We're Home!

Daddy and his girls!


Playing patty cake with nana.


I'm a U.S. Citizen!


She loves her carseat.


Sleeping on the way home.


Home Sweet Home!


Praise the Lord we are home! Everyone is doing well. Lydia is very content and happy here at Goshen Point. Thank you all for your prayers and comments. We serve a great God and I praise Him for each answered prayer. He is a loving, faithful and good God!

Enjoy the photos!

Monday, April 19, 2010

We made it to Guangzhou and are enjoying the warmer weather and slowerpace. Sunday we attended a bilingual service here on Shamian Island andate at Lucy’s. Today we have Lydia’s medical appointment and visa photo. Tuesday we apply for her visa, Wednesday we attend the “swearing in”ceremony and Friday we begin our journey home. There is no place likehome sweet home!

The girls are doing well. They are enjoying spending time together and Olivia is such a good big sister. She has matured so much over the pasttwo weeks. She loves to hold Lydia and take care of her.

We look forward to everyone meeting Lydia. She has a loving, outgoing and very strong personality. She is still enjoying exploring everything.Right now she is sitting on the floor unrolling toilet paper, pretendingto blow her nose and stuffing the paper inside the holder. I’ve got tobaby proof the house when I get home!

I’ll try to write once more before we leave Friday morning but with Mark headed home tomorrow I'm not sure I will have time. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Enjoy the photos!

Wednesday, April 14

This week we visited the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, a cultural park, saw a hutong, rode the underground subway, walked the streets of Beijing, and ate lots of Chinese food and McDonalds.  We only have one day left in Beijing.  On Friday we are visiting the Great Wall and having dinner with two other families who are getting their children today.  We are looking forward to going to Guangzhou on Saturday.  The weather will be warmer and we’re ready for a change of scenery.

Olivia and Lydia are doing well.  They are getting along well.  Olivia is learning to “give in” and to make sacrifices for her little sister. Lydia continues to imitate everything Olivia does.  She is a little talker, still loves to walk everywhere and decided on one cold food she likes…daddy’s vanilla milkshake.

The Lord has been faithful.  I have called on Him for help with even the smallest of things while we have been here and He has heard each prayer and answered faithfully.  He is God over the whole earth.  He is faithful and true. I will praise the Lord today because He is a loving and faithful Heavenly Father.

Thank you for your emails and prayers.

Monday, April 12

Let me begin by wishing a “Happy Birthday” to Katy Brown.  Katy you are an amazing young lady and I love you.  Thank you for living a life set apart for the Lord.  Thank you for being a role model that my girls can look up to.  Enjoy celebrating your special day ~ the day God created you!

Today was filled with appointments and more appointments.  Lydia is officially ours!  She was a little trooper through it all. She is doing so well.  Transitions are still hard for her so I tell her in advance when we are getting ready to do something different…we’re going to nana’s room, going for a walk, going to eat, going to take a bath.  And speaking of taking a bath – she and Olivia took their first bath together and that worked great.  When she saw Olivia sitting in the bubbles she decided she might like it and she did.  Anything Olivia does she wants to do.  You should have seen her walking around in Olivia’s shoes, it was too funny!

She is trying new foods but still loves her warm milk, steamed dumplings, rice and she loves broccoli.  She is crazy about he dada and calls for him if she is upset or crying.  She loves everything neat and in order. She lines up our shoes, folds towels and napkins and doesn’t like any messes on her mouth or hands.

We’re all doing well…tired but well.  We praise the Lord for His grace and strength that are holding us up.  He truly is our joy and strength. I will praise the Lord at all times!

Until next time…we love you and thank you for your continued prayers.

Sunday, April 11

We woke up to a rainy Sunday morning in Beijing.  We had church in our room – led by Olivia.  We each told 5 things we were thankful for, read scripture, sang and prayed together.  We have been blessed and have so much to be thankful for.

After breakfast we took the girls to a huge hall way that leads to several banquet rooms and let them play with a beach ball.  I think Lydia is going to be a soccer player.  She has a great kick!

We didn’t make it to Wal-Mart yesterday but we did go to the toy store. It’s not like Toys-R-Us.  Its row after row of vendors all selling toys. Olivia tried to convince her daddy that she needed a DS but she settled for a little stuffed panda instead.  She also had her first experience using a squatty potty!  She is great big sister and we are so proud of her.  She does miss her friends and looks forward to getting home and going to church!

Lydia is soaking in all the sights and sounds but she doesn’t care what we are doing as long as she can walk.  She walks like a little penguin but her legs are getting stronger every day.  She did let us push her in the stroller for the first time yesterday.  Today she has talked non-stop.  It’s Chinese of course so we have no idea what she is saying but we’re learning and growing together.  She has a mind of her own about the way things should be done and she doesn’t like it when she doesn’t get her way…of course none of us do. We’re slowly working through that too.  She is so petite…all the 24 months 2T clothes are big on her.  It’s hard to believe she turns three years old in May.  Although petite she is very capable and independent.  She loves to give us kisses and her laugh/scream makes us all chuckle.

We are not able to access our blog while in China so my dear friend Michele (who is coming to China soon to adopt a little girl) is doing these posts for me.  She forwarded some of your comments and we want you to know we are so appreciative of your thoughts and prayers.  We covet your continued prayers for the remainder of our trip.