A Day at the Park

Nothing poetic to write.....just some pictures of our day at the park while we waited for her passport to be processed.  (which just arrived to our room - one big step closer to HOME!)

My VERY favorite pic of her so far!

Bubbles were a big hit

The park

The park

Sunset on the last evening in her hometown.  Bittersweet.

Silly kissy faces!

Joe hijacked a badminton game at the park - he was quite the sight!

 

Big Day, Big Tears

Wow, emotionally challenged drained is an understatement.   

Yinchan has been truly a dreamboat.  Eating well, sleeping well, seemingly happy and healthy.   Loving on us non-stop freely giving hugs and kisses. Seeking mama or baba when one isn't right there.  Testing her boundaries some which means she's starting to feel more comfortable around us. Bonding beautifully- no, really....she is!   Markedly warming up to us each day.

Naptime snuggle

Trying to get the courage up to get in the water with Baba

She sings, she dances.   (only in the hotel room...where she feels safe to completely let loose).   She's silly and has a big, hearty contagious laugh.  It's incredible how I can already see how beautifully she's meant to be part of the Rice family circus- it's like God hand-picked her for us!    We hadn't seen a tear on her face once......until today's tour at her orphanage.


Ok, I've never been at an orphange (social welfare institute)  and could only imagine what was it was like.   NOTHING could have prepared me for what we experienced today. 

We visted the foster family's apartment where shes's lived for years.  The moment her foster mom approached her, it was over.  Big tears of fear and sadness  Lots of reassurance and comforting got her through.  We saw where she ate, lived and slept.   It was a very cheerful environment and I believe she was very loved by her foster family.

Her foster care aparment. Sweet "family" pictures covered the walls!

Her foster mom.  Was so grateful to tell her "thank you" in person

She slept on the bed on the left

The foster care family apartment complex

We met her foster big brother and she wouldn't give him a hug goodbye.  The girl woudn't have anything to do with anyone but us.     I almost had a complete mental breakdown when big tears started rolling down the little man's cheeks.   Gave him some momma lovin', and was overjoyed to find out that he has a forever family coming for him.   Praise God or I think I might have had to somehow fit him in my suitcase!

Her older foster-brother

We kicked off our shoes and visited one of the many, many rooms where the children are.   My arms couldn't hold enough of them as I scooped as many sweet babies up as I could at a time.  Praying over them, I held back the tears knowing that  some of them would never find a forever home and felt a fierce passion to advocate for these sweet babies.  Yes, Lord..."break my heart for what breaks yours."  Mission accomplished. 

Oh, how she just gazed into my eyes.  I wanted to take her home!

Shoot, I wanted to take them ALL home! 

Soon after, we visited Yinchan's classroom and teacher.  It was really a super nice place and her little friends were happy to see her.

Her teacher and the classroom

The classroom play area

A few of her friends there to say goodbye

Then...the big whammy.  We were given a HUGE incredibly special treasure that we will share with
Yinchan one day in many years when the time is right. A gift that is priceless and gives us a few answers to our many, many questions.  Shocked and grateful, the big ugly Momma-tears were flowing.   Although it was a super-big-hard-overwhelming day, I believe it brought all of us some closure that we needed to move on to the next chapter.  


Today we will receive Yinchan's passport so we can hop on a plane tomorrow to Guangzhou where we have her medial appointments and appointment at the US Consulate.  Hard to believe that we will be on our way home sweet home in just one week from today!  

Rice, Party of 6!!!

Today we finalized the adoption- we are legally her parents!   Woohoo!

About Emmajane....   We are still having to call her by her Chinese name due to the language barrier.  Her name is pronounced sort of like "Yeen Chain", so get to practicing if you want her to know you're talking to her.   Ha!   We're somehow able to communicate using Google translate, the help of guides and friends, and this little book we brought with us.  The Chinese lanuage is SOOO complicated and every meaning is different based on the tone you use.    Yesterday I thought I kept asking her if she had to go pee-pee.  Come to find out I kept saying the word "bird" to her instead.    Poor kid, she's been so incredibly patient with us!

Speaking of which, she's potty trained and very healthy!   She's about the same height as Liam yet much more stout, about 5-6 lbs heavier.   She's about size 3T pants and 4T tops, not sure about the shoe size but I'm guesstimating 11-12.  The girl can pack away some food like it's nobody's business.  Loves a bath and even bathes herself.    You can tell she was very, very much loved and prepared for meeting us.  

The little picture book that we sent to her has been the best thing we could've done!  She recognized us almost immediately after we met and sweetly whispered Mama to me!      She's been very affectionate.  Her giggles are precious.  I even woke up this morning to her softly stroking my back and hair.    

Oh...and her hair.   We southern folks have to break her into the big hairbow tradition right off the bat.  You know the saying, "the bigger the bow, the closer you are to heaven"?     I was worried that she'd hate them....boy, was I wrong!    Yesterday,  I let her pick out her first after-bath outfit, and she chose the one with the most "fluff" and bling along with a matching hairbow.   I brought her over to the mirror and showed her how to twirl in her new dress.  Everytime we change her into a new outfit now, she twirls in front of the mirror like a true princess!

All of it sounds grand, doesn't it?  It is and it has!   I must confess though....I'm leary.   If you remember our last adventure to China, Liam didn't have his super-gigantic meltdown until Wednesday night and it lasted for a few MONTHS.  Seriously.  Maybe I'm just traumatized, but we are sort of waiting for the other shoe to drop knowing that the road is hard ang long.  We are praising God for such an incredible journey thus far and the warm moments of bonding we've had thus far.

I'll leave you with some more pictures from the past day.  Thanks to each of you for following our craziness and praying for us!  Please keep the prayers coming because without a doubt, we feel them.  Oh, and please give those Rice kiddos back at home some extra momma-lovin' for me, too!   I miss them big time!

Making a toast with our juice glasses at breakfast to say "cheers to family"!

This is her "I-refuse-to-smile" look

That piece of paper makes her officially ours!

Enjoying some time with her Baba

Naptime!  Be still, my heart!

Gotcha Day!

Truly, a picture is worth a thousand words.....

"Meeting" her siblings and grandma for the first time via Facetime!

 

 

The Land Of Emmajane

Well, we are here!   In about 14 hours our lives will change forever!

The flight to Beijing went smoothly and I actually got to catch some zz's and a movie.   The hotel was  really nice- and OH MAN, the dumplings I had for dinner were to die for!    

The next morning we gathered for a nice breakfast and head on to Zhengzhou (Henan Province) where our daughter lives.    Now...many of you know how anxious I was to a)  Leave the kids behind and b) go back to China due to our um...not so fabulous experience last time.    A few things I've noted already:

1)  An (awesome) travel group makes a world of difference.  I've been surrounded by other fabulous Americans who understand this journey and SPEAK ENGLISH!   Thank you, Jesus.

2)   I heart Facetime.    To "see" the faces of  my babies all the way across the world has made life so much better.  My manager of tech support (Joe) knows that his passport gets thrown away and his tushie left in China if he doesn't keep wi-fi and our VPN up and running.    Just kidding!   Well...kinda sorta....

3)   Our agency ROCKS!   Completely different experience from last time.  The guides are thorough, we don't have to worry about a thing and the hotel isn't disgusting like the last one we stayed at in Zhengzhou.  We are understood! No having to play charades to get more toilet paper delivered to the room.  (stop and picture that in your head for a minute....charades....for toilet paper....yes,  it's been done and it certainly wasn't pretty...)

4)   Ah, China.  Last time I was terrified of you. This time, every bit of it has actually felt familiar and comforting in a weird kind of way.

 I think this is what peace feels like.

Thanks to all of you for all the prayers across the ocean!   Without a doubt, we feel them!   Around 10am Monday morning (around 10pm Sunday night in the USA)  think of us over here as we meet our girl for the very first time.     I'll try to post pics as soon as I can.

In the meantime, enjoy some pics of our adventures thus far:





Maddie, Audrey and Liam will get a kick out of this- "The Happy Goat"- long story.... 

Our Room

Yes, it's time!  

Travel Approval!!

I went to the grocery store yesterday and literally stood in the dairy section paralyzed with big deer-in-headlight eyes for what felt like forever.   You know the date is fast approaching when it's the same expiration date on your milk jug.

We leave for China on Friday Oct. 10th, meet Emmajane on Monday, Oct 13th (the evening of Sun. Oct 12th here in the USA), and we arrive home in Lexington at 9pm on Friday, Oct. 24th.!  In just 2 weeks from tonight, we will finally have our Emmajane in our arms!

Visas have been obtained  and all plane tickets have been reserved and e-tickets printed out.    Every little detail of our in-country travel plans have been beautifully arranged by our incredible agency.  Suitcases are filling up fast and my last minute  "to-do" list has become longer each day.  Business calendar is completely full until early December and (mostly) prepared for.  I have a 4-page, typed schedule ready to print for the kids and Grandma.  The pantry is stocked and 12 freezer meals prepared and put away.  All bills have been scheduled for auto pay and I've even got a head start on a bit of Christmas shopping.   You'd think I'd be on cloud 9 joyfully skipping around the house singing that darn "Happy" song  by Pharell because the big trip we've waited for is finally here!!!!

Right?!?!   Wrong.


I find myself sobbing every day.   Uncontrollably.   And it all started when it finally hit home that I won't be here in 2 weeks to tuck my other 3 babies in bed.    You see, it's just Joe and I traveling this time while Grandma bravely holds down the fort with the circus we've left behind.   They are in wonderful hands and I have absolutely no worries about their safety or well-being while I'm gone.    Yes, I realize that time will go by fast and everyone will "do just fine" and we'll be reunited again soon- yadda, yadda,  yadda.   However, what most people don't know is that having the girls there WITH me last time is what literally gave me the most comfort during the midst of a stressful, big transition.  And if I'm going to be brutally honest with you,  Audrey is so attached that she'd crawl back into my uterus if she could.   This is not going to be easy for us, and I absolutely DREAD saying "see you soon" when we leave for the airport.  Oh, geez, here come the tears....again.....


At the same time, I weep for Emmajane.  I can't imagine the emotions she's going through and will soon experience when she is thrown into the arms of complete strangers who look different, smell different, and talk different.    She was abandoned at age 2 - left at the door of the orphanage wearing a little yellow raincoat.    She has lived with a foster care family for as long as we have known.  Therefore, she'll be experiencing the loss of not just one, but TWO families in her life and the loss of living in a culture that is all she's known.   How can I let her know that WE are truly her forever and ever family?  That we won't abandon her?   That comes in time....I know....    This time, I cry for HER.   For all she has gone through.  For all the messy stuff that she will learn to overcome.   You see, the journey isn't over once we get her home on American soil- it's truly just beginning and it's HARD!    (yet so rewarding!)

But alas!    I do the happy dance as I picture coming off that escalator at Bluegrass Airport with friends and family gathered there to welcome us home!      My heart smiles when I think of all the new experiences she'll have:  a shabby chic 4-poster bed of her own,  a sugar rush of candy at trick-or-treat, clean air to breathe while she plays on the swing set in the backyard with her siblings, going to church and learning how to pray,  big fluffy hair bows and twirling in fancy dresses and cowboy boots, blowing out the candles on her cake for her 6th birthday (Dec. 1st), glittery manis and pedis, her first Christmas and all of the family traditions that go along with it...I can go on and on!    SO much super cool exciting stuff to look forward to!   Stuff that makes my heart race and squeal wth joy!  I've always joked that if you aren't bi-polar before you start this process, you surely will be by the end! 

Bear with me over the next VERY emotional month ahead and stay tuned...I will be posting updates from China as often as I can.   Please pray for our family as you think about it while go through your busy days.    Let's get this sweet pea HOME!

Uncertain Times

So many questions.  So few answers.

Almost every day, someone asks us, "When are you leaving for China?"     Months ago, I'd say hopefully sometime this fall.   About 2 weeks ago, I'd say October 10th.  Now that my immigration officer dragged her feet and waited an extra day to mail out Emmajane's visa application,  it's cost us another week in the waiting.  Who knew an extra day could cause such a huge delay?   (she's TOTALLY off my Christmas card list!)  On top of that, this is the time of year that China closes.  Yes, the entire country closes due to a holiday in early October which knocks out about 2 more weeks of potential travel dates.      So, now ask me when we'll travel.   *sigh*

I've also heard a hundred times "It's all God's perfect timing"...."it happens for a reason"..."she'll be here before you know it"...yadda, yadda , yadda.   Although I agree with all of that, I've never been a patient waiter and it's especially hard to wait because of this:

She KNOWS specifically that WE are coming!   These pictures made my heart leap for joy and sadness at the same time. Remember when you were a little kid and the summer seemed to last an eternity?  Imagine knowing that you have a new mommy and daddy from America who are coming to get you...yet every day just drags on.

Then there are days when I'm actually fearful of getting on that plane to go get her.   Let's face it, anyone who knows our story will tell you that our journey to Liam was hard, but after we met him it was even harder.  Like, WAY harder.  He's been home almost 2 years and I think he and I are just now  starting to really, really like each other.  When we first came home, he didn't come to me for comfort.  After he had his most recent surgery last month, he couldn't get enough of Mama.

The more I talk to other adoptive families,  the more that I'm understanding how common this really is.  It's one of those "no-no's" that a lot of folks are ashamed of or embarrassed to talk about.   Truth be told, adoption and bonding isn't always natural or easy.   It's flat out hard, and if I'm going to be really truthful, I'm bracing myself for another not-so-fun time.   God didn't say it was gonna be easy, He just said we wouldn't be alone.

Then there's that one thing that brings me to tears every time:  the thought of leaving "my baby" and "my bean".       We aren't able to travel with our other kiddos this time due to the sheer cost of plane tickets, thus they'll be home with Grandma for the 2 weeks we are on the other side of the world.  I've heard a hundred more times "They'll be just fine" ,  "It will go by so fast!", "It's better that they're not there because xyz..."   Some of those things I agree with.  However, let's go back to our last visit to China...not so good.    Those girls were the air I breathed.  They were nothing but comfort to me. When everything was weird, sad, smelly and plain-old stressful, their hugs gave me strength and the scent of their hair brought me comfort. Holding their little hands gave me an odd sense of peace and encouragement.   That's something that Facetime  simply can't do.  How am I going to let go on the day I hug these goobers goodbye?

Of course, there's always times I think of Emmajane.  What is her story and how much of it will she remember?   She was abandoned at age 2....a little sweet pea dropped off at the doors of an orphanage wearing a yellow raincoat.   Why?   What happened?  She'll be turning age 6 in December...why did she have to wait so long for a family?   These are things we may never, ever know.

So in the midst of so much uncertainty, there are a few things I do know for sure.

* She's meant to be ours.   From the very start, she was born to be a cherished part of the Rice circus!
* Worrying about all of the details is completely pointless. It takes the joy out of the journey and never changes the outcome.  Like, ever.
*   My house is the most organized it's ever been.  One word:  Nesting.
*   God's hand has been in the middle of this from the beginning.   I am humbled and in awe of His faithful provision!
*   I need a nap and should do so while I still have the chance!