Talking with Adam and Megan...

It turns out it was phone call, not a Skype video call. It was WONDERFUL to hear their voices. They kept asking when we were coming for them. We were told that they were "fighting" over the phone since it wasn't a speakerphone. We had a translator but we did hear them speaking some English. I asked what their favorite colors were and we heard Megan say, "BLUE"! So sweet! It was hard to distinguish which child was talking over the computer speaker.
Abby wasn't shy about talking but Emily didn't talk to them, she was very shy. Brian was having too much fun making friends with the translator's wife! (If you know Brian, that is just "typical Brian".)

I did use some of my Chinese phrases to talk to Megan and Adam and I think it went over well. I tried them out on the translator while we were waiting to make the call and he said that I did well.

What a wonderful end to the day!

Beth

Video call!

We get to Skype with Megan and Adam tonight! At 9:00 pm our time it will be 9:00 am tomorrow morning for Adam and Megan. Please keep us in your prayers and please pray especially for Adam and Megan. We are excited and a bit nervous, I am sure they will be nervous and scared as well.

Beth

Prayer requests

I thought I'd update everyone on our prayer requests.

Our number 1 prayer request is for Megan and Adam to have a peace about the adoption. They are preparing to leave their country, their comfort food, their friends, their caregivers, their language, their culture and everything they know. They will travel with people who don't look like them, talk like them or do things like them. They are being asked to learn to like new foods, learn a new language and learn to live in an entirely different culture. They are probably terrified and they only have each other to rely on. They don't truly understand what a family is or why they need a family. We have been sending letters to Megan and Adam but I know that is not enough to reassure them. We just emailed our adoption agency to ask if we can do a video call with Megan and Adam. We don't know if it will be approved (the orphanage director has to approve it) but we think that this will hopefully ease some of the fear that Adam and Megan must be experiencing.

Our second prayer request is for Emily and Brian. They will be staying at home with my (Beth) parents. Emily is already getting upset about our travel. She has been crying and upset. Brian doesn't seem bothered yet, but he is 4 and it probably isn't "real" to him yet. Emily is such a sensitive child that I know this is going to be very hard on her.

Our third prayer request is for the funds to travel. I really don't know how much it will cost but I am sure it is ALOT!

Our fourth prayer request is for our Travel Approval. We are still waiting for it. We have no idea when it will arrive but nothing can be done until it arrives. Please pray for it's quick arrival.

I think that's all for now. Thank you for your continued prayer support.


Beth

I made up a Chinese song!

Hmmm, I was playing around with some of the chinese phrases I know (I've learned about 50) and I made up two songs (to the tune of "Go to Sleep, go to sleep...") One is a "lullaby" and one is a "I love you" song. Pretty cool!

We are still waiting for our Travel Approval, after that we are pretty much good to go and wait to get put with a travel group! Please pray for a quick Travel Approval.

Thanks.

Beth

A letter! A Letter!!!

We got a letter from Megan!! The woman who sent Megan's birthday cake to her forwarded a letter from Megan. She wrote it on her birthday and it was so sweet! She wished Mark a happy birthday and wished that she had a gift for him. She also wished Abby happy birthday and sent a lovely message to her. She told me that she hopes to be with me on my next birthday (Sept 21). She hopes to tell me "I love you" on my birthday. She thanked us for the cake and books we sent to her.

Her letter was sweet and kind and caring. Our whole family is thankful for this brief contact with Megan. Here is a photo of the letter.

Beth

The mysterious Article 5!!

Our Article 5 has been issued from China....but I don't really know what that means. The Article 5 is one more step in the process and this means that our Travel Approval could be issued within a few weeks! After that, we could be traveling within a month!!! Yes, I know everyone is now checking their callendars for possible dates...it could be sometime in August or we could still be looking at Sept.

Exciting news!!!

We continue to pray that God will provide the finances to travel to China. We do not know where it will come from but we are trying to trust. Our "humanness" wants to worry...



Have a great weekend everyone!!

Beth

My "baby" is four!

Today is Brian's birthday and he is now FOUR!! Here are some things about Brian..... Our little man is a sweet loving little guy. He is funny and silly. He gets SO excited when Daddy gets home! Brian loves sterotypical "boy things": cars, tools, sports, and annoying his sisters! :smile:

Brian is so excited to add a brother and another sister to our family...he loves to look at their photos and tell people who they are.

Lord, thank you for giving Brian to us, he is such a wonderful son and brother.

Beth