Giving thanks...

Thankful for so much this day. First Thank you God for all the ways we have been taken care of here. Glory taken care of. And then our Editor and Publisher Riann Schell, for getting these posts to you since we cannot while here in China! (Yes you have to publish that last sentence Riann!)  Well, it has been a FULL week! I can't believe it has almost been a week since we first met our little GLory girl!  I will try to sum up the last few days and try to let the pictures give you more of the story.  The day we met Glory went by quickly as we walked around Nanning before waiting in our room the last hour for our guide and orphanage staff to show up with her in their arms and hand her off. What a sweet blissful moment and day that was, surprising and filling us with the same feelings as there were when the doctor handed us so gently Ezekiel, Reed, and Judah in our arms. The same. Somehow. Supernaturally.  A gift.

Words were few for that day, so we just sent photos. The next couple days were a hard and bittersweet blur as i got either the stomach flu or food poisoning while trying to love on our new little girl. Footnote; do not get sick in South China. There are no saltine crackers or top ramen. Take my word for it, chinese friend noodles are NOT the same thing. Thankfully by Thursday when we travelled to the countryside south of Nanning i was starting to feel better. For there we saw incredible rock formations and mountains while walking through several rural villages that smelled..... well let's just say i would NOT have made it through them standing up a couple hours previous! THANK the Lord, because it was a highlight of the week for us. One of the photos shows a huge tub on the ground that was circulating water for the fish in it to stay alive...until dinner. The pig heads were already on their way.

The foyer picture with several people in it and poor lighting was in a house in the village that Jane, our HOLT guide, took us through.  This was the main living area that three families shared, each family having one room joining this foyer area.  Jane said this was the nicest house in the village. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I almost forgot, just like i did on the day, THAT day was Thanksgiving Thursday!  So that evening we had a huge Chinese feast in a private room in our hotel, with the other three families that were also adopting there. It was a beautiful spread and we all gave thanks to God for precious children we just welcomed into our families that week.  The hotel also had 2 cakes made for two of the little boys that were adopted, for it was their birthday this week, one on Thanksgiving! That was so special to share with them! Another gift.

 

 

I have to interject here and be honest that the first few days with Glory were so great and pretty easy and she seemed comfortable with both of us, but still hard in surprising ways sometimes. I don't know how to describe the last few days other than a sometimes emotional roller coaster of being surprised by joy and grief at different moments. No matter how prepared for this i thought i was, had read, had heard, i FELT unprepared. Similar to becoming a parent for the first time, or getting married. Nothing truly prepares you. But is is so good. Much grace needed, and given.

 

 

Friday was a full day of visiting Glory's orphanage, where she was for a short time, and meeting the special people who cared for her. That was also good, and hard.  After that we packed and headed off to the airport to fly with the other families to Guang Xhou. 

Too much for Glory, so we had a rough night.  HOWEVER, that was mixed with amazement at our 5 star hotel when we arrived (not requested! Is part of the package HOLT puts together where all adoptive families stay, so another surprise extravagant blessing!) and extremely comfortable bed and suite!( the previous hotel had a bed with ... a board and a comforter on it? i think) Yesterday then all 14 families (more that we joined once we arrived here) travelled on buses together to the local clinic for Glory's medical check up which was about as chaotic as the metro in NYC at rush hour, except with 50 children, all crammed together! Quite a 3 hour experience i am glad we are finished with!  But she passed the exams, surprisingly, since that evening, last night she didn't sleep at all...nor did we, because she was up coughing and wheezing. We were so worried she was getting pneumoia again, but took her to a western doctor (Another praise God; he is only in his office for one hour on Sundays and we happened to call at just the right time this AM to get in!)  and he was a huge help and told us she had bronchitis. We found out we had the right meds for her from the doctors in Nanning, but not the correct instructions on which to use or when. SO anyway, he really helped and gave us another medicine as well and the correct inhaler, and hours later she is breathing better already.  Hoping this is not too much information for everyone reading, just trying to recap the best we can while i think of it.  If anyone has questions you can email us, but we cannot use facebook or look at blogs here-they are blocked by China. 

Tonight we are heading out for dinner at an Arabian Restaurant down the street, with several other families that are here. It really is such a great encouragement and blessing to be here with so many other families on 'the same journey' to talk through the special 'little' things and moments, and the challenges.  What an adventure. Thank YOU for sharing it with us also! We really do feel your prayers and encouragement across the miles... and as exciting as this adventure is... we can't wait to be home and see our boys!!! How we miss you so much boys! See you soon. Phew! Well i think that is all for now.....