And we're off

Well, in the am we are. Packing up now, and will head back up north to our old stomping grounds to spend one night with some friends. It will be fun to introduce Emma. Then on Sunday we fly back to KY!! Woohoo, it is time! We arrive at 10pm on Sunday night. Can't wait to hug those boys and introduce Emma to our family and friends!!

Sorry for no pictures, just too crazy packing up. Thanks for journeying with us!!

Megan

Famous Red couch photos and some thoughts on the heart

The Collins' minus 2 boys!
The 4 families from our agency.


Caroline made some friends with some older girls. Their families were adopting their second child this time.


The heart is a tricky thing yes? One minute I am praising God for ordaining this adoption for us. Really, I'm worshiping Him for arranging our lives to be a part of such an amazing thing, and for what it teaches about my adoption into His family. He saved me from my sin and took me from my father the devil, and adopted me into his family and made me an heir. I'm so thankful. And I'm so thankful for Emma, and the gift she is to me, and to us the Collins' family.

And the next minute I'm dreading the future. I'm worried about what life is going to be like with 4 kids. Yes, I do miss my boys. Oh, I want to hug them and play with them. AND, I'm afraid for life at home, with them all and how crazy it will be to try and meet 4 little peoples needs. And then I remember that God has always been there, he has always helped me. He has never left me not able to do what He has called me to do. And I see that my dread is actually sin, my unbelief that God will help me. It exposes my desire for an easy, 5 star hotel life, where I can sit and eat a buffet bfast everyday. It shows me that valuing ease and comfort is not a promise God has given, nor one that is worth pursuing to find life. And so, I'm repenting of my dread, and asking God to help me to trust that He will give grace for this transition. Of course you can join me!

Orphanage trip

This is Suixi, Emma's hometown, just a little town of 1.2 million people.This is the front of the orphanage. The director and his wife and some of the office staff.

This was one of 4 of the nanny's that was in Emma's room. She teared up when I asked her about Emma.

This was Emma's room. They said she was in the crib with the girl with the pink coat on. It was 11 am when we got there. The director was moving us through quickly so we didn't get to interact with them much.

This room was beside Emma's.
And this is the playroom with the slide where all of the pictures they sent us were taken.

It was a long day, but so worth it. It was great to be where Emma lived her first 17months of life. Great, but sad as well. Hard to imagine her there, in that crib for most of those 17 months. And hard to see all those kids left behind. We had lunch with the office staff and ran out of things to talk about. They seem like good people, and were very hospitable, but they are really just doing their government job. No talk of the problem of orphans, or how to best care for them. It was all pretty shallow and sad as I reflect on it.

Well, all are in bed now and I'm afraid I'll keep them up with this typing, so I must go. Will try and share more at a later time! We did our final paperwork signing today at the American Consulate. Just waiting on the Chinese passport and hen we can come home!!

What are we doing?

Well, we are still here in Guangzhou. We went to see some gardens. It is the year of the bunny you know. . . .

The weather got warmer today and wasn't raining so we went to the park.

Caroline and I went and got our hair washed and dryed for $1.50. And I keep feeding Emma all I can. She loves rice porridge and fish baby food(eek). She has been more and more adventurous with walking and even walking away from us. We head to Emma's orphanage tomorrow. It will be a long day, we are flying to the nearest city where the director will pick us up and take us an hour to the orphanage. I've heard this orphanage is really friendly and helpful. I think they will take us to her finding place as well. We leave at 7am and get back around 10pm. Look forward to updating you sometime after we return!
E

Video

Praises! I am at the computer without Emma, and she is not crying and actually stood up and walked!! We saw her walk the other day for a few minutes, but hasn't since then!! She is walking to Caroline! Yahoo. Slowly, slowly. . . she actually went to bed in the crib last night too, after Mark put her down! In some ways this long time away is so brutal. I miss the boys so much. And yet, I'm working on being thankful for this time, cooped up in a small hotel room, with so little to do but bond with Emma and study her and give her some needed attention. I really am stunned, she is actually moving around the room! Ok, off to enjoy some freedom!

Personality

Day 4 has gone well. We've made some great strides. We can see more and more of Emma's personality, and personality she has. These pictures show it.
Eating noodles with Daddy.
Walking outside with Daddy.

Happy one minute. . .

Sad the next.

Till tomorrow. . .

Bonding

Just hanging out in Guangzhou bonding with baby Emma. We made some great strides today! Mark wore her quite a bit in the carrier and she eventually stopped crying!

Smiling again for the camera.Caroline is even working to get some Emma time!

This one is what much of our day looks like, after I try and put her down.

She is pretty tired now, but we are trying to stretch her out a bit. I couldn't put her down last night without her crying, so I had to let her fall asleep on me. She did let me put her down eventually and we all had a great night sleep. We actually woke her up at 7:15 because we were all hungry! Thanks for your encouragement and prayers! We are so thankful for you walking through this with us.

After a great first night of sleep(for Emma, not for Mark and I! jet lag still going strong) we headed to this office to, well, I'm not sure, but we did sign some papers and tell them that we are happy with Emma and will take good care of her!


She was pretty happy in the am. She is a ham and will smile most every time you take a pic of her.

This was from last night, but was so cute I had to include it. The pics you don't see are of her crying. All day long. I can't really leave her or she cries. She doesn't want much to do with Mark, though we worked today on that. My new friends here say that its good that she is crying, and that she seems to be bonding with me. I'm struggling not feeling suffocated and then feeling bad for feeling that way at all. She wouldn't lay down for a nap, and I'm wondering if she'll go down tonight! Pray for good rest and for right thinking!

We got her!

We got in a van at 2pm with another family to head to the government building. We were there before we knew it and entering a room with a dozen other families who already received or were about to receive their kids. It was surreal. Emma was not there yet, so I loosened up and took these pictures of excited mom and dad.

Caroline slept on the couch the entire time, missed the whole thing, but did not barf at all, so for that I'm thankful! She has been wiped out all day.

Our new friends baby was there, so I grabbed their camera and went and took a bazillion pics for them. Right as I'm giving the camera back, our guide says, "she's here". Next thing I know Mark is pushing me over to the door and this happens.





They hand over Emma Grace.




We are stunned.


So is she!

She had been on a bus for 8 hours, taken inside and handed over to us.


Caroline finally pepped up and started playing with her. Caroline kept saying, "she's so cute, I wish I could touch her!" We told her to stay a bit away so Emma wouldn't get sick! When Emma cries, and she does, she opens her mouth wide, with no sound, and then tears come. After the tears comes a quiet cry. She is so tiny. I told Mark I'm afraid I'll break her. She has given us some sweet smiles though, like this one.


What a doll! We are so very thankful to be at this day. Right now as I type everyone is sleeping. Pray for us as we adjust and pray for Caroline and Mark to regain health and strength. Thankful that you are sharing our joy with us!

Some thanks are in order

First thanks to the Sawyers for taking care of a very sick me, and for making it a special time! Second, thanks to John who made continuing this blog from over here possible! He's amazing.

We all had a good night sleep, didn't wake up until 6:30 am. Caroline was acting funny at breakfast and we knew why when she decided to let the contents of her stomach loose right there in the breakfast room. Yup, she's got the bug. She seems to have energy now, but Mark is pretty listless. We met another family getting their girl today too, and she is having some allergic reaction. Man, does the enemy not want us to get our girls or what?

So, rain or shine, throwing up or not, we are going to get Emma at 2pm, 1 am for those of you in the States. She is now sitting on a bus somewhere, on her way to meet us. She has an 8 hour bus ride from the orphanage to here. Can't wait to share pictures after we get her!! It is "Gotcha Day" after all!!

Sick. . . again

Just a quick note, got the yuckies last night. We leave in an hour for the airport for our flight to Guangzhou. Pray for strength for me, my stomach is still weak and ookie! Thanks friends!

Megan

Fun with friends

We've had a good few days visiting with old friends and eating yummy food. We have one more day of the same and then we head down south Sunday am. Very surreal that we will get Emma on Monday, hard to process, but excited!

We made it!

Hey friends,

Thanks for your prayers, we made it safely! The flight was good, Caroline did great, and I'm feeling much better! Will try and send a pic soon!

Megan

We leave tomorrow. . .

and I'm sick! Pray for good rest and healing for me. I've had a fever and cough since Friday and can't seem to shake it. Got an antibiotic today though, so hopefully that will kick in! Caroline is also sick, so pray for her too!

So thankful for mom and dad being here since Sunday, they have run the house and taken care of the kids while I sat and Mark was off at school.

Pray that I'll rest in God's plans for me and our trip and not hold tightly to the way I think this should go! Look forward to updating you from the other side of the ocean!

Megan

Caroline is 6

Yesterday, February 1st, Caroline turned 6. We had a party on Saturday and celebrated again yesterday and Lawrence just couldn't understand why she got 2 birthdays so close together. He kept saying, "we'll celebrate my birthday soon, right". Sorry good buddy, see ya next December.

I love having a 6 year old. Caroline is such a great help to me. She loves to keep her checklist and make sure she gets a "daddy dollar" each day. Its rare that I have to remind her that she is my helper and needs to act as such:) She loves to learn too, its fun to teach her, except when I'm tired or ignorant, and I say, "you'll have to ask Daddy that when he gets home".

I was telling her yesterday about how I thought for sure she was a boy. I just thought that boys were supposed to be first, oh and the fact that my mom was convinced that I was having a boy(sorry to out you mom). So when she came and the doctor said, "It's a girl" I was like, "really". He said, "we're you expecting something else?" to which I replied, "um, well, kind of." HA. I am so glad it was Caroline! I can't imagine my life without my sweet, helping, leading, reading, listening, playing, running, oldest daughter Caroline!

We leave in a week for China. We will get Emma on February 14th. Mark, Caroline and I will go and my parents will keep the boys, for 2 1/2 weeks!! Pray for all of us!! Hope to post while we are there:)

Megan