More About Mia

It is now 4am here and Mia has slept peacefully through the night. I, on the other hand, have been wide awake. I thought I should take this chance while she is sleeping to tell you more about what we've learned so far about this precious girl.

First, she is incredibly brave. She could be kicking and screaming and refusing to be with us, but while she cries, she still does what we asks and holds our hand. So far that is.

She is also beautiful. Her pictures do not do her justice. Her hair has grown alot since the last pics we had. She puts her bangs in a little clip to the side. She knows exactly how to do it herself. Her lip repair looks great as we suspected from her pictures. I haven't gotten to look at her palate. Our guide says her Chinese is very clear, so it is not hampering her speech.

She is very smart. When I wrote the numbers 1,2,3, she knew how to write 4,5,6,etc. She repeats every English word we say. She likes to color with markers. Tonight we drew pictures together. She is very precise about putting the tops on the markers just right when she finishes. (My kids take note.)

We could not get her to take a bath tonight and we didn't push it. We did fill the tub with bubbles and water and she and I played over the side with stacking cups that I had brought. I think she's washed dishes before because she would fill them up with soap, wash it with her hand and rinse the bubbles out. We also had fun blowing the bubbles across the bathroom. We got the biggest smiles then.

I painted her fingernails and that was obviously not the first time she's had that done. She would roll her finger to the side so I could get her whole nail and she knew to blow them when we were done.

She brought all of the items that I sent in the care package with her. She wants all of her stuff put right back in her little bag. Except for the phone number. She won't put that down still.

Today we go back to the civil affairs office to sign papers and then she is officially ours in the eyes of China. Be in prayer for that meeting (8pm Sunday your time). I imagine we are going to have lots of talk about the grandmother's phone number again. Please pray that we have wisdom how to handle this particular situation. Thank you for all of your sweet comments. Knowing you are praying for us makes us feel brave too. Our prayer for sweet Mia is that God will quiet her anxious heart with His love as only He can do.

We love you all!



She has 3 layers of clothes on, so she's really not quite as big as she appears.

Meeting Mia...

Mia was brave today. As soon as she walked in the door and saw us, she wanted to cry, but she held it back to a quiet wimper. She talked the entire time about the phone number of her foster grandmother. They had given her the number on a piece of paper and she begged and begged for someone to call her. She has cried on and off about wanting someone to call her grandmother. It is very sad. I wish they had handled it differently, but that was their choice. We have had happy moments of playing. She likes to look at the flashcards I brought and repeat the words in English. She is very, very, smart. She told our guide that first she is going to a hotel, then an airplane and then to America. Someone had prepared her that much. She is a beautiful, beautiful girl who has a broken heart right now. She is allowing us to comfort her by holding her and wiping her tears. We will be fine. It will just take time. Pray that God would calm her heart and help mend the sadness she feels over having left her foster grandmother. I need to go take care of her. More details later....


Our guide Sherry and I waiting for Mia to arrive




In the Civil Affairs office






Back in the hotel with Bobby and I

What did we do today?

((Notice the correction on the last post! We get Mia 4pm Sunday China time which is 3am Sunday your time while you all are sleeping! The time difference gets confusing...not enough sleep, sorry!))

It has been a great day and we are glad we had this day to relax and settle in before meeting Mia tomorrow. Our guide is a perfect match for us. Sherry is a 27 year old fun girl that I know will be great at helping Mia transition. She has known exactly what kind of stores to point out to us and we've had some great conversations about Chinese culture with her. Today we met her at 11:30 and went out for some "shopping". The purpose of our time with her was to give us a "walking tour" of our surroundings so we know how to get snacks, meals and do a little shopping when she isn't with us. We spent about 2 hours walking the area. We went to the Muslim Quarter where I picked up a few things for Mia as keepsakes and then we found Starbucks.


The most hilarious thing happened while we were shopping at a silk vendor's storefront. She and several of the other shop tenders kept pointing at Bobby and giggling. We asked Sherry what they were saying and she reluctantly told us that they were saying Bobby looked like Buddha. Sherry was afraid we would be offended, but I thought it was hilarious. Since we've gotten back to the hotel Bobby has gone to the workout room. He's trying to ditch the Buddha figure. Too funny.

Tomorrow we will be on our own until we meet Sherry at 3. We will go to the bank and exchange the necessary money and then walk to meet Mia at 4:00. The Civil Affairs Office where our meeting would normally take place is being remodeled so we will meet her in a hotel just down the street from us. We will walk there, but Sherry will call a car to drive us back to the hotel. Crossing the street here is quite an adventure and I can't imagine trying to do it with a traumatized 7 year old.

We know that you are praying for all of us tomorrow. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.


Leaving Charlotte... the first leg of our journey.


Bobby and I had a funny conversation on the plane. We talked about the places other couples fly on planes together. We talked about places we dreamed we'd visit early in our marriage. China wasn't on either list. God's plans are certainly different than ours. But, despite the enticement of luxurious vacations, there's no where I'd rather be than right now than in the middle of HIS will. Although I hope one day he'll send me somewhere with sun and sandy beaches.

See kids, we saw snow too while we were in Newark. We can't wait to hear about the fun things you did in the snow at home. You can barely see my face here, but it is filled with terror as I realize that the plane is going to have to be de-iced.

Our hotel... The Grand Mercure

Muslim Quarter

Finally Here!

We arrived at our hotel last night around 12:00am. Our traveling was smooth and uneventful. Thank you so much for all of your prayers. Our guide, Sherry, met us at the airport and she and the driver brought us to our hotel, The Grand Mercure. This morning we've had free time to get things unpacked and get settled in. We've been down to the breakfast buffet already and now we are getting ready to go out with Sherry to pick up some basic things we need. We are also going to try to find some shops with local items so that Mia can have some things from her native province. We are going to try to get that done today since Mia may not be up for shopping.


There's already a small bed in our room for Mia and we have it made up and ready for her. We will be meeting her tomorrow afternoon around 4pm. (3am Sunday your time). She'll be with us from that point forward.

This morning we got to talk to our families by Skype. It was so great to see the kids' faces. It is snowing at home and they were all excited to tell us about that. Lainie couldn't understand why we were "in the computer".

Thank you all for your comments and prayers. We certainly feel them.

Love to all....

Last Minute Thoughts

Today I am home finishing up the packing, cleaning, etc.  I'm also having some very long conversations with God today.  I'm not a very courageous person, and this trip requires courage that only He can grant.  It will be quite difficult for me to walk out of my house in the darkness of the early morning tomorrow.  Leaving behind four children and traveling without them to the other side of the planet is not easy for me.  In fact, it has been my greatest struggle during this preparation.   I'm at peace with however Mia may react to us and I'm at peace with the fact that my little family dynamic is about to change dramatically.   However, as a mother, I'm struggling with the thoughts of kissing my  kids goodbye tomorrow morning and not seeing their sweet faces until February 12.  So, please do pray for me.   I could use it about now.

  Also pray in the days ahead for this journey.... Here's our itinerary....

Thursday 1-28
Fly from Charlotte (6:40am)  to Newark, Newark to Beijing, and Beijing to Xi'an.  Arrive in Xi'an late Friday night China time. (Mid-morning on Friday for you.)

Saturday 1-30 - Free Day (trying to recover from Jeg Lag and get settled in )

Sunday 1-31 - Meet Mia in the afternoon.  She will be with us from this point on.

Monday 2 -1 Adoption registration

Tuesday 2-2 - Thursday 2-4  Sightseeing in Xi'an

Friday 2-5  Recieve Mia's passport and final paperwork.  Fly to Guangzhou.

Saturday 2-6 Medical Exam and TB skin test.  Pray she passes the TB test or we have to do a chest xray.  It is common for them to fail the test.  I've read why but I can't remember right now.

Sunday 2-7 Sightseeing in Guangzhou

Monday 2-8  Receive TB test result   Fill out forms for Visa application for Mia

Tuesday 2-9  Free day

Wednesday 2-10  Swearing in Ceremony at the Consulate

Thursday 2-11 Pick up Mia's visa

Friday 2-12 - Fly from Guangzhou to Shanghai,  Shanghai to Newark and Newark to home!!!!!

Thank you for your prayers and your encouragement.  Please continue to leave comments on the blog.  Blogger is blocked in China and my niece Katie will be updating it for us as I email her info and pics.  Your comments do come directly to our e-mail which we can access in China.  We love to hear from you!

Mia's Journey Home

We will leave for China at 6:40am on Thursday, January 28th.  We will arrive in Xi'an on January 29th at 10:25pm (China time). 

The end of the wait is in sight, but the journey for Mia to become part of our family has only just begun.  Today when finalizing details with our agency, our caseworker warned me to be prepared for the worst when we meet Mia.  She wanted to be sure I was aware that she MAY NOT be happy to be with us.  She reminded me that rejection is normal, and that attachment takes time.  Thankfully, I've spent the last 6 months reading everything I can about older child adoption.  I've read some inspiring stories and some terrifying ones.  All I know for sure is this:  I am sure God called us to this journey and He will see us through.  That's it.  That is all I know for sure.  That is enough.

"We witness a miracle every time a child enters into life. But those who make their journey home across time & miles, growing within the hearts of those who wait to love them, are carried on the wings of destiny and placed among us by God's very own hands."--- Kristi Larson

This will be my last post until we arrive in China.  Please do continue to pray for all of us as our family welcomes Mia.  Pray for our children who will be staying here.  This all will be a big transition for them as well.

Love to all of you and thank you for your continued support, encouragement and prayers.  We are just amazed by how God has blessed us during this time.  We began not knowing how we would fund Mia's adoption.  God has been faithful.  All the funding is in place.  That is a miraculous story for another day.......

Sooner Rather Than Later

We have our Consulate Appointment for Feb 9!  We ARE going to make it in and out before Chinese New Year!   We will be leaving on Jan 28 or 29 - working out those details today.
Today we are so thankful to be leaving sooner rather than later.  God is good.  Please continue to pray for Mia's heart to be prepared as only God can do.  Pray for Bobby and I as we spend this next week getting things ready.   It is very hard for this mama to think about being so FAR away from my children that we will leave behind.  I've been praying through Psalms 91 and it helps to know that none of us - no matter how far we go -  are never too far from the Father's right hand.  Thank you for your prayers thus far.  They have made all the difference in our journey.
Hold on Mia.   Hope is on the way.