CHINA May 22- Tianamen Square/Forbidden City/Pearl Market- Isaac's 20th Birthday

On Isaac's 20th birthday we went to the Forbidden City in Beijing with our guide Susan.  We spent several hours there.  She could answer just about any question we asked.  A wealth of information.  Last time we were there we were not able to spend as much time because we were with a larger group.  

We thought this was a funny scene.  Right in Tianamen Square we saw a Lama Monk taking selfies.  

The Crown "Prince" being fanned by his best bud--Susan..

 

As soon as we entered the outer courts of the city, Lucas found this armored vehicle of course.  Fascinated by the military/government officials.  It's illegal to take pictures of them directly so we didn't do that, but he got his "fix" with this "SWAT" vehicle.

 The Emperor's Palace.

 This crowd of people were taking pictures of an empty room...This is where you take your life in your hands and do NOT act polite. you just move forward.  It's as crazy as it looks.

 This is the best picture we could get of the Emperors Throne

 

 Lucas found this "hat" and added a splash of "color" to all our pictures.

 The photographer grabbing every opportunity he could to capture the Forbidden City in ways the rest of us would never see.  Can't wait to see what he saw.

 A hot and tired boy takes a rest.

 Cooling off with mango popsicles with Susan.

 This tree is a set of intertwind ancient trees that are over 400 years old.  It's tradition for married couples to have their picture taken here.  awww

 A little birthday "gift" from Susan for Isaac.

 Happy 20th Birthday big boy.  Susan helped me coordinate  having a little cake delivered to our room.

 A brief visist to the famous Pearl Market in Beijing.  It's not only pearls.  It's an "opportunity" to bargain.  Lucas thought that was a blast.  He got himself a watch and a sword.  He held his ground firmly.  They didn't have a chance.  I bought a small pearl necklace for our sweet Emma.  Lilli was able to make some pretty good deals as well.

 Bargaining brothers.

 yes ALL of this went onto the sleeper car overnight train we took to Chifeng.  We got quite the looks from the locals.  Not sure if it was the load of luggage or the fact that we were the only caucasions on the train. Maybe both?

 look at that handsome dude.

 Our train to Chifeng.

We went to sleep on this train filled with anticipation since the next day we would be going to the orphanage to meet our kids.  I knew our guide would meet us at the train and we'd go to our hotel to freshen up and then head to the orphanage.  I didn't sleep very well--not sure if it was the hard bed, the anticipation, or the starts and stops of the train all night.  But, it was fun to be in the same car with Lucas, Isaac and Lilli.  Sweet man Peter stayed in another car with 3 chinese "strangers".  

You'll have to ask Lilli about our our 2 am "adventure".  lol

oh and one more fun tidbit...using a squatty potty on a moving train is ... well...."fun".  Let's all just imagine where that waste goes on a moving train shall we?

CHINA May 21--Beijing-The Great Wall

Beijing Day 2:

The Great Wall

Last time we were in China, we went to a different section of the Great Wall and we were a bit more rushed because we were with a large group.  This time we were with our guide Susan who was a wealth of fascinating details about the Wall and Chinese History and who let us spend as much time as we wanted.  We were there about 4 hours. And even had a great lunch right at the base of it.

On our way to the Great Wall, Susan asked a funny question in the van.  

"What's the difference between a cable car and gondola?"  

we thought she was just asking a translation question.  

Until we bought tickets and walked up to "this".....

Almost without notification, we were "escorted" onto a 

SKI LIFT!!!!!

I thought Lilli was going to pass out.  

She and I were on one lift and Susan and Lucas were on one lift and Peter and Isaac were on another.

It was very funny. 

She kept saying

"Someone needs to tell Susan this is a CHAIR LIFT not a gondola not a cable car"...

it was quite funny

but 

I'm sure she didn't think so...

we did laugh a lot tho

This is a VERY nervous Tante Lilli.  That is an "anxious" smile.

 But alas we made it...
and this particluar section of the Wall is GORGEOUS!
It was a beautiful day.

we climbed A LOT of steps that day...and are still feeling the effects.  But, well worth it!

 Isaac the photographer was taking a few risks while shooting on the wall. One of his parents was encouraging him to go to the top of this section to check it out. One of his parents is a "good parent". The other ... not so much.

The trip down was fun too.  We rode a Tobogan run...wa hooey

 Lilli got caught by a weird Mongolian guy to take a picture.  What we didn't realize until after we took the picture was we were suppose to pay him for it.  (on our own camera)...whatever.

 Lucas teaching Tante Lilli how to use chopsticks.

 Lucas learned how to blow bubbles while in China.  He is very proud.

What a fun day full of adventure and bringing China to life for Lucas.  He has been seeing his homeland in a whole different light and commenting about how much he loves it.  We are happy about that because there was a season when he didn't want anything to do with China.  There is a certain familiarity for him now and he is enjoying it.  Someday I hope we can return and do even more.  This was a wonderful day!

CHINA May 19-20-Travel Days and Hit the ground runnin' in Beijing

Welcome to our adventure.  You'll have to go back a few posts if you want the full story, but the short story for those just joining us now, is we are adopting 2 kids age 11 and 12 from China who were friends of our son Lucas when he lived in China the first 7 years of his 11 year old life.  He advocated for us to bring them home and prayed them into our family.  

One year ago on May 25, 2014, Peter, my husband heard the Lord say to him, "Do You Believe or not?" And exactly one year later on May 25, 2015 we will be bringing them into our family on their "Gotcha Day".  

So

We headed out on Tuesday, May 19---packed up and ready to go.  (thank you Jon Sanders for driving us to the airport). The flights went well--total air time about 15 hours.  We met Lilli, Peter's sister, and Isaac, our 20 year old in Dallas for the long flight over.  

We all have been filled with anticipation, and butterflies, and hesitation, and wonder, and joy and craziness.  So Here we go...

We met our guide Susan for the first time, at the airport in Beijing waving a sign and found out after spending 3 days with her that she was THE most AMAZING guide EVER!  She's been involved with adoptive families and tour guiding for 19 years.  She knows adoptive families and kids like nobody's business and she is fun and extremely knowledgeable about Chinese history, and adoption.  Just amazing.  Here she is with Lucas, who she had by the hand most of the 3 days we were in Beijing.  Laughing, and being goofy and loving on him so well.  We miss her already.

As soon as we arrived in Beijing we freshened up and hit the road for an authentic Peking Duck dinner.  Jet lag caught up with Lucas who slept through the entire meal.  Poor sweet boy.

Guess who showed up at the Peking Duck dinner?  Anyone else think this is funny?

We were fed A LOT of food.  And the Duck comes at the end of the other 6 dishes you order, so it's completely crazy...

All of us were about to lose our cookies when our guide explained the significance of eating the head of the duck...lol.   Our first meal in China and they split open the duck head...ok....

After dinner, which Lucas didn't eat, we strolled the streets close by and found a cotton candy maker who sold this to Lucas.  Yes, that whole thing is cotton candy and yes he slept through dinner.  Wow are we great parents.

A little bit of the street life.

  

And then we went back to the hotel, Novotel XianQiao Beijing, and crashed.  With all that activity, the days and nights all blur together.  But, we woke up bright and early the next day to go to The Great Wall....

Being Real

Is. 41:10 (NASB) is my landing spot lately:

‘Do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,

Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

The adoption process is a tense and scary journey sometimes. 

There are anxious moments as you fill out paperwork in hopes that you will somehow "pass" the test--whether it is a blood test at the doctor, a homestudy inspection, a financial review, a fingerprinting appointment, a USCIS "exam" of your documents, or a review of all your paperwork from a foreign government. 

Finally, you get to the "end" of the paperwork journey and you realize---wowsa, our whole life is about to change.  Yes, we pondered this and prayed for over 2 years before we decided to move forward.  We know it is a privelege we have been given.  But, now that the days have started counting down and we are in the last 30 days before travel and not all the finances are there yet, and the rooms aren't quite ready, and we need to pack and plan the actual hotels, plane tickets and such, anxiety creeps in.

It's a sneaky little critter--anxious thought.  

It invades sleep.  It creeps up in the middle of the day.
It makes your heart pound unexpectedly at strange times.

It tries to distract from the Greater Purposes.  

It makes blood pressure rise and fuses get short.

and sometimes
Priorities get skewed when anxious thought invades.

Sometimes it's almost as if we seek out the anxious thoughts.  We let them run wild and untamed.

I'm just being real.

Thoughts about managing kids with special needs that I have no experience with.

Thoughts and reminders of the journey we had with Lucas--particularly at the beginning.

Thoughts and reminders about how "fun" the language barrier is.
Thoughts and reminders of the bills yet to be paid. ($15,000 still needed is crazy)

That old friend anxiety has come for a visit.

It wakes me up in the morning and I need to go to battle against it.
It rushes forward and floods my mind.
Scattered disjointed thoughts race around.
And other times thoughts get so focused that nothing else matters.
I almost can't hear the world around me.

I've come to realize I can:
1.  stay there.  be overwhelmed. let my heart pound out of my chest.
or
2. remind myself..."You've been here before" "You know what to do" "throwing up isn't an option" "laying in bed all day isn't a good choice" "a beach getaway ain't happening right now"

and "God is Faithful----most importantly----Remember----He IS Faithful"

Suddenly a song floats through all the noise and clutter of my mind.
A verse of scripture floats to the top.

songs:
"I know who goes before me, I know who stands behind...The God of Angel armies is always by my side...."
"Promise Maker, Promise Keeper...You finish what you begin..."

scripture:
"Do not fear, for I am with you;

Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,

Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (Is. 41:10)

" Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil 4:6-7)

...and these are just a few.

What a waste of time to be anxious. I want the "peace that transcends all understanding".  I've had it.  The most prominent time I remember...the day/moment Jacob died.  It was surreal, and palpable.  But, God gave me peace that day.  Tears flowed don't get me wrong.  But there was a confidence and a peace.  Where did it go? Ah yes, once again, I need to return to scripture, God's Word, and Listen.

That is what I'm talking about when I say "God is Faithful".  It's not fluff.  It's real.  And I am needing to remind myself these days that he offered it then...He can offer it now.

"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, ²¹ to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen."  Eph. 3:20-21

It's real people.  And it's truth.

deep breath

*********

disclaimer:  I think I needed to write this today and put it all out on "paper" because I needed these reminders.  When I write, God reminds me how He puts all the pieces together.  Thanks for coming inside my head and my for a minute or two.  

Just Being Real.

H 

Our Adoption Stats--

Some people like to know the stats of the adoption process.

Each layer carries with it varying piles of paperwork and time. (can't really begin to calculate the time).  Sometimes it's just a matter of waiting for something to show up and other times it's time filling it out or running around getting things certified, notarized, authenticated, etc.  For those who like the stats...here they are....

May 27, 2014 decision is made after over 2 years of prayers and research and more prayers.  

We are adopting QJF and QYM from China.

Spent some time researching Agencies and making decisions about some other details.  Put in our application, began Homestudy process and...

PA on July 8, 2014.  

Sept. 9 I800a and Homestudy sent

11/13/14 I800a approval (last piece sent through Chinese Consulate in Houston directly to Agency) 

11/13/14  DTC 

11/21/14  LID 

12/4/14  OOT 

1/21/15  In Review-

1/27/15  LOA (in China system “soft LOA?”) 

2/3/15   LOA (in hand)

2/4/15  I800 sent 

 2/14)  Receipt Notice dated 2/9/2015  (rec’d hard copy 2/14)

hiccup—

RFE

UGH!!!!!

Sent 2nd set of $$ to USCIS didn’t know I needed to send a second check.  

3/11/2015-  1800 approval (verbal) 

—-FINALLY recv’d verbal approval for 1800!!! yay!

3/18/15   GUZ number recd (filled out ap and submitted)

3/19/15   Article 5 Drop off 

4/2/15  Art. 5 Pick up 

4/9/15  TA (soft) 

4/14/15   CA  (for June 2)

Someone asked me how many pieces of paper we have actually touched and "done" in this process.  I can estimate, but there is no way to completely know all of them.  Keep in mind we are adopting TWO kids so some of these items were doubled because of that.  And we haven't been to China yet...

DRUM ROLL PLEASE.....

we are at approximately 575 pieces of paper...not including all things we've had to photo copy but including the 2 full Dossiers.  

It's A LOT OF PAPER....let's just say that.  It's a bit hard to fully calculate.  And we have more to do in China--although most of it is done now.  

It is definitely quite a process and not for the faint of heart.  But, God is Faithful.  He carries us through.  

With our CA now determined, we hope to leave May 19.  But, final plans are still in the works.  

This is a bit of a dry post, but those stats are important pieces of information that I wanted to be sure to have centrally located.  

Stay tuned for more "personality" in future posts.  I promise, I'm really not this boring.

=)