HOME!!!

Isaac Kehua Spitler is HOME!!!!!!

Chicken heads and McDonalds

So if a 14 year old and a 15 year old eat at McDonalds in China and then the 14 year old goes on to eat a chicken head for supper, why does the 15 year old get food poisoning?  Just asking...

Nathan is feeling better but very weak.  Jon is a little sick but not bad.  Apparently food poisoning from McD's is the culprit.  We are packed and leave for the airport at 630 Thursday morning China time, fly Shanghai, Newark, Charlotte, arriving at 11 Thursday night CLT time!

Thanks for praying

Its 9:30 on Wednesday morning.  Nathan just got a shot.  Our group has one doctor and 2 nurses.  One of the nurses had brought some stuff for just this type of thing.  She gave Nathan a shot and some follow up pills and sent him back to bed.  I don't think I have seen him this sick before!  I thank God that the medicines were here and available.

Would you pray?

It's the middle of the night - 2:00 a.m. - and Nathan is violently ill and has been for several hours.

Oath Ceremony

We are off the to the Oath Taking Ceremony at the US Consulate.  It is an incredible time when the room is filled with adopting families from our group and others.  We are all holding our babies and taking an oath before the Consulate official to be Fathers and Mothers to these children.  It reminds me of what heaven must be like when the Father looks towards his children and claims them as his own - never to be apart from them again - a true forever family.

Fellowship?

During our shopping excursion this afternoon, we met a couple of fellow followers of the Son of the Father.  A husband and wife couple own a small shop and sell some verses carved in wood in both Chinese and English.  They also sell copies of The Book - We purchased one - I have a felling it is not quite legal to distribute the book.  They closed the shop door to complete the transaction.  Their joy was written across their faces.  What a privilege for us to get to spend some time with them.

Skype!

Jon just got to skype with his classroom at Marvin Ridge Middle School!  The internet has been up and down a lot and we were praying the skpye thing would actually happen as planned and it did!

Rain anyone?

Yes it is raining in Guangzhou but apparently that is common in April and May.  Still, we are somewhat weary of the hotel room so we are leaving to go do some sightseeing with a couple of umbrellas! The internet has been up and down in the hotel which has hampered communication.  It is up for now but who knows what the future holds.  Our group has discovered that if you type the wrong words, your connection suddenly goes away and the your post might not have gone through.  Words that have anything to do with activities of the first day of the week or the one we pr-y to...

Thanks for Pr-ying for us!

Guangzhou and Motherhood

We haven't written since ???  Thursday?  So Friday was spent watching the rain fall outside our hotel room window and watching the clock with the other eye.  We checked out after lunch, went to the police station to pick up Isaac's passport and headed to the airport where we watched the clock for about 3 more hours before our plane arrived.  Isaac fell in love with the planes as they took off.  The boy can make some awesome truck and plane noises!  Our flight was late so we got to our hotel in Guangzhou and checked in about midnight Friday (noon Friday in Charlotte).  It had been a very long day!  Isaac fell asleep on the plane, Abby fell asleep in the van ride from airport to hotel so we carried two sleeping children into the lobby.  ...they didn't have a room for us :( .   Long day got a little longer.  We slept in a small suite that night with Abby, Nathan and Jon on cots butted up against each other.  We knew it was just for one night and tried to smile and learn.  The hotel did move us to two rooms later Saturday!  :)

Saturday started early with breakfast at 8 and a bus ride to the International Medical Clinic at 9.  All children being adopted have to go through a medical checkup.  Some, who are under Hague regulation, have to also get their vaccinations updated before they can leave the country or before the U.S. will give them the Visa for home.  Isaac fits that category.  He is a healthy 27 pounder, depending on the scales.  But he did have to get 4 shots.  Harrison got to hold him for those.  Poor little guy didn't scream but just cried really hard.  :(((  Later in the day he would grab his thigh where the shots had been and say Owwww.  He can also say Hi and Bye - and of course Momma and Isaac - which comes out more like Iaaa.

This afternoon we found a Pizza Hut!  So we had lunch there.... and then supper.  The kids have all been swimming and the little ones are in bed.  Nathan and Jon found the weight room and just returned.  It's Saturday night and we are all slowing down for some much needed rest.  Our hearts are in a bit of a struggle though because tomorrow is Sunday.  And even though we are in a city of a few million people, there isn't a church where we can go to worship.  I think there is one that is open to us but it is small in construction and the number of people is to large to get in.  My heart struggles as I am reminded at the apathy that even Christians regard church attendance in the U.S. and the way we treat it like a department store - we trade churches quicker than we trade socks and often prefer to just sleep in.  I fear that God will judge us for the way we treat his bride.

On another note, tomorrow is also Mother's Day!!!!  I have to say it to the world here - My wife is the most amazing mother I have ever had the privilege of being around.  Watching the way she is an instant mom to our new son while mothering Abby, Nathan and Jon and being concerned for Bek and Sarah back in Charlotte...  She truly amazes me.

Happy Mother's Day!

Stir Crazy

We are all a little stir crazy!  Our hotel is very nice but there are a lot of us in two small rooms.  We go for a lot of walks in the area. It's fun and we get some funny looks.  We went to one park and suddenly had a crowd of elementary school children running after us and practicing their english! It looked like something from an old musical.
We tried a local Chinese restaurant last night.  No one there spoke even a word of english and Nathan's Mandarin didn't cut it.  We ate a lot of good food, made a big mess, and caused quite a stir.  I think we paid the right amount...?  Of course we all woke up a little nauseous - HA!  There is no Chic-fil-et in Fuzhou.
It's Thursday night here and we are trying to figure out what to have for supper. Sandy and I are opting out of food for the evening - but we figure the kids should have some sort of something - any suggestions?
Tomorrow we pick up Isaac's passport and travel to Guangzhou for the remainder of our trip and paperwork.  The rest of our 19 family group will all converge on Guangzhou tomorrow as well.  Everyone's family has grown!  Pray everyone is adjusting well.
Need some pictures?

English?

Isaac now knows two words in english .... drum roll...  MOMMY and ISAAC!!!

And he is an unhappy camper when mommy leaves the room!

Waking up laughing

Isaac was so named in Genesis because his name meant laughter.  God kept his promise to give to Abraham and Sarah a son.  He is always faithful.  Isaac woke up early and happy.  His bed is next to ours and Isaac and Sandy spent much of the night with their fingers together.  That will make any kid wake up happy and laughing!

Pictures

"Why do you wish to adopt"

The Civil Affairs officer asked us why we wish to adopt when we have children of our own?  I gave an answer that has become a part of who we are as a family – “because we have room at our table.”  There is that and it is true but there is something more.  Isaac has been ours for only about 18 hours legally and yet already I can’t imagine him anywhere else.  It doesn’t seem that he has a “past” that does not include us.  I pray that God will cleanse his heart of any fears that remain from his early days and build upon the joys that Isaac has had. We can tell that the doctor and nannies from the orphanage really do love Isaac.  It has to be hard for them to let him go but they cared for him with the hope that one day he would have his own family. And now he does.  I pray Father that you will bless them and bring them great understanding of your peace and providence. Why have we adopted Isaac?  Because he is ours and we are his and it is as God has planned that it should be.

            Even now, Isaac Kehau is asleep for his afternoon nap.  He has been to the Civil Affairs office, the Notary office, Wal Mart, lunch at a Chinese Restaurant and a walk around the lake.  The food in Beijing was not that great but here it is awesome.  Isaac loves it and so do we all!  This afternoon we will go for a walk down the street and see what happens.  Everyone we have met in Fuzhou has been so kind. On Monday, as we waited in the Beijing airport for our flight to Fuzhou, we sat with several Chinese also going to Fuzhou.  Nathan is finishing up Mandarin 2 at Marvin Ridge High School and was able to put it to use.  The grandmothers and grandfathers wanted to play with Abby and even bought her some candy.  They carried on a conversation with Nathan about what we are doing.  Then a couple of teenage girls got into the conversation and either they were practicing their English or Nathan was practicing his Mandarin or perhaps some of both. 

            We will remain in Fuzhou until Friday afternoon for the paperwork to be completed.  That does leave us two free days.  Free in that no legal meetings are planned…  We will likely visit the Panda Zoo Wednesday and perhaps Putian on Thursday.  Putian is 2 hours away and is Isaac’s home town.  We will not be able to visit the orphanage because of the swine flu mess but could visit the area.

            In my time in the Word today, I read in Psalm 67 – “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth and your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise you O God, May all the peoples praise you.”  His way is the way of a selfless love and gracious adoption…I am not worthy of the privilege of being adopted by God nor of the privilege of being Isaac’s father.  Why would he adopt me when he has so many other children?  Why add one that will only bring him more trouble?  And yet he did adopt me as his own and he claims me in the heavens.  Why would I adopt Isaac?  Because I am adopted…I am a son and have a Heavenly Father… because Isaac deserves to be a son – he was created to be a son – just as I was created to be a son and a father… Isaac’s father. 

            My bride and my son are sleeping still.  Afternoon naps are wonderful.  I think I will give it a try!

Laughter

Isaac means "laughter" and Harrison felt this was what God wanted us to name our son.  The info about KeHua said he likes to laugh.  Well, there has been a lot of laughter in our hotel room yesterday afternoon and this morning.

Yesterday Isaac was very peaceful as he was put in my lap by the nanny.  She cried a bit, and he did too.  It was obvious he is very loved and well cared for.  The transition to me was miraculous.  The many prayers that have been lifted up were answered.  Thank you.  After brief sorrow, he looked at me expectantly then leaned against my chest.  When the meeting was over and everyone from the orphanage left, he began to cry.  I did too.  But we quickly got him distracted and came to our room.  He quietly observed his surroundings then began to play.

He is a very good tempered sweetie.  And a chunk!  They weren't exaggerating about 30 lbs!  He is solid.  Sweet expressive eyes and a ready grin or laugh.  Yesterday when we got back to the hotel room his siblings started doing handstands and tumbling for him and he cackled!  He began gently tackling Abby and laughing, playing catch with all of us.  He seems very content and delighted.  He has a beautiful laugh.  His voice is a little raspy which i'm not sure if from a cold or from the cleft palate.  But he is very expressive.

I've been giving the siblings "Isaac time" with one on one play time with him.  But mostly it's mommy day!  Time to go!
Blessings,
Sandy

Sweet Sleeper!

Isaac slept all night long!  He is loving his mommy and daddy and brothers and Abby!  He loves to wrestle and laugh and play "back and forth" with a ball.  Yes, he is walking and running!!!  We just realized our house is not nearly baby-proof enough!  He still takes a bottle, which Sandy is enjoying very much1
We are off to the Civil-Affairs office to receive our certificate of adoption!  There is so much to tell - we will get it all down this afternoon...

Is This REAL or Just A Dream?

That was Abby's question as we prepared to pick up Isaac Kehua.  It this real or just a dream?  It is real!  Our son is now sleeping contented in his mommy's arms.  Wow. We received Isaac Monday afternoon, May 3rd, did a little paperwork and took him to our room at the Lakeside Hotel in Fuzhou. He cried for a few seconds but that was it. He, as Jonathan put it, "is the baby BOSS."  WE took him to the restaurant and he ate noodles, and bananas and cheerios and anything else he could reach!  Isaac can stack the stacking cups upside down, he has a strong throwing arm, can kick the ball and he can laugh really well.

Sandy just lay him in his bed and he kept on sleeping.  It does seem like a dream but it is so very real.  Isaac has a forever family, a daddy and a mommy and sisters and brothers, and a home with a table that has more than enough room for him.

Pictures will come later.  Thank you all for praying.  The fervent prayers of a righteous one are very powerful and effective.
Grace,

Gottcha!!!

Today is Gottcha Day!  We have a 2 1/2 hour flight at 11:30 that will take us to our son's province, Fujian.  Shortly afterwards, they will put him in our arms.  Yippee!  We will be the only family from our group going to this location but we will have an English speaking guide.

We have be on the go since we got here.  There are 19 families in our group adopting children with all kinds of special needs from limb differences, heart issues, cleft lip/cleft palate, and older children.  We have really bonded with these other families, three of which have also brought their children along making 11 children in our group.

This weekend has been Labor Day and Oh My Goodness!!  Everyone is on holiday with a long weekend vacation from their work.  Going to Tianemen Square, The Forbidden City, The Summer Palace and then The Great Wall with a million people has been quite an experience.  When we came here in December 05 it was so cold we were freezing.  This time it has been beautiful, breezy and 80 degrees, but so crowded that it has been a bit warmer.  We did eat some ice cream at the Great Wall, Sarah!  :)  And Rebekah, Abby kept encouraging Daddy to keep going to the top of the Wall.  So the boys, Harrison and Abby, walked very far to the 3rd guard tower on the Wall. I made it a little past the 2nd one and then the heat, smell and crowd got to me.  I still had an amazing view.  While I was waiting for the others to come down, several people asked to take their picture with me.  There is a little blonde haired girl in our group and she has had people stand in a line to get a photo with her!  Amazing.

Everyone has been so kind to us.  Abby has gotten special attention everywhere she goes.  She has been such an amazing trooper enduring long bus rides, crowds and non stop schedule.  She finally bought a fan which she has wanted for years!  She is ecstatic about meeting Isaac today too and often sings little songs like "we are coming to get you, my little baby brother".  Very sweet.  This trip seems to have given her so much confidence.  I am delighted.  The boys are enjoying it too and Nathan has gotten to use a little Mandarin.

We'll send photos of our Gottcha day!
Much Love,
Sandy

We made it!

Wow...  We are checked into our hotel in Beijing a full 24 hours after we woke up yesterday.  It's Friday evening here and we are not sure whether to eat breakfast or supper.  Or sleeeeep!
Tomorrow will be spent observing some of the Chinese culture and getting our bodies adjusted to the 12 hour time difference.

VISA is in flight

VISA approved! America World Adoption picked it up at the airport in DC, took it straight to the Chinese Embassy and took it back to the airport where it was buckled into a seat bound for Charlotte! Praise God! China here we come!

An Invitation to Interruption

Adoption invites interruption. It really does. For those who have adopted, this is no new announcement! But I am really thinking of the other side of adoption. Although it is true that when we adopt children, we invite interruptions, I am thinking of the interruptions between God and man. Romans reminds us that we have been adopted by God. Now why would God willingly adopt someone he knows will be rebellious and whine about not getting their own way? But that is what he does! Adoption doesn’t begin with an idea that God is adopting the perfect person but that he loves the imperfect one that bears his image. His love for his adopted children is such that he willingly puts up with their interruptions. In fact, God loves interruptions. They are a part of relationship.

On the other side of that relationship, when people begin to believe God, they are also inviting God to interrupt them. It’s a new way to look at life with God. If you are a believer in Christ, then you have given God a standing invitation to interrupt you – at any time – in any area of your life – and without your approval. God responds to our interruptions with patience and pleasure that we are having a conversation with him. How do we respond to his interruptions? With faith?

On another topic – sort of – we are leaving Thursday morning for China to adopt Isaac Kehau. I don’t want to make little of the hard task of parenting but the beauty is larger than the difficult. We are given the privilege of parenting one made in the image of God. All of Isaac’s imperfections meet all of our imperfections and what do you get? Well, we don’t know the answer to that yet but our hope is for the grace of God to transform all of us by His constant interruptions!

VISAs and Prayer

So we got our passpoprts and visas back today!  All were in order except Harrison's.  The embassy only gave him a 3 month visa and it expired last week.  AWAA is jumping through hoops to get it renewed in one day.  It flies from CLT to DC, is driven to the embassy and hopefully processed, then driven back to the airport and flown as cargo to CLT Wednesday night.

The schedule is very tight for them to even consider it. And the fact that I am a pastor could be an issue. Please pray they approve the visa request and that it makes it back to us in CLT Wednesday night sooo that we can fly to get our son on Thursday.

TICKETS!!!

Don't you love tickets?  Not the ones you get from a Trooper but the kind you get from America World Adoption!  We have flight tickets and suddenly the energy around here just kicked it up several notches.

Nesting - again

We looked outside last evening and Sandy is rearranging the yard furniture and Little Tykes sand box and slides.  Then she re-stacked (really) the firewood for the firepit.  She began to re-stack lumber out by the storage shed.  Jon looked at me with a quizical gaze, "Dad, what's mom doing... and why?"  "Nesting my son, nesting."  He was quiet for a moment and then replied "but I thought the inside was her territory and the outside belonged to you."  Fatherly wisdom followed - "Don't go there my Son. Mom has rearranged and nested every room inside the house, some several times.  Every closet and cabinet has been purged, cleaned and organized - at least twice.  She has nested the front proch and the back porch - all that's left is the yard!"  "Dad, you suppose we should go help her?" 

With hesitation, together we strode in where no man had gone before...  Thankfully, by the time we got to Sandy at the very back of the yard all that remained was to install the mosquito zapper - just in case we get some of those nasty April mosquitos.  ;)

Time to stop nesting and start flying!

Travel at Last!

After a long wait, we finally have a TA!  We travel on April 29 and return on May 13. We will get Isaac on the evening of May 2 or morning of May 3. Soon we will hold him tight and he will have the adoption of a daddy and mommy. If you want to keep up with the travel you can 'follow' us by clicking on the follow button in the right column.
Please pray for Isaac - that he will be ready for his forever family, and for us - that we will be prepared in every way.  I am humbled that God would consider us worthy to adopt one of his children...created in his image.  Speechless

Hands of the World

Molasses

So we have gone from likely traveling in February to maybe in March and now to "early April."  Easter in China?  The process can get bogged down at this point.  The adoption has been approved but travel paperwork sits somewhere in a gov't office in China. 
We long to be there and then for Isaac Kehua to be here.

How Can a Casserole Say "I love You?"

I've thought many times recently about how many people already love Isaac KeHua Spitler and we haven't even seen him yet.  At our recent fundraiser, dear friends fought over casseroles, finally bidding a total of $400 for one King Ranch Chicken casserole!  Of course the money wasn't for the food but for Isaac.  How can we ever communicate that to him?  That so many people are praying for him, loving him and waiting expectantly for his homecoming!  Words cannot express it.  Only over time - maybe he can get an idea.  Abby is watching and learning more daily about how much we can love a child we haven't seen, how our hearts are heavy and longing for our waiting child, how God's love is bigger than life.
Go hug your loved ones!
Blessings,
Sandy

Not sure I like Chinese New Year anymore!

Chinese New Year celebrations go on for a couple of weeks.  Becasue of that, our TA (Travel Appointment) has been delayed.  We are told to expect to receive a TA at the end of next week at the earliest.  Bummer at best. 
So we have another opportunity to trust God and wait upon his timing.  ...and that's always a good thing.
Grace for the Journey,
Harrison

NEW PICTURES!

We received new pictures today of Isaac Ke Hua!  The are taken at the orphanage this morning.  He is healthy and weighs in at about 30 pounds!  Isaac KeHua is 19 months old now.

THREE WEEKS !!!

We are likely three weeks away from travel! Breath!  This has happened much quicker than anticipated.  That is a great and rare thing in today's world of internaitional adoption.  The hard part is that we are not ready financially.  We are still short about 15k.  Most of that will be due next week with the remaining 7k to go with us for orphanage fees.  If you want to help Bring Isaac HOME, we are more than thankful!

What can I do to help bring Isaac home?
Well the first and constant need is prayer for his safety and health.
Secondly, some have asked about giving financially to defray the cost. All gifts, both large and small, are needed! Bill Adams, a close friend and deacon at our church has agreed to collect any gifts and make sure they get to the proper account. His contact info is:
Bill Adams, 6131 Greystone Drive, Matthews, NC 28104 - 704-408-7477, bill.adams@us.festo.com

Leaning on the ONE who adopted me,
Harrison

Where in the world is Isaac KeHua!

The time is noon here in Charlotte, so that makes it midnight in Putian.  Isaac should be in bed right now, hopefully sleeping soundly.  His orphanage is in the city of Putian, a coastal city of 3 million people across the bay from Taiwan.  Putian is a busy harbor for exporting China's manufactured goods.  She is also a major shoe manufacturing city. 

Since Putian does not have an airport, we will actually fly into Beijng and then to Fuzhou.  Fuzhou has a population of 11 million and more importantly for us, an airport!  Fuzhou is about 70km north of Putian.  The orphanage will actually bring Isaac to us in Fuzhou.  We will remain there for about a week and then fly down to Guangzhou for a week of paperwork.  Guangzhou is a large city across the bay from Hong Kong and happens to have the US Embassy.  From there we fly to Hong Kong and home to Marvin, NC!

Of course all of this doesn't begin for a few weeks.  The man in me wants to plan the route  - the daddy in me wants to pick up my sleeping child and just rock for a while.

Remaining Needs

To date we have spent about $17,000 on adopting Isaac. Those fees covered agency fees, home study, physicals, background checks, dossier collection, certification, authentication and translation and visas but there is still alot left.  Remaining fees for Sandy and I to travel to China, adopt Isaac and bring him HOME are about $17,000.  Those include:
Orphanage fee $5000
In-country paperwork and other legal fees $2500
International travel about $3800
In-country transportation, lodging and other expenses about $6500.

Would you please pray with us for God's provision?  The time is short as we are expected to purchase flights and in-country travel and lodging probably in the next 2-3 weeks.  We are trusting that God will provide but we really don't have a clue how.

Crazy in Love!

Crazy? HA! Someone asked why we adopt a special needs child when we already have 5 other children... maybe we are crazy - crazy in love! check out this video of special needs adoption http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEbI6GgHm80
 

Will Isaac be HOME Soon???

Oh yes! He is getting closer. Our Visa applications are at the Chinese Embassy in Washington. Our adoption agency, AWAA, tells us that we might travel late February to China to pick him up and hug him into his forever family!

So what has to happen now? Sandy is upstairs packing Isaac's bright red suitcase with cute clothes, bottles, bibs, pull-ups and a few toys. We are waiting to receive a TA (travel appointment) from China through our agency. That will give us a firm date. Then we will book flights to Beijing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and back home to CLT as well as hotels and buses/taxis in-country - thankfully our agency will handle all of the booking! We do have to pay for all of that - bummer :( - and we are still short financially, we are confident that God will provide it all.

Isaac's bed is made, teddy bears are in place, bottles and cups are in the cabinets... all we need is Isaac and all Isaac needs is his family!

Soon? Oh Yes! Soon...

Paperwork in the Mail!

We just dropped off
I800 at FedEx - Petetion to declare Isaac a citizen upon his entering the USA!
DS230 - Application for Visa for Isaac
Travel documents to AWAA for flights and hotels for us...

This is getting very close!