April 6 - Last day in Kunming

It’s Friday morning and we’re getting ready to head out for the day. It’s the first day without any agenda which will be very nice. Slept in until 7:30, leisurely breakfast upstairs, long warm tubby for you-know-who and now we’re off by ourselves to find some shopping. Yesterday we went to a tea ceremony and learned all about tea and climbed up to a dragon temple (Daoism / Taoism). Very beautiful hike up the steep steps on the side of a mountain overlooking the largest fresh water lake in China. It was sad to see these people climb all the way up the 400+ steps to touch this ‘mystical’ piece of rock and then pray to something that doesn’t exist. Kind of like Baal and Ahab’s people.

We ate lunch at a mushroom fondue kind of a place – very interesting. There are about 687 billion different kinds of mushrooms and they were all in our soup!

Today we will go to Grace’s finding place. It’s over by the silk factory we toured yesterday – we’ll go to take pictures and spend some time playing in the grass. Praise God that Grace’s biological mother left her to be found – only God knew what a blessing she would be to our family a year and a half later. His ways are so much higher!!!

We’re off to shop, good thing we brought all those suitcases!!!

Happy Birthday Eamon!!!

Happy Birthday Eamon. We wish you were with us, we'll be home soon!!! Have fun at Brahm's.

We love you!!!

April 3 & 4

Apr 3 & 4 - Days in Kunming

Yesterday we came back to the hotel and got take out food to eat in the room. We were all really tired. It was cold and rainy and we decided to go out to lunch and to Wal-Mart. The Wal-Mart is not like the States. We then went to Parkson’s a really nice department store and bought a great stroller. We then walked back to the hotel about 100 blocks. It wasn’t that far but it sure felt like it!!! We bought Grace a little pair of cute shoes for $5.00. Today we were up early and it was cold again. We went to the Stone Forest. It was really neat to see all the rock formations. We bought some bags with embroidery work done by the minority groups. We then went to the Orphanage to see where Grace and Mei Lin spent their first 7 months. It is really a wonderful orphanage. Really clean and 60 full time employees and 200 volunteers. We saw 12 babies in the nursery with 5 nannies taking care of them. It seemed like all the children are very well cared for. Many of the staff recognized our babies and came out to hug them. We were given a book of the orphanage with many wonderful pictures and we got a lot of people who knew our babies to sign it. The orphanage was quiet and most of the rooms were empty that we saw. Three quarters of the children are in foster care. Grace had been with her foster family since she was 7 months old. We went into one of the rooms where our daughters had gone for game time and the women heard Graces cough and said we should go see the doctor who is part of the orphanage. I told her I was giving her medicine, but she still wanted us to go see him. The doctor we saw was the same one who saw Grace in foster care. He gave us some amoxicillin and also told us he did not hear her heart murmur anymore. He said he feels the hole in her heart has closed. We are rejoicing in God’s goodness!! The room we were in is where they bring all the babies right after they find them. So it was another neat opportunity to see where our little ones were brought at 1 day old. We were really pleased at all we got to see and know that our daughters were well cared for. It was late when we got back to the hotel and Grace and Mei Lin have been doing remarkably well for these long days. Grace seems to be attaching to us and did not want to go with the nannies at the orphanage. She has been burying her head when someone she doesn’t know comes up to talk to her. Grace’s favorite things to do are laugh, giggle and eat cheerios. We are really enjoying this time getting to know her little personality. She does get an attitude when it comes to not getting her own way, but otherwise she is happy and all smiles.

Gotcha Day!!!

What a great day!!! We got up early and left the hotel by 8:30 am. The ride to get our babies was about 20 minutes. We walked in the door and about 2 seconds later they were handing Grace to us. Our agency set up a video man to film everything and that was wonderful. Grace came out to us all smiles. She has been laughing and giggling all day. She seems to be having no problems letting us know what she wants and doesn't want. She has a spunky personality and is very vocal and active. She isn't walking yet, but is standing and trying to take steps. I think she was carried in a pack by her foster family a lot because we don't think she ever learned how to crawl. She is supposed to be asleep right now, but she is babbling and laughing in the bed. It may be a long night!!! We are so thankful to God for this wonderful opportunity to bring little Grace into our family.

Gotcha Day!!! 2 Apr 07

Kunming Pictures

Overpacked? I don't think so.....

Our first full day in Kunming brought with it many lessons. Our gracious guide Elsie finally told us that picking through the common bowl of food with your chopsticks is not very polite and pointing with your chopsticks is even worse. We had a good laugh and a great lunch.

Kunming has over 4 million residents, so there is quite a bit going on most of the time. Here are some photos of the people living their lives. This baby was in the checkout line behind us. The banana lady wanted us to take more than a picture. I think it was recess time at the restaurant – it looks like the entire workforce was running laps – maybe someone spilled the soup? The chickens were all lined up for dinner. I don’t think the motorcycle family stopped to smell the roses….

Chrysanthemum tea we had with dinner was very colorful. In fact, our travel guide at the hotel told us that tea was introduced first in Yunnan Province. They do a ton of tea here; tobacco and jade, too.

We are in Kunming March 31

We arrived today in Kunming. Elsie, our CHI guide, is great. We went to a Chinese cultural performance tonight. It was a representation of all the minority groups here in Kunming. There are over 25 and they all have different dress and customs. We walked around the city some today it is very crowded and the traffic is really bad. We didn't see any other Americans and we did get some stares, but the people seem really friendly. We ordered dinner and just had to point at pictures on the menu. When we got to our room there was Grace's bed. No crib!!! I can't believe we will be holding her in 2 days.

WHILE WE WERE WAITING FOR GRACE

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord; Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them. Psalm 127: 3,5.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us. Ephesians 3: 20.

Grace Noelle

Psalm 139: 13 - 16

For you formed my inward parts;

you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are you works;my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;

in your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.

We leave in 9 hours!! March 29th

It's 1 am and I am switching to China time tonight, thats why I'm still up. I really just can't sleep, but it sounds like a good plan. Our flight leaves at 9am I think we are over packed, but I still left room for lots of stuff from China. There is no way we could go carry on only!!! It still doesn't seem real yet. I just got the boys bags packed they are leaving tomorrow to go camping for the weekend and when they wake up on Monday in the States we will have Grace. Our last pictures and updates of her were at 4 months and now she is 16 months. We know we will not recognize her. We are praying she will adjust quickly and learn to be flexible with our crazy family. We have to fly through Hawaii to get her citizenship since we live in Germany. We spend 1 night there and then back to Texas then to New Jersey then back to Germany. We really pray Grace can just go with the flow. We were told we couldn't leave the States until all of our relatives and friends meet her. We are so thankful for everyones prayers and support through this long wait. We praise God for His perfect plan in all things!!

Waiting for Mike!!!! March 26th

We are still waiting for Mike to arrive from Germany after 2 missed flights in Frankfurt he got a hotel room and waited till the next day. He made the last flight out, but it wasn't coming to Dallas it was going to Chicago so he managed to get the last seat barely, thats a long story. He got to Chicago and couldn't get on the flights to Dallas so he slept on the floor at the airport. The next day he flew to Cincinnati and then was able to connect to Dallas and we picked him up. After 3 days of trying to get here he arrived. The standby thing is not always the greatest deal. Only 3 days and we are on our way to bring Grace home!!!

Arriving in Dallas March 23

We arrived in Dallas without a hitch and my plan now is to get the boys settled and on some sort of routine. The friends they are staying with have other plans ,they think it's time to party. After the shock of how much food I buy and how much these boys can eat I think they are up for the challenge of a two week stay. We are so thankful that they are able to watch them and that we are totally confident our boys will be loved and cared for while we're gone. Mike will hopefully fly in tomorrow to join us.

Finally my luggage March 22

My luggage arrived tonight and I am feeling much better. After visiting my parents for a few days we leave for Dallas to drop the boys of before we leave for China. Mike will meet me there and we fly out March 29th. I can't believe our time has finally come to bring Grace home. We are so excited but it doesn't seem real yet and it probably won't till we have her in our arms.

Waiting for our luggage March 21st

We are now waiting for our luggage to arrive and I have made several calls to the airlines. They assure me that the suitcases will be delivered later tonight. So another day in the same clothes we wore on the plane and slept in. The suitcases finally arrive all 4 boys have their suitcases except they can't seem to find mine. It is lost and they tell me maybe they will deliver it tomorrow. I really want my stuff. I'm just glad Mike has the suitcases for China.

Leaving from Germany to the States March 20th

We have finally arrived in the US after a loooong day of traveling. The flight from Frankfurt took off almost 2 hours late and as we landed in Cincinnati I knew we had to hurry to catch our next flight to Philadelphia. What I didn't know is the time they announced on the plane was an hour off. I think they had forgotten about daylight savings. We had 40 minutes to go through customs back through security and make our connection which we hadn't figured out yet. We came through security I checked the monitor and it said closed. "Closed" what does that mean? The kind women from Delta said that means your plane has left without you. I ran up the stairs with 4 boys running behind carrying very heavy book bags and violins. The agent at the counter called on the phone yelled a little and told them to hold the plane so we went running to a shuttle that took us across the runway, then we ran to find our gate where another agent stood yelling out our names she directed us down a long hall and out onto the runway. The plane was a small puddle jumper and as we boarded no one looked happy. We quickly scurried down the aisle and I told the boys to find an empty seat and just sit down. Then the pilot announced who we were and now they were going to wait for our luggage. One man threw his newspaper in the air in disgust. Glad the flight was just an hour!!! We arrived in Philadelphia and as we waited and waited for our luggage it became obvious that it had been left in Cincinnati. My parents were there to pick us up and then a 2 hour drive to the shore. One quick stop for toothbrushes and after being up over 24 hours we were ready for bed, even if we all had to sleep in our clothes.

We Got Travel Approval

We have TA!!! Here we come Grace!!! After the disappointment of not leaving for China March 8th we are thrilled to get TA today. We have a tentative date to travel March 29th arrive in Beijing on the 30th and get Grace April 2nd. It doesn't seem real and it probably won't until we are holding our little girl. It's been a long wait.

NO TA YET!!

We just heard from the agency that no TA's (Travel Approvals) came today and they will not be coming until after Chinese New Year. That means we will not be leaving for China on March 8th. We know God has already planned our dates ,but the wait is so hard especially since we have had her little picture out in the living room since Nov.13th and know she is not home with us. Praying TA's come soon.