Cali is kissing!

Cali is officially kissing us...Lily got the first kiss-what a blessing to see them together. Lily has had a couple of melt downs but considering she is 3, flown half way around the world, eating new foods, strange beds to sleep in, lots of new and strange noises, smells and people, and is running a low fever, well I can say that we have all had a melt down and Lily is more than entitled to have hers. But they are few and quickly over. Today Lily asked, "So who gave me to you?" I answered "Jesus gave you to me" Lily said, "Oh, yeah, just like Cali" Yes, my sweet Lily only our Jesus could have given you and Cali to me. Some one told me on this trip, "Children are the spares that God sends down to us"
This trip has been a lot less exhausting for me then our last trip to China. The province of Fujian was beautiful and a treasure to explore. We did not do the typical touring that we did the first time. Since we were the only family in Fujian we just walked around and I tried to memorize the city. We are in GZ this week. I have fallen in love with the city. The architecture is beautiful. Years ago it was home to many foreign consulates. It reminds me of Charleston, SC.
Tomorrow we will take Cali to the official health clinic visit. All should go fine. Have I mentioned that Cali's palate is CLOSED. We have looked and looked and there is NO opening. No evidence of surgery, except on her lip. She confidently sucks through a straw and can sing sweet songs. No open palate...thank you God for your small and large miracles in this journey.
We are with a few other families now that we are in GZ. They are all lovely. Some of the children are having a harder time adjusting then others but all have made great strides already. Trust and Obey...

Xiamen City SWI-9/4/2008

This is a photo outside of the orphanage.

Do you like our car seats? Don't worry it was only a four hour drive, each way. And yes, the traffic here is not too bad and oh so safe, just kidding. The drivers are crazy!

Mommmy's have got to love this one...

What more can I say. Cali continues to amaze us. She says bye-bye and waves. She says mei-mei, xia-xia She eats like crazy. She must have gained at least a pound. So far Lily has gotten the real kisses. I found a plastic toy duck for sale that I saw in the play room at the orphanage so I bought one. If you can believe it was $7 US dollars. It is plastic and not what would I have normally bought but Cali really remembered it when I gave it to her. Although she was in foster care, she was brought back to the orphanage for "school" everyday. I was kind of skeptical when they told me that until I actually went and saw it for myself. They gave me things that Cali had made, what a priceless treasure! Visit to the orphanage $600 round trip, Cali's treasures-priceless! The program is sponsored by Future Hope. I will try to contact them when we get back to the states. I really feel like we made some incredible contacts and we got to say thank you to them. Again, priceless!

Some scenes from China

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Visit to Xiamen City SWI

I can not post too long but I did want to tell all the families waiting to pick up their little ones, we did get visit the orphanage. It was an incredible experience. To quote my husband, "It was the high light of both of our trips to China" Tamera, I did find out your little one is in foster care. Jeanie, I did get photos of Charis. I asked if she was walking yet, they said no. I also got photos of the second little girl in your email. I will try to email you them privately when I get back to Fuzhou. Please pray for all the children there and their care takers. They are incredible people. I will post more later, honestly I have to get my thoughts together, I am a little over whelmed. I just knew some of the moms waiting wanted an update.

Visiting Xiamen

We are waiting in our hotel room to go and visit Cali's orphanage in the city of Xiamen (pronounced Shamen) It was about a 4 hour drive from the capital of the province. We will stay here one night then drive back to Fuzhou and complete the Chinese side of Cali's paperwork. We will get her Chinese passport which will allow us to bring her into the US. When we touch ground in the US she becomes a US citizen! Cali continues to do well. She does have moments of crying but is easily satisfied by one of us, food or a diaper change. She is quite the mimic. What ever we do, she tries to copy. She is a funny kid...go figure!