Day One in Kunming

It feels so incredibly good to be here. Yesterday and-a-half-was really long. By the third leg, it felt almost torturous, but I have to say that we had some comical moments in between.  About an hour into our Beijing flight, the flight attendant says over the intercom, "James Murphy please ring your call button."  Our reaction was priceless. I just kept staring at the light panel on the ceiling of the plane waving my arm around in a lame attempt to find that elusive button. Jimmy looked like he'd seen a ghost, and we were both in a near-panic. Couldn't imagine why they needed him, and our hearts were pounding. The mystery was solved when the flight attendant walked toward him with a tray. We'd forgotten that he'd ordered a special meal when we purchased our tickets a month ago, and then we had changed our seats at the ticket counter in Detroit. As he says now, he thought they were going to send him out of the plane in a parachute for some reason. I think it must've been funnier than it actually sounds, but we were hysterical over it.

When we finally landed in Kunming last night, we were seriously done. Apparently more than a few people on the plane were done, too, because a man who Jimmy describes as "a Chinese mountain man" bolted up to the front of the plane before we were completely stopped at the gate. When the male flight attendant chased after him, he hit the ground and balled up into fetal position as if that were going to make it all okay and allow  him remain at the front of the plane. No such luck. They escorted him back to his seat. Again, we were in tears at the craziness of it all. Jet lag does that to a person!

Unfortunately, there were three exits out of baggage claim at Kunming Airport (one of the most beautiful airports we've ever seen), so it took us a while to find our guide. We were so relieved when we finally found him after pushing our cart around for ten minutes. Thankfully, this isn't our first rodeo, so we weren't terribly freaked out, just tired.

We rolled in around 11:00 and took showers once we got to the room. The two of us smelled like a couple of goats...actually worse. I think we might've even offended a goat, if that's possible. Those showers totally gave us what we needed to relax, along with some melatonin and by around midnight we hit the pillows. We managed to get a decent night's sleep and woke up feeling very refreshed. We really wanted to Facetime the kids at 7:00 a.m., which we did, and then we went down to the breakfast buffet. It was awesome. I'm not sure we've ever had a bad one on our China trips, actually!  

When we went back up to the room I put together the gifts for the orphanage children and workers. I also spread out all of the things we brought for Joseph. Do you think we have enough stuff for him??

There is a beautiful park across the street. We were told by our guide that Kunming means "Eternal Spring," and it is unique because the center of the city has a lake and the city is surrounded by mountains. It really is gorgeous. The Chinese culture is so neat. The park was filled with groups of people singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments. There is a little amusement-type park there, too! We know a little someone who will be on those rides this week!

 

 

After the park, we decided that it would be a good idea to scope out our church for tomorrow, so we ventured out and found Trinity Christian Church nearby. They have a 10:00 service that is half English, so we'll definitely go. We then walked about five miles checking out all the shops, convenience stores, and everything in between. It was a fun and active day. 

We agree that we are so glad we came in two days early. As the day has progressed, we are both fading fast. We attempted to go for an authentic Chinese meal for dinner, but ended up walking out of three places (embarrassing) because we just couldn't make a decision, LOL. We decided that it was not the night, and that an authentic meal might be much more enjoyable when our guide is around to help us order! There are not many English speaking people in the city, but they are very kind and they really do try. We ended up in the hotel lobby restaurant and ordered a club sandwich and pizza. The waitress, at one point, asked Jimmy if he wanted another beer, and he replied, "Si."  As she walked away, he looked at me in a daze and asked, "Did I just say Si??"  LOL...we were laughing hysterically again. Now we are back in the room relaxing. We know that we need another good night of sleep so we can be rested and ready to receive our son on Monday!!! Jimmy and I are so drawn to all of the little kids here.  We can't wait to meet ours!

This Day.

First things first...please join me in prayer for all of the heroes who gave their lives for us on 9/11/01. May God bless their souls, and may angels protect those who they left behind. We will remember them on this day and always.

I almost can't believe this day is here. As we sit in a fairly empty airport terminal (we arrived nice and early), it feels surreal to be sitting here waiting to fly across the world, once more, for the love of a child. I love, love, love, building our family this way...God knew, long before Jim and I knew, that He had these plans for us, and these plans for His precious children. We are so very blessed by the gifts He has given us.

I would be remiss if I looked back on what's culminated in the past year and a half and didn't acknowledge you.

You who prayed for us.

You who donated money for our adoption.

You who supported our decision.

You who donated your personal treasures for our fundraisers.

You who helped at our garage sales.

You who helped with our paperwork, wrote reference letters, notarized, delivered.
You who reviewed medical records and gave medical advice.

You who continually encouraged us along the way.

You who sends emails, texts, messages to let us know you are with us.

You who fill in the gaps while we're away.

We wouldn't be here if not for you.

Do you have any earthly notion how much that means to us? That you all have voluntarily become the hands and feet of our Lord to get us here? How do we possibly thank each and every one of you for your acts of grace and kindness?

If you know me at all, you know that I'm using up half of my tissue supply right now. Shoot, I needed those for the next hundred hours on airplanes!  Oh well. Suffice it to say, these tears of joy are dedicated to you. We are blessed by your love; we are blessed by your open hearts.

Thank you for being on this journey with us. Thank you for sharing in the miracle of adoption. For it truly is a miracle.

We'll see you soon.

Love,

Lisa, Jim & Joseph

The Range...

It's a "been there, done that" feeling.  An incredibly vast range of emotions comes back to me, yet again, as our adoption journey comes before us.

Excitement, mingled with nervousness, tangled up with joy and hope, and occasionally...some fear creeps in.

It's all expected, isn't it? I mean, what we're doing--traveling across the world to face the unknown--doesn't that in itself deserve a multitude of human emotions? And this adoption might just be the most difficult we've experienced. We are leaving our children for two weeks...that alone had me in a puddle of tears yesterday. And I must acknowledge Joseph's age. This sweet child--though he will be instantly welcomed into our family and unconditionally loved, he is leaving everything he knows behind.  

Everything.

The other day, in the silence of a drive up north ten miles, I caught a small stretch of bumpy road on I-95. The sound was soothingly familiar: buh bump, buh bump, buh bump; the monotonous, yet relaxing, beat of rubber hitting uneven pavement.

My mind was instantly taken back to my childhood and our family vacation road trips to Florida. I distinctly recognized that sound from the many times I'd fallen asleep on our car rides. I remembered how I felt as, as a child, when I was awakened in a startle from that shifting of the road. But then, I'd remember where I was and whom I was with, and I knew that all was well. I felt safe and peaceful again.

Although a small and simplistic (that's me) analogy, this journey is much the same, and as I recently traveled the highway, I reflected on the similarities...

There are times in the road of the adoption process that the path becomes bumpy and uneven, we can feel somewhat uncertain, and we sometimes wake to reality in somewhat of a panic when we hit those bumps.

But then we remember where we are, and whom we are with on the journey. And we feel safe and peaceful again.

Every bump in the road (and mixed emotion) stretches us, and prompts us--more than ever--to prayerfully lean on God's sovereignty. I think that's one of the reasons that I love the adoption process so much...it has strengthened our faith in such unimaginable ways. It's the intense feeling of knowing that you can travel this unknown path, with all the range of emotions it brings, and trust that we are safe in the arms of our Lord and Savior. May He be glorified, bumps and all.

Next week at this time, we will have another little boy in our family to love. And that thought, my friends, just brings a whole lotta joy.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. 

The Fun of Summer

While we didn't take any "big vacations" due to our upcoming adoption journey, we enjoyed the simplicities of summer. As the season winds down, these are some of the things I want Madi and Charlie to remember about our summer:

Making new friends
Sleepovers with besties
Bible Camp at St. Vincent's

Endless play dates with friends

Swimming and more swimming

Baton camp at St. Vincent's
Science camp at the library

Art camp at the library
Hula Surf camp 

Our overnight trip to New Smyrna Beach
La Bamba and sleepovers with Bubba and Grandpa

Helping Bubba and Grandpa move to their new home
Walking to Barwick Park with Ruby and the kids
Minecraft, minecraft, and more minecraft

Sleeping with mommy and daddy
Charlie's first time on ice skates
Fun at "Little waters" Water Park
The kiddie pool in the backyard

Staying up late for movie nights

Celebrating Daddy's birthday

Birthday parties with friends 

Turning bedrooms into forts

Coconut Cove Water Park

Lunch at Chick-Fil-A
A Barrel O Monkeys
Rapids Water Park
Making up dance routines and skits
Our mommy/daughter trip to the mall
And last, but most certainly not least...

Preparing for a brother to come home. 

Can't you just see him in all the fun next year?

Fully funded.

I can hardly even believe I was just able to type that. Let me type it again....

Fully funded. 

Us. Joseph. 

This post is not to brag about our accomplishments (for they are not "ours") or to rub it in and make anyone feel bad who isn't there yet. If you know me at all, then you know my heart. This post is solely designed to encourage.  To give hope.

This post is for you--you know who you are--the one with the open heart who feels that tug to adopt a child, but feels the pressure of financial restraints and then pushes the idea away.

This post is especially for you.

Let me ask you a question...If you knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that your adoption expenses would be completely covered, would you do it? 

Would you then allow yourself to be immeasurably blessed?

Months ago, I remember reading posts about families being "fully funded," and thinking, "that could never happen for us."  Yet, at the same time, I remember--this time last year--when our adoption journey began, promising my husband that God would show up for us. And boy did He.

HE DOES.

And He uses all of the people around us to do it. People that you'd never even dream would want to help you. God's good people will come out of the woodwork to help you. There are AMAZING grant organizations (Show Hope and JSC Foundation to name a couple), too. His provision is everywhere.

You just can't be afraid to lean on it.

Please, oh please, friends whose hearts yearn to love the least of these through adoption, know that He does equip the called. Don't let money be the thing that holds you back from adoption. Ever. The treasures that await you on the other side are far too worth it.

He does provide. I promise He will. And I would be honored to help you...to coach you...to guide you...to pray for you...to walk you through it all.

I feel so blessed to be taking this leap again. I feel so blessed period.

And I want you to feel that blessed, too.

Joseph Updates!

As we've waited for various approvals in this adoption process--and now as we anxiously await travel approval--we've become quite curious about our son. So we recently compiled a whole bunch of questions, which Holt condensed into a great little list for us, and submitted to China.

A few days ago, when I returned home from a beach play date with Charlie, we were surprised by an email update from our agency with all of our questions answered! Along with three gorgeous pictures of Joseph, smiling in all of them (and even being goofy in one of them), we also learned some other things that make us feel like he is God's perfect little fit for our family! So heartwarming! These are some of the things we learned...we are so excited to meet our son!

He likes his bath. 

He likes to drink milk. He also likes fruit and candy. 

He likes to play with toys. 

His favorite color is red. 

He likes to watch cartoons and read cartoon books.

There is nothing that scares him.

He doesn’t need anything to help him fall asleep but just lies on the bed by himself. He sleeps in his own small bed and sleeps with lights off. 

He is closest to his caregivers.

He likes to be held and to be close, which is the way to comfort him.

According to the updated measurements, he is three inches shorter than Charlie and about seven pounds lighter! 

His nickname, as we suspected, is “Xiao Xiao" which was Madi's nickname in China, too!

 

 

When I'm five...

The other night at dinner, Charlie began to volunteer random details about what's going to happen when he turns five. I don't think he quite realizes that this is happening in only two months!

Anyway, after his list began to get longer, Madi shouted, "Mommy!  You need to write this down so he will remember what he said!"  She, too, knew that his good intentions might be bigger than he can grasp.

It started like this.

"When I five, I'm guzzin to be patient." (side note: he meant "going to"...I would've corrected him, but I was way too interested to hear what he had to say.)

"Oh really," I replied. "What else are you going to do when you turn five?"

"I guzzin to eat lettuce."

"And I'm guzzing to eat green light foods and drinks."

"And I won't hit myself." (sigh)

"And I guzzin to help!"

"I'm guzzin to vacuum da house."

"I guzzin to say peeze and thank you."

"I guzzin to pull people's chairs out for dem."

"And I'm not guzzin to suck my fingers."

(That's the point at which Madi instinctively knew this conversation must be properly documented.)

"And I not guzzin to ask why."

Whoa. What?

I instantly remembered that, earlier in the week, he and his best buddy had a little argument. Basically, his best friend was sent into a tailspin of tears because Charlie was relentlessly asking him "why?" I completely understand how that could happen...especially when two almost-five year olds are involved. It obviously affected Charlie to the point that he figured he shouldn't ask the question why anymore.

Mama put a quick stop to that thought.

"But Charlie," I explained, "We want you to ask why. Because when you ask why, that means your little brain is thinking. We don't ever want you to stop asking why! Ever!"

I could almost feel his intense relief.  So we scratched that one off the list.

"And I not guzzin to ask why."

..."I'm guzzin to be patient."

He ended with the same one he started with. At least he's consistent.

So there it is. All documented here on our bloggy blog. We will be sure to bring this post to his attention on or after September 16th whenever necessary. Especially when those two middle fingers gravitate to his mouth like magnets. If he delivers on the patience thing, that would be a bonus of ginormous proportions.