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