Our Garden of Eden

2009-11-30T12:10:00.000-08:00

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Many have asked for a summary of our trip and some recent updates so I’ll do my best to bring you up to speed.

We’ve been home nearly a week and have hit the ground running full steam. Our three oldest children are in school, (Jordan now returning after a three-week absence), and continuing with their normal activities; sports, friends, youth group at church, cheerleading etc. Sheila is taking off work until the first part of December to help with Eden’s adjustment into our family. Much work was waiting for me upon my return. We are so glad to be home and to at least function together as a family. A new sense of what normal looks like for our family should occur soon.

Good, sound sleep has remained most allusive. Eden has done much better with her sleeping the last few nights, but did have some challenges early on, with days and nights being reversed. Last night was the first night I slept more than a few hours. I’m hopeful that we’ll all be on some solid sleep patterns beginning this week.

I guess I should include some statements regarding the conclusion of our trip to China.

The travels back home were arduous, to say the least. There is no easy way to travel across the world in a 30-hour time span with a small child, but we managed as best we could. It ended up that Eden was too big for a bassinet so Sheila made a pallet for her to sleep on the floor. It did the trick. Eden was able to rest some on the plane. There wasn’t much sleep for the rest of us. Our seats on the flight from Shanghai to Chicago were split into two pairs. Jordan was able to eventually worm her way in and sit with Sheila and Eden. It was a long, long flight.

We landed in Chicago an hour early so we had hoped to call my parents to meet us at the airport so that they could see Eden. It was not to be. We proceeded to wait in lines for immigration and customs for nearly three hours. It was a nightmare.

We finally finished our proceedings with customs at around 5:40 pm. Our flight was to leave for St. Louis at 6:00 pm. You had to be there, but it looked like the scene in Home Alone when the family is charging through the airport trying to catch their flight to France. Jordan was in charge of zooming ahead with Eden in a stroller. Sheila and I had as many bags as we could carry. We went through another security check and then ran past an area with some United Airlines employees. We told them that we had only 15 minutes to catch our flight back to St. Louis and still had to take a train to another terminal, go through more security, and then run like the wind to our gate to make the flight. They told us to drop our bags and then would make sure they got to St. Louis. I can’t even tell you why, but I trusted them and dropped our bags. We ran outside, boarded an escalator, ran to a train platform, and waited and waited for a train. That train took across the airport to a domestic terminal. We then dashed through more security as much as one could dash having to place one’s belts, shoes, computer, carry on items, fold a stroller, toothbrush and toothpaste through the security screen; show passports, boarding passes, get screened with the wand, and then have to dump out Eden’s water in her sippy cup, forgetting that it was in there. It was then another mad dash to the gate.

We arrived at the gate at exactly 5:59 pm. Sweat pouring. Heart racing. Completely frazzled. The plane was delayed by 10 minutes. We made it. We wanted to cry. You have no idea just how bad we wanted to get home. God once again made a way.

Sheila, Jordan and I took turns taking mini-showers inside the plane’s mini-bathroom; putting on a fresh change of clothes, washing up and brushing our teeth. It felt wonderful. Within 40 minutes we landed in St. Louis.

As we made our way through St. Louis’ Lambert International Airport, we were greeted by a sea of loving family and friends from church. “Welcome Home” signs were everywhere. Christopher and Micah never looked so good. We hugged and kissed all. Eden was a bit overwhelmed but she did well considering the tidal wave of emotions from everyone.

Our bags never made the plane. Big surprise. No big deal, though. They were on my front porch when I woke the next morning.

Being home was sheer bliss. I can’t describe the flood of emotions we felt over the last many weeks. Somehow being home with Eden and all our children made everything right.

This week things should return to somewhat of a normal routine.

Eden is doing extremely well. Although a bit guarded when meeting people for the first time, she warms up to them very quickly. Eden’s two big brothers, Christopher and Micah have fallen in love with their little sister. Both of the boys have been warm, affectionate and playful with Eden.

Sheila’s sister, Wendee and her three children are still with us. They all flew in from Alaska so that Wendee could care for our boys while we were in China. That, by the way, was a huge, huge help to us, and gave Sheila tremendous peace of mind. One of Sheila’s prayers was that her sister would be able to be near when we got our little girl. When Tom and Wendee and the kids moved to Alaska last year to be missionaries, we thought that they returning home for the adoption were not possible. But God made a way, and through some loving friends and many prayers, Wendee and the kids came to Illinois and have continued to be a source of great help and support.

Eden seems to be right at home with our family. It’s rained buckets since we came home so our outdoor activities have been somewhat limited. However, my wife being the trooper that she is has still made some time for some shopping with Eden. All the girls were able to get their nails done through the kindness of a very dear, friend. Eden loved it. She seems to be quite comfortable with our family and what are now becoming her normal routines.

Eden is slowly picking up a few English words. She is still, based on her spunky spirit, able to get you to do what she wants. I told someone this week that I think we’ll soon enter into a “Chinglish” language, with the hopes of moving more and more toward English in the coming months.

We’re also very thankful to God for Eden’s health. Our pediatrician was pleased with her overall stature and spunkiness. In fact, she was unable to hear any heart murmur whatsoever. So it continues to appear that Eden’s surgery in China was successful. Eden’s height is in middle range. Her weight, however, is quite low on the growth chart. The doctor’s prescription of whole milk and allowing her to eat anything she wants and as much as she wants should do the trick of putting some meat on her bones.

In the coming weeks we’ll take Eden to a pediatric cardiologist and a pediatric dermatologist to double-check things with her heart and to look at the spots and scarring on Eden’s legs, arms and back. We think they may be from mosquitoes or other bugs; not sure, though.

To be continued …

November 13, 2009

I am terribly sorry for what is now a two-week delay to finishing our blog post. I got busy doing something else, came down with a major case of ADD and literally having been running non-stop since we got home.

Again, I’ll do my best to finalize some thoughts.

Family life is wonderful. Although our days and nights seem to be ever so busy, we are thoroughly enjoying life together. Eden continues to thrive. She remains the best eater and sleeper in the family. I realize that all of life has its challenges, and many of those come from the Lord to strengthen and mature us in our faith, but as of now things are quite smooth with our newest daughter and her adjustment into our family. Sheila will remain off work until after Thanksgiving. Until then, she is able to care for Eden throughout each day and enjoying every minute of it.

Normal days include all that involves moving the three older kids through life including school, cheerleading, church activities, friends, ball practice, cooking meals, running errands, caring for the house, and lots of play time with Eden including some lovely walks around our city park.

One most pleasant surprise is just how much Eden has begun to enjoy other people and doing things with our family. She is still a bit hesitant when meeting new people but usually quickly warms up and becomes playful and affectionate with them as well. In fact, once Eden has found a circle of loving friends she’ll usually play musical chairs with them going from one to the other wanting to be hugged and played with. There have been lots of games of peek-a-boo, play times in the backyard, and musical concerts with the help of some spoons, pots and pans. We’ve enjoyed many visits with family members, neighbors, and friends from church over these last many weeks.

Jordan’s cheerleading schedule has kept us all hopping. Eden has been a real trooper. She loves jumping up and down, cheering along with the fans and clapping each down she does something that puts a huge smile on our faces. Plus, she is a lover of all things salty and sweet. Popcorn is her favorite snack at the ballgames.

We’re looking forward to being in Chicago for Thanksgiving to spend time with family and lifelong friends.

We’d like to once again thank all of you who have been such a special part of our adoption journey. We have been blessed through your friendship, prayers, many acts of kindness and love to our family. These last two years have been like a roller coaster, lots of ups and downs. It has, however, been more than worth it. I can say that choosing to adopt this precious little girl has become the best thing that has happened to our family.

Some of asked us if it was difficult to love a child from a different race and culture, to love a child that is not naturally our own. Believe me, those are non-issues. The choice to love is simply that – a choice to love. We’ve loved Eden from the very moment we sensed God’s call to adopt.

Let me close with some thoughts from the beginning of this journey. Some of you may not fully know how the call to adopt entered into my life. Sheila was already fully on board with the idea, as were the children. I was never against adoption. In fact, the opposite is true. I just wasn’t certain that adoption was right for our already “full” family. Sheila asked me to pray about the matter. I did.

One day, while reading the Bible I came across these words spoken at Jesus’ baptism. “At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, He saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased’” (Mark 1:9-11).

As I began to think about the significance of the words spoken by God the Father to Jesus at His baptism these thoughts penetrated my heart: “These are words of identity. These are words of belonging and acceptance. These are words that are shared in families. These are words of unconditional love. These are words of noble pride and solid affirmation.”

Of all the things the Father could have said to Jesus as His Son was thrust into public ministry that would culminate with Him sacrificially giving His life on the cross to forgive the sins of the world the Father reminded Jesus of exactly who He was, who He belonged to, how very much He was loved, and just how proud His Dad was of Him.

God spoke clear to my heart that there was a little girl in the world who at that time didn’t know who she really was in God’s eyes. I was broken over the possibility that a little girl growing up in an orphanage may never discover her true identity in life. I was broken over her not yet knowing a family’s true and unconditional love. I wept at the need for a little girl to hear her daddy say to her, “I love you so much and I’m so proud of you.”

At the most clear moment I’ve had with God’s Spirit speaking into my heart I heard God’s call for me to adopt a little girl. With tears streaming down my cheeks for over an hour I rested in God’s love for me and stated my obedience to adopt a little girl so that she too could know who she is and just how much she is loved by God and her family.

That was it. From that moment on the call to adopt was clear. Sure there have been more challenges than I could count. But the call was clear. Adoption was no longer an option. God had spoken clearly that we were to commit to adopt in choosing to forever love a little girl. That single call has held us firm in this journey despite encountering many obstacles.

I weep now writing these words. I have no concept of picturing our lives without Eden. God has done more for our family than I could ever ask or imagine. Eden has touched our lives with the very hand and blessing of God. And now we have the joy to do what God had spoken to me two years earlier. We tell Eden all the time that she is our little girl. We tell her all of the time just how much she is part of our family. We tell her that we love her over and over again, dozens and dozens of times each day. And we smile and clap with joyful pride as we watch her develop in life.

I am forever grateful to Jesus for blessing our lives with Eden. The journey to bring her home is finally over. The journey to love her and care for her continues each day.

May God bless your lives, and my prayer for many is that God will call you to adopt so that a child can discover the love of God and his/her true identity in Christ. May your lives be forever enriched with God’s love.

We count you all as dear friends and gifts to our family. Thanks again for encouraging us along the way.

Peace,
JP

2009-10-23T07:52:00.000-07:00

Friday, October 23, 2009

Three stowaways trapped in the bathroom on the U.S.S. Nightmare. That is how Sheila, Jordan and I felt for a good while this evening. We were hoping for an early bedtime on our last evening in China. But Eden decided not to cooperate with our plans. She has normally been quite the easy baby, falling asleep each evening without much coddling. We were hoping for the same tonight, but to no avail. Our plans to finish up some last minute packing while Eden slept were thwarted by our now, spunky little girl.

Usually, all we need to do to help Eden fall asleep is to turn out all the nights. In a few minutes she’s out cold. Not tonight. Every time we thought she was asleep and turn the computer on to finish blogging or the closet light on to finish our packing she’d stand up in the crib ready to play or just laugh. Finally, all three of us hid in the bathroom and attempted to read while Eden fell asleep. It was so funny. After several minutes we would gently sneak out of the bathroom to check on Eden who seemed to be waiting on us so that we could play some more. Then it was off to the bathroom again for the three of us, trapped like stowaways, waiting for our little one to drift off to sleep. You had to be there. We could not help roar with laughter.

It’s amazing. We’ve had Eden for less than two weeks and she’s already the puppet master, pulling strings and making two adults and an older sister run and hide in a bathroom until she falls asleep.

Well, we are finally finishing up our adoption journey in China. Today was a pleasant day; not much going on. We tried to keep things low key. Breakfast. Shopping. Lunch. Packing. Shopping. Dinner. And yes, more shopping. I love my wife very much but how she discovers reason and reason for gathering more stuff is beyond me. I guess she’s right. Buying a pair of shoes at $3 a pair versus $15 a pair at Target when we get home does make sense. But I’ve had enough. The people are generally sweet, but oh so very shrewd. They’re out to make a living. It’s all part of how things are done in China.

We’ll leave for the airport around 6:45 am and then begin about 26 hours of traveling. Please continue to pray that all goes well and keep praying for the baby crib on the plane.

Often I’ve heard the question, “How does it feel?” referring to Eden’s adoption. Sheila and I have asked that question to one another many times. Sheila continues to use the word surreal to describe her take on things at present. The journey was difficult in getting to this point. Adoption is never easy. It’s just never wrong. There is so much up and down in the process of adoption that when you finally do get your child you almost don’t know how to let your emotions be truly free, especially when you’re thrust into chasing down a 2-year old.

We love our newest daughter very much; no less or more than our other three children. We’ve missed out on so much with Eden; her first tooth, her first steps, her first words and her first smile. But God knew exactly what He was doing in matching us with this precious gift.

I find myself doing the same things with and for Eden that I still do for my other children. I think of Eden non-stop, just like my other children. I look at her while she sleeps and bask in the wonder and glory of Almighty God, just as I do with my other children. I pray for and dream of her future in Christ, believing that God will bring her to faith in Christ at a young age and use her for His glory in serving the needs of the world, perhaps even return to her home country, China. I’m totally overprotective and am ready to pounce the moment I think she is threatened in any way.

I marvel at our new daughter and the personality she has already developed. Eden is loving. She is warm and affectionate. She is a determined little girl, not wanting to give up the smallest of tasks until she succeeds. She is spunky and independent; she knows what she wants and wants it right now. She is so beautiful. She’s like a beautiful little doll you would see in the old Marshall Field’s on State Street in Chicago, delicate and spectacular in every way. She is sweet and kind, already wanting to do things to please us. She has the best stare; sometimes serious, sometimes quizzical, and at other times very deep. She is playful and fun to be with. She is easy. I’ll probably want to take that last statement back in a few years. She has a funny strut about her, especially when wearing her squeaky shoes. I love the way she holds my pinky finger when we walk together. Each of my other three kids did the same. That’s a great dad feeling. I love the way Eden has bonded so well with Sheila, Jordan and me, and look forward to the love that will develop between her and her older brothers. Christopher and Micah will be amazing big brothers.

Eden's first Merry Go Round Ride

I’m just so glad Eden is our little girl. In a word, I’m blessed. God has done more for our family than I could ever ask or imagine. Our lives are forever blessed because of this precious little one. I hope to be a good dad and even calm down a bit. Intensity runs in the Peters genes. Sorry.

I must also say a word about my dearest wife, Sheila. What an amazing person. And although she is many things; wife, daughter, sister and friend; she is above all a godly woman who loves Jesus and one terrific mom. You should see the way she is with her newest daughter. She’s amazing. Eden will grow up knowing that even for that very brief time she was apart from her mother, she was always in her heart, and there she will remain forever.

See you in 36 hours. Can’t wait.

Blessings,
JP

Safari tour

2009-10-22T11:51:00.000-07:00

Thursday, October 22, 2009

We’re all a bit overtired so bear with me as I attempt to crank out some thoughts.

Today was actually a super fun day. Since our appointment with the Consulate was moved up a day we were able to have a free day filled with fun. After an enjoyable breakfast we loaded up in a taxi to a Safari Park in Guangzhou.

Again, I must comment on the driving. It’s insane. There are no rules. There are no driving lanes. There is absolutely no respect for other drivers. It’s insane. What probably was technically four lanes of highway turning into two lanes moving onto a bridge turned into another stampede of at least 8-12 cars and trucks side by side trying to enter a two-lane bridge. It’s unbelievable here. There is no way to accurately describe the chaos on the roads. Plus, we were crammed into another small taxi with no air-conditioning on what turned out to be the hottest day we’ve had since arriving in China. Alas, after a major, major bout of traffic jams and some challenges with the heat we finally made it to the Safari Park.

Our experience today was well worth the headache in getting there. It was simply a gorgeous zoo/safari park with beautifully decorated green space with a full array of natural flowers. The animals were also fantastic. We took it all in; lions, tigers, bears – oh my. It was wonderful watching Eden come alive at seeing the animals. It is probable that she has never seen more than a stray dog or cat near the orphanage in her entire life. It was just a great, great day enjoying the beauty and wonder of God’s creation.

In addition to the zoo there was also a complete safari like experience while riding a train. Everyone loved it. Instead of just seeing one lion or tiger asleep at the zoo you would often see dozens of different kinds of animals all throughout the safari experience. They basically took us through the many different animal kingdoms found in both Asia and Africa and aside from some obvious space protections from the more aggressive animals we were able to have zebra, giraffe, camel walk very, very close to our train. It was so neat to watch Eden wave to all the animals.

We’ve found most people here to be incredibly friendly. However, they are the shrewdest people I have ever come in contact with. It takes one to know one. We met two lovely families who originated from China but have lived in Australia for over 20 years. You talk about something interesting; listening to Chinese people speak Chinese one minute and then hear them speak English with an Australian accent. Very neat. They were wonderful to visit with.

One interesting thing happened at Safari Park. Sheila was quite the celebrity. Blond-haired women are a rare commodity here so some folks asked Sheila if they could take her picture. Don’t let her fool you – she loved it. I mentioned before about the lack of personal space in China. Well, in some ways it can be exhilarating to talk about life with them. Through our new Chinese/Australian friends many folks asked us how it is that we were walking around with a Chinese baby. They were shocked to learn that this little Chinese girl was indeed ours now through adoption. They were even more shocked to hear of Eden’s abandonment and eventual placement in an orphanage. They, like us, believe very strongly that Eden’s biological parents made the only decision possible to save her life.

It was a bit surprising to learn that many Chinese people have no idea that there are thousands upon thousands of Chinese children adopted by foreigners each year with multiple thousands of children who remain in orphanages. They thought us to be so kind in choosing to bring a little girl into our home from another country that has had medical challenges. We’re learning day by day that it is us who are the ones so richly blessed by God for having Eden in our lives.

The entire day was so very enjoyable. Eden and her big sister and mommy even got to go on a Merry-go-Round ride together. Eden’s smile was as wide as it could be.

Our drive back to the hotel was smooth sailing. There are many people, in addition to taxi drivers, who hire their private vehicle. We negotiated a price to take us back to the hotel. Sheila laughed at me when I told her that I picked the smallest and most timid driver in a line of many who were vying for our business. Just in case.

After a needed rest in our room we enjoyed a nice dinner at Lucy’s Café. The girls, not Jaws, but the other two are desperately craving American food. We’ve spent much time talking about what restaurants we most want to eat at when we return home and what favorite home-cooked meals we can’t wait to enjoy together. So far the winners are Red Robin burgers, Cheesecake Factory chicken and biscuits, anything at Pappy’s Bar-B-Queue, Sheila’s famous pork steaks, tacos and twice-baked potatoes. We are craving some home cookin’.

Eden was a bit fussy tonight. It’s really the first time she fussed much since we got her. I’m pretty sure Sheila was cussed out again in Chinese.

Eden’s passport and visa arrived tonight. Tomorrow we will spend time doing some last-minute shopping. Apparently, there is still more stuff out there to buy. We promised Jordan some pool time. After that, we’ll pack and head for our favorite Italian restaurant for dinner. Don’t worry; we’ll bring the sippy cup. And then it’s off to an early bed time. Our transport to the airport is at 6:45 am on Saturday morning. We then begin 25 hours of traveling. Please pray that all goes well with our connections and flights. Also pray that we’re able to get a bassinet on the plane for Eden. We’re hoping she is able to sleep on the plane.

We can’t wait to see all of you. Thanks for your investment of prayer, love and friendship to our family. This journey has been all the more enjoyable with you along sharing the ride.

JP
Blessings,

2009-10-21T09:27:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, October 20, 2009 (Late in the evening)
Nicknames. My mother is the esteemed giver of nicknames for our children. She usually comes up with a combination of something very cute with something very Yiddish. I, on the other hand, have decided upon a most deserved nickname for our daughter, Eden – Jaws. Here is the funny and nearly tragic story.

I mentioned before the ferocity of Eden’s eating. She tears into food like it is no one’s business. She’ll eat non-stop if we let her, inhaling her food. She also doesn’t like to be messed with while eating. Yesterday, while eating at an Italian restaurant, Sheila went to tie a cloth napkin around her neck because we forgot Eden’s bib. Eden had already started to eat some pizza, her second dinner by the way, and when Sheila seemingly got between Eden and her food she was on the receiving end of a verbal tirade with some serious finger pointing. Sheila said, “I’m not sure, but I think she just cussed me out in Chinese.” It was hysterical.

The next thing that happened was the funny and tragic part. We also forgot Eden’s sippy cup. I suggested that Eden drink from the bottle of water I had. I was out voted and told to put the water in the cup. I did. I then watched my daughter take a drink and then heard a terrifying sound. Now remember, she’s drinking water so the only sound should be the sound of swallowing. What I heard was the sound of glass shattering. Sure enough, as I gently pulled the glass from Eden’s mouth an entire section had been chewed off. The Jewish in me quickly panicked as a held Eden’s head forward and stuck my finger in the side of her mouth and guided out the broken pieces of glass. There were several. I hollered for Sheila who also quickly jumped into action and pulled more glass out of Eden’s mouth. Eden never cried. She never seemed upset that broken glass was in her mouth or that I was jamming my finger in for an immediate search and rescue. Eden was just fine. All the glass was removed. She never had a single cut in her mouth. And at the end of the panicked experience she went right back to eating pizza. God is good. Eden is tough as nails and is able to chew glass. JAWS!

Warming up Eden's dinner!

The end of our evening was most enjoyable. Eden’s personality turns very playful when it is just our family. We hugged and wrestled, laughed and played. Eventually, Eden fell asleep in my arms. Very, very sweet.

I must say a word about Jordan. She continues to be amazing. I wasn’t certain that taking Jordan with us and her being so far from home and her routine was the right thing to do. It was absolutely the right thing. This experience has helped all of us really grow in our understanding of people and culture. Jordan has learned so much. She and her little sister are best friends. They have bonded so well with one another. And I do believe having another child with Sheila and I has helped Eden connect well with our family. Jordan has also been such a help to Sheila and me. I am so proud of Eden’s sister and our vey special daughter, Jordan.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Today was actually a really fun day. Sheila took Eden for a quick TB check-up. Praise God – all was clear. We then had a very enjoyable breakfast with some new friends. The last couple of days have been quite wonderful, meeting new adopting families and hearing their miracle stories. They are countless and each one is so precious.
We met a mother today from Long Island, New York. She had previously adopted a little girl from China several years ago and has now returned to adopt a beautiful almost teenage girl. I kept thinking just how brave this young lady is to enter into a new home with a brand new family, a new country, a new culture and language after living 11 years in China. She seemed quite happy and well adjusted with her adoptive mother and sister but I’m certain there is so much fear to overcome. She is perhaps one of the most brave persons I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. The miracles of adoptions continue to amaze me.

After breakfast, I, (Jonathan) actually did some shopping with some other guys at the electronic market. It was fine but I’m a little tired from the games that are played. The copyright laws are very different in China and everything you can think of has been copied and cloned to sell at lower prices. You’ve never seen so much stuff. It’s actually pretty sick.

Sheila and the girls enjoyed some time at the pool. Mom and Jordan also decided to paint Eden’s fingers and toes. She loved it and did not want them to stop. Mom and big sister are thrilled to have another girly-girl.

The plans for the afternoon changed on us, but for the good. We were told that our Consulate appointment was moved up a day. Eden was dressed so beautifully in her Red, White and Blue dress embroidered with her name and given to us by our dear friend, Shannon. She was adorable and received many compliments.

The experience at the Consulate was very moving. The ceremony itself was more of a formality but seeing hundreds of families adopting these beautiful, beautiful children and so many of them with special needs; it was a special and very emotional experience.

Here is my quick soapbox on adoption. It is so right in every way possible. If I were not a pastor and I decided to dedicate my life to serve one cause this would be it – hands down. We’ve met family after family whose lives have been forever enriched, both the newly adopted child and the existing family, because of the choice to adopt. I met a man today who was adopted when he was 4 years old. He has no memory of his biological family. Together, he and his wife have 9 children. He always knew that he would adopt children as an adult. He knew how much the choice someone made to love him and bring him into their family forever changed his life and knew he was called to do the same. I make no apology as one who hopes to help people consider eternity right now. Adoption is at the very heart of God. I hope many of you choose this path for your own families. You’ll be forever blessed.

The remainder of our evening was spent enjoying a lovely dinner with new friends at our favorite Italian restaurant. This time we brought Eden’s sippy cup. But she did scarf down the Gnocchi and Jordan’s chocolate cake. Jaws can throw it down. I think she can give the guy from Man vs. Food a run for his money.

Well, it’s off to bed now. We have a free day tomorrow and then wait to receive Eden’s passport and visa on Friday. Saturday morning can’t come soon enough. We miss home and the boys so much and look forward to beginning our new life with Eden with our church family and friends.

Blessings to you all. Please continue to pray for us on our last days in China and as we travel back to the states.

Blessings,
Jonathan

2009-10-20T05:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we started out kind of early. We met our guide and another family at 8:00. We walked a few blocks to a medical facility here on the island. It was a Chinese medical clinic. It was very crowded. We waited in a separate room just for adoptive families. The mosquitoes were horrible! They just swarm you! Eden had to get a TB test, and a medical check up. She cried more when the doctor and nurses touched her than when they stuck her with a needle for the TB test. She likes to be out among the people, but she doesn't like to be messed with. The exam was quite interesting. To test her hearing they shook a tambourine on either side of her head to see if she would look. Jonathan thought they were trying to distract her and tried to get her to look at it. I had to tell him not to talk to her they were testing her hearing! She pretty much screamed through the whole thing. Luckily it was over pretty quickly. We go back in the morning to have her TB test read. Hopefully it will be o.k. because otherwise we will have to have a chest x-ray. The whole experience definitely made me appreciate our medical care back home!

After lunch we went with another family to a market in Guang Zhou. It was extremely crowded. They sold Jade and pearls there. There are so many shops we wonder who shops there; because most people don't seem like they would have enough money for this type of thing. We also saw a Buddhist temple. There were people burning incense and kneeling to worship the statues of Buddha. It is really sad to see people praying to a man made statue who cannot hear or help them. I am happy when I think that we are offering Eden a chance to know the truth.

Eden's personality is really starting to come out. She seems very happy and content to be with us. She is such a happy girl, constantly smiling and laughing. She is so affectionate and loving. Eden loves to play and always wants a hug. God has been so good to us. He has answered our prayers in so many ways. The transition to our family has gone better than we could have dreamed. We prayed for God to prepare her heart for us and He has more than answered that prayer. My other prayer has been that He would prepare her heart to someday know and accept Him. We are so happy and grateful. We can't wait to come home and for everyone to meet her.

Much love to all, Sheila

2009-10-18T09:32:00.000-07:00

Sunday, October 18, 2009 @ 10:00 pm

All the girls are asleep so I thought I would catch up with some writing. Let me first catch you up on the events that took place on Saturday.

Saturday morning was spent with last minute packing, eating breakfast in shifts to get everything done, saying good-bye to Anna (our adoption coordinator and guide in Hangzhou), and making our way to the airport. We are glad to be done with taxis in Hangzhou.

Jordan, by the way, is feeling so much better. Thank God. Thanks also to all who faithfully prayed for our family. Please keep it up.

Another praise is just how smooth things have gone with every appointment, security check in airports, connections with planes and transportation waiting for us each time we exit an airport waiting to take us to our next destination. God has been most favorable to us in this way.

A word about the Chinese people – complex. They are wonderfully kind but have no regard for personal space or what we would consider normal manners. Take for example waiting in line. There is none of that in China. We waited in line yesterday to board a plane and were probably toward the back of what I thought was a line, maybe a hundred people deep. But when the gate opened to begin boarding what I thought was a line turned out to be a stampede with people shoving their way through and literally knocking people out of the way. This is normal. The odd thing is that no one seems upset by it. It’s just the Chinese way. I must admit that I’ve had just about all I can take in this department. I must also admit that I was a bit gleeful when I learned that a British man staying at the same hotel as us also had enough of the stampeding and grabbed a Chinese line cutter and forced him to get behind him.

Another example of the different cultures took place on the plane from Hangzhou to Guangzhou. Since Eden is over 2 we were required to purchase a seat for her. Our seats on the plane happened to be next to a woman who also had a small child with her, only her child was less than 2 years old and did not have his own seat. But mom decided that he would have his own seat no matter what. When the flight attendant asked us about putting Eden in a seat we told her that we would but the woman was not about to move and we didn’t want to cause a problem. When the flight attendant asked her to remove herself from the seat that she did not pay for she stared her down and refused. Needless to say, we held Eden the entire plane ride, but she did well. Another example of a very different culture.

We arrived in Guangzhou late in the afternoon. Sheila and the girls walked the grounds of the hotel and I did paperwork with our local adoption coordinator, Grace.

In the evening we enjoyed supper at Lucy’s Café. We were thrilled to have a hamburger and fries. It wasn’t quite American but it was close. We spent the remainder of the evening walking the area and obtaining a few needed supplies from a local 7-11.

Sunday morning began early but with a slow push to finally get out the door. That’s par for the course for the lovely Mrs. Peters.

By the way, we’re staying at the White Swan Hotel on Shamian Island in Guangzhou. It’s a magnificent hotel with beautiful waterfalls, exquisite shops throughout, and wonderfully accommodating to adopting families. The White Swan is well known for its international flavor. In fact, there is a Trade Fair in Guangzhou this week so in addition to foreigners adopting, there are literally people from all over the world attending the Trade Fair. It’s nice to see so many nations represented but it comes at a cost, jacked up prices and very, very crowded. It has also been nice to meet with many other adopting families who have shared the stories of their own adoption journeys.

Our breakfast was delightful. Jordan was especially glad to have delicacies such as French toast and scrambled eggs. The food choices are in line with the overall theme of the hotel, international with many western options.

After breakfast we walked to the Christ Church. To my knowledge, Christ Church is the only Protestant church on the small island. Its beginnings date back to the mid 1800’s, during the British Colonial period in China. The people were very warm and friendly. However, we soon learned that a later, 11:30 am service was in both Chinese and English. We decided to quietly slip out and return for the later service.

The worship service was very meaningful for us. It was Eden’s first worship service. She, like some who are forced to listen to my preaching, slept for much of it. Listening to the local people sing in Chinese was heaven-sent. We also sang very familiar choruses including “Isn’t He” and “Here I am to Worship”. I was glad to worship Jesus with my Chinese brothers and sisters in Christ.

It was especially meaningful to hear the pastor preach. His text was James 2, the very passage I am currently studying in preparation for my messages when I return home. God continues to confirm His hand in so many ways.

After worship we walked around the island window shopping, and shopping and shopping. Sheila and Jordan are in their element and Eden seems to be of the same mold. Eden also loves to be in the stroller and just be outside moving about. I love to watch her look at the people. We tend to forget that she has spent the vast majority of these past 28 months holed up in a two-room orphanage and has had very little contact with the outside world. It continues to be enjoyable to see the world through our daughter’s eyes.

A pleasant interlude …

His name is 115. I should say that is the number on the identification button he pointed to when I asked him his name. 115 is a massage specialist at the Shamian Traditional Chinese Medical Center. So far, besides the miraculous adoption of our daughter, this was indeed my personal highlight of the trip. I happened by the establishment after Sheila and the girls decided to once again “just look into” yet another shop. This time it was a Disney store. I assumed they would be there awhile so I decided to venture ahead and explore Shamian Island in Guangzhou. My exploration took me only another 25 feet, for the very next building was home to the Shamian Traditional Chinese Medical Center.

Upon entering, I was greeted by a lovely staff who handed me a price sheet. Was it really possible? Could it be that a 60 minute body massage was only 68 RMB? For you newcomers, that’s 10 bucks. Apparently the Disney store had little to offer my girls because Sheila was right behind me. When I told her about the massage she told me to jump at it. I was glad to oblige. Before leaving, she requested yet more money just in case one of those “just looking shops” had something impossible to pass up.

All I can say is that 115 and I became fast friends. We said to little to each other. He asked me only a few times if I was okay, and because I was in pure paradise, all I could do was nod and grunt in a most affirming way. 115 knew I was happy. And I was. Hands down the best massage ever. The Chinese know what they’re doing in this department. They also must indeed have the cure for baldness. We bald beauties are a rare bird. Right now I think I’m a flock of one. But the massage was wonderful.

Sheila, Jordan and Eden spent time at the pool this afternoon. Apparently, Eden took right to it and tried to jump in without mom. She loves the water. Bath times are also special for her. It looks like we’ll have another beach lover in the family. Sheila had a wonderful time enjoying the water with her two best girls.

After a brief nap for Eden we ventured back out for dinner at an Italian restaurant. Again, not home but good. I’ve never seen a child eat so much. In many ways it is so very sad. Eden probably had little to eat with even less variety. She eats all that we put before her and never quits. We have to physically remove the food from her sight to convince her it is time to stop eating. She also wastes nothing. Even the little that falls off her spoon she delicately goes back after it and consumes every last bite. She’s an independent eater. She does not want any help from mom or dad. Just put the food in front of her and she’ll take care of the rest. And that she does, with great zeal. Our meal times have been very enjoyable.

Our late evening was spent doing more window shopping. I’m not sure why it is called window shopping. Sheila buys something at nearly every store. It’s been fun.

Well, it’s off to bed for me. The morning will be here soon and we have much to do. Lots of paperwork, an early morning medical check-up for Eden with TB test. After that, probably more shopping. I may wander back over to find my new friend, 115.

Peace,
JP

2009-10-16T04:52:00.000-07:00

Post submitted by Jonathan:

Friday, October 16, 2009
12:00 pm

Eden is napping and Jordan seems to be doing better. Praise God. She is fussing a good bit about having to stay in bed. She has been able to keep down a couple of crackers and drink some Sprite. Please keep praying for us all.

A funny story follows. My industrious wife did well planning for this trip. Most things one would need traveling across the globe were nicely packed in our bags, prepared to face the toughest of challenges. One of those challenges nearly got the best of us.

While checking our bags in St. Louis we were forced to do some quick adjusting of items from bag to bag to keep things within the required weight limits. Our final bag was only a single pound overweight. Sheila recalled that her trusty jar of peanut butter, weighing exactly one pound, was toward the top end of that final bag. She quickly retrieved the peanut butter and placed it in her carry-on luggage. We made the weight requirement but at a great personal cost. Sadly, the authorities confiscated the peanut butter from us, claiming that it was a liquid and not allowed to pass through security.

Quick Reminder: Sheila was counting on the peanut butter to get her through nearly 3 weeks in China in the event she would struggle eating the local foods. Now, many days into our journey, she has hit a brick wall in the food department and was badly craving peanut butter. So off I went to the local grocery store.

There has been one major bright spot at the local grocery store. There is but one woman who speaks very, very broken English that has been there every time I’ve gone to the store. Together, we’ve been able to find most things that we’ve needed. I prayed before I left for the store that my friend would be there to help me. She wasn’t.

It took me about 45 minutes to locate the small number of items we needed; but still no peanut butter. I began to pray that God would help me find some peanut butter for Sheila somewhere in the store. After nearly giving up a small woman passed me and said hello. I asked if she spoke English. She said yes. However, her English was about 20 levels below the ability of my other friend at the grocery store.

I did everything I could to make signs of spreading something out and then eating it. No luck. My new friend sought the help of others and we all traveled the whole store together looking for what I hoped was peanut butter.

We passed the dried fish aisle. No peanut butter. We passed area where oats and rice is kept. No peanut butter. We made our way to the frozen food section and they handed me a small tube of mayonnaise. Still no peanut butter but we were at least making progress with something that could be spread. I still can’t figure out why single tubes of mayonnaise are in the freezer. I finally found some peanuts and pointed to them and then proceeded again to make my sign for “spread and eat”. Some smiling and nodding ensued. Then, after many more aisles, atop a shelf was a jar of Skippy peanut butter. I was so happy to have found it, and so grateful God helped me. I know it seems like a small matter, but I’m learning to take joy in the minute by minute helps God gives us.

More challenges ensued later while at a local eatery trying to order something for Eden to eat. People are people no matter where you go. While folks have been patient with me as I’ve struggled through communicating with them, it has had its funny moments. I’ve noticed that Chinese people do the same thing Americans do when trying to communicate with someone who does not speak English. They speak much slower and much louder, thinking that somehow I’ll be able to miraculously understand Mandarin if only I could overcome by perceived deafness. It’s been hysterical at many, many points.

I was able to grab a couple of packets of honey from breakfast to have with my tea so Sheila enjoyed a delicious lunch of saltine crackers with peanut butter and honey.

All the girls are napping now. We hope Jordan continues to improve so that we can at least get out a bit tonight and walk around before our early morning trip to the airport as we depart for Guangzhou.

Peace,
JP

2009-10-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

Post submitted by Jonathan:
Friday, October 16, 2009
7:30 am
My thoughts are a bit boggled at this time. Jordan has been ill most of the evening. Very messy and stinky night in Hangzhou City. I’ll do my best to update you all on the latest.

First of all, please pray for us. Jordan is still feeling ill and a bit frightened. We think that Eden gave her the bug that was plaguing her for a few days. The two of them have been inseparable so along with lots of love, they’ve passed a bug back and forth. Also, pray for Sheila and me. We’re both a bit queasy; but hopeful we can get passed this bump in the road without succumbing to sickness. God has been faithful to us throughout our entire journey and we trust that His hand will carry us through our remaining days in China.

Wednesday was an off-day in terms of adoption assignments. We spent most of the day walking to the grocery store and dad being sent out to Pizza Hut for lunch and dinner take-out. The girls have had their fill of Chinese food.

We also had a lovely time exploring the parks and walking trails around beautiful West Lake. West Lake is a lovely lake with mountains surrounding it. The problem is that there is so much pollution and smog that it is nearly impossible to take in all the natural beauty. Honestly, unless the rain knocks the pollution down it is hard to see the marvelous landscape clearly.

We spent a good number of hours walking around and taking pictures. Eden and me are now good buddies. She lets me hold her and carry her around, although Sheila and Jordan still rank as her first choice for personal chariot rides.

Overall, Wednesday was a fairly low key day. We enjoyed our family time together.

Thursday was a bit more adventurous. Again, it was an off-day as far as most adoption assignments. I did have to proof documents that will be sent with us on to our next city, Guangzhou, where we will have several steps at the Consulate.

After breakfast, we took a taxi ride to the Silk Market. There is no way to accurately describe the horror of life in a taxi amidst China traffic. I grew up my whole life hearing how horrible Chicago drivers were. There is no comparison. I’m usually not at all fearful in the worst of driving conditions but have found myself closing my eyes and holding my breath numerous times.

The Silk Market was lots of fun; a bargaining paradise. I spent most of the day standing outside shops with Sheila and Jordan picking out what they wanted, and then being sent in like an attack dog to negotiate good prices. I was in my element. But after several hours we all had enough.

Our evening was quite enjoyable. We walked to West Lake again and found a little playground. Eden personality is really starting to come out; serious at times, but also wonderfully playful and affectionate. You could also tell just how inexperienced she is at things that most of us take for granted with our children. When Christopher was 2-years old he was jumping off diving boards with floaties by himself. Eden has approached new things like playgrounds with a level of caution. Overall, though, she is doing so well. It is wondrous to see life through her eyes at each new experience, causing us to be joyful and thankful. We enjoyed each time down the slide with her beautiful smile and laughter.

We decided to take in some of the local culture last night, attempting to traverse our way through shops and local eateries without a clue how to communicate. One big lesson – learn more of the language. When in China do as the Chinese do, and speak Chinese. We’ve been surprised at how few “foreigners” there are, and how little English is spoken. I’ve done well to get by, but I sorely regret not learning more of the language before we traveled.

We found a local candy store and enjoyed some jellybeans. Eden liked them very much. Jordan enjoyed her fair share but was cut off all food when the spewing began in the middle of the night.

Thus far this morning we have taken shifts caring for Jordan, cleaning up major messes, feeding Eden and trying to keep her entertained. Jordan and Eden are indeed sisters. Although they speak different languages they are constantly complaining about being stuck in the room. Attitude crosses all language barriers and right now we’re getting a lot of attitude from both our daughters.

All is well. God is faithful. We’ll be fine.

Our love to all our dear family and friends, we’re grateful to share our journey with you. Right now, home sounds so good.

Blessings,
JP

Getting ready to go for our first swim! Ended up being to cold

She's ready for the beach Memaw!

2009-10-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

Post submitted by Jonathan:
Tuesday, October 13, 2007

Today was a long, hard day. We began our morning with an early breakfast and then made our way to the Civil Affairs Office in Hangzhou. What turned out to be a most anti-climatic event was in fact, our official adoption ceremony. The notary returned to a meeting room where we had gathered, grabbed an official velvet curtain and the Chinese flag, brought them near to me and Sheila and then read a certificate stating that China has officially accepted our petition to adopt and decided to grant to us an official adoption certificate. We received the certificate, shook hands and left.

We were presented Eden's adoption certificate. It is official!

This was the easiest part of our day.

We (the six of us, our family plus the guide and driver) then piled back into our compact taxi (about the size of an old Ford Escort) and headed to the place of Eden’s registered abandonment, Taizhou City, to apply for her Chinese passport. The drive took us 4 plus hours one way.

The only plus-side to the drive was that it cured Sheila from all fear of flying. We tried as best we could to not be frantic as we watched thousands of Chinese cars disobey every known universal Rules of the Road possible. Where there was no lane to pass they would make a lane. It made no difference if we were snaking through the mountains or driving through 1-mile long tunnels; people simply were insane on the roads, forcing other vehicles to move over or be bumped. The only way I can describe it was like the scene in the Dark Knight where Bruce Wayne is surrounded by thousands of bats who never bump into each other. It was a harrowing experience, to say the least. Eden did fairly well, considering the difficulty of the drive.
Once in Taizhou City, we were invited to a lovely lunch with the orphanage staff. The restaurant was delightful with terrific service. We were given a private room and were presented with quite a magnificent feast. The only problem is that Sheila’s and Jordan’s palates don’t go past a Tater-Tot casserole. And it was all very fresh seafood with heads that had to be removed, guts that had to be sucked out, and slimy things that needed to be swallowed whole. I did great and loved every minute. Eden also loved it all. But it did give her a most stinky diaper later on. Sheila and Jordan did what they could to remain polite but definitely struggled through it. Normally, they force their food on me to make it look like they’ve eaten their fare share but our table was too big for them to pass me their food. It was a lot of fun.

She loved the director. She seems to be very close to the children.

We then made our way to a government building to apply for Eden’s passport. It was required that we return to the city where her legal abandonment had been filed and bring the official adoption certificate in person with our passports in hand. Pictures were taken. Documents were signed. We waited and waited and waited and finally got things wrapped up.

It was then that we began the most emotional part of our day. We were invited to see Eden’s orphanage. It is in an area that reminds me of East St. Louis but in the hills. China is so complex. The downtown areas of these small cities (6-7 million) are dotted with magnificent buildings, lovely eateries, and sprawling shopping centers; but once you move beyond the main streets you find yourself in a Third World country again with broken down buildings surrounded with filth and debris. The orphanage was primitive at best. The conditions were deplorable by our standards. Sad is the primary word that comes to mind. The orphanage is actually a part of a Social Welfare Institute which houses senior citizens and abandoned special needs children.

The gate to the Social Welfare Institute of Taizhou City. Her orphanage is inside. The director is on the left with the glasses. The other lady is an assistant director.

Front of the orphanage.

Once inside Eden absolutely lit up with smiles and laughter. One thing that is clearly evident is that the staff and especially the director absolutely love the children and do their very best to care for and nurture them. As we were touring the facility our guide informed us that the director was constantly asking about the well-being of the other children, their eating and medical needs.

Eden was the hit of the party. The children all loved seeing her again. Her nannies covered her with hugs and kisses. She enjoyed being the center of all the attention.

The elderly smiled and talked to us as we when up the steps to where the children stay.

Eden's Crib

The orphanage currently houses 23 children, most of whom have severe special needs. They have been very successful finding homes for many of their children.

We were given quite a gift while at the orphanage. The director gave us the actual hand-written note the family placed with Eden in the box where she was left. It simply stated the date of her birth, June 8, 2007. We will treasure her record of life and her family’s decision to give her up to save her life.

When leaving Eden cried some but did well in rejoining us all to leave. What happened next was to a great surprise. The director pointed out a small spot near a stone bench about 200 feet from the orphanage gate and then proceeded to tell us what she knew about Eden’s story. Eden was placed in a box with a small note inside. It is illegal to abandon children in China so Eden was placed some distance from the gate. An old man, who has since retired and left the area, heard Eden crying. He picked her up and took her to the orphanage. We were told that Eden’s family most likely hid in the bushes in the dark, waiting for her to be found and taken to the orphanage.

This is the spot where Eden was found.

Eden was quite sickly, frail and weak when she was found. We were told that her heart condition made her very ill. She was also malnourished. What probably happened was that her family, being much too poor to care for her medical needs, made the collective decision to give her up with the hopes that she would be cared for by the state. Their decision to give her up so that she could be found saved her life. There is no question that God’s hand has been on our daughter and her family.

SISTERS!

Eden is warming up to daddy

We cried some, took pictures and then packed back into the taxi for the arduous ride home. Eden cried on and off for much of the drive. We probably would have joined her if we thought we could get away with it without too much embarrassment.

We returned to our hotel @ 8:30 pm, a long, long and hard day.

I am reminded of what God told Moses in Exodus 3, that He has heard the crying of His people and chose to rescue them. I stand in awe of God’s hand in saving Eden’s life, providing loving care-givers for her these last 2 years, all preparing the way for us to have her as our forever daughter. God is Mighty.

JP

2009-10-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

Today's blog is submitted by Jonathan.

Today was a special day. As has been my normal routine, I rise all too early, around 1 am or so. But throughout my late night fits of sleeplessness I would stand over my new dauughter and watch in pure wonder at the gift of God's grace to our family. Eden Grace's given name, "Xiu" means "graciousness". Indeed our Master has planned this precious gift of His grace to our family before the earth was formed. The psalmist penned these words in Psalm 16, "Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; and have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance." I cannot help but continue to weep in praise to the Lord. He has done more for me that I could ever dream.

Today's events follow. We let Eden sleep as late as possible before we were forced to move about and prepare for our meeting at the Office of Civil Affairs. After a hearty breakfast we arrived at the office around 9:00 a.m. Our guide and the director of the orphanage accompanied us. Basically we spent an hour or so signing documents stating our wish to adopt Eden and our promise to China that we will always care for her, never harm her, and provide her with a beneficial education. Of course, we readily agreed to all directives.

The highlight of our time at the office was watching several other families receive their children for the first time. We are so grateful that we were able to welcome Eden yesterday in private, but at the same time, it was wondrous to watch families melt with joy at the first sight of their child. The caregivers and those responsible for the orphanages do care very much for the children and the parents who are adopting. I have been marvelously impressed with the personal love and attention shown to the children by those who care for them in the orphanages. In some ways, Eden faced some challenges today because of being around people she has bonded with over the last two years. But she was a trooper for the most part.

After our time at the office we took a required family picture and then came back to the hotel room. Eden slept a good while but woke up very fussy and stayed that way for a good portion of the afternoon. She had a fever of nearly 101 for a while, but it came down with prayer and medicine. She seems to be doing well now. Please keep her in your prayers today. Tomorrow will be especially challenging because we will take a 4 hour taxi ride to her birth province. There we will spend a little time making things legal. Eden will be officially ours tomorrow. We will also see her orphanage and meet her caregivers. I'm sure this will be very difficult for Eden and us as well. But it will be good to see the place of her home these last 2 years and meet those that God has used to love and care for her. I think it also important for us to be able to talk with Eden when she is older about her life before she came to us. Please pray for our family and especially for Eden's well-being.

Most of the afternoon has been spent in the hotel room. We played lots and lots. Eden already knows what she wants in life; lots of hair bows and pulling Jordan around to fulfill her every whim. Jordan by the way, has been so special. I have loved watching her mature and serve with joy and selflessness. Eden enjoyed running up and down the halls and playing a combination of London Bridges/Hide and Seek/Follow the Leader. It was tons of fun.

We are now heading off to get a bite to eat and then turn in early tonight. Please pray for good rest and a successful day tomorrow.

Our love to you all. Our journey is all the more rich for being able to share it with you.

Jonathan

Gotcha day came early!!!

2009-10-11T18:07:00.000-07:00

We opened the door and our daughter walked right in!

We got a big surprise when we got to our hotel. Our guide told us Eden was already here and we could take her with us tonight if we wanted. Immediately we said, "Yes!" So an hour and a half later they walked right in. She walked in and came to me and wrapped her arms around me. The director and vice director came in and talked with us for a little bit. They let us ask questions about her daily routine. She has been happy and played with us all evening. She slept really good last night and is just starting to wake up now. She did amazing and we couldn't have asked for it to go better. We have to leave now to meet with the officials. We will post more later. Love Sheila

Last day in Beijing 10/10/09

2009-10-10T14:34:00.000-07:00

Today was our last day in Beijing. The days have gone really fast. We have been so busy that the time has flown. This has been a neat city to visit. The people are friendly. There is so much history here. We saw a little bit of that history today. We went to the Forbidden City. This is in the middle of the city of Beijing. It is surrounded by a huge wall. This is where the emperor's lived with their wives and their concubines. It is a huge complex of courtyards and buildings. It is called the Forbidden City, because no one else was allowed to live here. Even the children of the emperor could not live there. They could only visit with a special pass. The buildings were magnificent! The detail and architecture was amazing! This city was occupied by one emperor after another for 600 years. They definitely lived a very self gratifying life!

We had lunch at a hotel that served a "western style buffet". The food looked somewhat familiar, but definitely did not taste the same! We managed to find enough to eat, but it was not our favorite. Jordan and I are voting for pizza tomorrow night.

After lunch we went on a Hutong Tour. We rode in bicycle driven rick-shaws. This was a lot of fun. Huton is a kind of ancient city alley or lane typical in Beijing. Homes are built around the alleys. Some are 200-300 years old. This is a very old historical area. The homes are rectangular shaped dwellings with a courtyard in the middle of the home. A lot of them have been torn down, but the government has stepped in to preserve the rest. There are several generations of family members that occupy each. We got to go into the home of a family. The man who lived there was the sixth generation of his family to live there. We got to visit with him and learn about his family and home. This was very interesting and neat to see.

We are getting ready to leave here tomorrow and go to Haungzhou. We are so excited! The day has finally come to meet our daughter. I am a little anxious. How will we communicate with her? Will she accept us and bond with us? I have tried to imagine this moment and how I will feel. I'm sure we will be very emotional. I know that Eden will be gaining a home and a family who loves her, but the reality is she is about to be ripped away from all that she has ever known. I have been praying that she will accept us and have an easy transition. I hope that she will let us love her!

We miss everyone and can't wait to see you!

Beijing 10/09/09

2009-10-10T14:03:00.000-07:00

We had a busy day today. (Friday) Our tour guide is good, but he moves you through a lot of places in a small amount of time! We started the day at the Ming Tombs. This is where the emperors were buried. It is on the north side of Beijing, near the mountains. There are 16 tomb sites. They are pretty elaborate, with many buildings and gardens each. On each site there is an underground palace where they were laid to rest. They actually thought this was paradise and people were not allowed to go back there. Above this palace was the tower of souls. This was a huge tower built to protect the emperor and his wife's souls.

Near the Emperor's tomb is a path called the Sacred Way. This is a walkway that connects all 16 tombs. it is lined with stone statues, and these statues are said to gaurd the tomb. After this we went to a Jade factory. we got to see them carve jade into sculptures. We learned that jade comes in many colors. It was very pretty!

Then we had lunch at a beautiful hotel restaurant. While we were eating they had live entertainment. The food was good and it was alot of fun. Jordan and I have tried some of the food. We like the chicken dishes and the rice the best. Last night we went to a duck restaurant. Apparently Beijing is famous for its duck. Jordan and I did not care for it. They cook the whole duck and bring it all out, even the head. Our waiter had Jonathan try the head. He did not care for it, Jordan and I were laughing the whole time. They brought out a huge amount of food and we felt bad that we did not want to eat it, so we were trying to get Jonathan to eat our part too!

After lunch, we went to the Great Wall. It was very impressive! I cannot imagine how hard and dangerous it must have been to build. Thousands of people were killed working on it. We climbed up a portion of it. The view was spectacular. Of course, Jordan complained the whole time, she doesn't like to hike! I left Jonathan and Jordan and went up a ways more. It was very steep and the steps were uneven. I was surprised at the number of older people going up the steps. This is one of my favorite things we have seen. It is hard to even find the words to describe how spectacular it is.

Next, we went to the Summer Palace. This is were the emperors went in the summer to get out of the city. There are many dwelling places there. Each child had their own house and the palace where the emperor stayed was there. There is a man made lake there that is just beautiful. We went o a boat ride across the lake. you could also rent paddle boats. There were several bridges around the lake. They were very pretty. They were made of stone and had beautiful carvings on them. Many Chinese people come here for recreation and exercise. It was very beautiful.

The last place we went was the Olympic Park. There were lots of people here as well. The Bird's nest stadium was very cool. We had a great day and were very tired when we got home. Hopefully we will get used to the time change soon!

Love to all

2009-10-08T17:36:00.000-07:00

Our first day in Beijing

We woke up nice and early, 4:00 a.m.! I guess it will take a little while to get changed to their time. We had a great breakfast at the hotel. They have a buffet, we had omelets, toast, pastries, fruit and potatoes. First we went to the City Planning Museum. Our guides name is Ming. He is 28 and not much bigger than Jordan! He is really nice and helpful. We watched a movie about the history of Beijing and saw several exhibits about the city. It is a huge city, we were told 20 million people! There are no homes mainly apartments. Everywhere you look there are high rise apartment buildings. The traffic is unlike anything I have ever seen. Cars buses, bikes, scooters, people walking all on the same road! It is amazing that people are not run over. It is a little scary riding in the van!

We then went to Tian Anman Square. It was extremely crowded. Ming told us that there were about ten times the people there that are normally there because of the national holiday. It was decorated for the holiday. There were big displays from each of the 35 provinces of China. The Chinese people seemed very proud of their country.

After lunch we went to the Temple of Heaven. This is were the emperor's went to pray for the crops for the year. It was a whole complex of buildings and structures. It was beautiful. The crowds were large here also. There were gardens at the end of the complex. People were everywhere. They were just hanging out, playing cards, singing, dancing, playing the Chinese version on Hackey Sack. It was a great place to people watch, although I think people were also watching us! We didn't see many non-Chinese people.

We were really tired this afternoon. We came back to the hotel and napped! Hopefully we will feel more rested tomorrow. We are enjoying getting to know China, but we can't wait for Monday when we get to meet Eden! It is hard to wait! Love to everyone, Jonathan, Sheila and Jordan

2009-10-08T17:27:00.000-07:00

Our trip to China

We are here! We had a good trip. Everything went really smoothly. The flight to Chicago went quick and then we had a 2 and a half hour layover. I wasn't sure what to expect on the long flight, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be! I had some medicine from my doctor for anxiety, but I am happy to say that I did not need it! God really helped me. The first 5 or 6 hours did not seem so bad. We watched movies and read. The last half of the flight seemed really long. We couldn't wait to get off the plane. We didn't sleep very much. It was too hard to get comfortable. Jordan said that she is dreading the flight home, because it takes too long! She did great on the trip. She was a real trooper! Our hotel is nice and all we could think about was going to bed. We are definitely experiencing jet lag. I can't believe we are finally in China. Yea!

Thanking God for answered prayer

2009-10-05T18:42:00.000-07:00

My sister Wendee was lined up to come and stay with the boys while we are gone. Friends of ours graciously offered them stand by passes on Delta. They live in Alaska. They left home Friday at 6:00p.m. Their flight was scheduled to leave at 1:15 a.m. Due to other flights being late, they were unable to get on the flight. The next flight was not until 24 hours later. They are three hours from the airport so they could not go home. They went to a hotel and came back the next night. They got on a flight Sunday morning at 1:15. They reached Salt Lake City, but then were told that the next flight was full. They would only have one seat available, if any. We did not know what they would do or how they would get here. We were all praying and my ladies from my Sunday School class were praying. Wendee called and at the last minute they all got on the flight! This was a miracle! They were told there were no seats available! God came through in a big way! It was my moms birthday Sunday and we had a great time together. It is good to see my sister, my nephews and my niece! God is good, Sheila

Eden's Baby Shower

2009-09-30T16:45:00.000-07:00

Our church blessed us with a wonderful baby shower. We have such a great church family! Jordan and I had a fun time opening gifts for Eden. I have to say that she will be the best dressed two year old around! We are definitely ready to have a little one around the house again. It is amazing all the new things they have come out with since our other kids were young. We opened gifts for over two hours straight! Wendee and D.J. ( my sister and niece from Alaska)sent a video message since they could not be here. It was en emotional time. We really miss them and wish they could have been there. We leave in 6 days. It is hard to believe that after two years of waiting and praying we finally get to go get Eden. Thanks to all of our family and friends who have prayed for and supported us ( not to mention listening to me whine!)

Psalm 126:3 "The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy." Sheila

Welcome to our blog

2009-09-13T16:55:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our family blog. Join us we prepare to go to China to meet our new daughter.