Our Journey to Mollie PingLu

We're Home!

2008-07-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

Snoozing on the flight home
SISTERS!
Oatmeal Monster (as Grace calls her)
Swimming together
Friends forever!

We've been home now for 3 weeks and things are going good. Mollie is adjusting very well to her new life. She loves her brothers and sisters. Her and Grace are on their way to becoming great friends! Grace is a wonderful big sister. She is learning how to share everything (especially Mommy and Daddy!) Overall, both girls are adjusting well considering all the changes that have taken place. Emily, of course, LOVES having another little sister and Mollie absolutely loves Emily. She has been a big help! Emily helped out so much with the girls the first week when we were getting over the jet lag and trying to catch up on sleep. Mollie took a day or two to warm up to her big brothers, Andrew and Nathan, but she is in love with them now. They give her so much attention and would do just about anything for her!

Mollie has already seen the pediatrician twice. All of her lab work came back normal. She had to get a few (6 to be exact) immunizations to get her caught up on her shots. We saw the cardiologist last week. He did an EKG and an ultrasound. He said everything looked great. No need for anymore surgery. She has a slight heart murmur, but nothing to worry about. We were very relieved!

She is a very healthy, happy little girl! She laughs and giggles all the time. We are having so much fun with her. She is learning so many new things everyday. It's so exciting seeing her blossom. She loves the water (bath and pool)! She is an amazing little girl! She has the cutest little sense of humor. She loves to give hugs and kisses. We feel very blessed that she is a part of our family. Our lives are a lot busier now, but we are loving every minute of it! I look at her sometimes and can't believe that God has entrusted us with another one of His precious little creations.

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! ~ 2 Corinthians 9:15

Our Last Night in China

2008-06-26T06:21:00.000-07:00

We begin our journey home early tomorrow morning. We are looking so forward to coming home. Our flight comes in around 10:45. So we have a long journey ahead of us. I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed, milk (haven't had it in 2 weeks) and chocolate chip cookies! Most of all, we can't wait to see our kids!

Today we went to the US Consulate to be sworn in and pick up our last bit of paperwork. It rained most of the day. In the afternoon we did a little more shopping. All the families met tonight and had one last Chinese dinner together. We will miss the families. We feel so blessed to have shared this awesome experience with them.

We have 3 flights ahead of us and 2 long layovers in Beijing and Newark, NJ. We are hoping and praying for smooth flights and that Mollie will do well with all of this. Thanks so much for your prayers and your support.

Thanks again to everyone who helped out at home!

Andrew, Emily, Nathan & Grace ~ We love you all very much! ~ Only 24 more hours!

~ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

David, Barb & Mollie

Playtime with Daddy

2008-06-24T21:28:00.000-07:00

We had to spend time in our room this morning. Michael went to the US Consulate with all of our paperwork. We needed to be near the phone in case there were any problems or any questions from the Consulate. Mollie and Daddy had some playtime on the bed, which was great for bonding.

Swimming with Daddy

2008-06-24T17:34:00.001-07:00

Tuesday ~ A Free Day

2008-06-24T16:07:00.000-07:00

The park near the Pearl River
Mollie's first taste of ice cream
The desserts we found
Mollie choosing which dessert she wants

Mollie at breakfast Tuesday morning
The courtyard at our hotel
Our princess
Mollie and Daddy
A walk in the park

Today (Tuesday) was a free day, no paperwork or meetings. After breakfast, we decided to put Mollie in the stroller and go for a walk. We of course did a little shopping. We walked through a beautiful park that is right on the Pearl River, very close to our hotel. It was full of people dancing, playing games and just relaxing. The flowers and all the palm trees made me feel almost like we were at the beach. Shamian Island is beautiful. Many couples come here to get married. We've seen at least one couple everyday since we've been here taking photos for their wedding. There also a lot of really neat statues on the island. There is a playground also that we haven't made it to yet and a Starbucks. We may try to fit that in on Wednesday.

After a little shopping we stopped at a little deli/bakery where we found Haagen Dazs ice cream!YES! I said Haagen Dazs ice cream. It tasted so good. Mollie had her first taste of ice cream and didn't much care for it. I think it was probably the cold she didn't like. We could tell she had never had it before. They also had wonderful pastries that we will try another day. We've never seen desserts like this before in China. (so much for losing a little weight while I'm here) Their idea of dessert is watermelon.

We headed back to the hotel for lunch then a nap for Mollie. She slept about 2 hours (a good little sleeper). When she woke up (always wakes up happy with a smile) we decided to head up to the pool. The Vogel's, Nancy and Dan, were their with their three little ones. They are such a sweet family. They have 3 older sons out of the house and 3 beautiful daughters Julianna 5, Grace 4 and their newest addition 2 year old Annie. We enjoyed swimming with them. Mollie absolutely loved the water. I at first didn't get in the water, so Mollie loved going to David in the water. He loved it too! She would hold her arms out to him and just giggle. She is such a happy baby!

We are looking forward to coming home. Only a couple more days here in China. It's kind of bittersweet. There are so many things I will miss here in China. But more than anything, I miss my 4 other beautiful children! Only 2 more days and we begin our (long) journey home!

I am so thankful to God for all He has given us!

~ Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

We love you all!

David, Barb & Mollie

A few more pictures from Monday

2008-06-23T16:55:00.000-07:00

Like my hair? Mommy braided it for me

Out for a walk with some friends

Catching up on the daily news
Now let's see, where are those comics?

Lunch with Daddy

2008-06-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

Mollie had noodles for lunch with Daddy. She absolutely loved them. She must've had them at the orphanage. This was the first time we've tried giving them to her. They are similar to Ramen Noodles at home. Emily, you have another little sister who will share them with you!

Busy Day

2008-06-23T07:26:00.000-07:00

We had a busy day today. This morning was spent getting Mollie's visa photo and then to get her medical exam. She didn't much care for that. We were in the office about one hour. (very hot) Most of the time we were just waiting our turn. She weighed 22.5 pounds. The doctor said her heart sounded good and there was no murmur.

In the afternoon, we (or should I say I) did about 2 hours of paperwork with the other families. David and Mollie took a much needed nap. This is actually the first nap she has taken since we've had her. (other than little cat naps in the stroller or on the bus) She slept about 2 hours. Once she is asleep, she is a good little sleeper.

After Mollie's nap, we decided to go out and do some shopping. We found some cute little matching outfits for her and Grace. And of course, some of the squeaky shoes. These are a must! ( the squeaker can be removed ~ they can get a little annoying after awhile) We ordered her a chop (stamp) with her name on it in English and Chinese.

We later met Michael and 2 of the other families for dinner at a really good Chinese restaurant. Michael had eaten there before, so we just let him order for all of us. It was all very delicious and very reasonable.

Tomorrow is a free day, so we aren't sure what we will do. There is a Starbucks that we will probably visit. There is also a playground and the pool at the hotel. We heard that the high tomorrow is supposed to be 99*. It is very humid here.

Mollie is adjusting very well. She is beginning to talk (or what we thought was babble) more. We were in one of the little shops today and the girl there told us she was saying hold me (she was in her stroller). So for all we know, she is speaking lots of Chinese :-) She is letting David do a little more for her each day. She is such a cuddle bug. She loves to be held and hugged. She stays very busy and loves to get into everything. I'm thinking about everything that I need to put up and out of reach at home. She keeps us on our toes. We love her so much and are so thankful for this precious gift!

Andrew, Emily, Nathan & Grace ~ only 4 more days! We can't wait for you all to meet your new little sister! You are going to love her as much as we do! We love you all very much!

Thanks to everyone helping out at home!

~ Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; His love endures forever. Jeremiah 33:11

Love ~ David, Barb & Mollie

Pictures from last night after her bath

2008-06-22T23:51:00.001-07:00

Monday Morning ~ Medical Exam

2008-06-22T16:30:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning we were up early (we had to wake Mollie again). We had breakfast at the hotel with some of the other families. Three families joined us here in Guangzhou on Saturday. Their children were from another province. We are all working with Michael now. Two of the families just the dads traveled (they are doing great) and one family is adopting their 3rd child. Their other 2 children are 4 & 5 years old.

We did some sight seeing today. Lots of walking! It's very hot and humid here, but at least not raining. We went to the Guangzhou Yuexiu Park. It was very green, lots a beautiful tropical plants and very old trees. It was originally a fortress that guarded the city. There was a museum with 5 floors and at the very top were very large cannons. Next to the park was a huge soccer stadium. Soccer is big over here.

After the park we went back to the hotel to rest and cool down a little. We wanted Mollie to take a nap but she wouldn't. I guess that's why she sleeps so well at night. In the afternoon we walked to the pearl market. To get there we had to walk through many road side markets. Lots of people selling teas, roots of all kinds, dried snakes & a lot of things we weren't even sure about. (smelled really bad). They use all these things for healing. Later we passed markets where they were selling pets. (dogs, cats, turtles, chipmunks) One little boy had a frog on a leash. We eventually made it to the pearl market, where we bought a little something for Mollie when she is older.

We ended the day with dinner with the Roeske's at Lucy's again (western food). We found out that Mollie loves spaghetti! We kind of let her feed herself. She had spaghetti sauce from head to toe! Ralf and Carol are so much fun to be around. They have a great since of humor. We will miss them! Their daughter, Shuang Bi, is a beautiful child and is adjusting quite well.

Mollie absolutely loves her baths. When she sees me start to run the bath water, she starts trying to take off her clothes. She loves to brush her hair. She's learning a few words and knows where her nose is. She understands some of the things we say to her. She laughs all the time. She has the cutest sense of humor. She loves to tease us. I can tell she really feels comfortable around us.

Today (Monday morning) we go for her medical exam. They do a very quick checkup. We'll find out her height and weight. In the afternoon we will do paperwork for the adoption. (the US part). As far as the China side of it, the adoption is complete and she is ours!

~ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down rom the Father, James 1:17

David, Barb & Mollie

We're in Guangzhou

2008-06-21T16:39:00.000-07:00

We are in Guangzhou and it is beautiful! Our flight left Jinan Saturday around 12 noon and we landed about 2pm. We got settled in to our hotel and rested a little bit. We met the Roeske's for dinner at Lucy's Saturday evening. Our hotel is on an island with lots of palm trees. The sun is out the morning and the sky is somewhat clear. We are planning some sight seeing for today.

Friday was spent doing laundry and just relaxing in our hotel. We used that day to pack and get ready for our fight yesterday. We were up early Saturday. We had breakfast in the hotel and said our goodbyes to the hotel staff. It was a little sad, leaving her province. Mollie seemed to enjoy her first plane ride until about the last 15 or 20 minutes. She pretty much screamed and wanted off the plane. As soon as we were off the plane she was happy. I hope this isn't a glimpse of what our flight home will be like! She is a good sleeper so we are hoping that she will sleep most of the fight. :-)

She is doing great. We are seeing more and more of her little personality come out. She is a bit strong willed and has a little mind of her own. She has had a temper tantrum or two when she doesn't get what she wants. She loves to give us kisses. She laughs a lot. She is taking her time warming up to David. She never interacted with males before. All her caretakers were female at the orphanage. She takes her bottles from David and loves to play with him. She is still eating good and sleeps great at night.

We are so thankful for what God has given us. It just amazes me where He has lead us. I am thankful that He gave us the strength to trust Him with all of this. We are on the last part of our journey and look so forward to coming home.

~ I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

Love~David, Barb & Mollie

Orphanage Visit

2008-06-19T16:25:00.000-07:00

Mollie in the hallway of the orphanage.

Outside the orphanage. The characters on the rock mean "heartfelt love".
Saying goodbye.

Mollie with the Ms. Jiao and her little friend, Annalise, who will soon meet her family.

We woke up this morning around 6 and had breakfast in the hotel again. The breakfast is pretty good and we really aren't getting tired of it yet. We met Michael and the Roeske's in the lobby at 9:00 to visit the orphanage today. It wasn't too far from our hotel, maybe 15 or 20 minutes. As we came to the gate of the orphanage I began to get anxious, wondering if we were doing the right thing by bringing Mollie back here. The director, Ms. Jiao, met us right outside the doors. Once inside the building, we took the elevator to the 5th floor to her office. We first explained to her that we wanted to meet with some of the children who had families waiting back home for them. They allowed us to and we were able to get pictures of their little ones. I remember how important this was for us when we were waiting. It was realy special to meet them after seeing them only in pictures for the last several months.

We later asked to see Mollie's bed and the room she slept in. They suggested that I put her in her bed and take a picture. But I had a feeling she would cry and she did. I of course picked her up right away. She smiled at all the nannys and allowed most of them to hold her. I didn't let her out of my sight and took her back from their arms after a couple of minutes. It was quite obvious that they all loved her and that Mollie felt close to them. Her favorite nanny was the director, Ms. Jiao. It was easy to see. She would always go to her but always came back to me. We met again in her office and was able to ask questions. We were also given a dvd with all the pictures they had of Mollie since she had been there. She then gave me a little pink hat that she had on when she was found. It brought tears to my eyes.

The orphanage was very clean and decorated very brightly. They were on a strict schedule with the children. It was soon time for us to leave. We passed the playroom where Mollie played during the day there. She recognized it and so we let her play there one last time. Ms. Jiao walked us out of the building where we first came in and we took a few more pictures with her. Mollie told her goodbye with hugs and kisses and we left. She never cried.

I am glad that we decided to take Mollie back with us for the visit. I don't know how much, if any, that she will remember. But we have good memories and pictures to share with her when she gets older and when she has questions. We've prayed for her for the last 9 months. God put her in just the right place, where she would be loved and would get everything that she needed while she waited for us. We couldn't be there for her, but He was. Grace prayed everyday that Mollie would have enough food to eat and milk to drink. We can tell that she did. (She has chunky little thighs!) :-)

~ For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, Psalm 91:11

Andrew, Emily, Nathan & Grace ~ We love you all! Only 8 more days!

Thanks again to everyone who is helping out with the kids. Thanks too for all your prayers! We love you all!

David, Barb & Mollie

Thursday Morning

2008-06-19T16:15:00.000-07:00

Mollie has been doing very well sleeping at night. Wednesday night she decided (or maybe Mom decided) that she wanted to sleep with us. She didn't kick much and both David and I slept most of the night. Here are just a few pictures of her first waking up Thursday morning. She can be such a sweet little cuddle bug. No tears this morning! YEAH!

More Pictures From Wednesday

2008-06-18T01:18:00.001-07:00

Andrew ~ Just thought you would like to see the boat we purchased over here. We got a good deal! We are expecting it to arrive via UPS in about 3 weeks. Break out the skis!

This is the boat we rode on to get to the island on Da Ming Lake.
Mollie at Da Ming Lake.
Mollie looking out our hotel room.

The bathing beauty getting ready for a dip in the pool.

Da Ming Lake & Mollie's First Boat Ride

2008-06-17T23:59:00.000-07:00

Last night Michael took us and the Roeske's to an authentic northern Chinese restaurant. It was a couple blocks from our hotel. It was different. No rice, only noodles and a little spicy. It was nice to get a taste of the local food. Mollie enjoyed the noodles. Lots of food and very inexpensive!

This morning we met in the lobby again and headed off to Da Ming Lake. This is a beautiful park on the lake. We took a boat ride to an island in the middle of the lake. It was just a very nice place to walk around. Very peaceful. The architecture of some of the buildings were very traditional Chinese, very colorful, older buildings. We saw 2 little boys there, about 9 or 10 years old. They asked Michael if they could see some of our American currency. David gave each of them a dollar to keep and they went wild. You would've thought they had given them $100. They were so cute.

We decided to take a break in a little local restaurant in the park. I fed Mollie and we got something to drink. When we were leaving, Mollie spotted an older woman eating something and was determined to get some of it. It looked like some sort of bread, very dense with some sort of seeds on top. She threw a fit. I walked away with her and the woman came running after me to give me a piece of it for her. It must have been something she ate at the orphanage.

Tomorrow we visit the orphanage. I am a little worried about how she will react to the nannies and going back. I am hoping that things will go well. I really want to go and see where Mollie spent her first 2 years. I want to meet the nannies that cared for her. I want to see where she played and where she slept. I have a lot of questions for the nannies that I am hoping to get answered. I am also looking forward to meeting some of the waiting children and getting some pictures for their mommies and daddies. Please keep us in your prayers tomorrow as I think it might be kind of a tough day for all of us.

Now a little about Mollie. Her first smile of the day comes earlier and earlier each day. She slept last night from 9:30 to about 9:00 this morning (we had to wake her) and didn't wake up at all through the night. We are seeing that she might have a little temper. She is walking very well but always wants to hold my finger. She will go up steps but is afraid to go down steps. She is still eating great! I think she has gained a little weight since we've had her. She is a very busy little girl when she plays. She loves all her toys. We've started teaching her sign language and today for the first time she signed "more" when she wanted more water! She did it more than once. It was so exciting to see that! We have a little genius! :-) Overall she is a happy little girl. There are times, especially in the morning, when she is a bit more serious and cries. This may be when she is missing the orphanage and possibly grieving. It's hard to see her like this but there really isn't much we can do but to try to console her. It gets a little better each day.

She is a perfect fit for our family. It's already getting hard to remember what life was like with our her. God knew, since the beginning of time, that she would be part of our family. I am looking so forward to being her mama for the rest of her life! I feel blessed beyond my imagination.

Mollie is napping right now. We are thinking we will meet the Roeske's at the pool a little later today. The girls both seem to enjoy the pool.

~ Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. Psalm 105: 1-2

Love,

David, Barb & Mollie

More Pictures

2008-06-17T02:19:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more pictures. As you can see she loved the pool! Grace you have a pool buddy!

Our First Happy Meal!

2008-06-17T00:05:00.000-07:00

Today was a very relaxing day ~ no paperwork or appointments! We had another wonderful breakfast this morning with the Roeske's at the hotel breakfast buffet. It is very good, lots of American food along with Chinese as well. Mollie is a big eater. She had scrambled eggs, watermelon, banana, cereal and apple juice. She sat in the high chair for the first time and did well. She really enjoys trying feeding herself.

After breakfast, we met our guide, Michael, and the Roeske's in the lobby for some site seeing. We first went to Baotu Springs Park. Jinan is known as the "City of Springs". The park was very beautiful, lots of flowers and foliage. The buildings there were very traditional looking, almost a thousand years old. There were lots of water falls and springs. The water was very clear, lots of fish. (Nathan, we found something there for you that is really cool!)

When we left the park we walked across the street (anytime you cross the streets here you take your life into your own hands!) to the Square. This is a beautiful area in the center of everything. Again, lots of beautiful flowers. This is where they have big fountains with lights at night with music. This is where we are going tonight after dinner. One area had underground shopping with a McDonald's. We decided that the girls should have their first Happy Meal together. Normally I don't care for McDonald's but it really tasted good! Mollie absolutely loved her cheeseburger and fries, especially the ketchup! (just like Grace!)

Michael, our guide, has been wonderful. He lives in Guangzhou and is almost 22. His father and aunt are also guides. He has a little sister, 2 years old, that his parents adopted a year ago. He has been very accommodating. We have enjoyed meeting him. He is taking us to an authentic Chinese restaurant tonight.

We are thinking that we will take Mollie to the pool now for a little while. We aren't sure how she will like it, but we will see. Each day she opens up a little bit more and reveals a little more of her personality to us. She is laughing more and is so much fun to be around. We put a dvd in our laptop of christian songs of kids and she loved it! (thanks Terri). She said BaBa (Daddy) for the first time and danced to music she heard on tv. David gave her chocolate today for the first time (M&M's) and she loved them!

Thanks to everyone who is helping with our kids while we are away. We appreciate it soooo much :-)

Andrew, Emily, Nathan & Grace ~ we miss you all and can't wait to get home. We can't wait for you to meet your baby sister!

We go to the orphanage on Thursday and get to see Mollie's finding place.

Love,
David, Barb & LuLu (Mollie)

~ We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His Purpose. Romans 8:28

Smiles and Giggles!

2008-06-15T22:39:00.000-07:00

We had a kind of rough night last night. Mollie was up a lot coughing but really never cried. She was up early this morning, about 6am. That's when she started her crying. It was kind of like we starting all over again from yesterday. This morning we had to go to the civil affairs office and the local police station. It was kind of hectic and Mollie didn't do real well. She was hot and tired and needed a nap. We got back to the hotel around 12 noon and we fed her some bananas (she loved them), a bottle and some carrots. She is a very good eater! After that she was a happy little camper! Almost like a different little girl. She is actually giggling now. She is very ticklish. We brought a beach ball and blew it up. She loves it. I showed her a picture of a beach ball in one of her books and she actually said "ball" 3 times! She is already speaking english! :-)

Emily has requested lots moe pictures. So here they are. Lots of smiles and giggles!

We will try to write more later today.

David, Barb & LuLu

Rejoice in th Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice. Philppians 4:4

More Pictures!

2008-06-15T08:41:00.000-07:00

My computer wouldn't let me send more than 5 pictures with the previous post, so I thought I would send a few more. Did I mention that we are madly in love with her? :-)

Introducing ~ Our Sweet Little Princess

2008-06-15T06:33:00.000-07:00

Today was the day that we have waited for. It will be exactly 8 months tomorrow that we first saw Mollie's picture. This day has been an absolute blessing from above. She is the sweetest little thing. The director of the orphanage and the nanny arrived at the hotel at about 9:50 this morning. I first saw her right outside the door as they were coming in the hotel. I knew right away it was her. She did not want to have anything to do with me or David. I first tried talking to her and gave her some candy. I was dying to hold her, but didn't want to push her. After about 10 minutes or so, the director of the orphanage just put her in my arms. She was not a happy camper! We soon decided to take her up to our room, thinking it would help if she couldn't see the nannies. She cried almost non stop for about 2 hours. She always let us hold her and console her and she never tried to push away. This was a good sign. We could tell that she had bonded with the nanny. It was obvious that the nannies loved her very much.

Now, about our princess. She has a little bit of a cold, but no fever. Just a little cough. The director brought medicine for her cough. She also gave us all the gifts we sent to her. There were blankets, a doll, a sleeper (that's 2 sizes too big) and the disposable camera we sent for them to take pictures. She loves all of her toys we brought ~ the books and cups. And she especially likes the doll that Grace picked out for her! She hasn't said a word yet but we think we saw her first little smile that lasted about 2 seconds (long enough to make mommy cry!) Developmentally, she seems almost on target for her age. Her fine motor skills are very good. She loves to turn the pages in her books. She loves to hold our finger to walk. David just gave her a bottle and she is looking pretty sleepy! She hasn't slept since we've had her. So we are hoping for a good nights rest for all of us!

She is about the size we thought she was going to be. She is about 30 inches tall and weighs about 20 pounds. All the clothes we brought for her will fit just fine. She's a little more plump than Grace was at this age. On the other hand, her feet are big. The shoes we brought are too small. But we can get her some here. We've already had her out shopping and she loves it. (a must in our family!) Oh, and she has already pooped and peed (probably not something you wanted to know) but that is a good sign that everything is working! She had her first bath and got all lotioned up. And she wore her first bow today and left it in! She ate very well today and loves her bottle! (great for bonding!) Well, I could go on and on about her! She is absolutely precious!

Today was also Father's Day. We celebrated this evening with KFC. Mollie (or I should say LuLu ~ that is what she was called in the orphanage and what we will call her for a while) gave her Daddy a sweet little book all about daddies for Father's Day. The kids snuck cards that they made for both of us in the suitcases. Thank you for them. We loved them and we can't wait to get back home. We have the best kids!

Yes, some people may think we are crazy ~ doing bottles and diapers again at the age of 45 but we LOVE it! God has truly poured out His blessings on us today and we are overwhelmed with great joy! This isn't about what we are doing but what he has done for us!

Andrew, Emily, Nathan & Grace ~ We love you all and will be home in 12 days!

Thanks to Mom, Pam & Glen, Terri, Gina, Tammy & Gary (my technical support)! We couldn't be here without your help with the kids and all of your support!

Love,

David, Barb & LuLu (Mollie)

~ Every good and perect gift is from above, coming down from the Father James 1:17

Oh, by the way we got our luggage today!!!!

We made it to Jinan ~ but our luggage didn't!

2008-06-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

Our plane landed in Jinan around 6:45pm. All of our flights were very comfortable and smooth. God gave me the peace and calm that I needed. We met with Michael, our guide, and then went to go get our luggage. We could not find it and were told it could possibly still be in Louisville. We filled out paperwork before leaving the airport. To make a long story short, the airport called and said they found it. It is in Beijing and we should have it tomorrow (Sunday). Let's hope and pray! There is no way that I could replace everything that I would need here in China. I have no formula, diapers or any of our clothes, medications (well I don't have much of anything). We will go to a local grocery for anything we might need for her until we get our luggage. Right now that just doesn't seem to matter. We're getting our daughter tomorrow!!!!!

Well on to the good stuff! We found out tonight that we will get Mollie at 9:30 in the morning!!!!! That is literally 6 hours away! We are so excited and God is so good!!!! I still can't believe that we are that close to holding our daughter.

After getting checked in to the hotel, we met Ralf and Carol, the other family adopting. They too will meet their daughter in the morning. We had dinner with them and Michael tonight at Pizza Hut. They are a very sweet couple and seem like lots of fun.

I have not slept much at all in the past 2 days and can't sleep now! I am way too excited. As I type, David is snoring away! ZZZZZZ He can always sleep!

Andrew, Emily, Nathan & Grace ~ we love you all very much! We will be home before you know it. I will post pictures of your new baby sister as soon as I can. Hang in there!

Well, I better go for now and try to get at least a couple hours asleep! When I write next, I'll be a mom to 5!

David & Barb

~ Do not wory about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. And God's peace, which is so great that we can not understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

Hold on baby girl Mommy and Daddy are coming!!!!

2008-06-08T20:43:00.000-07:00

We leave in little over 4 days for China! Our long wait is almost over and we will soon be holding Mollie in our arms. We leave on Friday and get to Jinan on Saturday evening. Sunday, Father's Day, we will meet our daughter for the first time! We are busy with a lot of last minute packing and organizing. These last couple of weeks have just flown by! We will try to update this site everyday with pictures and a little bit about what we did that day.

We ask that you please pray for safe travel and also that Mollie will begin bonding with us soon after we get her. We know that God is beginning to prepare her little heart for all the changes that she is about to experience. We both know with all of our hearts that she is our daughter and that this is God's will for our family. We look forward to our trip and bringing her home to her new family. I can't begin to imagine all the joy and blessings that God will show us!

~...joyful and glad in heart for all the good things the Lord has done... 1Kings 8:66

Our Little Princess Celebrates Her 2nd Birthday!

2008-05-05T16:27:00.000-07:00

Mollie celebrated her 2nd birthady on April 28. We wish we could've been there with her but unfortunately we have just a little longer to wait. So we sent her a birthday cake to help her celebrate with all her little friends! She was "Princess for the Day". She looks as though she enjoyed her little party (and the cake too). The director took pictures of her special day and they emailed them to us today. What a wonderful surprise! We LOVE getting new pictures of her!

They also sent updated info on her size. She is growing!!! She is 30.25 inches tall and she now weighs about 22 pounds (probably with all her many layers of clothes on). I'm thinking she is probably wearing somewhere between 12 and 18 months size clothing. She seems to be about the same size that Grace was at that age.

More good news . . . We got a call from the adoption agency on Thursday morning. They had just received our LOA (Letter of Acceptance). I was shocked! This was the document we have been waiting for! I really wasn't expecting it for at least 2 or 3 more weeks. Our agency can now request travel approval. We are thinking we will probably travel in mid-June. It won't be long now and she will soon be in our arms!

God has worked all this out for us. His timing is perfect! We look so forward to finally meeting this new little member of our family that God has chosen for us. We know that He has been watching over her since the day she was born. Please pray that God will begin preparing her heart for all that is about to happen in her little world. It will be very difficult for her at first, but we know that this was God's will and that she was meant to be a part of our family.

~ For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; Psalm 91:11

We have new pictures of our daughter!

2008-02-20T09:30:00.000-08:00

We have wonderful news! We are officially DTC (dossier to China)! Our dossier left our adoption agency's office on Monday for China! Now the wait begins. I am so relieved that ALL the paperwork is complete and it is now out of our hands. The hardest part of the whole process now is the wait.

Just this morning we received new pictures of Mollie. Thanks to the Campf family, who is in Jinan getting their sweet daughter right now. We are so thankful to them. They visited the orphanage with their new daughter and were able to get pictures of Mollie for us. It was nice to see her playing with the other kids. There is one picture of her crying. They said they thought she was afraid of the camera. There were several other waiting families that they took pictures for as well. In their email, they said that they were able to hold each of the children and told them that their Mommy and Daddy were coming soon.

God is so good! He knows how much we need these pictures of Mollie! It helps so much with the wait for her. She is so precious to us!

~ Like cold water to a weary soul, is good news from a distant land. ~ Proverbs 25:25

We Have Our I171H ! ! !

2008-01-20T18:12:00.000-08:00

We finally received our I171H in the mail this past Tuesday from the immigration office. It is the very last document that now completes our paperchase :-) !!! My sister and I took all my documents this past Wednesday to be county and state certified. I then over-nighted them to my adoption agency. All that is left is for them to be authenticated in Washington DC!!! Then they are off to China. We are hoping that our dossier will leave the states the end of January or very beginning of February. That will be our DTC date (dossier to China). We will then wait to here from China to get our LID (logged in date). May is getting closer! We are counting down the months. Please pray that Mollie is safe and healthy.

~ "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:22

May you be safe and sleep soundly through the night.
May you be safe as you wake to the morning's light.
May you feel our love from so far away.
May it comfort and protect you throughout each day.

We will pray for you my little one,
Until our time of waiting is done.
We will pray that the Lord keeps you safe from harm,
Until the child of our hearts becomes the child in our arms.

Mollie's First Christmas Present

2007-12-21T14:32:00.000-08:00

Mollie received her first Christmas present from us about two weeks ago. We sent her some new, warm pajamas, a soft blanket, a doll, a disposable camera and some candy for the nannies. There is a very sweet woman in China, Ann, that we ordered all this through. She gets it all together and sends it to the orphanage for us. She also requested updated photos of Mollie for us. It helps knowing that next Christmas she will be home with us!

God is growing our family...again!

2007-12-17T05:42:00.000-08:00

God has again placed a desire in our hearts to grow our family through adoption. Yes, we thought our family was probably complete, (or David did anyway!) but God had other plans for us. We are now in the process of adopting our 5th child (our second daughter born in China). His plans are so much better than ours. We first saw her picture and referral on 10/16/07 on Madison Adoption Associates list of waiting children. We knew then that she was our daughter. Her name is Fu Ping Lu and she is 19 months old. She is living in Jinan, China at the Jinan SWI. We will name her Mollie PingLu Lawson. The last 2 months we have been paperchasing. Our dossier is almost complete and we will be sending it off to China very soon.

~ "God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us."

~ Ephesians 3:20 (The Message)