Home And Family | Family Center

Q and A!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 17:53:00 +0000

You ask and I answer! If you have a question please leave a comment and I will answer them in my next post!

Blessings to you!

Jean

Girl Time

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 15:09:00 +0000

This past week we had a SPECIAL treat. A very sweet friend from my church youth group days came to visit. I love this special gal. We super close buddies during our teenage years, then we went our separate ways but we have always kept up our friendship. It seems so easy and natural to pick up where we left off in a past visit. She is a loyal friend that I count as a true blessing to me. I am SO grateful that she came to see us. I anticipated her visit from the moment I found out she was coming.

The girls adored her. She totally loved on them too.

I also got to see my BFF this past Friday too. She was in a nearby city and we met for lunch. It was a great blessing to steal away some moments with her. She has just finished her surgery rotation in medical school. She is an amazing woman. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures. After she headed home, the girls and I headed out to do some shopping. Our first stop was Trader Joe's. I have been hearing all about this awesome grocery store but hadn't been able to get to one until Friday! I am in love. I will definitely be swinging by anytime I am near one. I super impressed with the prices and the quality of ingredients in most of the foods that I looked at. I didn't see any high fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated oils on any ingredient lists. Impressive!

I also took the girls to toy Heaven...Toys 'R Us. Peanut had a ball telling me what she wanted and did very well when I reminded her we were not there to buy just to look. I was able to sneak a couple of things in the cart for her birthday. We also visited a mall and had fun window shopping before heading home. It was a fun day with my girls. I love spending time with them like that.

Now...are you having a bad day? Do you need to smile or maybe even chuckle? Well I have a picture that may help. To see it in real life brings a giggle out of me every time she does it. Hope it brightens your day.

-Mama

Dr Appts, Playgroup and Church!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 02:13:00 +0000

We had our playgroup today (FCC- families with children from China) and the girls had a great time! It was so nice for all of us to be with these wonderful families! It was interesting that the girls did so much better with other adoptive families than at a park with children playing. They just fit right in regardless of the language barrier and played! Some of the kids knew some Chinese and they tried it out on Emma and Ellie! One of the families will be traveling in September for their baby- they waited 4.5 years for her. We are so excited to welcome our youngest member to the group soon!! Another family will travel in August for their 13 yr old daughter! I love that our group is still growing!

The girls received a few gifts and they even had a princess cake made for them (thank you Michelle and Zhou)! It was delicious! They were thrilled and it was obvious how much they enjoyed the afternoon!

After that we went to Emma and Ellie's Dr appt. Early this week they went with Anna and Sarah to their appt, so they could see what it was like. They had blood drawn and did surprisingly well. They also had the left hand x-rayed for bone age. I am interested in what the results are and this next week we go to the dentist- I am looking forward to her input, too.

I think the girls are 7 and 8 yrs old. Ellie thinks she is 7 and Emma thinks she is 10. Then 5 minutes later Emma said she was 9? I know 10 is not right- we will see if it is going to be 8 or 9 for little Emma. When we figure it all out we will let you know when their birthdays will be!

We are going to have Emma do physical therapy. She has weaker muscle tone and she is more rigid. There is a chance she may have a tethered cord (I have no experience with that )- so we are going to a specialist to check it out. Nothing was in her medical report but she has something at the base of her spine that is questionable.

I need to remember to keep my expectations low and give the girls time to adjust. I tend to want to jump right into life! The girls have so many things they are adjusting to- we just need to take our time. We have only been home one week now.

We went to church with all 4 girls- a first. Arrived late, sat in the back ready to leave if needed. The only one that had a hard time was Anna (not a surprise)! Emma and Ellie sat perfectly and quietly, we were shocked! I have already scheduled their baptism for mid August- I want them to be familiar with our church so it's not a complete shocker. They are doing it after the service- whew! I am tired of audiences so we're glad it will be kind of private. We were stared at every moment in China. Now tonight we ate at our favorite Chinese restaurant and had an audience their too. They mean well and are so nice to us but we hoping for a quiet dinner as a family. They talked to girls and gave them some instructions from us- like don't wake your sisters up in the morning, don't pick your scab, chew your food before you put more in your mouth, don't pick food up off the floor and put it in your mouth - you know all that really important stuff that mom's want to tell their kids!

Feeling Blessed and Thankful!!

Home for 5 days!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:32:00 +0000

This pic was taken before the accident. After this we told her to put her helmet on and then tried to help her get it on. I had to post it because she looks so cute on her bike and has worked so hard to pedal!

Everyone loves big bro Mark! He is tons of fun- he's just like Grandpa Boppa!

Mark was going to trim his hair he didn't realize it was set at the shortest setting- he ended up needing to redo his whole head! Oh well- at his age it will all grow back!!

More fun outside!

Big girl little bike!

Anna decided to wash her toys in the doggies water dish. She was so cute about it I decided to take a pic! You know how slimy doggy water dishes can be - yuck honey!

One of the toys from China got stuck on the ceiling! Big bro Johnny to the rescue!

The girls love playing with their dolls!! I love seeing them play with their dolls!

We lost our internet connection for a little while- oh my- I could hardly stand it! Thank goodness it is up and running now!

Ellie is doing great. Her bump has turned into a bruise but is healing nicely!

I am happy to say everything is moving along just fine! The girls are adjusting well and getting comfortable in their new home! Emma particularly likes being home. She loves playing with dolls and doll accessories. It is really quite cute! She is so much more peaceful at home. She is responding well to love and positive reinforcement. We still occasionally have to tell her NO but she is listening to it now- PTL!! I can tell by the look on her face she want to be a good girl and doesn't like to have no said to her. When we first got her the expressions on her face did not match her feelings- now they do. It actually concerned us in China so it is so good to see them correlate now!

I think it even surprises Ellie that Emma is behaving. She was always the favored child so this is a change for her, too. It will take her a while to get used to it and to understand both can be good- there doesn't have to be a bad and a good.

Today we actually got up before the girls!! This was a minor victory! Usually they pounce on us early in the morning. It feels so good to have baby steps in the right direction!

Ellie is not so happy with her new Momma's cooking or lack there of! Emma is eating up the American food but Ellie is not so fond of it. We try to have Chinese every other night (yea, take out) and order extra rice for another meal but other than that they are being fully immersed in our way of life. All in all it is going well and I think they are happy and settling in nicely!

The language is coming slowly- slower than I remember with Sarah but it is happening. We are working on the colors, the siblings names, counting to 10, please, thank you and okay Mom!

I had signed the girls up for a park playgroup when we thought they would be home in early June. We went to it this week and gave it a try. It was a challenging environment for Emma and Ellie. They were unable to follow the directions due to the language issue. Most of the equipment is new to them and they just don't have the muscle development to do what the other kids can do. Soon they will grow in coordination and ability but they just don't have it yet. That is one of the many aspects of adopting older that we love- the transformation!! More on that topic at a later date!

Just in case you are interested- I had my hair highlighted today- no bugs- I'm in the clear- thank goodness!

Thank You Jesus for each day as a family of 11!!

Incognito

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:52:00 +0000

We're going undercover for a bit.

Watch out spy world....here comes Agent Peanut,

Agent Mama,

Agent Daddy,

and of course, Agent Pumpkin!

We're off to break codes and solve mysteries!

An Evening in the ER

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 12:19:00 +0000

We were all outside playing, riding bikes, scooters and getting wagon rides with big bro MArk. This was the first time he met his new sisters so everyone was excited! Ellie loves riding her bike and she is actually working hard to pedal it!

This time she got on it with out her helmet. Right away I let her know she needed to get it on. She smiled and shook her head no. I insisted and Mark walked over to her to help her put it on. She refused, shook her head no again, giggled and started to get silly. Then fell over on her bike and hit her cheek bone on the driveway. She seemed stunned and had a far away look in her eye. I thought she was holding back the tears but no realized she probably knocked herself out for a moment.

Little tears ran down her cheeks but it wasn't a full out cry. I comforted her- trying to show her that's what Mom's do and hoping to make her feel better. It didn't have much impact and she still had a far away look in her eyes. We decided that was enough of the outdoor play and we all went inside for snack. Ellie had a couple bites and then wanted to go to sleep. She had her head on the counter and refused any more food. Before I knew it she had slipped out of the kitchen.

We hadn't seen mark in 3 weeks and I was busy planning dinner so I didn't really notice for awhile. The girls told me she had gone to bed. We are all still jet lagged but that is not normal for her. Still I figured she was just tired and was upset about falling- maybe it all just exhausted her.

The girls tried waking her up- she didn't want to get up. When dinner was ready we carried her down and set her at the table- she seems to always wake up for meals but not this time. She just couldn't wake up, if she did her eyes would soon shut again. Again we still didn't put the pieces of the puzzle together. We thought it was a bad case of jet lag along with just not liking the food.

A couple minutes later she threw up. That's when it occurred to me- okay, something is going on. This is more thsn jet lag. We got her cleaned up and ready to go to the Doctor. She threw up again- okay skip the Dr's office we are going to the ER. Then she threw up a third time, skip the ER- we are calling 911.

Two police cars came with sirens, then an ambulance, with sirens. Ellie was still looking dazed, had an occasional little tear and continued to nod off. I went with her in the ambulance- she continued to act that way. Her vitals were okay but she worried the paramedics. We ended up going to the children's hospital with full sirens. (I wanted to pull out my phone and text you all for prayers but there wasn't time)

We were met with a complete medical team prepared to care for her. They were wonderful and I was so thankful. They did a CAT scan- she was perfect and was very still. It looked just fine PTL! They had a translator come but Ellie didn't speak- just shook her head yes and no to answer the questions. They decided she has a concussion and we were sent home 3 hours later.

She has a headache now and I have given her motr*n (per Dr's orders). She did not eat BKF and is resting again. I am still concerned for her. Please pray that she is feeling better soon and her headache is just a headache and nothing more.

Thank you! God Bless You!

Reconnecting

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 01:12:00 +0000

We have been busy, busy seeing friends and family lately. Last week we had two sweet friends from Russia here. Mr. Russia is actually a college friend of ours who has been in Russia as a missionary for about 6 years. A few years back he met a sweet girl, fell in love and married her one year ago this past April. Due to the slight distance between our families we had not gotten to meet this sweet girl until their visit last week, although we are most certainly Facebook Buddies.

It was a delightful time of catching up with and getting to know each other. The girls simply adored having friends over who actually spent the night! (That meant Mommy and Daddy slept in their room too!)

Over the weekend we headed to Daddy's family reunion. It was exceedingly hot so the kids really enjoyed swimming. Peanut is a fish, I tell you! She would have spent the entire time in the water instead of just 90% of the time. Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of our day because I may have forgotten my camera battery at home! Oops! (As a Mommy blogger I was devastated!) It was a 4 hour ride home and for 70% of the trip we heard in a sad little voice, "But I just wanted to stay and spend the night," from Peanut! Then a crazy lightening storm filled the sky and she buried her face in her pillow and fell asleep.

On Sunday we got to see our friends who are missionaries in the Solomon Islands. They just returned to the states this past week and are here for a few months. The Hubby's parents live very near to where we are now so we met up with them for the afternoon and evening. Our kids had a ball playing together on the farm that he grew up on. They climbed in and out of tractors, rode toy tractors, took Gator rides, and ate a superb supper....and to top it all off, sweet fellowship and catching up after a year apart!

Pumpkin now has Hand, Foot, Mouth again. Ugh! She has it worse than this past spring. So far Peanut doesn't have it so we are hoping she will skate through.

We have another good friend from California coming to see us for a couple days this week. We are also preparing for Peanut's 4th birthday which is just over a week away! I can not believe it. She is extremely excited. It has been so fun to see the excitement building in her and to know that she really gets that her birthday is coming.

Pumpkin is keeping us on our toes. This is what I found the other day upon walking into the kitchen.

She had climbed up on the chair, found the Cheerio box, opened it, decided to have a snack and dumped the entire contents (it was only half full) out on the table, floor and chair.

She has now figured out that if she gets her sister's stool she can get into more things. She goes to find the stool, carries it to the spot she wants, climbs it and "Waa-Laa" she can get into things she isn't supposed to get into! Smartie pants!!!!!

Guess Who's Speaking Chinese...

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:23:00 +0000

You got it- it's Sarah. She didn't say hardly a word in China but once we got her home she is jabbering away with the girls. It is usually helpful BUT not always.

This morning I asked her what she said to the girls... She told me that she said- "It's 8 o'clock".

I looked at her and said ahhh, It's not 8:00... it's 5:30... 5:30am...

yea I know she said...

Okay let's clarify this, if you talk to them you have to tell them true things not just whatever sentence you can say... (while giving her a firm look)

Okay (reluctantly said)...

She can only say simple sentences but it is fun for them to chatter.

There is a part of me that wants to say excuse me... this is english immersion! Sarah did go back to calling them their Chinese names and we had to correct her.

Yesterday we went to a park- it was a half hearted effort to keep everyone awake! The girls had never been on a swing before. Again the shouted with glee! Ellie fell off but she gets right back up again and tries harder!

They also tried bike riding and skinned their elbows. Hubby put on bandaids- princess bandaids - another first! (I was already in bed)

Okay it's now 7:23- I ate bkf already but I'm ready for a second one! I don't do well with jet lag... We are all exhausted. Can't wait for things to get back on track!

(I'll post pics when I get a chance!)

Home Sweet Home! What we found out in China!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 11:43:00 +0000

Leaving the White Swan!

New faces at our kitchen counter!!

Look at Emma's smile- that is a for real smile!! She loves to dress up and loves that doll she found in our house! They both love the dress up shoes!!

Everyones happy we are home!!

It feels so good to be home! Thank You Jesus!! I am so grateful that our travels were uneventful. It was exhausting but we made it!! The girls were giddy to be home! They both ran and hugged their Ge ge- Johnny!! We were surprised they were so affectionate to him. He was genuinely excited to meet them and show them their new home. After about 4 hours- he was getting tired of all the activity- that is understandable. We are going to move a few things around so that the older kids can have the basement and the younger kids can have all of their toys upstairs. Everybody need s little space to retreat too!! My shower and the computer are my two spots!

The girls are loving our toys- nothing new just stuff from Sarah and Anna, but to them it's all new! I like seeing it get used and so much joy coming from their playing!! Emma and Ellie are really into dress up!! They can't get enough of it- it is so cute. We have seen some wonderful natural smiles from Emma- which is good!! The dear girl had no idea how to deliberately smile - like for a pic! She needs more mirror time!!

Sorry to leave you hanging but I have had to think about this for awhile because I don't know what it means, or what to think.

When we were in China we found out that our girls have another sister. It is so wonderful to know that... I mean - I have often wondered about Sarah and Anna- do they have birth siblings in China or are they adopted somewhere. We love them so much we would want to give their siblings a home too if it could work out!

In this case we have heard that the little sister still lives with the parents. That's good... the children should live with their birth parents, if they can. Isn't that what we all want? I mean of course it is, but it does bring about confusing feelings and then twists the whole adoption thought process. I had to think this through a bit because my first thought was maybe we could adopt her, too! HOLD IT, she is where she should be- with her birth family. What am I thinking? She is not an orphan, she has a home. She is right where she is supposed to be.

Then I started thinking- oh my- of course most of our children have siblings- we just don't know who they are? That thought drives me crazy- it's a puzzle that can never be solved.

What are your thoughts?

(I'll add a few pics when I find my camera!)

Swearing In and Preparing for Our Journey Home!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:38:00 +0000

Our version of the red couch picture!

All of our daughters!

One happy Momma with her girls!

After the swearing in ceremony, in front of the consulate!

Big Sissy and her two new sisters!

We were blessed to have such a wonderful family with us in GZ!! The Holts were in China in 2005 and now the returned for a little sister! They kept us laughing!

Today was the swearing in... it has been an incredible journey but now it is winding down. Tomorrow we get the girls passports and visas and head to HK for the night. We will fly home early Saturday morning and arrive home Saturday afternoon- I love that about this trip- we get two Saturdays!!

There are more posts to post, pics to see and experiences to tell about but for now we are focused on our journey home. God has blessed us with our daughters and sons. How lucky we are to parent this crew!

I have mentioned before that our dear Emma is a challenge. She has so, so much to learn. We are putting our faith in God that he will help us every step of the way. Hubby has been the one to deal with her misbehaviors. Once we get home it will be just me and the girls- Please pray for wisdom and patience for me as I deal with the challenges of two new daughters throughout the day. I do not doubt for a moment that God can do it but I do doubt whether or not I can do it- so as long as he is in control we will be fine!

Today we had the girls sit down with our family, our guide and the person in charge of the guides. We discussed expected behavior in America (seatbelt, stay with your family, etc). We discussed family expectations- respect older brothers, respect parents, respect our home, listen to parents, the parents are in charge, all children in America either go to school or are taught at home... it's the law, etc!

In all honesty - they made it very clear that if she(Emma) wanted to be in our family this is what she needed to do. We were glad they did! We know that kids are defiant at times, we know they test the limits and challenge the rules, we know they want control, we know that everyone makes mistakes. We are a happy family, we treat each other nicely, we love each other, we respect each other, we help each other and we believe we can be a great family to our new daughters but they need to work hard to make it work out. We believe they heard that message and now we will all move forward.

It was interesting because Emma then behaved perfectly and Ellie acted up. There are interesting dynamics when adopting bio sibs! I am sure this will not be the last time they act as a tag team. For too long they have been labeled good and bad. It is my goal, my mission to stop that. We used it a little to encourage better behavior from Emma while in China but that is not a game to be played at home.

I want... I dream for both girls to feel for once equally loved, equally treasured, equally admired and equally respected. This is not a task I can do on my own- this is so much bigger than me. It has to be all God, and only God.

Please pray that all goes as well as possible on our journey home!

Please pray for our journey as we become a family of 11 (2 parents and 9 children)!

Truly the Lord knows my heart! He knows my dreams! I am so grateful to him! He knows that as a child I played "big family"! My family had 13 in it so stay tuned!!

There is some other interesting news but I will wait to share it. It's all up to God and I completely submit to him!

Meeting the Foster Parents!!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 05:16:00 +0000

This has been one of the most amazing experiences I have ever been through... I am so thankful to God for allowing all of this to happen.

I really can't believe we met the foster family!

I can't believe we were in the home that our daughters lived in for the last 3.5 years.

I just can't believe that the woman we saw in pictures with our daughter is now in pictures with us, with our family. It is truly a blessing!

Here are pictures of all her foster children throughout the years! Ladies, if you think it doesn't make any difference whether or not you send an update on your child to the foster family - you are wrong! Send them! The marvel over the children! It is what they do, it's their job and they love to see the children thriving! (If possible send directly to the foster parents so they are sure to get them!)

Most of the foster families live in these complexes near the orphanage and the school.

They invited us into their home and had fruit and water for us! She also had a few things cooking in the kitchen that she sent with us for the girls.

The relationship between our girls and the foster family was not lovey dovey. Their was love there but not much hugging and kissing. The foster Dad worked a lot and the girls were mostly with the foster Mom.

Here is the school the girls attended. It was nice and close to home.

We asked many questions and got straight forward answers. I would have preferred that the girls not be there during that time but we did not have any options.

Anna made herself right at home!

It saddened me that she did not have many good things to say about Emma. I think she did say that Emma like to clean up and be helpful... but that was all.

Once Emma found out she was going to be adopted she she frequently misbehaved. She was kicked out of school 5 times in the last 2 months.

At that point she decided that no one was going to control her. We have had to be very strict with her while in China. At first I think some of the people think we are excessively firm but once they see how she acts- I think we have gained their respect. Either way - it doesn't matter... Emma is our daughter, she is part of our family and she needs to fit into our family... we don't need to fit into what she desires. She WILL learn, it will just take some time.

Their is the foster Dad having a cigarette. To me this picture is so thought provoking. It is so simple and yet there is so much depth in it...

This is the bedroom the girls shared. They slept in the same bed. We asked them if the wanted to sleep together in the hotel and at home. Ellie was a definite NO!

Here is her kitchen. It is so simple but the truth is I am sure she is a much better cook than I am and I have a large kitchen...

My girls are going to be disappointed in their new mothers cooking...

Thank You for caring for our daughters for the last 3.5 years!

With the way Emma acted we wondered what the foster family was really like... We were thankful to know they were nice people. We liked them right away, there was an unspoken bond between us... They have 2 birth children in their 20's. A daughter who is married and has their grandson. Their bio son is in college.

She has fostered for many years but will no longer be fostering. Emma and Ellie were her last foster children. We so appreciate the care they gave our daughters but sometimes people do "burn out". It was evident that our Emma was not the favored daughter. She is a "hurt" child. She is need of love, guidance and she will need time to heal.

This is the parents bedroom.

Another pic of the school.

We new of a couple children that were adopted from this orphanage and were our daughters friends. They new Meiying!! Everyone loved her- she was a good girl!!

They also new Sha Sha! The girls were so excited to see her!!

She will be getting her forever family in September (about)!

I know that Ellie had many friends but it was nice to know that Sha Sha was also Emma's friend.

Adorable!! PTL- they all have or will have forever families!

The experience was surreal! We almost backed out- we just weren't sure how it was going to affect the girls. It turned out to the the best thing for all of us! We have never had this opportunity before- I am so thankful for it!

We did not get to visit the orphanage. We were okay with that, especially since our girls were only there for a short time.

I love this Grandma!! She was thrilled to see the girls! She was all smiles and very few teeth!!

While we were there one of the families got an update on one of the previous foster kids! Everyone was so happy to see the pics! They marveled over how good the child looked and how much she had grown!!

Everyone crowded around!

I was surprised that the girls stuck close to us and did not cuddle up to the foster Mom. They loved going back and visiting and eating her food but they did not hug, kiss or cling to her.

Maybe she prepared them well for their adoption or maybe it just wasn't a super close relationship.

It is time to leave, they are all walking us back to our bus.

You can see in the window Emma on the left, Ellie in the middle and Sarah on the right.

I felt very sad leaving. I got teary along with the foster Mom. I know the girls felt sad inside but they did not cry or cling to them. As a child I know that I would have been clinging and whaling.

There is Ellie waving at her foster Dad and absorbing the moment.

They asked that the girls never forget where they are from and someday come back to visit.

I am so thankful that Katie captured these moments...

Hands touching hands through the glass window. It is such a tender moment...

It takes courage to do what these foster families do and it takes incredible courage to do what the these children have to do...

Our wordless Wednesday picture...

Still talking! Woman are so alike where ever they are from!

Everyone's Grandma saying good bye to the girls!

Sarah taking it all in...

The girls came up to the front of the bus for their last good byes.

They were sad but the held up just fine- they did not cry.

I think it was hard for the foster family to say goodbye.

The orphanage- Guilin SWI

We did not get to go inside. Our daughters were only there for 9 months.

Today is such a turning point in the lives of our daughters. We are so thankful for this opportunity to love and raise our girls.

Thank You Jesus!

Going Back in Time! July 8th- Sightseeing in Guilin!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:37:00 +0000

Guilin is beautiful. It is the tourist hot spot in Ch*na! I am so glad we came here and saw our daughters home town!

This is the Li River Cruise!

Whenever I saw chinese drawings of mountains I thought they just don't know how to draw them but in Guilin the mountains look like this- like the drawings I see in China!

I love this pic of Hubby, Sarah and Anna!

I was a little nervous with the girls on the deck. Honestly I could see one of the new girls falling in. They are not that coordinated and tripping is not uncommon.

The kids did get a little bored on the cruise- the adults loved it!

The sight were fantastic!

As I post more pics I realize that these two are my smilers! They are easy to photograph!!

It was actually a nicer day than it looks in the pics.

Usually she's a happy girl! I am thankful for that!!

Surprise, Anna fell asleep!

At the end of the cruise we shopped in this little town- sorry, I can't remember the name!

Everybody was following us. They all wanted to sell us something.

This girl works at embroidery- she is incredibly good at it! I was surprised she looked up and smiled!!

I love this pic of Sarah checking her out!

He wuld play his flute and then want us to by them- believe me we would not be able to play like him!

Next was the evening cruise to see all the lights n the river in the middle of town. It was nice but I'm more up for the natural beauty. It was a little too disneyish...

The city is beautiful!

The architecture, the buildings, the bridges and the landscape! It is a clean cute city devoted to tourism. No industry here, so it is cleaner than other cities in China.

The fisherman send the birds to catch the fish. There is a ring around the birds neck so they cannot swallow the fish - they cough it up and he gives them a little treat that the can swallow..

At 10:00 every night this hotel turns into a waterfall! Water comes pouring over the roofline and down the windows.

It was a busy day and we were all tired!! Time to head back to the hotel. Bedtime was a huge challenge. Emma has trouble settling down. Thank goodness it has gotten a little better!

Going Back in Time! July 7th- Nanning to Guilin!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 04:24:00 +0000

Our 2nd morning together. Emma and Ellie would often run in different directions we had to keep a very close eye on them. They are very active and excited!

I must say we do have our work cut out for us!

Ellie likes to have her picture taken!

Hannah is one of the guides for our agency. She had met the girls before - she stopped by to pick up photo albums we were delivering and give us a gift for a family in the USA.

She could see how the girls were acting- so we asked her to talk to them. She did- we have had to have our guides talk to them often!

These dear children have so much to learn- I honestly can't even imagine all they have been through...

That's the fountain the Emma climbed into the first day ;-)

We went to the nearby park in the morning before leaving for Guilin. It was a beautiful park! We would have enjoyed it even more but the heat was unbearable. We saw a dance group practicing in the park.

The girls were intrigued and loved watching them.

Emma gets closer and closer into their space. Sometimes I just let the Chinese people tell her to get out of the way.

The dance instructor had his stick with him and would hit them where he felt the needed improvement. Sarah recognized the stick... they had one at her school.

Everyone wanted to get a pic with Katie. This is the dance instructor!

Anna wanted to participate in a little target practice!

The park was really pretty!!

These two get along pretty well!

They all wanted to do everything they saw so we settled on... bubbles!

We bought 2 sets and we have 4 kids- mistake- it started problems- no one wanted to share- we learned a lesson...

We needed to get moving to catch the train! Kids got mad, it was hot, parents had to hurry! Kids didn't want to walk with us because they were mad, it was hot, did I mention it was really hot and humid! Somehow we all made it to the train station!

Pics are a little out of order now... but we made it- that's what counts!!

The new girls did not want to carry their back pack but we all had to pitch in! We had a large load!!

More bubbles at the park!

The crew! Look at the men in front of us and how they are carrying our bags!!

Those bags are really heavy and they each have 3!!

Ladies... I don't think our husbands work hard enough!

We brought all that luggage on the train with us! You are only supposed to bring carry ons!!

I guess we didn't get the memo!!

Our guide, the helpers and the van driver barely made it off the train on time! It started pulling away and they were jumping off!

The girls did better than expected on the train! We feared the worst BUT it was okay!

The train left the station at 2:23 and arrived in Guilin at 9:00. We were hungry, hot and exhausted.

Anna refused to use the squatty potty, she held it the whole time!

I didn't realize it was such a long ride- I didn't plan food or anything.

When we arrived in GZ our guide met us with 3 strong men! They carried all our bags and took good care of us! We were so thankful! We had no idea how we were going to get everything off the train!

Julia (our guide) got us all settled and then we went out to eat! It is good to be in Guilin!!

Going Back In Time! It's Official- July 6th!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:15:00 +0000

Since I was unable to post while in Nanning I thought I would go back and share this part of the story! Please read the post after this one because that is my current post! I so appreciate your comments- they keep me going!!

This is the same room that we got the girls in- I made sure our guide explained that we were back to sign official papers so they would not wonder what was going on.

Sarah did all the girls hair- she is such a help! (of course that was before we suspected something might be going on). Now I do it- I'm not as good as Sarah!

The moment it was official!

Thumbprints by Momma and Babba and handprints from the girls sealed the deal!

Exchanging gifts! That was the orphanage rep. We never met anyone else. We did not get approval to visit the orphanage. Our girls were not in the orphanage for very long. We did meet the foster parents which is a whole other post!!

Ellie was very preoccupied with food but she is already a little better! She does not hoard but she want to be sure to get as much as possible before it is gone. She wanted cola but Momma gave her sprite! They have enough energy right now so we stayed away from the caffeine!

In the afternoon we went to the science and technology museum! The 2nd floor is all children's things- very interactive! The girls really had fun! It is hard for them to stop when they are having fun.

They did a lot of parallel play and some interacting. There were lots of smiles and laughter! We would highly recommend going there if you are in Nanning! It's a great way to burn off some extra energy!

Leader of the pack!

Our littlest girl!

Beautiful Child!!

Precious little child of God's!

They played great together!!

What are they all staring at??

It's my computer!

It's the computer guru and his posse!

I told you I tried my hardest to get it working!

These are awesome sticker books! The girls love them!

Another Day Down!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 11:12:00 +0000

Today we went to the follow up medical appt- the girls were negative for TB.

We had the rest of the day to ourselves- we hardly new what to do with all that time. Starting to look forward to going home and starting to try to figure our how I'm going to do it at home with the 4 girls. We just can't have Emma out of our sight for even a minute. I am sure it will get better in time but for now that's where were at.

I am also wondering about homeschooling. I want to do it but I do not have my confidence up enough to think it will go well, again time will tell and a whole bunch of prayer!!

We played in the swan room for a while - it works out great for the kids to play there- it is nice and cool and enclosed- I can't lose anyone!! Then we went to starbucks for coffee and cocoa- yes, even in this heat!

Hubby had some business work to do so Kate and I took the girls for haircuts. They refused- they didn't understand so Sarah agreed to a trim and then Ellie said yes! After watching Sarah and Ellie, Emma decided to go ahead! Their hair is adorable and looks so much healthier!! They didn't notice anything unusual about their hair so maybe we are in the clear... I'll let you know!

After that we ate at Lucy's and then went for a swim. Ellie does great with the water wings but Emma has refused them... until she jumped in and sunk to the bottom. After that she gladly put them on! She did well in them but soon took them off. I need her to wear them if we are going to go swimming once we are home. Their are too many children for me too watch safely on my own. I am hoping she make good progress so it will work out at home!

Sarah is not remembering any Chinese. We are surprised- we thought she would be able to understand some of it but she cannot- not a word. She knows as much Chinese as I do- barely anything. I think she feels a little bad about it but at the same time her english is coming along so nicely. She has memories of our time in GZ but doesn't remember much about our time in Nanchang- I am sure it was all so overwhelming for her at the time. Katie and I were reminiscing about our time with in China with Sarah. It really was as challenging as it is this time but some of the differences are that was only one to focus on and Sarah has so much personality that she charmed so many people- she still does. Emma and Ellie do have that natural charm. As a Mom- I am fine with that- sometimes the charms masks what is really going on. Plus our older children are all so different- we really appreciate the different personalities that they have. It looks like it will be that way with this crew, too!

It was a good choice to bring the girls- they are doing so well. It is a lot of work but they are enjoying this time getting to know their sisters! It is so funny to hear Anna telling Emma a think or two! Of course Emma has no clue what she is saying but Anna just tells it like it is!

We shopped for a little while and each of the girls got a traditional pink chinese dress, a fun hat and a little toy. When the Emma and Ellie don't get what they want they stomp their feet and whine - we just shake our heads NO.

WE love the family we are with- Shane and Juky are so nice and have a great sense of humor! Laughter is so important- it eases the tensions and help with the perspective! The have adopted an 18 month baby girl and have their 4.5 yr old daughter with them.

All the families here are so nice- what a blessing! We are unable to be super social because of our crew but running into families and chatting for a bit is a joy!! I have also met Sammy from sammynmick. They got their kids today- I can't wait to meet their new children!

We have talked to Johnny a couple times at home- all is well. We miss him and the other big boys and are getting anxious to get home to them!!

Thank you Jesus for another day with four lovely little daughter with gorgeous black hair and one incredibly special brunette!

Baby Steps!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 12:59:00 +0000

We went to the local zoo this morning. Emma started off at the zoo having trouble- she whaled for a good half hour- during that time I held her hand and enjoyed the zoo (kinda, sorta). Our guide talked to her and after awhile she settled down. She did translate to us that she missed her foster family... I am sorry but I don't think so... what she did miss is doing what ever she wants whenever she wants. Emma has enjoyed her freedom and enjoyed being naughty. She was kicked out of school 5 times in the last 2 months. Once she found out she was going to be adopted she stopped listening to anyone. They tell the children that they will have the good life in America and that their parents will buy them anything. It is too bad they do that but our sweet daughter will find out that it is not true. She will be loved, provided for, educated but she will learn respect and she will behave!

Even at the zoo we could see progress. After she was done with her tantrum and we no longer held hands she still stayed with us. I can see it in her eyes she is intrigued with what is happening. She is getting it ... just a little BUT she is getting it!

Ellie wanted to swim- she loves to swim! She did well at the zoo but her main goal was to get back and go swimming.

We hit Starbucks again for lunch- the girls did great this time- they gobbled up their lunch. They now know if they don't eat what is served or decide to pout and cry during our eating time, they are out of luck.

Many may feel that we are too firm but I will tell you adopting this age is completely different than adopting a baby or a teen (I have no experience adopting a teen). There are no books that focus on adopting the 6-11 yr old, so I am praying my way through while taking bits and pieces from what I have read and going with my gut... Honestly it is working and it thrills me! Each day we see a difference! It is small but it's happening!

It is a combo of consistency, tough love, tenderness, sticking to our guns, and a sense of humor.

Today we saw how much they want love! They wanted to be held, to ride in the stroller and to sit on our laps! If they were frustrated with one of us they had someone else to go too BUT they did not seem to hold onto their grudge today- that is good. They moved on from being mad!

Today their was joy, real smiles, laughing together, etc (I haven't really captured Emma's real smile yet but in time we will see it). The girls actually played TOGETHER today and enjoyed each other!

The possible nit issue has made it more difficult to hug, give love, snuggle, etc. But we have done the treatments and for now their is nothing else we can do- so we are snuggling, carrying, giving kisses and moving forward.

Swimming was a huge hit- and NO double booby pinches today! Emma kept saying "No touchy, no touchy"- I was so glad she didn't try it again! She is getting it!

It is so bonding in the pool. Emma has learned to respect the water and she hung onto one of us the whole time! At one point she scurried away and acted like she might jump in... when she got to the edge she chose not too! Good girl! Ellie is doing well with water wings! I think she could be a good swimmer someday!

At dinner the girls kept spouting off instructions for the waiter and waitresses. They really had them jumping- bring water with ice and without and more. We finally told them to stop listening to the girls- in this family the Babba and the Momma will make the choices!

I feel such hope! Our feelings are growing towards the girls and I really think they are feeling the same way! I was scared for a few days... wondering if we had done the right things and was this going to work out. I underestimated our Lord. I am so thankful to Him!

I could only download some of the pics but I will try to finish in the morning- off to bed now!

Thank you for your prayers! Please keep praying!

Thank You Jesus for baby steps!!

Home is Where the Heart Is

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 01:20:00 +0000

We sold our house. We are no longer home owners. We no longer have to pay a house payment and a rent payment. It took less than a year for the house to sell. We made it! Praise the Lord!

It is only by His grace that we made it. He taught me so much through this past year. He taught me about letting go when I would rather have such a strong grip and not let go. He taught me about getting out of that boat and walking on the water while keeping my eyes on Him.

I would love to tell you...LESSONS LEARNED. They have been learned but they still need tweaked every now and then when my fingers start to grasp tightly onto something. It is a struggle and always will be, I fear. Change is not something that I look forward to or welcome with excitement. I do not like change. I like things to remain as is. But I do know that God isn't about things staying the same forever and ever. He is about stretching us and teaching us and that He has done for me.

On the day of our closing we worked so hard to finish moving "stuff" out of the house. We had a shed full of outdoor/yard equipment, junk in our garage and miscellaneous things still in the house. As I made that one last walk through the upstairs, I walked into Peanut's old bedroom and felt the sadness of letting go of this home hit me.

As I walked into Pumpkin's room, I was flooded with memories of my sweet little girls as tiny babies in that room. I remembered walking into that room for the very first time and knowing this was the house that would be ours and this was the room that would someday be a nursery where precious babies would rest their sweet heads.

I remembered stripping layers of wallpaper off the walls with Dobbie and watching it transform into a baby's room as it was painted. I remembered the first time my tiny Peanut slept in her room during a morning nap.
I remembered holding her and singing her bedtime songs every night in the wicker chair in the corner of the room as she nursed. I remembered preparing it once again for another sweet baby after Peanut had moved into her big girl room.

With the memories came the tears and the realization that this is no longer our home. A new family would move in and it would become their home. It is our greatest hope that their time there is filled with happiness and that wonderful memories are made. This home, the first home that we bought will always have a special place in our hearts.

We loved that home and loved making it ours. It was a perfect fit for us then but now it is time to let go. Now it is SOLD!

Now we are making new memories in a new place and you know what? God didn't stay in that home up north, He came with us. He walked alongside us and brought us to where we are today. His promise is that He will stay right here and never leave. For that I am so thankful and grateful. Home is where the heart is and my heart is wherever Daddy, Peanut, Pumpkin and I are.

-Mama

4th of July

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 19:52:00 +0000

We had a fun 4th of July up north. The girls and I went to our old church on Sunday morning and were so incredibly blessed by seeing friends from there. I got to hold a precious new baby that a dear friend had just over a month ago. The smell of that little baby's head...well I don't know how that scent can not make any woman's heart long for another newborn. But then I snapped back into reality after chasing Pumpkin all over the face of Gigi's farm.

After church we were invited to a friend's house for lunch. It was a blessing to spend the afternoon with them and catch up. There's nothing like hot dogs and hamburgers right off the grill and a table full of people laughing and guys who enjoy nothing more than chasing my girls around the house and making them giggle in delight.

Later in the day we headed to the fireworks. We got there super early to listen to save seats. We met up with my BFF and her family. Later on several other friends joined us along with Gigi. I wasn't sure what to expect from my girls as the fireworks began to go off. Peanut had been full of anticipation and excitement about them, BUT then they started. She threw her hands over her ears and spun around looking for Daddy. BFF and Gigi held her for awhile but then the tears began, so Daddy took her to the van. He said once there, she was fine in the safety of the van and had fun watching the fireworks.

Pumpkin surprised us all. We figured she would be trying to squealing with delight and full of giggles...not so much! She started crying and turned herself around to cling to me while I covered her ears. She then FELL ASLEEP and slept for the whole show. Maybe we should have just stayed home. Oh well! We had fun with our friends.

I got to spend some time with these two sweetie pies at the fireworks and again the next morning over breakfast. It is ALWAYS a blessing to be with them. They were a part of the youth group that Daddy was a youth pastor of during the early years of our marriage. We have watched them grow up and turn into amazing young women.

Peanut and Daddy had fun washing our new van together at Gigi's before we headed out on Monday. Peanut learned quickly that you don't look at the sprayer attachment on the hose when you squeeze the handle. Ooops!

The girls had so much fun playing outside at Gigi's house in the sandbox, kiddie pools and play house. It is perfect under his big shade tree. There were quite a few pesky mosquitoes. Pumpkin attracted these as she had bites all over her. Peanut seems to have lucked out and doesn't attract them too much.

I also got to spend some time with these two special friends over yummy coffee and scones at a local coffee place. They are a blessing to me too. We had discussed family drama that brought laughter out of us and issues that broke our hearts. They are only two of many incredible women that I miss so much from up north. I was so blessed with so many strong, wonderful women around me.

We are home now. I've been busy cleaning and organizing an apartment that had gone haywire during the absolute craziness of June. We have some special house guests coming on Monday to stay with us for a few days. They kick off a string of house guests that we will through August. I am so excited to share our new community with good friends over the coming weeks!

-Mama

Progress, Progress, Progress!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 12:32:00 +0000

Oh my, with each moment I see rays of hope! It is so awesome to see God at work!! The girls are making baby step progress and it is such a joy to witness it!

Today we had the medical exam. Katie, Sarah and Anna stayed in at the hotel while we went with the girls. Good choice- we had some bonding time while the others were not bored to death. The exams went well- we had a considerate respectful woman doctor and it was not invasive at all- PTL! They are considered healthy girls but in my mind I want to say... ya, right. No one can go through what they have been through and be considered healthy. Honestly, I think these two are more traumatized than our other two BUT God will prevail and we will make it through the storm!

They each had 3 shots and the TB. Ellie was fine but Emma was not, she fought it and cried big time. It is good to see Emma show her fears and emotions. At times her emotions do not match what is happening. Crying when getting shots is okay to do. She is also starting to smile more often- we are thankful to see it!

After the exams we went to Starbucks for lunch- okay, okay and for my coffee! Emma really started acting up she was grabbing in private places-(very inappropriate) and putting her dress up over her head. Hubby was firm and told her NO- she started to cry and continued through our light lunch. Ellie was mad because she did not get her chocolate pastry- sorry honey- that's life- we were having a light lunch (we had fresh fruit and juice and a sandwich which she had gobbles up the night before at the airport so we know she liked it)! Both refused to eat... we were okay with it. We encouraged them to eat and offered many times but they were stubborn, so they went without lunch. We went back to the room and prepared our laundry while the girls whaled. We offered love and hugs and allowed them to accept them on their own terms- after awhile the settled down.

We took them swimming- it was a beautiful sight!! I started to take pics and then was reminded by the pool patrol of the "no pic" sign- silly, silly so I stopped. They didn't seem to care that it was their first time in a pool- well, at least I got a few! The girls were so excited to put on their swimming suit- I'm sure it was a first and they shouted with glee when they went into the water! it was very bonding!! Ellie got used to the big girls water wings fairly quickly- and right away started puttin her head under water!! Can't wait for her to start swim lessons! Emma was very happy to have her floating wring on but then got a little wild. She got out of the pool, slipped it off and jumped in... we were watching the whole time so she was safe but she went down and was not going to come back up without our help- I think she was a little shocked. We will have our guide talk to her about water safety in the morning!!

We were having a blast, bonding but when I got the double booby pinch in the pool it was time to take Emma out of the water again not appropriate... We sat in a lawn chair waiting for the others to finish their fun. She really wanted to be in the water but it was a big NO! I made it clear- you no touch me their and I no touch you there! Sorry if this is getting too graphic. They just need to learn how to act. They need to learn boundaries.

We did find out that their foster Mom and Dad did not take them anywhere at all- that is okay I do not want to be critical- I really liked her but it sheds light on why they act the way they do- they don't know any better. They have had zero experiences- their world has been small. They just don't know what is okay and what is not okay, BUT today I think they were catching on!

We did another lice treatment after swimming since I did the first one wrong. I am living in denial. Yes, they still had nits- I did my best given the circumstances. Hubby and Katie won't go near their hair so it is all me. Denial is a nice place - you should try it! JK, I will thoroughly deal with all of this when we get home. So far I think the rest of us are okay but then how would I know, I live it denial!

The kids were wiped out after swimming and the treatment. I was nearing 6:00 and it was time for dinner. They did great having dinner at a nice restaurant- we are trying to teach them some manors and how to act appropriately in public! They seemed happy, they responded well... I think they like us! I know they sometimes want to go back to their foster Mom but I think it is only because it is familiar NOT because they love her. They had no problem saying good bye to them.

The last thing Emma had to say to her foster Mom was - "no one will control me"- that is a little scary for a new Mom to hear BUT I know someone who is stronger than a scared little girl and he can and will control you sweetheart! Thank you Jesus! AND just in case you think I sound overly confident please know that your prayers are what is making all this happen! It could not be- without you, dear prayer warriors!

Today was a God victory and I am so thankful to him! Thank you for praying for us!!

Amidst all the challenges we have been having a blast- it is driving me crazy going out of order with posts but it the way it is. I do plan to go back and share more pics with you. The pics do not show the challenges- they show the fun and the memories! Downloading pics has been difficult/ impossible.

Thank you Sally for helping me out- I will be posting wherever I can- either the blog or JTM?

I so appreciate you responses/ comments they keep me going!

Because the girls are challenging and we have a 16 yr old son at home that is wonderful but does not share the passion for adoption - please also pray for our adjustment/ his adjustment/ the girls adjustment once we are home. I am grateful to you dear friends for your prayers and for sharing this journey with us!

God Bless You!!

Moving to Journey To Me Site

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 12:13:00 +0000

This is jet-lagged and wide awake Sally posting for Jean as the VPN she is using is not working well enough to access blogger at the WS. She will be posting from now on at Journey to Me. It is a public journal so just look for Journey to Emma Joy and Ella Mei.

Nit picking and more!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 16:59:00 +0000

Katie is not a fan of head lice! Her head has been itching ever since she heard the girls may have them! BTW- she doesn't have them! ( My head is itching, too- just thinking about it)!

Our guides have been a huge help! Julia met us at the train station with a large van and 3 strong men to carry the suitcases! She spent a lot of time talking to the girls- we were so thankful to have her!

If you wondering about Jim and Anna- he's still carrying her!

We are in Guilin and it was by a PLANE- PTL!! I wanted to let you all know that our prayers were answered but we have been having internet issues and posting takes so long. Now that I have 4 little girls it has been impossible to post.

I really want to show you are days in pics and in order so maybe tomorrow I can get back on track for now I will just give you bits and pieces!

The girls are doing well but they are very challenging. We have had many emotions- ups and downs and it has been difficult. We so appreciate your prayers! There have been so many posts that I have written in my head but when it comes time to get on the computer it has been difficult- the internet doesn't work, or it's super slow, I'm exhausted and we have had an extremely difficult time getting Emma and Ellie to settle down and go to bed- at that point I can't even think straight.

Yesterday we saw nits in the girls hair- I did a treatment on both of them but I didn't do it right so I'm not even sure it worked. The nits were about in inch away from the scalp and the girls NEVER itch their head so I'm not sure we even actually have lice. I never saw an alive one on either of the girls. I may be in denial right now - I can only handle so much at a time. Sarah has been doing their hair and doing a beautiful job at it... well no more- now it's me and it doesn't look as good. Honesty if you think about it- what a nightmare- all of their clothes, plus the bags of clothes they came with, the bedding , not to mention all of the combs, brushed hair ties, blankies, stuffed animals- multiplied by 7- holy bajoly. We had linen changed, washed some of the clothes, threw out some hair ties. If their are any lice experts out there feel free to leave a comment. I think we are okay for now and I will deal with whatever else their is when we get home!

By the looks of it already our Ellie is going to have some food issues. She seems to live to eat and eat to live. She is preoccupied with food and her sister gives her more food off her plate. She stuffs her little mouth until she gags.

The girls did not seem very close for the first couple of days. It seemed it be every man for himself- they could have cared less about the other one. They would literally push the other one aside to get what they want. Tonight we have seen a few more interactions between them it was on the plane- they talked and interacted.

When I look at Emma I see a child that has been through so much. She does not have the survival skills that our Sarah has, Life has been hard on Emma and she has scars from her trials. It really breaks my heart.

WE met the foster Mom! It was great- Lot's more to say about that! Mary kate if you are reading this we have picks of you daughter for you- we met her and snapped away!!!!!!!

Off to bed- medical appt tomorrow!!

Please Pray for a Plane and NOT a Train!!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 23:30:00 +0000

Dear friends- Please pray that we can take a plane to GZ. We do not have the girls passports so it is a bit more complicated but it is possible! We have heard that it has worked for other families. Please pray that the plane will work for us! We could use any break we can get!!

Riding on the overnight train would be too much- very tiring. I'm not sure who the girls would do- Anna, Emma and Ellie!

Please Lord Please move mountains and have the officials allow us to take the plane!

Guilin!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:14:00 +0000

Hubby thought I should name this post- That which doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger!

Don't worry it's not the girls - it was the train! Never take the train in China with 7 people and 18 pieces of luggage! I am counting all 4 girls backpacks, the stroller, 3 computers... okay okay, we over packed! - Honestly it was quite a sight with all of us and all that luggage. Our luggage lined the walkway- I think everyone had a good laugh and thought we were crazy. The girls did very well on the train- we took very few pics (if any). The 7 of us were crammed into 6 seats surrounded by our stuff (yes I will be visiting Linny blog post regarding purging and simplifying)! Photography was not high on the list at the time, survival- yes- that was way up there! The train left at 2:23 pm and arrived at 8:15 pm. It was long- and I was not very prepared for it but the girls entertained themselves with their things in their backpack and somehow we made it through! Poor Anna had to go potty the last 2 hours- she refused to use the squatty potty on the train. FYI- you could only use it when the train was moving... hmmm... are ya gettin how it works!

On the way to meet our daughters we found out that for the past year we have said their names wrong- I tried to get it right before meeting them but couldn't. So we quickly went to their new names- they are already answering to them (Emma and Ellie) and even calling each other by them!

Before leaving for China I did say in a much too overly confident manor to my friend Diane- I think our most challenging adoption was Sarah...Ha... I was wrong! I am eating my words. Although the girls are doing great it is challenging. It is also bringing back memories of being in China with Sarah. She has come so far that so many of her behaviors in China are nothing but a distant memory. Well not anymore- it's all come back times 2! Actually knowing how far she has come gives me hope for our two new daughters- they have so much to learn.

We had their personalities all wrong. Emma was supposed to be quiet and shy, she is not quiet or shy! She is a handful! The first day we had to pull her out of the water fountain in the hotel lobby. She thought she was quite funny! After BKF as we were leaving the table I looked down- the girls had left a nice little pile of bone and cartilage that they had spit out when eating their favorite food- Chicken feet! I cleaned it up and made sure to tell them to spit on a plate next time- of course using charades to tell them all this! Ellie likes to please and she has a good attention span. She does like to get her way and was not happy with me when I wanted her to share the bubbles. But after I spilled the water on the bed and sat in the puddle which then made me look like I wet my pants everyone seemed to forget their feeling and started laughing... at Mom!

I would love to keep writing but I have to stop now and go to bed. I will end this post by saying that they are making baby step progress with each day and I am feeling more and more like they are our daughters with each day! It was not love at first sight. It was tenderness at first sight and we are all growing in our feelings for each other!

I will download pics tomorrow and tell you about our time in Nanning! It is late now and we are going on the Li River cruise tomorrow morning at 8:00 am.

Thank You Jesus for the gifts of your children, that we have been blessed with!!

So Sorry- No Internet!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:08:00 +0000

I tried to post many times from Nanning and I could not get on the internet. It was so frustrating we would get on for about 1 minute and then we would lose our connection. Finally I realized I'd have to do just a quick post and but then we could get on it at all. I think it is really blocked in Nanning- even with using other methods we could not get through.

We Have Our Girls- Gotcha Day in Pictures!

noreply@blogger.com (Doncrack) — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:09:00 +0000

I will post words tomorrow but I need to go to bed now!