Gobble Gobble

This Thanksgiving we came, we saw, we ate!  It was good!!

We started off the holiday weekend by getting ice cream at a local fav.  It was delish--yum yum ;)

Then it was time to get our turkey on (at least most of us!).

After eating ourselves silly, J and I snuck out to walk on the beach.  it was cooold but nice to have a little mini-date.

On Sunday we helped man a booth at church to promote adoption and orphan awareness, since November is the "official" month to draw attention to it.  We are part of a small organization that helps support families who are going through the adoption process.

When you say "yes" to God and get out of his way, amazing things happen!

Gotcha Day 2016

We've gone from this

to this

8 years ago this loving, smart, strong, stubborn girl met us in a hotel meeting room, across the world in China.  We were instantly head-over-heels in love with her!!  We still are ;)

As we do each year, the girls put on their silks and we headed down to AsiaTown for dinner to celebrate becoming a forever family.

The Noodle's Gotcha Day generally falls right around the Mid-Autumn Moon festival.  When we were in China, we were the only family who actually was able to meet their daughter on the pre-determined date.  Everyone else had to wait an extra day because of the holiday, but in our province (Fujian) they were willing to move forward with the adoption without waiting.

One the night we were there, there were many families and college students eating out and celebrating so that made it even more fun!

 This is the look when you're about to eat some serious yummy food.  Bring it!

An empty plate but a full heart--I'd like to think she's swooning over how she feels so blessed.  In reality, she's expressing her love for all things noodle, dumpling and rice related.  Ha ha!!

 And then there's this one--ready to dig into plate #2!

 Sometimes you  just need your mama to feed you baby-bird style.

I am forever grateful that God brought this girl into our lives.  She is a blessing and it is an honor to be her parents!  

3 years ago...

...we had just gotten home from the hospital, due to the Noodle's broken wrist, when I received the call for our little Mei Mei.

She was living in Wuzhou, Guangxi, in a foster home, completely oblivious that on the other side of the world, a family was crying tears of joy that they finally had their little sister.

She's every bit as sweet as those initial referral pictures, but twice as sassy!  She loves to talk and has quite mastered the art of the photo pose (i.e. hand on her hip!).  Ha!

Mei Mei is fiercely loyal, especially to "my big sister, C" and knows how to dig her heels in when she feels the need.

She keeps us on our toes and we wouldn't have it any other way!  Happy 3rd referral day Mei Mei!

8 years ago...

8 years ago, J and I were here

doing this

and then, in one phone call, our world totally changed.

Fast forward 8 years,

and we have this sweet, silly, stubborn, smart, WONDERFUL girl

that we are blessed to call our daughter.

"He has made everything beautiful in it's time"--Ecclesiastes3:11

2nd Gotcha Day Anniversary

Oh Mei Mei!  2 years ago we met you at the Civil Affairs office in Nanning, Guangxi, China.  You were clutching onto a piece of candy the nannies had given you.  It was one of the few things you took with you from your old life into your new life.

You were hesitant to meet us at first, but then you got caught up in everything.  It wasn't until we arrived back at the hotel that you seemed to realize things were drastically different than normal.

By that time the tears came but thankfully your sister jumped in with the great idea to entertain you with a balloon.  After cuddles, reassurance and a little dinner, you were better.  The shock didn't set in until a few days later but we were ready to love on you no matter what.

Fast forward two years and look at you!  Still the same bubbly little personality, eager to give a smile and to laugh.  You bring such joy to everyone who meets you!

Two years!  On the one hand it seems as if you've always been a part of our family.  On the other hand, I can't believe that two years ago you were living in China and had no idea who we were or what life was like in America.  

That's the thing about adoption.  While it is beautiful, it is born out of loss.  Loss of a birthmother/birthfather/birthfamily, loss of a culture and/or country, loss of "what might have been", loss period. That is no small thing to be looked over.  The amazing thing is that God takes the loss and sadness and the ashes and He turns it into something we could never imagine.  Something that is infinitely beyond our wildest dreams.

God's BIG plan for all of our lives was that we'd be a family.  Today is a reason to celebrate and to proclaim that you are our's and we are your's--forever!!

"Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west."--Isaiah 43:5