It's Christmas time and now your home.

*New pictures coming soon*

Just a quick note: It was so amazing to see Wei J's face when he walked out of his room Christmas morning. He was as suprised to see Shu Shu, Ayi, and Gong Gong as he was to see the toys. Although the toy packaging gave us some trouble, ; ) we played with him and his new toys.

S-I-L and Wei-J gave me this beautiful Willow Tree. It's called Child's Touch:

"For those who share in the wonder of a childs world"

So meaningful and special.

Merry Christmas to all of our family and friends!

So I keep listening to this Third Day song and crying... pretty much all day.

There's a little girl trembling on a cold December morn Crying for momma's arms
At an orphanage just outside a little China town
There the forgotten are
But half a world away I hang the stockings by the fire
And dream about the day when I can finally call you mine

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms
And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas
As I hang the tinsel on the tree and watch the twinkling lights

I'm warmed by the fire's glow
Outside the children tumble in a wonderland of white,
Make angels in the snow
But half a world away you try your best to fight the tears
And hope that heaven's angels come to carry you here

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms
And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas

Christmas is a time to celebrate the holy child
And we celebrate his perfect gift of love
He came to earth to give his life
And prepare a place for us
So we could have a home with him above

It's Christmas time again and now you're home
Your family is here so you will never be alone
So tonight before you go to sleep, I'll hold you in my arms
And I'll tell you from my heart, and I'll you from my heart

I wish you Merry Christmas

Decorating the Tree!!

There are so many thing I want to write about, but I am just going to keep it simple.

These last few weeks have been super busy!
Yesterday was my last day of class. I have 5 finals and then I am a student teacher! : )
This semester went by so quickly!

As we decorated the tree, I couldn't help but think of the orphans. As tears filled my eyes, I felt the longing again... I wish that each of God's little ones could have a family to celebrate with. Compassion International sent me a kit to advertise their program to my youth group. It came with 6 pictures of children who are supported by people in the US. I've posted their pictures on the refrigerator to remind me... I don't ever want to forget.

This Christmas is so unique! My perspective is brand new.
While many people are fighting over toys, numerous little ones lack basic necessities.
I am definitely not trying to be negative; it's just that China changed everything for me.

My heart is overflowing... I am so overwhelmed that this is our first Christmas with Wei-J.
He is still the most amazing young man I have ever met! I never knew that my heart could expand to love someone, whom I just met a few months ago, so fully. I am so proud to be his auntie, (Ayi!!!). Also, I am grateful that we get the chance to be such a big part of his life.
I just want him to grow up and know that he is loved by many.

The first ornament! Hand crafted by orphans from Tianjin.
Their Beautiful faces flood my memories. They were so excited to say "Thank You" in English.

Getting Closer...Hubs always gets to put the star on top, (It's a tall person job)

Yeah, I'm so blessed. We have the best time laughing together!

Don't forget Marty!

I love my family!

Hands and Feet Mission

A few weeks ago Morgan and I started talked about the mass commercialism of Christmas. It's pretty extreme ... I mean, come on, who really needs a giant inflatable Rudolph snow globe to adorn the lawn... people are literally starving and countless orphans lack the simplest necessities.

Not to be critical, but it's a little disheartening how egocentric our society can be.

Looking for a way to think outside ourselves, we started brainstorming a service project with our youth. In the past, we resisted doing service projects with our youth group during Christmas because so many people focus on "goodwill" during Christmas time, (We think it should be an all-the-time event). We focused on service activities during the past summer - the youth's response was awesome! In the face of the ever increasing materalistic Christmas, we have broken our unspoken rule and formed the "Hands and Feet Mission."

Here's my little soapbox speech... (I would seriously LOVE for you to support us!)

If you are looking for a way to reach others for Christ this season, I have a creative idea.

Our youth group, The Deep, has embarked upon an amazing adventure we call the Hands and Feet Mission.Beginning last week, we are on a mission to serve as many people as we can before Christmas. The youth are really excited. The best part about this project is that all of our service ideas came straight from the youth.

There are several ways for you to support our mission:

1. Operation Christmas Child: We are meeting Sunday the 23 to assemble shoe boxes for children in need. For more information visit: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/OCC/

You can help us out by donating:
1. Shoe boxes
2. Christmas Wrapping Paper and Decorative Bows
3. $7 Donation (That covers 1 Box)
4. Gifts for the boxes:

Gift Ideas Include:
TOYS small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, jump ropes, small Etch A Sketch®, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky®, etc.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc.
HYGIENE ITEMS toothbrush, toothpaste, mild bar soap (in a plastic bag), comb, washcloth, etc. OTHER Hard candy and lollipops (please double bag all candy), mints, gum, T-shirts, socks, ball caps; sunglasses, hair clips, toy jewelry, watches, flashlights (with extra batteries)
A PERSONAL NOTE In a separate envelope, you may enclose a note to the child and a photo of yourself or your family. (If you include your name and address, the child may write back.)
DO NOT INCLUDE: Used or damaged items; war-related items such as toy guns, knives or military figures; chocolate or food; out-of-date candy; liquids or lotions; medications or vitamins; breakable items such as snow globes or glass containers; aerosol cans

2. Letters and Cards to a Soldier: Our group is meeting the week of Thanksgiving to assemble a box of letters, treats, and cards for soldiers.
You can help us out by
1. Writing a letter or Card
2. Donating non-perishable treats such as candy and jerky.

If you are interested in participating, email or call to let me know! I am willing to drive to pick-up the items you have to donate!

Thank you for your participation and or thoughts and prayers!

- Chelle

Email me if you are interested: mdc1986@yahoo.com

Service-Learning

One of the most powerful classes I have taken is "Service-Learning approaches to learning."

The whole idea of the class is to encourage educators to use service-learning in their classes.

Service-learning is an educational theory in which students meet their content objectives by completing a service act. One of the most important aspects of this practice is that the service must be relevant to both the students and the community.

My four classmates and I spoke with the teachers and students from our community.

It seems that one of the greatest issues they face is gang violence.

We taught a lesson that discussed racist symbols from the past (KKK & Nazi symbols). We led the students through a series of questions that typically led them to the same conclusion: gang violence and hatred is no different than hatred expressed through the historic symbols.

Our goal was to wipe-out as much graffiti as possible.

It was amazing! We had around 95 students attend.

They cleaned up their community in a way to protest against the gang violence.

Someone even donated pizzas so we served the students lunch.

A shed that looked fantastic when we finished!


Don't tell me that today's young people are lazy; they just need someone to challenge them.


Isn't our wall pretty?


Such an awesome bunch!!!

We have had many thoughtful discussions. Some of the students were worried that our good work will be tagged over again... others said that didn't matter - the protest (painting over it,) is all that mattered. One young lady asked, "Will our country ever go back to restricting people's rights the way it used to?"

I told her, "Not if people like you are passionate about standing up for your beliefs."

...And Everything Nice

May express my sincere apologies for my slacker ways. After missing a few days of blogging, it is all to easy to continue in that way. I miss blogging, and will try to recap our busy lives.

The last two weeks have been extremely busy. Our church held the 5 annual Fall Festival... it was awesome, but tiring. We have spent our time collecting decorations, prizes, and volunteers. For the first year I felt confident about the amount of volunteers and donations. I just know it will continue to grow.

I will post a separate blog about my school field work... let's just say I adore education. Many people consider it an easy career, but I am filled with respect for many of the educators I have worked with. Middle schoolers are a challenging bunch - crazy, unpredictable, and so intelligent.


Wednesdays are without a doubt the best day of the week. Wei-J quickly captures our heart with his weekly antics. He opens up a little more each time we visit. I didn't realize it then, but looking back, I see how shy he was the first few weeks we visited. He has really opened his heart to us. I have learned that his is a silly goofy boy! : )

Today I left the stressful campus scene to spend time with little man. The university is nice and all, but people are so high strung this close to finals. Actually, I am typically stressed out too. This semester is my last period of classes, next semester is solely student teaching. Yay! There are so many reasons for me to chill-out this semester... God has really been doing a work in my heart. Going to China was a HUGE leap of faith for me. It was more than just leaving the country - it was leaving the country knowing that when we came home nothing would be the same, and many things would not be "figured out." I like to figure things out, and not knowing almost physically pains me. I'm not sure when it happened, but I feel totally free from that aching feeling that used to dominate my heart and mind. Letting go of what I want to happen is allowing me to live a brand-new life. This is the first moment I've acknowledged that the heavy burden I used to carry is lifted... wow.

Wei-J only adds to this transformation. I don't want to be so caught up in worrying about school, future plans, and finances that I miss the important events which occur everyday. He changes everyday. Each time we visit he learns something new. How amazing.

Wei-J and I took our first walk together; just him and I. As we strolled I thought about how when he is older I will tell him about our walks... how I sang to him as he peacefully surrendered to his afternoon nap. My mom always made sure to tell me how my aunts and uncles spent special time with me when I was little - now I know why they visited so often.

This is more of a reflection than a blog - oh well. My professors would be so proud; they promote reflective teaching practices. Reflecting is supposed to increase the effectiveness and efficiancy of a teacher's practice.

More pictures to come... stay tuned

Cinnamon and Spice

Just like every year, I get super excited during the first chilly cold front. My house smells like vanilla, maple, cinnamon, and a variety of other baked goods during this season.

I've been behind on blogging, so I thought I'd write two today to catch up. Last Saturday, (the 18th), we visited the local pumpkin patch. I could post every picture - they are all so great!
( For the sake of space, I will choose a few favorites.)
SIL posted some of the really cute ones on her site!


He's so curious to feel everything... a tactile learner?

Here's my mom with Wei-J... we still haven't given her an official title. Open for suggestions!

I adore the way he loves to pat the pumpkins! So fun.

A little Ayi love...

Wonderful Wednesdays

Like you already know, Wednesdays are our days to visit Wei-J and his mommy. I recently looked at the "about me" section I created when I began this blog. I had said, "It won't be very long before he is greeting us at the door." I never imagined the depth of that statement; what it would really mean to me.

He is amazing beyond anything I could have imagined. Every week I am stunned by his growth - physically-cognitively-emotionally-socially. In every way that a child can blossom, Wei-J is.

To get specific:
Baby Signs:
A few weeks ago I showed him the sign for apple. He remembers it! When he heard me say apple, he put his hand up to his cheek, and waited for me to acknowledge it.

Charming Sweet Uncle K:
This Wednesday Uncle K joined in our family festivities. Wei-J put the charm on... he sat on K's lap and helped "label" his aquarium photos. "Fssss" (Fish) "Da" (Duck) They looked so cute sitting there.

To top it all: When I was leaving, I bent down and asked him if I could have a hug. He gave me the sweetest hug I have ever received! Then ShuShu said, "What about a kiss?" Ever so softly, he leaned in with a kiss. - I couldn't help but tear up a little. This precious little man has grown so much in such a short ammount of time. And to think, he's only growing into the person he was created to be.

For a certain SIL:

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Psalms 139: 13 - 16

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

I missed this part of wonderful Wednesday... the PJs are too adorable. In case your wondering, his finger is searching for his, "Beebo" - a hippopotamus way of saying "belly button."

I found it! My "Beebo"

Fresh Perspective

My nephew was in a glorious mood this evening. From the moment my feet stepped through the door frame, my ears were filled with Wei-J's joyful chatter.

He stood so proud - ready to speak with newly found confidence. During the past several weeks, I have heard his shy attempts to sound out and share his words. He always seems a little hesitant to boldly USE the words. Tonight, he looked at kitty, touched her ear, and said "essz," then he pointed to his ears to make sure I understood. After that, he pointed to himself and used the sound for his name. When ShuShu walked through the door, Wei-J swiftly took off and greeted him with an enthusiastic "HiiiI." His proud words and generous smiles filled the house this evening.

While we browsed for his Halloween costume, a pair of orange jack-o-latern crocs found their way into our cart. Wei-J smiled his scrunchy smile, and stated, "Shsssz." (Shoes)

How smart is he???

He picked up an empty tupperware, pretended to put food in my mouth, and motioned for me to chew. May I remind you that he is only 17 months... that is SO impressive. Pretend play is a cruical part of a childs development. I felt honored to be included in his wonderful world of pretend.

So I could go on and on. His language development is so amazing to follow. I had such an amazing night with the little guy. I allowed my mind to wander... soon-to-be moments in our lives... decorating Christmas cookies, making special secretive gifts for his mommy, meeting his someday little cousins.

I dreamed about going to China this week. It made my heart warm and fuzzy... it felt right.

For M-I-L: We made the spinach salad for the 2nd week in a row! It is SO good! I found myself craving it over the weekend. Thank you for sharing! We miss you...

Love to all my faithful followers,
Chelle

Sunday Lunch

I just love Sundays. The chance to eat a good meal and catch up on homework. : )

Great news! Hubs got a job on Thursday. He will be the director of an after school program. He's in charge of 5 people who are in charge of 90 children! It's part-time, but is much better pay than subbing. I really like that it gives him the chance to make a good impression in a specific school, (As opposed to random schools across the city). I just know that this is right for this season. They want him to learn ASL..... which brings me to the little man.

This week was great because I was able to visit Wei-J 2 times! : ) On Tuesday we took a trip to the neighborhood park. He loves the tire swing and slide! More than those things, he loves the little rocks. My favorite scene from the day is WeiJ in the baby swing with his head back - breathing in - smiling into the sunshine - loving his life. It was such a beautiful peek into his peaceful life.

On Wednesday we had a yummy dinner! M-I-L's spinach salad and dressing was a wonderful compliment to our juicy burgers. Wei-J was really proud to show off his newish word, whisper. He looked intently at my face and said, "per." I said "whisper" back to him. I could tell that he was pleased that I knew what he was saying. He spent several minutes saying "per." I thought it was the sweetest little word ever!

Transparent Desire

I write during every season.

I really like to write poems and prose which are not neat and tidy. Throughout many phases of my life, I have struggled with the "need" to be perfect and to overachieve, (Be everyone to everything - and fix it all) What a silly first-born struggle indeed. I don't feel these worries when I journal. I have books filled with non-traditional writings... they don't adhere to the typical standard English rules and regulations. That's why I love the English language - it's so alive and flexible. (Shout out to Prof Williams ENG 3333)

Morgan encourages me to share my words. So... here goes.

11/11/07

Transparent Desire

With affectionate child-like awe I stand

Peering, gazing with enamored eyes

Lives, like mirrors, fall - shatter

Scattered pieces reflect what was

A broken image magnified 1000 times over

Staring into eternal truth we begin

Picking up the pieces only cuts us deeper

These hands cannot bear this sorrow

Looking into each reckless piece,

we are losing our tomorrow

Somewhere I stop.

The realization awakens.

Our reflection is irrelevant.

Time is fading while we injuriously examine what was.

Now.

Transparent Desire - Glass.

So they see you through this mess.

Yes, I'm still Alive

Hubs subbed for the first time today! (YAY!) He already has several more jobs for October, and will be getting more last minute jobs everyday. I'm happy for him - his smile was so big today!

This week has been Crazy, (with a capital C!) The best thing about this semester is that Thursdays are my last school day of the week. The worst thing about this semester is that EVERY assignment is due in a row... bam -bam -bam. Actually, I don't breathe until Thursdays at 7:30 when class ends. ; ) After spending the entire day on campus, my brain is fried, but it's past 7:30 - so I'm breathing.

So what is going on in our life? I'm glad you asked.

Last Saturday we visited the park. Wei-J is totally into ducks - good thing, because many ducks live at the park. He finally had the chance to visit with Sweet K and my mom. If I'm not mistaken, I sense that my family is completely in love with the little man.

First off, there is mom and her woodland creatures. Look at her, they just love her.

I believe that this is Wei-J saying "Da" (duck). He is amazed by these floaty animals.

"Duck where are you?" Where did the duck go?

One for the ducky, two for Wei-J. He didn't eat much of our bean and cheese dinner... bloated from the bread! : ) I love how happy he is to eat it... it's just bread. Looking closely, I see that Sweet K is furnishing the snack.

He is still the highlight of my week. The best part of Wei-J is how he has transformed his mama. I can't imagine a happier pair. So awesome to be a part of their miracle.

I found a treasure of books that my mom bought for Sweet K and I. In the stash was the wonderful, "More More More Said the Baby." The best part of my week: I read Wei-J the book. He thought it was ok at first, but later kept coming back to it and making the sign language for more. I am going to try and bring it every week so he can get familiar with it. : ) So sweet.

The recent struggles pale in comparison to the lasting peace within my heart. Sometimes I need reminders of what's truly important. I just can't express how much I love our unique family.

And the winner is...

After Monday's post, I took a quick look around. I reminded myself that the make-shift project would suffice, and that Hubs will get that call/letter soon enough. Result: After veiwing other people's projects, mine didn't look so bad. ; ) (So wrong! I know!.... but true). Hubs received his letter two days later! So... everything in our life is not neat and tidy, (how I would like it), but maybe it's not supposed to be.


Poor Wei J! Little man had his first American pediatric appointment on Wednesday. Shots... bloodwork.... what did they do to my nephew? When we ate dinner with them, he seemed so uncomfortable. He was running a fever, but shushu brought children's Tylenol to help bring it down. Just as Shushu sat down to eat his juicy burger, Wei J motioned to sit with him. Hubs reached back, and Wei-J laid his not-feeling-so-good head on Shushu's chest. It made me smile... and tear up a bit. Very few things come between Hubs and eating his french fries while they're hot - (He won't eat them cold). Wei J is a special little guy... he brings out the soft-side in all of us. Needless to say, the paparazi took a rest during our weekly visitation. No need to make a traumatic day worse with flashing lights and such.

Instead...Let me present the award winning picture taken by Hubs - starring our little pup, Marty.

Each year we enter pictures or baked goods into the fair. This entry gives us a free pass to visit the fair. Free entertainment is our kind of entertainment! : )

This year, Hubs entered our favorite picture of Marty. He won a blue ribbon - 1st place!

He keeps me company while I'm doing my homework, and wakes up barking when I have the chance to sleep in. Oh Marty! : )

I'm looking forward to the weekend full of literature and assesment. The student teacher meeting is today! Ahhhhh!!! It becomes more real every day! It's so close! TTFN

Only the Bravest Remain

*Warning* May be a boring blog... ; ) just feeling the need to write...

Getting back into the routine wouldn't be so bad if there was a routine to get back into. Everything is so different this fall. I'm certainly feeling the pressure from every angle.
(In fact, I should be analysing TEKS, and NOT blogging... oh well.)

I guess this isn't my typical chipper blog mood. This Monday was pretty rough. My weekend was spent working on an in-depth literary analysis resource file project. All I had to do was put the finishing touches on the last paragraph of the last book. (This = catching up on that stack of reading!) Nope. When I hit the save button, my zip drive spazed out, froze, showed a weird prompt on my computer, and then erased all 12 pages of my work. Everything is gone. All I could do was cry. My "Type-A" self tends to stress out about school projects, but I was so excited about this one. Each section was carefully depicted in only the most academic language. I could reference this file any time I needed a quick book idea...

Hubs helped as much as he could, but each word I retyped seemed frustratingly empty. It looks ok now, but not as good as the original. It's just frustrating when you do your best, and it's not enough. (You may be getting the hint that this blog is not actually about the project... so am I) He's been applying for jobs for the past 2 years. I see his heart, and I've seen the quality of his
work- it's so good. Just don't understand why...I know - it's not meant for me to comprehend. Despite this less than marvelous Monday, I feel God rearranging my priorities and strengthening my faith.

The winter flower blooms when everything else dies. Driven by an internal force greater than they can withstand, the tender shoots push upwards past the icy grave. When all else is burried deep beneath the snow, the rich red blossoms slowly unfurl. They open up towards a darkened sky, where only the bravest remain. They are glorious.

Jason Gray wrote an amazing song called, "The Cut" - it seems so appropriate for the season

"You peel back the bark and tear me apart, to get the heart of what matters most. I'm cold and i'm scared as your love lays me bare, but in the shaping of my soul the cut makes me whole."

Happy Dance!

Everyone needs a happy dance! Although they will never make the blog, I'm pretty sure there is evidence of each family member doing the "happy dance" with Wei-J. The people in China must have thought that we were out of our minds. We walked around making strange noises and motions to entertain the boy... turns out we didn't have to - Wei-J knew baby signs. He wasn't dancing around, he was probably telling us, "I want to go to sleep. Honestly, what is wrong with you people?"

I love the way his cute little mouth is open in anticipation for the cheerio. This was our "walking" fountain. Every evening in Tianjin we walked around until Wei-J fell asleep. Before going into the hotel, we typically took a final lap around the fountain. During the day, he loved saying "bye-bye" to the fish.

Finally

Today was the first day that 11 am didn't feel like bedtime. Around here that's cause for celebration. Too bad 9 pm now feels like bedtime. School and homework make me drowsy. Luckily I have amazing friends and professors, and am not too behind on work. The only thing I'm struggling with is the ammount of reading required by my 6 classes. I love to read, but am feeling readers overload at the moment.

We visit Wei-J tomorrow evening!!! To be honest, we have already seen him twice since our return. He was amazing Sunday night at dinner, and made my evening so much better, (You have no idea!). On Monday my wonderful Hubs took me out on a lunch date; our first in half a year. After our date, we spent a few minutes visiting with Wei-J. He still remembers our faces! I felt a bit worried that he might forget... but how could he forget my nose after he's spent so much time touching and squeezing it? ; )

Lastly, the cooler weather is working its way into south Texas! Breezy weather reminds me that fall is sneaking in, and bringing the heartwarming scents of cinnamon and pumpkin spice. Speaking of pumpkins, Shu Shu and I can't wait to take Wei J to the local pumpkin patch in early October. Those pictures alone are enough reason for you to keep checking my blog. ; )

More pictures of China and Wei-J to come. Time for bed at the moment...zzzzzzZzzzzZzzzzzZ

Nephew Withdrawal

It's only the first day we haven't seen him, and we miss his cute little smile already. Even Shu Shu said, "It was so difficult to let that little guy walk away." : ( Luckily he only lives 15 minutes away, so we are being a bit dramatic. I'm sure his mommy will let us visit. We are just so spoiled and used to having him around all day.

Actually... I miss S-I-L and M-I-L too! Besides getting Wei-J, my favorite part of the trip was laughing together. Some nights we laughed so heartily that we nearly lost our breath. Not only did Wei-J bond with his mommy, but we bonded as a family. I loved being able to hang out with my M-I-L. We haven't been able to spend much time together over the past few years. She moved right after Hubs and I were married. It was difficult to say goodbye... : (

Between leaving our hotel and arriving home we were awake over 27 hours. It was extremely intense! I was very proud of the little guy! He did so well on all 3 flights. There were moments where he was so exhausted and cranky, but considering the length of the 3 flights, he did amazing. I kept laughing at him because he was doing everything in his power to keep from falling asleep. From making blub blub noises, to falling all over his Ay-i, Wei-J was determined to stay awake... that didn't last very long. As soon as the bottle hit his lips, he began to relax.

I had a more difficult time relaxing on the flights. I listened to white noise - "distant waves." It's just surprising what being in the air so long can do to your body. After arriving home, I was so sick! Apparently the 24 hr motion sickness pills are not really meant to work for 24 hrs. Sitting on the couch, my entire body felt like it was still on the plane. I took a motion sickness pill to keep the room from spinning. While drifting off to sleep, I kept hearing a baby cry, (like the ones on the plane). After sleeping until 5 am, Hubs and I are fighting off sleep with everything we have. We need to stay awake so we can sleep tonight. We are playing the game " Stay awake until it's night time." (Right now Hubs is losing). I have motivation though, Michael Phelps is hosting SNL! : ) He's my swimming hero!

My family is just such a huge blessing!!! When we came home, the house was clean. Every detail had been taken care of, and dinner was in the oven. How awesome is that? I love them so much! My favorite part about being home is having my family again. I missed them so much!

Now that the trip to China is over, I plan to update this blog about school, student teaching, and of course, the nephew. Feel free to keep up with my crazy writings... or not!

Close to the big "Bye Bye"

We always entertain Wei-J while his mommy updates her blogs. Last time, Shu Shu decided it was time for him to take a shower, so Ay-i had to think fast to keep the little guy entertained. What better than Shu Shu's shirt? Probably a litttle sweaty, but look how cute! He giggled until his arms were covered. He hates that. So I showed him his hands, and all was well.

This is what we see when we hear that familiar knock on our door. I sat thinking about the hotel in Beijing, it seems so long ago. Our trip is quickly coming to an end. This has been an amazing and truly life changing journey. I admit - I am sad that we won't be seing this friendly face at our door everyday.

If you don't know by now, he is one healthy and not-so little guy. When S-I-I received his first info packet, he was only in the 3% in weight on the Chinese growth chart, (not even close to the American chart.) We prepared for him to be a super tiny little guy who would need lots of hearty foods to beef him up. Not so -In this short amount of time, he has really sprouted up! He now stands in the 90% bracket for height and 75% for weight. So healthy and happy... and maybe even intelligent enough to manipulate his Ay-i and Shu Shu. (Never, we would never cave in to the sweet and tender smiles and cry of our ONLY nephew... never). ; )

What the???

In the middle of all the gushy mushy family stuff, we have had a few just plain weird and uncomfortable moments.

Morgan brought home "Beef" flavored cheetos. Which smell awful. I said, "Did you like them?" he said, "No." So that's that - we won't be bringing home carts of beef cheetos. (beeftos). The flavors of chips here are awful. Blueberry pringles, (no lie!). Thinking they would be like the yummy "limon" chips at home, we bought lime pringles. Wrong!!! They are sweet... like key lime pie... on a regular pringle chip. Yuck!

There was the day in the Forbidden City where I was asked to pose in a picture. This guy, who Morgan nicknamed, Frederico, (No telling where Morgan pulled that from!), looks so exceited to be standing next to me... NOT! His wife saw a white person, freaked out, and asked me to pose in this picture. Note the look on his face... and mine?!
We have nicknamed Baby J, Sensei, because he always walks around with his arms behind his back. It really threw us for a loop when he tried putting on his head gear for a fight. (*Wink Wink*) Today we visited an "herbal medicine market." Wow... that was wild. They sold dried seahorses, weird mushrooms, and all kinds of plants and animals. Even live scorpians

A White Swan Celebration

I can't express how exciting it is to be here - in The White Swan Hotel. All of the American families who adopted from various provinces must come to Guangzhou for the final paper work. Most of them have had almost a week with their little one, so we get to see the joyful side of the adoption. The kids are super cute and smiling all over the place.... I'm so excited to see these miracles. My heart is overflowing each time I see all the very different families loving on their new little one. We have made several friends... the common factor, Cheerios!!! Oh, and each adopting hotel room comes with a "going home Barbie." It's a white Barbie carrying an Asian baby... a little stereotypical, but fun for the babies.

Wei-J loves his new family! Especially his Shu Shu who has to watch every little trick that Baby does! It really allows me to see Hubs as a father... he is going to make a great one!

I finally have a moment to share a few more pictures. In this series of pictures, Wei J is opening up to me for the first time. Shu Shu and I entertained Baby J, while his mommy updated her blog. (http://www.tianjintreasure.blogspot.com/). I look confused is the first picture because not only is this the first time he approached me on his own, but he jumped right ahead to pulling the buttons on my rear pockets. As the afternoon progressed, we created a game I call, "footsies." It's when two people rub their feet against the bed as fast as they can, and then laugh laugh laugh. This is how the game looks from my perspective.

Tomorrow Wei-J gets his physical and Visa photo. It should be a quick experience... hopefully!

Morgan and I bough "Shu Shu" and "Ay-i" T-shirts today! Now we can proudly announce that we have a nephew. I've been blogging for a while, but haven't been able to talk to you all individually. If anyone has a specific question, maybe I can blog about it and share with the whole group. Just let me know in email or comments.

Miss my family! Sweet K - hope your days are going ok.

St. A - I miss you guys so much... I keep dreaming about all the kids and co-workers.

Georgie, miss you, and your comment went through ; )

Break my Heart for What Breaks Yours

"For Whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me" - Matt 18:5

My mind has been filtering through all that I've seen. I have been contemplating this
post for days. Let me back-up before I begin.

During the last year, I have been immensely blessed by a song titled, "Hosanna." It has amazing lyrics throughout, but the bridge always moved my heart. It goes: "Heal my heart and make it clean. Open up my eyes to the things unseen. Show me how to love like you have loved me. Break my heart for what breaks yours - everything I am for your kingdom's cause. As I walk from Earth into eternity."

Each time I heard these lyrics, my eyes welled up with tears. I could never pin-point why God wanted me to hear these lyrics. Now I know.

Two days ago we visited the orphanage where Wei-J lived before he was matched with foster parents. It is center specifically for special needs little ones. Some of them have cleft palette, downs syndrome, some are blind, while others have minor differences such as a birthmark. Regardless of why they're there, their little bodies are in the orphanage because someone didn't want them. My nephew was left on the street by his birth mother. Someone didn't want that smiling brilliant young guy because of a minor physical difference.

S-I-L knew that we could bring candy for the kids, so Shu Shu and I handed out starbursts to all these little ones. (From Pre-k to around 7 or 8). I almost couldn't keep my eyes from spilling over. I sucked it in, because I wanted to share the candy with a loving face - not crying. As I dropped the square candy into each little hand, I said a prayer that God would find them a loving home.

I wasn't sad because the orphanage was so crummy... in fact, it was great. A charity called, "Half the Sky" supports developmentally appropriate conditions. All the little ones were engaged in really great activities, and the older ones were making Christmas ornaments for a craft day to support the orphanage. Still - my heart was breaking. "Break my heart for what breaks yours - everything I am for your kingdom's cause" That's it.

Looking at these hands I feel a new responsibility. My heart breaks for the little ones who are cast aside. There are no fancy pictures, no cute snapshots, just a precious image forever burned in my mind.

I'm so not sure where this is leading me... probably back to China is a few years.

Cheerios and "bye-bye"

Look at that adorable smile! You wouldn't know that less than one week ago he was sobbing, just knowing that his world was coming to an end. He was wrong.

The last few days have been spent keeping Baby J happy, and helping him adjust to his new family, (and of course, trying to find edible food.)

Most days we travel around taking care of the paper work side of the adoption. Not fun for Wei-J, but necessary. During these visits, Lau Lau, Shu Shu and I do our best to keep him entertained while mom finishes the paper work. Cheerios work wonders, but now we're all out. : ( Sad times - they don't sell any kind of cereal in Tianjin - even in Walmart!! We have some small Chinese cookies to substitute.

When we walk around, Wei-J looks over his momma's shoulder to ensure that all three additional family members are accounted for. He says "aaaa" if any of us are temporarily MIA. Actually... he says "Ahhh" quite often. It means " Pay attention to me," "I want that," "I'm hungry," and a variety of other things.

Although he is not even 15mos, he seems to be experiencing a two year old phase. Developmentally ahead of his time - that's my genius nephew! Too bad it's the twos! ; ) We know he is just testing the limits. Even though I don't want to, I have said "no" to him on occasion. Especially when he uses his hands for anything other than loving.

We have our "special" things we do for entertaining him. For example: Where's your nose?

There's also the "blub-blub-blub" game. EVERYONE must participate!

Today we took a flight from Tianjin to Guangzhou, (in southern China). It was his first flight, and it went wonderfully! He slept almost the entire trip, (Along with momma, Ay-i, and Lau Lau.)

We are now entering the last phase of our trip. Luckily, we think that cheerios will be available this week. Our new hotel is so nice, and much better than the last one we were in. Hubs is very happy because he had American food today for the first time in five days. We found a small place called "Lucy's" that serves all kinds of food. None of us feel brave enough to chance the Chinese take on Enchiladas... we'll leave that to SA town!

In our new hotel, there are SO many adopting families! I think 3 other families have boys! That's unheard of, most people get girls. S-I-L's social worker said that out of 300 adoptions she's helped with, S-I-L was adopting boy number 7.

Little feet running down the halls

shy "hellos" filled with wonder and awe that we are all sharing in this miracle

Yes, I like this hotel.

Transitions

Ayi = Aunt and Shu Shu = Uncle

What can I say? He is cute - cute - cute. Things seemed a bit better today. He is typically easy-going until we visit a building to take care of the official side of the adoption. We think it reminds him of the orphanage and leaving his foster family. Also, it seems that he is teething. : ( Not a fun time for anyone.

We visited a walmart - too weird. I still couldn't read anything, but it was packed and busy, (That is universal I guess).

I have picked up the phrases, how are you, good morning, excuse me, and thank you.

A few snapshots:

After going for a walk to lull him to sleep, we saw a group of older ladies doing tai chi and then line dancing. lol! It gets better! Baby J, who we have nicknamed Wei J, wanted out of his carrier when he heard the music. When his mommy put his tootsies on the ground, he started to bop around and dance. This little guy seems more and more like his Shu Shu everyday.

After ordering what I thought looked like chicken, and what M-I-L thought looked like beef, we were totally grossed out by the texture of a food that felt like pork skin. (Good thing it cost less than 2 US dollars! - Food is cheap around these parts... surprised? I think not). S-I-L and Hubs seemed to love their noodles, but I was so tired of eating noodles. I had them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner yesterday! Wild huh? After dinner we found a haagen-Dazs! My dessert cost more than my dinner, and I ate more of it too. We didn't have the camera, but Baby J made the best faces! With S-I-L's permission, I gave Baby J a small bite of ice cream. He laughed and grinned, so happy with the new taste. This continued each time I gave him a bite. So fun!

I spend most moments watching S-I-L love on Wei J. She is being so loving and patient with his hurting heart. I think this is so amazing to watch. She's been waiting for him for so long, and yet she is doing so well despite his tears. He was with his foster family for one year. We knew there was the chance he would live with a family, but we were pretty sure that he was still in the orphanage. All of the families here are experiencing similar situations. Most people have a romanticised concept of adoption - I know I did. The children have major difficulties leaving their orphanage or foster family. It's the only life they've known. Within these challenges lies the true beauty of adoption. People who open their hearts to orphans are not doing so for personal gain. They are choosing to lay down their lives to meet the needs of one of God's little ones - no matter the cost. I watch with wonder as I see S-I-L's patience and love with a baby who is not yet ready to fully reflect that love. Can't wait to see the day he does.

Every moment of bonding is a celebration. We clap our hands, make "bbbbbb" noises with his lips, look at the baby in the mirror, and echo his cooing. Shu Shu and I are trying to maintain a respectful distance - he needs to bond with mommy first. At the same time, we want to offer support and entertainment for Wei J when needed.

Thank you for all your prayers and encouraging letters. We still have a little more than one week to go. I hope that by this time next week our nephew will be inseparable from his mommy.

First Smiles

He is safe and in his mommy's arms. Shu Shu M is using his comedic skills to bond with Baby J!

We found out that Baby J came from a foster family. This means that he will probably be sad for the first few days. He has cried many tears already. The first day was really rough for him. We think that they dropped him off at the orphanage right before S-I-L received him. Poor guy! First you leave your family, and then a new set of weird looking strangers takes you. We have met up with several other families who are experiencing similar situations. I think we were all relieved to see his smile. Oh... and he can walk! - and dance - and say "bye" - and smile at the pretty ladies! : ) Such a cutie

He is so sweet, and LOVES to look at himself in the mirror.

Just a few of Hub's amazing pictures!

S-I-L's blogspot is: http://www.tianjintreasure.blogspot.com/

The Forbidden City - guarded by the lion.

These trees symbolize true love. They've grown together never to be seperate.

Did I mention that the Great Wall is way steep? S-I-L and Chelle

Chelle and Hubs smooching on the Great Wall. Beijing, China.

Chelle and Riah "leaning in to pretend like we like each other more"

Chelle and Hubs on the Great Wall