Lilly Update

The Bryants did make their flight and returned safely home on time. Here is an update that I received from one of their friends:

I just talked to Jan and she asked that I give you an update on Lilly.Lilly has had many tests and seen many different specialists. Her VSD(hole in the heart) is moderate and will need surgery to correct. They feel her cough, "pneumonia" is viral and is not responding to treatment because of it being viral. She has some other things going on but nothing that the doctors feel can't be managed or get better once she is better. She has been tested for a multitude of things to rule out other reasons for her cough. They have r/o the flu and RSV so far. She is getting to come home right now!! The treatments she needs can be done at home. Jan is exhausted. Pray for her to get rest and for Lilly to adjust to the time difference from China so that she sleeps in US time and not China. Pray for Lilly to get well and then for the right timing for her surgery and that she would stay well enough for it to be done.

We Are Home!!!

I just wanted to quickly let everyone know that we made it home last night about 11:40. Much later than the 6:40 we were expecting - due to many plane delays. It was a very, very, long trip home.
Lainie is doing great. She did really well with the large crowd at the airport. Thanks to all of you who came, made signs, left phone messages, put balloons on mailboxes, cleaned my house, brought my family food and so, so, much more.
We haven't heard from the Bryants today. Lilly did well on the trip home. They were scrambling to meet their connecting flight in Chicago when we last saw them. I'm hoping that they made it and were able to get home quickly. If not they were on stand-by for another flight. So, they actually could just be leaving Chicago today. I pray that is not the case. I will post here when I hear something. I know that many of you prayed for Lilly and are anxious to hear how she is doing.
I'll post some pictures of our homecoming in the next day or so.
Thanks again for all who have followed our journey and covered us with your prayers. Now we can't wait for all of you to see her in person!
"We have shared together the blessing of God." Philippians 1:7

Last Post From China!

This picture is of Lainie taking her nap today. She is covered by the baby prayer shawl made for her by the ladies in our church who have the shawl ministry. I've covered her in it every night. She is not just covered in a blanket, but covered with the prayers of many.

Today is our LAST DAY! We've finished our shopping this morning and this afternoon we have the big swearing in at the US Consulate. Before that we have a group photo. I can't wait for you to see the precious faces of the children in our group. Tonight we are free for packing and getting ready to leave. We have to leave the hotel at 4am. (This will be 4pm for you on the 23rd) We fly to Hong Kong, then Chicago, then to CHARLOTTE, NC. We hope to land around 6:30pm on Thursday the 24th. We really have enjoyed our time here, seeing a different culture has been very interesting. But, we must say we are spoiled Americans and ready to be back in our own culture. I wish there were words to adequately thank you for all the many things you have done for us, large and small. We hope that through our journey, you have seen the hand of God at work. As we enter this final day of traveling, I leave you with some precious words that someone reminded me of a few days ago...."Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home."

All of our love.....

Bobby, Jennifer, Lainie and Mamaw

Just Pictures

Is she cute or what? Lainie has done a great job adjusting to her new surroundings. She is very happy and doesn't have any sad and scared moments like she had the first day or two. Yet another answer to prayer.

Answered Prayers

Many prayers have been answered. Today Lainie seems better. Although we are still having trouble communicating with the clinic, we found another pediatric nurse who is here adopting who listened had her stethoscope and listened to Lainie's lungs. She didn't think it was serious at all. She did say that her murmur is still pronounced, but we already knew that. I also got to talk to Pam Martin from home. Just hearing her calming voice made me rest easier. So, we are much more relaxed now. She will still have one more shot tomorrow morning. She passed the physical exam that is required for us to leave. PRAISE THE LORD. Lilly also left the hospital to go to the exam and she was also given permission to leave with documented noncontagious illness. The Bryants are very relieved that they are going to be back to a US hospital on time. Thank you for your prayers. God has been so good to put the right people in our path who could ease our mind and give us good direction. Although I would have chosen to make this trip without Lainie getting sick, I would do it a million times over for this sweet precious child. We are in the White Swan Hotel. This is the last stop for all families who are adopting children from anywhere in the country of China. The breakfast room was full this morning with at least 100 American families and their newly adopted Chinese babies. I could hardly eat because of the golf ball size lump in my throat. I know what a leap of faith this journey was for us and as I looked at all those families who also answered God's call and took that same leap, I was overwhelmed by his goodness. He calls these families so that he can use them to rescue his children who have been cast aside by our mixed up world. I just thought about how He must be looking down on that breakfast room and smiling at His precious children. This morning during my quiet time I turned to Psalm 139 - my favorite verse. It was so appropriate for the past few days.

Lord, You have searched me and you know me.

You know when I sit down and when I rise.

You perceive me thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down.

You are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely.

You hem me in - behind and before .

You have laid your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your spirit ?

Where can I flee from your presence ?

If I go up to the heavens you are there;

If I make my bed in the depths you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the FAR SIDE OF THE SEA,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold fast. (and man oh man have I been squeezing His hand these last few days )

Thank you for those who have prayed for strength and peace for us. He has sent it to us in so many ways. So from now until Thursday morning we just wait for the Visa and then WE ARE OUT OF HERE!!!

Waiting on the Medical Exam

Just for Sherry F and Wendy Lucas.......

Drawing a crowd every where we go. These teenagers were really taken by her. They took a million pictures with their camera phones.

Being a big girl at the medical exam. They said she weighs 20 pounds.

I love my mamaw because she takes me wherever I want to go...... spoiled already !!!

4 fllights down, 3 to go....

On the airplane ride from Changsha to G-Zhou.Typical Chinese apartment living. These are EVERYWHERE. Some are over 40 stories high, but this is a small complex.

Saying Good-bye to our Changsha Guide, Peter. He was simply extraordinary. Please note that I am almost as tall as him. I'm feeling really tall around here.

Today we made our fourth airplane ride from Changsha to G-zhou. It was only about an hour flight and Lainie didn't like it one bit....... a big thanks to Aunt JuJu for sending the M&Ms. They are what got us through. We picked up Lilly on the way to the airport. As soon as we landed here David and Jan were off to find another hospital. I haven't heard from them yet. (It is 11:03pm here). Bobby is hanging out in their room while their girls sleep until one of them gets back in.

It was great to be back with all of the CWA group again. We greeted each other like we were long lost friends. Tonight we all also had dinner together... it was CHAOS. There are two two year old boys who have been adopted by famlies in our group. Two year old boys..... need I say more. Lainie just sat perfectly still and took it all in. I think that was the most action she had seen in her little life. I wish you could see these boys. They are ADORABLE.

We are a little more concerned about Lainie's health today. Her cough just seems to get a little worse each day. This morning I noticed a rattle in her chest. If this were one of my three healthy kids at home, I would have given it a few days to clear up on its on, but in light of her VSD and Lilly's situation, we really felt like she needed some medical attention. Now here is where the stress comes in. There are no medical "clinics" here. Just hospitals. We didn't really feel like we needed to go that route, so our CWA rep suggested we see the Dr. at the hotel Clinic. This is a very nice 5 star hotel - so we figured the medical office was probably up to par. Thing is, the doctor didn't speak English. Her assistant spoke a little english. So there we are, trying to explain to these people that Lainie has VSD and we are concerned about the rattle in her lungs. They thought we were saying something about a high fever.... (Which she doesn't have). Finally, our CWA rep who speaks English and Chinese showed up to help. The doctor said that Lainie had a moderate case of broncitis (sp). She wanted to give her four injections of antibiotic and some other meds. At this point I really thought I was just going to lose it. How were we supposed to make this decision? No one can tell us what kind of medicine it is or if it will be okay for her heart. I just had to walk out of the room and get myself together for a minute. Finally, Bobby and I decided that we would do it. We really felt like her "lung issues" needed to be treated. So, Lainie got a shot today and will get three more before we leave here. I did have enough wits about me to have them give me the names of the meds. So, when we got back to the room we called our good friend, Cecil Davis who is a pharmacist, and woke him up to find out if this was what she needed. While these are not meds commonly used in the US, he said it should treat what she has. All that to say, please pray for Lainie too. Our worry is just compounded by how sick Lilly is. Lainie really seems fine. She is laughing and playing and she isn't running a temp. But I still have concerns about how her lungs effect her heart, etc. Praise the Lord we will be home on Thursday and we can go to our regular doctor. I will never, ever, ever complain about how long I have to wait in the doctor's office, or how much it cost, we are so blessed with good healthcare in the US. I'll end with some pictures from the day. Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments. You have NO IDEA how much they mean to us. And Katie, especially for you, what a blessing you have been. If our kids turn out like you we will consider ourselves blessed beyond measure.

Jennifer

Playing with bubbles in the room before we left Changsha.

Trey, Jillian and Will - only 4 more sleeps until we are all together again. I miss you like crazy! Jillian - I can't wait to see those new crocs!

Signing Off From Changsha

It is Sunday morning here around 11:00am. We will be leaving shortly to head to the airport. We will be stopping by the hospital to pick up Lilly and her Dad. Then we are headed to G-zhou. We are so glad to be leaving here. I would ask each of you to have your churches say special prayers for Lilly when you go to church tomorrow. She is very, very, sick. She will go straight to the hospital in G-zhou when we land there. Please pray that they can get her well enough to be approved for a visa to leave on Thursday. When she lands in the US she will go straight to the hospital there as well. Please tell everyone you know to lift up the Bryant family.

Lainie continues to do well. She is very, very happy. She does continue to have a cough that concerns me somewhat. No fever, but just a loose cough. Jan, who is a nurse and brought her stethoscope, said that she can hear some "crackling" in her lungs but she didn't think it was anything to worry about yet. We may still check in with the hospital in G-zhou just for our peace of mind. She took the last of her Zithromax today.

We love you all and are so thankful for the prayers that you have said on our behalf. Today we do feel a little sad about leaving the province where Lainie was born. It makes me sad to think that not only her family, but also her country abandoned her. Praise the Lord though, that God does not abandon his children. As I've said before, there are no orphans of God.

Trey, Jillian, Will and all of the BIG Barbee/Russell bunch.... You have no idea how we long to see your faces at the airport. You better bring the Kleenex. You just can't imagine how this little girl will take your breath away. She is very outgoing so be ready to give her all of the hugs and kisses that you want!!!!!!

To our dear friends who have left such encouraging and touching comments, you will never know how much they have meant to us. In the US when we don't see you everyday, we know that you are just a phone call away if we need to talk. It has been difficult here to be so "friendless". We can't wait to see all of you too!!!

Signing off from Changsha.... more aware of God's grace and goodness than ever before.....

Bobby, Jen, Lainie and Mamaw