Shoes and bags and purses, oh my!

The other afternoon, the Noodle decided that she wanted to play shoe store.  Of course Mei Mei was only too eager to join in, especially if the Noodle was leading it!  The shoes and the shoe boxes started coming out from my closet (always more fun playing in Mama's shoes, right?!).  Then out came the purses.  At one point in time, the Noodle looked at me and said "Don't worry, I promise I will put it all back."  She knows me well!  Ha!!

Not surprising, the Noodle was the shoe store owner and Mei Mei was the shopper.  My role?  Chief facilitator and tension reliever (especially when Mei Mei had the nerve to go off on to her own tangent with the play).  It was sweet to see the C.N. help her try on shoes and suggest different options and for them just to interact and engage together.  Slowly but surely things are getting smoother.

In all honesty, I think I have J's aunt out in Cally to blame thank for the shoe interest.  A few weeks ago, a package came in the mail for Mei Mei and in it was a brand new pair of sparkle, light up shoes and some frilly socks. Grandma was here to get in some extra snuggle time and to help her try them on.  They were both thrilled!!

Why China?

***Our church has been asking people to write "their story" where faith is concerned so that they can be published in the weekly bulletin.  Our's was featured today:

 My family is what is known as a “conspicuous” family.   We stand out a bit—not in a bad way, but in a way that usually makes people’s gaze soften and smile a little bigger and then stare a little longer after we’ve gone past.  You see my husband and I have two daughters who were born in China.  We’ve gotten used to the looks, but often I can see the questioning look in their eyes…Why adoption?  Why China?  The answer is easy—because that was the Lord’s plan for us.  That was also his plan for C and C.  Jeremiah 29:11 clearly reminds us that “I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future”.

The path leading to the adoption of our daughters wasn’t a mistake, or a “Plan B” or even a lucky coincidence.  It was all God-ordained and God led.  That doesn’t mean that there weren’t hills and valleys along the way (primarily due to our own stubbornness), but when we finally got out of God’s way and allowed him to soften our hearts to his will, beauty unfolded.  In Isaiah 55:8-9 we read, for “this plan of mine is not what you would work out, neither are my thoughts the same as yours!  For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours, and my thoughts than yours.”  Isn’t it wonderful that we serve a God who has such infinitely better plans for us than we could ever dare to imagine?  It is humbling and awe-inspiring at the same time.

The four of us have just gotten home from China, bringing Mei Mei (little sister in Mandarin) home.  There have been ups and downs but throughout it all, God has been reigning supremely.  We continue to hold on to his promise that he “will go before us and follow us.  [He] will place his hand of blessing on our head”—Psalm 139:5 .

Perhaps God is calling you to step out into the unknown.  Could it be that he has laid adoption on your heart?  Maybe he is just asking you to step aside so that he can work his big plan in your life.  Whatever it is, listen, trust and obey.  You won’t regret it!  And now when my little family walks past, you may still gaze at us with a soften look in your eye, but you’ll know a little more about the “whys” behind us.  

Daddy's Helper

The Dumpling loves to help Daddy around the house just like her older sister does, so it seems.  J had started renovating our kitchen before Christmas (we'll do before/after pictures soon, hopefully).  Then the Noodle's birthday came up as did the holidays and things got put on hold.  Once the calendar flipped to the New Year, work came on fast and strong and then we got the news that we'd be traveling, so............the kitchen remained unfinished.

Thankfully he was able to stop and a good point, but today, with work on the back burner, it was a good opportunity to tie up a few loose ends.  The Noodle had a packed day with choir practice for their upcoming musical Oh Jonah in the morning and then a pool birthday party in the afternoon, so she was MIA.  I was playing taxi driver, so that meant Mei Mei and Daddy had most of the day to themselves to play and putter. The only time I think they stopped was when it was time for Mei Mei's nap.  Whew!

Two of my favorite baristas!

...the third was still in bed sleeping ;) 

Pretty much the first thing J does in the morning is make coffee...the other day he had a little helper.  Nothing says good mornin' like a fresh cup of coffee.  Ahhhh

Photo Dump...

Major photo dump going on here.  We've tried to take advantage of the warmer temperatures before the snow/cold hit again, causing another snow day...yow-za!

The Human Pincushion

 Poor Mei Mei.  She has officially become the human pincushion!  We had our appointment with international adoption doctor on Monday where she received four shots and Wednesday she had to go have blood drawn so they could look for titers, lead levels, etc., etc., etc.  Eight vials.  Ohhhh, my sweet little girl!!!

Hopefully the bloodwork will come back showing that the immunizations that she received in China were at the correct dosages, that she has the necessary antibodies and that everything is as it should be.  I'm not holding my breath, however.  She'll probably have to get poked a few more times.  Ugh.  Such is the reality of international adoption.

Our hospital holds a cleft clinic on the third Thursday of each month, so we're scheduled to go there on the 20th.  She'll see an ENT, audiologist, SLP, plastic surgeon, orthodontist and a pediatrician.  There may be a few more specialist thrown in for good measure...I can't remember from when the Noodle went. It makes for a looong morning, but at least they keep you moving and in one appointment, you see a bevy of specialist.

Finally, she goes for a speech eval on the 26th.  March is definitely proving to be a month filled with doctors appointments.

Introducing...our family of 4

After two fascinating weeks in China, we've returned to the good ol' U.S. of A.  There were three who left, but four who came back.

I'm still finishing up a few posts on our travel blog, here so you can see how the re-entry is going.  In short, some good, some bad, some ugly--kinda like life!!  At least all of our body clocks have (mostly) readjusted to Eastern Standard Time.  Never underestimate the power of sleep!!