Last night we had the privilege of Skyping with Evan's Chinese foster family and his beloved, Mei-mei. This was something I have wanted to set up for months, but just wasn't sure, and it didn't seem like a priority.
It should have been.
Nearly everyday, Evan asks to see his Mei-mei, Polly. She too is at New Day. She is a sweet little 3yo girl. Her special need is that she has Downs. Of course, Evan doesn't see that...he sees Mei-mei and how she was 'fearfully and wonderfully made."
The time was set.... 8pm here, 9am in Beijing. Evan was poised and ready! He'd been ready and waiting all day. Quite patiently, I should add.
At 8pm, we dialed China. How exciting! New Day answered, and there was Mei-mei and his foster mom. Polly didn't seem like she had any idea of what was going on, but Evan's foster mom was thrilled to tears to see him. It had been way too long. She talked to him, only knowing Mandarin. We think he understood everything he said, but did not talk back in Mandarin. I know he can (will have to blog about that sometime...very funny!) but I think he was so overwhelmed he couldn't think straight.
Stating that his foster mom was thrilled to see him is an understatement. He sang to her. In fact, he sang his three very favorite songs, "The B-I-B-L-E" "Jesus Loves Me" and the theme song from Elmo's World. She had no idea what he was saying, but she and Polly clapped when he was finished. The translator asked us some questions the foster mom wanted to know. The most heartbreaking was about how he did after they handed him off to us. This is where a letter to her, or a Skype conversation set up earlier would have been nice. All that time, she was wondering how he's been, and didn't have to. Stink. I think she knew in her heart he'd be fine. They prepared him very well for us, and I'm sure New Day let her know he was fine.
Still, she was visibly reassured to see his animated little self, and to know he did fine after we took him. She liked hearing that he prays for them nightly and that he has a special book of pictures of them that he treasures.
So, we chatted for about a half hour. It was hard for her to say 'good-bye' but it won't ever be a final good-bye if we can help it.
Evan really enjoyed his time to see them. He really as adjusted so well. What a super blessing that we can do this with his foster family in China. So many...well, the majority of families that adopt from China never know who took care of their little ones. They never get to connect with them. And..these foster families (if the child was so blessed as to have one!) never get to see the other end of adoption. I'm so glad that Evan's family did! They know he is a regular, wild, little 4 year old boy...doing just fine. :0)
Now doesn't that just bless your blesser?
Showing posts with label adoption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adoption. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Bake Sale Believer...take 2!
There were so many blessings about the bake sale, I just couldn't fit them all in one post...unless you coffee drinkers had a pot brewing to keep you awake.
I already mentioned the weather...rained all night, and at times in the morning...but cleared shortly after the sale started. The weather was beautiful to say the very least.
My friends. I'm pretty sure none of them reads this blog, so I'll go ahead and brag on them a bit.
Misty and Alicia baked for DAYS. Seriously. To me that would be sheer torture, but they enjoy it. However all of us with small children know that it's pretty hard to indulge yourself in a favorite past time for any length of time...like more than 5 seconds. I should interject here, and note that ALL of the ladies who bakes have small children, some homes school, some have 5 kids, some both. Misty, by the way was just diagnosed with Bells Palsy. She had to schedule her baking around the shock treatments she receives on her face.
I'll just mention a few people. Let's start with Tiffany. Remember a post back in May about a friend going to China for stem cells? OK, that's her. She has a two year old and then 3 year old Dillon who is 24/7 nursing care. He has cp and is a quadriplegic. She made all the white chocolate covered pretzels. Those were a HUGE hit. The young boys with green spray painted hair especially enjoyed them. They kept coming back until the pretzels were gone. Bless their little green selves.
Jamie...Jamie has 5 kids under the age of 5. Need I say more?
Jill...Jill is nearly 6 months pregnant, has a 4 year old, and works full time. She went home on Friday night, baked cookies, then took them to Misty's house. Pregnant, and Friday after a full work week? Not sure I'd be able to move, let alone bake then drive it to the next little town over.
Lauren...Lauren has 5 kids, ages 7 and under. The youngest is crawling and nursing. Does she count as two kids?! Double trouble?! Her kids ARE really great though. Lauren made ice cream cone cupcakes and bagged them all in very pretty cellophane bags. They were a huge hit. She made each one different then the next. Martha Stewart had better hold on to her baby blue button up oxford blouse, that's all I haveta say!
Though there were quite a few other ladies, I'll end with Kari. Kari is my home school mentor. She is a "real" teacher who left the job to home school and raise her 4 kids. I know how long it takes ME to homes school ONE kid....she's got three. The last two have horrendous food allergies. Milk, eggs, shellfish, PB, soy...you name it. She made the mack-daddy of all cupcakes, decorating them as scarecrows. I know the day she made them, because she went to the grocery store with all the kids and they were acting up, and falling out of carts and having asthma attacks. The 4 year old ended up in the immediate care clinic with a possible cracked rib later that night. What a lovely day for her.
Now what on earth did I do to deserve such a gift in these girls?
I can say with a great amount of certainty, absolutely nothing. (Just like the gift of salvation) And, not one of them holds a payback account. Of course, I do, and am hoping I can pay it forward to another Sister of mine someday. Maybe one who is adopting, or one who is expecting, or one going through a rough time, only God knows.
Hey, if you are wondering how you can find friends, REAL friends...sisters? Go to church, get to know God, and He'll give you some real hum-dingers for friends.
I already mentioned the weather...rained all night, and at times in the morning...but cleared shortly after the sale started. The weather was beautiful to say the very least.
My friends. I'm pretty sure none of them reads this blog, so I'll go ahead and brag on them a bit.
Misty and Alicia baked for DAYS. Seriously. To me that would be sheer torture, but they enjoy it. However all of us with small children know that it's pretty hard to indulge yourself in a favorite past time for any length of time...like more than 5 seconds. I should interject here, and note that ALL of the ladies who bakes have small children, some homes school, some have 5 kids, some both. Misty, by the way was just diagnosed with Bells Palsy. She had to schedule her baking around the shock treatments she receives on her face.
I'll just mention a few people. Let's start with Tiffany. Remember a post back in May about a friend going to China for stem cells? OK, that's her. She has a two year old and then 3 year old Dillon who is 24/7 nursing care. He has cp and is a quadriplegic. She made all the white chocolate covered pretzels. Those were a HUGE hit. The young boys with green spray painted hair especially enjoyed them. They kept coming back until the pretzels were gone. Bless their little green selves.
Jamie...Jamie has 5 kids under the age of 5. Need I say more?
Jill...Jill is nearly 6 months pregnant, has a 4 year old, and works full time. She went home on Friday night, baked cookies, then took them to Misty's house. Pregnant, and Friday after a full work week? Not sure I'd be able to move, let alone bake then drive it to the next little town over.
Lauren...Lauren has 5 kids, ages 7 and under. The youngest is crawling and nursing. Does she count as two kids?! Double trouble?! Her kids ARE really great though. Lauren made ice cream cone cupcakes and bagged them all in very pretty cellophane bags. They were a huge hit. She made each one different then the next. Martha Stewart had better hold on to her baby blue button up oxford blouse, that's all I haveta say!
Though there were quite a few other ladies, I'll end with Kari. Kari is my home school mentor. She is a "real" teacher who left the job to home school and raise her 4 kids. I know how long it takes ME to homes school ONE kid....she's got three. The last two have horrendous food allergies. Milk, eggs, shellfish, PB, soy...you name it. She made the mack-daddy of all cupcakes, decorating them as scarecrows. I know the day she made them, because she went to the grocery store with all the kids and they were acting up, and falling out of carts and having asthma attacks. The 4 year old ended up in the immediate care clinic with a possible cracked rib later that night. What a lovely day for her.
Now what on earth did I do to deserve such a gift in these girls?
I can say with a great amount of certainty, absolutely nothing. (Just like the gift of salvation) And, not one of them holds a payback account. Of course, I do, and am hoping I can pay it forward to another Sister of mine someday. Maybe one who is adopting, or one who is expecting, or one going through a rough time, only God knows.
Hey, if you are wondering how you can find friends, REAL friends...sisters? Go to church, get to know God, and He'll give you some real hum-dingers for friends.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Bake Sale Believer
I am blessed with some really wonderful friends. Today they all rallied around, some baking for several days...for our family and Evan. One of these amazing friends is Misty. For some time she has been itching to do a bake sale...and today was that day. Misty was in all her glory. Oh, yes, she is the queen of the bake sale!
It was the Music and Market festival today in town. This festival is a community gathering, so it was a perfect setting for some churchy baked goods. Now, I have to admit. She has been asking for quite some time to organize a bake sale, and all I could see is someone chocking on a hunk of chocolate chip, and suing or someone getting food poisoning. Perhaps it's just me being lazy. Either way, today was an absolutely PERFECT day for this. She coordinated all of the baked goods, which were made by ladies in our Sunday School class. She arranged with her neighbor to get a premium spot for our table in front of her store front, AND she asked another friend of ours to make a bake sale board.
Grace did such an amazing job with the boards. Apparently she was an art major in pre-children days! (You mean we women really do have lives before the children arrive?!)
The forecast called for rain, but ahhh, I know the 'weatherman' personally. It rained some overnight, and a tad bit in the morning. The clouds broke by 11, and of course the Son shone through! We knew He would. The coordinator of the community even waived our table fee. The first 'customer' gave 20.00 yet didn't buy a thing.
Many people asked all about Evan. He was the subject of the day, the man of the hour. They wanted to know how we could possibly "get a boy" from China, what are his special needs, how we found him, and his age. No one asked why we were adopting. Today reminded me of what a privilege it is that our family has been chosen, called to be the parents of Evan. Not just anyone, but him.
God is good, and blessed us today. We raised 425.00!! (who would have thought on a bake sale?!?! Well, OK, Misty did!) Not only in raising some cold hard adoption cash, but in connecting with others in a bit of a 'red thread' way. Misty think we even entertained an angel!
It was the Music and Market festival today in town. This festival is a community gathering, so it was a perfect setting for some churchy baked goods. Now, I have to admit. She has been asking for quite some time to organize a bake sale, and all I could see is someone chocking on a hunk of chocolate chip, and suing or someone getting food poisoning. Perhaps it's just me being lazy. Either way, today was an absolutely PERFECT day for this. She coordinated all of the baked goods, which were made by ladies in our Sunday School class. She arranged with her neighbor to get a premium spot for our table in front of her store front, AND she asked another friend of ours to make a bake sale board.
Grace did such an amazing job with the boards. Apparently she was an art major in pre-children days! (You mean we women really do have lives before the children arrive?!)
The forecast called for rain, but ahhh, I know the 'weatherman' personally. It rained some overnight, and a tad bit in the morning. The clouds broke by 11, and of course the Son shone through! We knew He would. The coordinator of the community even waived our table fee. The first 'customer' gave 20.00 yet didn't buy a thing.
Many people asked all about Evan. He was the subject of the day, the man of the hour. They wanted to know how we could possibly "get a boy" from China, what are his special needs, how we found him, and his age. No one asked why we were adopting. Today reminded me of what a privilege it is that our family has been chosen, called to be the parents of Evan. Not just anyone, but him.
God is good, and blessed us today. We raised 425.00!! (who would have thought on a bake sale?!?! Well, OK, Misty did!) Not only in raising some cold hard adoption cash, but in connecting with others in a bit of a 'red thread' way. Misty think we even entertained an angel!
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