until one day when it burst out, colorful, free, beautiful.

As beautiful and intricate as Evian’s past is, it is something we leave here.  Like a cocoon, it is a very unique and precious part of God’s plan and purposes.  We treasure very much Evian’s home land, the dear women who cared for her in the orphanage, and this culture which is so well preserved.  As she grows up, it will be our privilege to share these things with her.  It has been such a gift to experience this place and enjoy the people here. 
Most of all, I am grateful for the unhurried days - playing with Evian, taking family walks, learning what makes her smile and laugh, looking in her eyes while giving her a bottle, holding her while she naps, listening to Daddy splash at bathtime…  We look forward to living in the moment and enjoying all of these things and more with Elianna and Ember too.  
 
 

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Day 13 - Around Town

Evian and I enjoyed our Mother/Daughter day yesterday while Russ was gone all day visiting the orphanage.  We sent him on his way with diapers, baby clothes, and about 15 pairs of shoes (donated by a local shop keeper) to deliver.  The rest of the day we ate, napped, and played. 

It is so amazing to see how much Evian has changed in these 9 days that we’ve been together.  I especially noticed it yesterday when we were playing together.  Now she reaches for toys, holds and picks up her rings, rolls over to get something, and is very interactive.  We’ve been doing “exercises” with her which have really helped.  It sounds funny, but her back and core are so much stronger now.  At first, we needed to totally support her back when holding her.  Now she rests on my hip more sturdily.  Before, when we put her in the sitting position, she would flop backwards immediately.  Now she can sit for a few seconds on her own. 

It’s neat to see her enjoying this new “fun”.  It was very apparent yesterday at the orphanage that for one nanny in charge of 20 babies at once during her shift, the focus needed to be on just meeting the basic needs of the babies as best as they could. 

One activity that Evian is enjoying very much is swimming.  We’ve gradually introduced her to the pool.  She’s definitely not afraid of the water and is having more fun with splashing and kicking.  Some of her other little girlfriends haven’t liked it quite as much.  As adoptive families we are all wanting to be careful to notice things that cause these little girls to be fearful.  We are privileged to love her and care for all of her needs.

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Day 12 - Orphanage Trip

A week ago, Evian was in a crib just like the ones shown.  It is amazing what has happened in just a week.

Today, I, Russ, took a bus trip with some of the other adoptive families to the orphanage in Yangxi, a 3 ½ hour ride from here.    

As I went to the orphanage, I didn’t really know what I’d feel.  As I entered the “crib room”, about 16 kids Evian’s age were sleeping, looking around, and crying.  It definitely was a sober moment.  I felt very glad Evian didn’t have to spend any more time there.  At the same time, though, I felt sad for those other babies. 

In the end, I don’t think everything has sunk in for me yet.  But knowing that we’ve followed the Lord through this process and He has given us a little bundle from China along with our other 2 beautiful daughters is more than we could have imagined.  It was the summer of 1999 as an engaged couple when we were last here in China together.  A lot has happened since then!  We never knew we’d be back 11 years later to pick up a girl to be our daughter!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Day 11 - Fresh Water

You may remember that Evian’s name means “life” and “water”.  We chose her name because of Jesus’ life giving water.  As the months of waiting for Evian turned to years, the list of “water” verses that the Lord showed me got longer, filling the cover page in my Bible.

A friend asked what some of my favorites are from that list.  Well, they are all my favorites, but I’ll share a couple of special ones from this week.

A week ago, on Evian’s “Gotcha Day”, I was reading my Bible at breakfast and these words from Psalm 104 were such a picture of Our Father’s heart for Evian - that He would quench her thirst, dwell with her, and satisfy her.  “He sends forth springs in the valleys; they flow between the mountains; they give drink to every beast of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.  Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell; they lift up their voices among the branches.  He waters the mountains from His upper chambers; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works.” (Psalm 104:10-13)

So, on the morning before receiving Evian, when the anxiety could have mounted, the Lord spoke clearly of His works in Evian’s life…long before we ever thought of her.

Our prayer for Evian is that she will drink of His “living water.”  Of all places, this afternoon I was at Starbucks, drinking real coffee, asking the Lord for refreshment from Him (how could I forget, babies are tiring!).  It was no accident that I was reading from John 4 (again…over and over the Lord encourages my heart with this whole chapter).  This is Jesus speaking: “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)

OK, I do have another favorite – Jeremiah 30 (9, 12)!

Today we receive Evian’s passport, check it, and send it on for her travel visa. 

Tomorrow, we have the opportunity to visit Evian’s orphanage.  The trip is 4 hours one way by bus.  Considering the long travel day, along with what we’ve heard from other adoptive parents about orphanage visits (smaller, less modern community without “facilities” or “amenities”, possible distraction from bonding for adoptive babies…), Russ is going while Evian and I stay at our hotel.  He will go armed with cameras, and will also be able to deliver some supplies to the orphanage.  Evian and I will pray from here! 

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