The Story of Ping

Well I am trying to find something positive to write about today as far as our adoption journey goes but beware I am scraping the bottom here since I thought months ago that we would either be home from China or be in China by the 4th of July. Well it is July 2nd and on the positive I am at a beautiful beach with our incredible family and we are together the only problem is we are missing one in our puzzle. When I take our usual beach photos a part of me knows there is a face missing. Cali's sweet face is in China therefore my photos are incomplete. Have you read "The Story of Ping"? It is now one of our night time favorites. Perhaps if I can get on one of those boats I can end up in China to find my missing duckling. God is so good and I know he is holding her gently but I too would love to be holding her with Him.

I am so thankful to see some of the special people that are in Cali's life right now. I think these will be really special photos when Cali is older and wants to know some of her history.

Well as our wait continues, we did get updated photos of our cutie pie! I love the one of her pouting, she will fit in fine with her sisters. I spoke to Erin at our agency and I have got to say she has the patience of a saint. I think I am driving her crazy with "just one more question" She is going on a well deserved vacation next week. One of the pictures that we got of Cali she is looking at the photo album of our family that we sent her. I am assuming the man in the photo is her foster father. Interesting pictures of Cali's two families some what together. This may be closest we get in meeting her foster family. How thankful I am to them for loving Cali. God is so good.

36 weeks pregnant-sort of

When I was about 16 years old my mother told me "you can not be sort of pregnant" that was her "talk". Well here I sit "sort of pregnant". I am about 36 weeks along,just waiting to "go into labor". Some of my bags are packed and I am having contractions but the timing is not quite perfect. But I am indeed pregnant-sort of...

Travel in God's timing

I spoke to our adoption agency today. I know they will call me when they have our dates but I call them every once in a while I guess just to talk to some one who understands my emotions. Let's face it I am emotional as I was in my third trimester of pregnancy but I do not have a big stomach so people must think I am crazy some times.
Ten Top reasons travel in August or even September (not July like I hoped)
1.Peter can play his golf tournaments
2.Peter and Greg can go on their trip.
3.Tylar will attend college orientation.
4.Maybe gas prices will go down so air fares will go down.
5.If the summer is over air fares may be lower.
6.Olympics will be over.
7.The heat in Xiamen, China won't be as scorching.
8.Tylar did not miss graduation or state soccer tournament
9.Peter did not miss state golf tournament.
10.God is control...
OK I am trying to see the good in not traveling right now but I have to admit I HATE waiting. Whining is done for now...

Prayer request

If we receive our LOA (letter of acceptance) and TA (travel approval) in the next couple of weeks there is still a chance that we can travel to bring Cali home before the 2008 Olympics arrive in China. We did receive a letter (the brown envelope) from the American Embassy in China that they have received all of our documents! Please pray that if it is God's will that we can get the necessary papers so we can bring Cali home in July. At this point everything has been approved and we are just waiting...

Good night Lily and Cali

Well after a very busy two weeks we are trying to get back to some kind of a bed time schedule with Lily. Last night she did not want to go to bed and after she had exhausted all of her usual excuses of why she can not go to bed, she said through her tears "I can not go to bed because Cali is crying in China because she has a boo boo and she needs you Mommy" Well I could not agree with Lily more except right now it is me who has a boo boo on my heart and when Cali is in my arms it will be healed.

Maria Sue Chapman

Dear Friends,
Today is a very sad day. Steven Curtis Chapman, incredible Christian musician, man of God and most of all a father to his six children, three who have been adopted from China, and his family are now enduring a family tragedy that as parents we all can relate to. His son was driving the family car and struck their 5 year old daughter on their drive way. She was air lifted to the hospital and died. I can not imagine the pain of their family, especially their son. Please keep them in your prayers.

What a week May 11-17,2008

I have not posted lately because well we are in the "waiting pattern" for Cali.  It is one of those hurry up and wait.  This week I have got to say when I think back at the week it was I will be exhausted just with the memory so I thought right now with Lily asleep I am going to journal while I am still in this week.  Am I making any sense?  Probally not but just go with me on the week in review.  I apologize in advance for the wandering I may do in this entry.  

On Monday Peter's school golf team made it into the NC state finals.  Greg and I drove to Fayetteville on Monday to watch and back again on Tuesday w/ Greyson and Lily to watch the final round and CCS cruised into victory, the 1st state championship for Cary Christian School.Way to go young men on your golfing and on your sportsmenship  though out the season.    Lily had to practice being as quiet as a mouse on the golf course.  Directly from the golf championship we drove back to Cary to watch the CCS varsity women's soccer team compete for their place in the state finals-they won,  Tylar is so happy!

On our way to the golf course on Monday we heard radio reports of the earthquake in China.  Well for most Americans China is a far off land but for me I am a mom with a daughter in that far off land.  The reports were ofcourse sketchy so I tried to continue with my day.  As the reports continue to trickle in, they became worse and worse.  Finally I did get word that the epicenter was indeed far from Cali but very close to Lily's birth place.  They say there may be 50,000 dead.  Many were children were at  school since it hit during the day... When I taught in California we had earthquake drills and because I was part of the science dept., we were assigned to morgue duty in the case of a deadly earthquake.  Who can imagine the fears of the children and their parents desperatly trying to find, for the most part, their only child in the ruins.  I can not bear to imagine the pain.  As I reflect now just a few days later I feel so far from Cali.  I know I am busy with my other children but wow when something like this hits- don't you want your children right under foot...safe with their mom.  I have also thought more about Lily's brthparents, where are they, are they in danger...could they be one of the dead.  It is heart breaking.  I will be forever tied to that far off land and her family that I will probally never know...

  Wednesday I picked up some last minute items for Tylar's graduation-balloons,flowers, shoes and outfits for the other girls.

Thursday-Tylar graduates, my 1st to graduate high school. She looked beautiful. Please God protect and hold her close as she enters a new season in her life.   Graduation was a wonderful event, some of these kids I have know since pre-school.  They are a great group of kids.  It will be exciting to see what GOD has planned for them.. I pray that they can rest in the fact that GOD does have a plan for them.  We got the kids to bed by 11 pm , a bit late fro a school night.  

Friday the younger kids went to school for 1/2 day and we were on our way to the semi=finals for Tylar's soccer team.  They won so we will go back on the road tomorrow for the finals.

Then Saturday-Saturday the senior class is going to the beach house for a week.  Lily and I will be joining them.

As I sit and reflect for just a minute, I still am having a hard time grasping all that has happened in this short week, just a pin dot in time.  In our family so much has happened to be joyful and thankful for- achievements, graduations, Cali's safety but yet in the bigger picture a huge part of my heart is sad and missing my daughter in China and sad for all those suffering today as I sit in this comfortable chair at my computer.  I am thankful, so thankful.  As a believer in The ONE and Only Lord Jesus Christ I can take shelter in knowing that whether I am joyous or saddened that HE is all powerful and faithful and HE is holding me in His arms and holding Cali in that far off land.