Last day in China

China is an amazing country and I'm proud to have adopted a daughter from there. I can think of no other country which is so rich in culture and the people are wonderful.

They are beautiful, both inside and out. I haven't had the time and energy to share much detail but here are two particular experiences which I will remember.

My dad and I each bought Chinese scrolls, which are beautiful hand-painted tapestries that hang from the wall. These are unique in that orphans painted them! Kenny sells them and has a shop close to the White Swan hotel. He provides education to the orphans and sells their art to provide support for the orphans. My dad bought a beautiful one that was actually painted by an orphan with one arm! Here is Kenny's Web site: http://www.echoinchina.org/index.html

He's a great example of a man of courage who is fighting injustice and caring for the least of these. He is known by the government and not afraid of that. He was imprisoned for one week, along with others in his Christian group that he meets with.

One of the families in our group adopted a child with a cleft lip and palate, which hasn't been repaired yet. The husband encountered a woman who was so surprised that they wanted a child like that who she actually called ugly. The woman told them that a girl with that condition could get no education b/c of her looks and as a girl she would have trouble helping/supporting her aged parents (a huge responsibility and focus in China especially)

This woman had no idea that this wonderful little girl could be helped and was amazed that anyone would take her into their family. What a blessing to have a free press and free flow of information in the USA! My prayer is that China would do the same and compassion would arise from the information so more Chinese families would take care of these orphans as well.

Pictures on the Riverboat tour in Guangzhou



More red couch photos




It was a moving and amazing experience to have 40 families give the oath today at the U.S. consulate, sealing the adoption of their Chinese daughters and sons. My dad and I celebrated simply, having Papa John's pizza in the hotel room tonight. (We've had many Chinese meals so we needed a break)

I'm looking so forward to introducing Amanda to her mom and brothers! Skype has worked Ok for us a few nights but it sure doesn't compare to being there!
It's been difficult and tiring (since Amanda and I have both been sick - some of the diarrhea is back for her] but also so fulfilling to finally bond with Amanda. She's a sweet and fun girl who pulls you in with her adorable nature. She's quite the people person. One person in our group says she talks almost as much as her dad and grandpa. :)

We leave early Friday morning (Thur night in the States) for Tokyo and then on to LA and then home. I'd love to fast forward the next day. :)

Thank you for all your encouragement and prayers! I'm in awe of what God is doing. I look forward to showing her off to everyone.

The red couch

One of the final stops in a Chinese adoption is the red couch at the White Swan Hotel. For some reason, it has become the Chinese adoption photo.





Brett was feeling well enough to go swimming with Amanda which she LOVED. He also went on a river cruise with the group at night. He told me you'll know when she wants something since she'll start making happy noises and almost singing.
He has not participated in a lot of the group touring opportunities due to him or Amanda being sick, but he will get her home and that is the important part. Only two more sleeps and Brett and Amanda come home.

To be honest, I'm a little nervous and downright scared. She sounds like a live wire and quite stubborn about the things that will keep her healthy (sleep and food). I'm seeing it as a two year old standoff with a little girl who really doesn't know what is going on. She is controlling the things she can control. It seems like she saw the initial days with Brett as a fun party and now she just wants to go "home" to the orphanage - party's over! But she doesn't understand that her whole world is changing...a change for the better, but a change she can't understand. I think once we get into a routine at home, she should improve. You can only be so consistent in a hotel while traveling in a foreign country. Also, at home we have two little boys that I can use as props for what is acceptable behaviour and the rewards of good behaviour. I'm hoping they will also help ease her transition. All I can say is that the prayer level around here will definately be "never ceasing". I'm thankful that I know God who understands this little girl and her needs and sorrows.

In Guangzhou

Amanda has been sick the last few days and is finally over what was giving her a lot of woes. So, Brett hasn't really gone anywhere and stayed in the hotel. Thankfully, she is on the mend, but now Brett is feeling really ill. So, Grandpa is taking over a lot of the Amanda care and Brett is just trying to rest so that he can make that plane ride home. I'm sure Brett's Dad did not realize all that he was signing up for and is REALLY ready to get home. I'm just ready for them to get home so we can get everyone well and move onto making a new family of six. I'll just share this picture...It was pictures from a fellow adoptee's camera at the orphanage.



Both of these children have families now and are just waiting to get home.

Please pray for Brett - he has almost 4 days left and really needs to get better. Thank you!

I just had to share this picture

This picture is from Gotcha Day. I just had to share it. I "stole" it from another blogger in Brett's travel group.

Please pray for Brett

Please pray for Brett and Amanda today. She still has diarrhea and an ear infection so she has not been herself. She's not feeling well and hasn't been eating or drinking that great either. Brett had his adoption guides call the orphanage to see if diarrhea was usual for her (suspected milk intolerance). They found out that the orphanage had a cake party the day before they left and Amanda apparently chowed down. Brett was very irritated with that one!

So, what I'm asking is for comments of encouragement for him - anything really! Those of you who have his e-mail, please flood his in-box with encouragement and just chatty information if you wish. He's feeling very isolated even from his group because they are scattered throughout the hotel and if you don't go on the group activity of the day, you don't really see them. So, if you read this blog, please leave comments or e-mail him - I'm asking for a little more than one line comments if you can. Tell him what a great Dad he is or even what's happening in your life. THANK YOU!

Gotcha Day Part 2!

We finally met Amanda today (Mon. the 13th here in China at about 11:30am) and officially brought her into our family. She's sleeping soundly as I type this (at 10pm in Zhengzhou). She's wanted to be held a lot much of the day, which isn't surprising and we have obliged!



She has a sweetness and fun personality. A few of the families including ours had to wait about an extra 1 hour for our kids to arrive for the "handoff." So I'm glad that part is over. Amanda looked around a lot but interacted with us and didn't even fuss or cry at all.

I need to get some sleep while she is sleeping but I hope to add more details tomorrow.



Some of her caretakers...she was taken good care of at her orphanage and it shows.


This is one proud grandpa! He REALLY likes her!

Gotcha Day!

Brett still hasn't e-mailed me his pictures, but there is a woman in his group that was taking pictures of everyone's kids and posted them for me. When Brett got her in his arms, she SMILED. I saw her on skype this morning and she is looking VERY happy and VERY at peace. He gave her a bath and she was splashing water all over the place and having a great time. Apparently she is afraid of animals and the little bath toys were animals so - no bath toys for her. Here are the pictures!




Brett called me when they got her and I got a chance to talk to her on the phone.



Her Papa thinks she's the most wonderful thing in the world.






Going back to the hotel. No more orphanage for this little girl. She gets a FAMILY!

More from Brett ( he called this afternoon also)

Here's Brett's update from the horses mouth so to say...

After a 12 hour flight including a 4 hour layover in Seoul, I made it to Bejing. It is more green than I remember it being when I was here 14 years ago. The drive from the airport to the hotel reminded me of Lakeshore Drive in Chicago. This was a little different in that one side of the street looked like Cabrini Green ( a Chicago housing project) and the other side was all new buildings. The area is full of expansion and cranes.

Today, we are going to the Great Wall of China and also to an arobatic show. I slept from 3 pm and woke up at 3:30 am this morning. My dad is frustrated because his clock that should say all the times around the world is not working.

His final thoughts? Meeting Amanda is going to be like a reunion even though I've never met her.

Talked to a sleepy Brett

Now, you need to understand a lot of these adoption blogs are written by the mom. They have all these pictures about their stay and lots of chatty information. This blog will be mostly written by me (Beth), but I am getting second hand information from my husband (Brett) while he is in China. So, if you don't get a lot of "feelings" and chatty information and lots of pictures, you'll know why.

I called Brett up today on his Panda phone. I woke him up...It was 10:30 pm there and he was supposed to have a skype call to us at 8 am. His clock said that we were only at 3am, so no call. They got into China at 5:30 in the morning. He said they hadn't slept much on the plane and went to take a short nap at 2:30pm. That short nap was the one I woke him up from. They decided not to pay for internet in the hotel in Bejing and just do it from their hotel in Zhengzhou when they got there (in two days). I asked Brett to find one of his travel mates and update us a bit on his computer. So, this is all the information you or I will get for now. They are going to the Great Wall tomorrow, so I hope they sleep the rest of the time.