Home

Finally we're home. We started the journey back at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, Birmingham time, and arrived about 24 hours later at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Eden did fantastic on the flights back. She got a little crazy on the four-hour leg from LA to Chicago, but otherwise was just fine. What an answer to prayer!

The welcome at the airport was extraordinary. Keri and I were really speechless. So many of our family and friends were there to greet us and we just didn't know what to say. Thank you so much to everyone who made our welcome back to Birmingham something we will remember for a lifetime. It meant so much that you cared enough to come out and give us a hug and a greeting. If you've never traveled such a great distance or been away from home for several weeks, you've no idea what a blessing that is.

Home--we were so excited to drive up to the house. Kelly Herndon (Keri's sister) and decorated it with balloons and flowers and a feather wreath on the door and it was so touching. There was food waiting and we visited a bit with family. Over the last day I was really reminded of all those letters Paul wrote where he said, "Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ..." I imagine believers in the early church received a welcome from one another when traveling much as we did--brothers and sisters reminding one another of the close bond in Christ they shared. Thank you, thank you, thank you again for being our friends and family!

Wednesday afternoon was a mix of sleep and play for Eden and mom and dad. We resorted to the Benedryl last night about about 2:00 a.m. to get Eden through the evening--in total she slept about 14 hours since we got home, but we think she's just about on Birmingham time.

This morning we got up early and Eden wasted no time in re-organizing her room a bit and trying out some of her toys. Our dog, Maggie, just sat close by and soaked it all in. Eden and Maggie are not quite fast friends yet, but Eden isn't scared of her and we can see that bond developing quickly. Behavioral experts have told us that pets can really help with bonding and the feeling of home for Eden.

One great thing about home that is immediately evident is the quiet. I mean, I don't think we actually experienced a truly quiet moment the entire time we were in China. Every meal, every activity, was a buzz of people, sights and sounds. To have Eden between mommy and daddy for breakfast today was great. She ate well and you could tell her concentration on what was in front of her was greatly improved.

We're going to have to break her of the whining, we think, and so we got some cries today when the word "no" was gently but firmly introduced into her vocabulary. Much of the behavioral teaching we knew would have to wait until we got home--adoption travel we were told would have us in "survival mode" while we were away from home and that was the truth. No more cookies on demand, little one. Sorry.

We have a few days of rest ahead and daddy has a little more childproofing to finish in the house. Also, the car seat has proved to be more complicated than originally anticipated. We put a man on the moon--c'mon people, can we not develop a reasonably simple car seat?

There's a Psalm we put on the wall of Eden's room that reads, "I will be exalted among the nations..." If this year has taught me anything, between our mission trip in March and the trip to China just completed, it is that all believers must be a part of this global mission. I'm not saying everyone must feed the poor in Venezuela or adopt from China, but we must all be "among the nations" if we are going to align ourselves with the command God has given us.

It has been 2,000 years since Christ commanded us to "make disciples of all nations." Yet only in the last 65 years has travel to just about any nation been inexpensive and easy. And only in the last 10 years has communication via the internet made linking up from China to Venezuela to Birmingham child's play. So to look at the possibilities before us, and know that God has placed us here at this time and place for His purpose, and given us the extraordinary tools before us to be involved in making disciples of the nations, how can we not participate? Moreso, how can we not see the great responsibility before us to steward these resources to make a difference for Christ in our lifetimes.

Eden has gone from no family to now having a mommy, a daddy, a home with a yard and toys and pets and peace and quiet, an education, medical care--all from the moment she left an orphanage worker's arms and entered ours. Is it reasonable for us to expect great things from her as our child? I think most parents would look at their own children and how they are providing for them and say, yes, we want a great life for them and we expect great things from them. What a picture of what our Father in Heaven expects from us, His adoptive children.

Our chief task with Eden from this moment is to be a picture of Christ to her in our relationship with one another and those around us. I pray we will be parents that will not only lead her toward Christ, but challenge her to be a disciple-maker among the nations in her own life as well.

Ready to Be Home

China has been outstanding, unbelievable, enjoyable, eye-opening, glorious, fantastic--adjectives, adjectives... there are just not words enough to describe this experience. To leave the USA as husband and wife and now to be a family of three and have this adorable, wonderful, precious little girl to call our own. Well, I'm glad we took pictures and video because my head is just too full right now to comprehend it all.

But people, we are so ready to be home. I think it really hit today that although this has been the experience of a lifetime, we have at this point absolutely no desire to stay in this hotel room one more minute. If it was just me and Keri I think we could get our second wind and dive into the local culture here in Guangzhou. But since last Monday little Eden has been our focus and it's just taken the wind out of our world-adventurer sails.

I want to be in a place where all my possessions are not in a backpack or suitcase. I want to not worry about my toothbrush getting squished against my razor and having little face hairs in it that I have to clean off before I brush my teeth. I want to actually use the faucet water in the bathroom instead of doing everything out of a bottle because the tap water smells so bad. I want my bed--the soft one with 3 pillows just for me. I want to eat by going to my own refrigerator versus deciding which Chinese restaurant we want to venture out to.

Most of all, I think Keri and I both want some quiet. Eden needs it too--just some simple routine in the day to keep all the distractions out. This whole city is just eye-candy all the time. I think after our Consulate appointment tomorrow we're gonna just walk from there straight to the airport. We just keep thinking, "If we can just get to the plane." If Eden throws a tantrum for 15 straight hours on the flight home it doesn't matter, we'll just keep saying "only 15 hours left, only 14 hours left!..." Can you tell we're ready to be HOME!?

Eden needs a schedule. Seriously. Today she was just a maniac. I was beginning to wonder if she was bi-polar. She just went and went and went all day. There was no stopping her. She had a morning nap, but our schedule this afternoon meant she skipped her afternoon rest time. Then we had a dinner cruise to go to this evening that our facilitators arranged and that ended at a little before 9:00 p.m. Late, late, late by Eden time. She got so far beyond tired that she just stayed wired until we got back to the hotel room. She just jumped up and down and wiggled and giggled and went INSANE for about 5 straight hours. She needs some quiet and some routine.

This is likely our last post until we arrive at home, so here's the answers to the questions folks have asked us by email. What we need at home are clothes for 12-18 months--Eden is much smaller than we were told and so most of the clothes we have are too large. The medical paperwork they gave us was incorrect and so we have to adjust. Diapers for a 21 pounder are also much appreciated. And any kind of food is great too. Honestly we're so frazzled from the travel and baby at this point I hope we can remember where our house is when we get there.

Keri and I and Eden will be arriving in Birmingham on Wednesday, August 1, at 10:26 AM on United Flight 7820 from Chicago. Keri and I plan to put Eden into seclusion for a while after we get back on the recommendation of our adoption agency and behavioral specialists so she can get settled in to a more normal life and get to know us a little better. So she will not be out in public for a while. If you wanna say "Hi" to Eden we hope you'll meet us at the airport, as that's likely the only time Eden will be "out" for at least a few weeks.

If our travel plans change drastically I will attempt to update them from the airport in LA or Chicago, but basically we're in the air for 21 hours plus a few layovers. In fact, let me apologize in advance for our appearance at the airport as Tuesday will be a 37-hour day for us. I may be a little sticky and stinky. Keri will look great, though--she always does. I just have this issue with ear hair--but I digress...

Thanks so much to everyone for all the emails while we've been away. They've been a great blessing and it's been a pleasure and honor to share this experience with you. One more night in the hotel... we can make it!

A Wonderful Day in China

Today we had a shopping excursion to the local mall. It was quite large. Eden did really good today and was cracking herself up all morning. She likes to move all the time. Either she was in the stroller movin' along or she wanted out to walk. Mommy or daddy holding her only held passing interest now, like if it got her closer to something she wanted to investigate. We bought some gifts for friends and had lunch at Pizza Hut. It's just like Pizza Hut in the USA, right down to the Supreme Pan Pizza we had. Of course, if you want pizza with corn and salmon they have that too.

After lunch we tried out Benedryl on Eden for her nap. We have a 15 hour plane ride in 2 days, and wanted to see if a small dose would help her sleep. It did and she had a great nap and two relieved parents. It seems we might indeed have some help if she has trouble sleeping on the plane.

The pics today are indicative of typical Eden happiness. She's just turning into a genuinely fun little girl and we just love her more and more and more every day. A week ago we could not yet imagine life with her, and of course today we cannot imagine life without her. What a blessing!

The highlight of the day, however, was meeting with some friends from the USA who are here in Guangzhou. It was good to see some familiar faces and talk a little about the adoption, the culture and what it's really like to live in China. Of course, we've only seen a small portion of the country, and frankly the nicer portion at that. It's really just about impossible to explain what it's like here in a blog--most things you expect to see are familiar but the way people live and interact is so different than we know. Our friends were able to put some words to what we've been sensing since we arrived. They also gave us the best meal we've eaten since we've arrived in China!

Folks, I'm here to tell you that China doesn't have some of the comforts we know and there are of course many issues here that a country of 1.3 billion has to deal with, but they are ahead of us in a variety of ways. The entire city seems to be "under construction" with cranes dotting the skyline in all directions. In fact we've seen that in every city in China. The entire country seems to be in the process of being rebuilt before our eyes. It's wonderful to know that as we grow to understand China over time our family is now connected to China in a way that will last our entire lives and that we will be a part of the future of this country.

Oh, and one more small miracle. Bath time tonight was great. A few tears to start out, but then the fun began as she started playing with her bath toys. And of course she was completely adorable. Thank you, Lord, for the big and small things.

We Miss You!

Hey everyone,

I haven't posted since we picked Eden up almost a week ago. It seems like I've known her for so much longer! I just wanted to take this rare, precious few minutes this morning while Eden is still sleeping to tell everyone back home how much we (Keri, Nana and Gene) miss you and love you and can't wait to get home to you. I'm so thankful that Gene is such a good "blogger" because if it wasn't for him, you wouldn't have heard a peep out of us since Eden arrived. Literally every moment of my day revolves around her (I know you other moms get that). It's like the newborn stage of "figuring out" my child with the 19-month-old attitude, energy and budding independence thrown in together.

Plus, the language barrier which causes my sweet angel to SCREAM what she wants like I didn't hear her use Chinese the first 3 times she said it. It's a wonderfully beautiful and rewarding challenge parenting her. She is indeed a "happy nut" as her referral paperwork described her. My favorite thing about her right now is that she cracks herself up (I do the same thing and my friend Alisa thinks it's so funny when I do it). Eden will do something that isn't even funny and then start dying laughing at herself, which then causes us to laugh at her which perpetuates the cycle. I think she just loves to make people laugh.

I can't even imagine what it's going to be like in a few months once she moves through the grief process and we see more of her true personality. She is so precious, yall. Pictures don't even begin to show you how beautiful she is, inside and out. She communicates a lot through her eyes, which photos can't capture. She wrinkles her little eyebrows which her Nana LOVES. Well, she just woke up so I better wrap up. I am SO ready to get home. Can you imagine having a toddler with no schedule and eating out EVERY meal??? Yikes! I love you all and can't wait to let you all meet Eden. You have prayed her into our lives and I am eternally grateful for each of you. See you soon!
Love,
Keri

Moments and Miracles

Eden really came out of her shell today. Man, we have a full-on toddler on our hands. Today was a real turning point for her personality-wise and she opened up big time. We had lots of smiles, giggles, grins, tickles and frolicking around. I think it was by far our happiest day and filled with many fun and memorable moments. But let me tell you about one absolutely miraculous one...

This morning we were preparing to leave Wuhan for Guangzhou. We left the room and headed to the elevator and as we got on the elevator there was a Chinese woman getting off on our floor. Keri did a double-take as the doors closed and we went down to the lobby for breakfast. Could that possibly be?...

By the time we hit the lobby we knew something was probably up. Keri, Eden and her mom went on to the restaurant while I went back up to grab Eden's pictures from our room (all the families put their kids' pictures on the door of the room since we were all staying on the same floor). By the time I got back to the lobby, I spotted the Chinese lady we passed just outside the lobby talking on her cell phone. She walked around the side of the building and spotted me out of the corner of her eye, then walked quickly away from me.

Now, understand that in the city we were in, we knew going in we were not going to meet Eden's foster mom. But Keri had been praying that by some miracle we might meet her. By the time we got to China Keri had stopped praying about this, but she had asked others to pray for this as well.

We met up again in the restaurant, which has a long glass wall on one side. I brought out the picture of Eden we had, which has a woman's arm in the photo wearing a white blouse with flowers on it. The very same while blouse that this Chinese woman standing outside the hotel was wearing. It hit all of us in an instant--this was Eden's foster mom and she had come to see us.

Keri ran outside and approached her with Eden's picture. She was a little scared, I think, that we would not want to see her. We did not know each others' language but pictures and smiles were exchanged and she eased a bit understanding that we were honored she cared enough to find us and come by to see if Eden was okay. She had come not wanting us to discover her and just peer in from a distance. I pointed at the dress in the photo and her dress--she smiled, "Ah!"... so that's how they recognized me. At this point, Keri and the foster mom (we never actually got her name) were in tears. Keri hugged her and said, "Waa-Eye-Nee, Shee Shee" which means "I love you. Thank you."

Without really thinking, she asked me to run in and get Eden, who was just settling down to breakfast with Keri's mom. We embraced, let her hold Eden for a minute and took a picture with her. She pulled out her cell phone and excitedly called her husband to tell her she had met us. She held the phone up to Eden's ear to talk, but Eden was a little dumbstruck by the experience. Then she pointed to us and told Eden in Chinese, "This is mommy, and this is daddy."

Next she pulled out a picture of her family for us to keep. It was really a "God moment." We could not believe it. Something we had prayed for happening right before our eyes. She walked off and Eden got a little upset. She turned to come back and comfort Eden, but this time mommy instinct told Keri not to let Eden go. Instead she took Eden up to the room for a little bit to cry it out (actually it did not last very long at all, she was back down in 10 minutes). I gave her my email address, she smiled again, nodded thank you, and was gone.

For a little while after that we were just beside ourselves. We second-guessed a little bit as well. Should we have let her see Eden and Eden see her? No, it was the right thing to do, and it gave Eden some closure (I know that doesn't make sense for an 18 month old, but really, Eden at that age can comprehend the difference between someone disappearing/dying and someone letting go, even if she can't express it in words yet). Yes, we decided, even if we had to start over with Eden today, it was worth it. And what a blessing to know this woman cared enough to seek us out. You could tell she just had a wonderful love for Eden and really missed her. Words can't express our gratitude to this wonderful foster mom and to know years from now we can tell Eden we had the opportunity to meet her and thank her... God is just too good!

I'm not going to post that particular picture on the blog to protect her identity, but that's a treasured shot we will keep away until the day when Eden starts asking questions and we can pull it out and honor her foster mom's legacy by telling Eden about her.

As for the rest of the day... Well, like I said, Eden just blossomed today. We really believe that seeing her foster mom had something to do with it--seriously, it was like a light switch was flipped after that. Now, she's still grieving, and later in the morning we had a good tantrum and grief spirt, but she was markedly healthier today emotionally than any other day since we met her. I kept looking at Keri saying, "Is this the same sad little girl we adopted a few days ago?" She had us cracking up wearing sunglasses, talking on her Winnie-the-Poo cell phone, and toting her backpack of toys around the hotel halls.

Before lunch we received her passport and our adoption certificate. It's official--she's ours! Then after lunch it was off to the airport. Oh, we did stop by this little banzai tree museum first because we had some extra time. Same story there... sweltering, oppressive heat, ancient Chinese history. We got some fun pictures though, and the 30-minute tour ended, appropriately, in front of an air-conditioner cooling off until the bus arrived.

By the way, about the airports.... Every city in China either has a giant, ultra-modern, beautiful airport or is building one. Guangzhou has one, Beijing has one, Wuhan is building one. I've never seen such nice airports. They are all HUGE and made of glass and just go on and on and on. The nicest airports I've ever been in have all been in China. Folks, we got to do something about our airports in the USA--I mean these folks are just so far ahead of us in the concourse/gate area/moving sidewalk department. It's sad, really, for us. Oh, did I mention they were crowded?

We arrived tonight in Guangzhou, and will be here through Tuesday. We have a medical exam for Eden, then some paperwork for the American Consulate, then our appointment and "swearing in" on Tuesday morning to finalize Eden's citizenship for the USA. We are staying at the White Swan Hotel, which is kinda famous for China's adopting families and apparently well known in general. It is ultra-nice. There are pictures of Richard Nixon and George Bush (Sr.) staying here in the guest book. The mattresses however are still rocks with sheets on them... oh well.

Eden just dozed off. She's had a very active day--in fact, she just plum wore us out. I'm contemplating some kind of crash-fitness program to get me into shape. Even watching her today was tiring. I kept wanted to open her up and see what kind of nuclear reactor was generating all that energy. Many China adopting families say this last leg of the trip is a turning point, and that was certainly true for us today. We're looking forward to leaving on Tuesday (which, by quirk of time-zones, will be a 37-hour day for us as we circumnavigate the globe for 20 hours) and arriving in Birmingham on Wednesday morning.

Tomorrow we're gonna catch David Platt's message from last Sunday on the iPod. He's in the middle of a teaching series on prayer, and what a great sense of joy to be in the middle of many answered ones today.

Entering Wuhan

On the way to the airport today in Beijing we got to talk again to "L" and it was a tremendous experience. He asked so many questions about our beliefs and was fascinated--especially by the fact that our faith did not require a priest to go to God before us. This was intriguing to him and gave us an opportunity to talk to him even more. We gave him one of the "Awaken" CDs from Brook Hills as a gift and he was delighted to receive it and wanted to listen. Please continue to pray for "L" that a seed planted may be further developed by other believers in China and elsewhere in the coming weeks and months.



Well we made it to Wuhan on Saturday evening and got to our hotel at around 7:00 p.m. The hour drive in from the airport here was enlightening... this is a VERY different city than Beijing. First of all, about half the size. 11 million here versus 22 million in Beijing. Secondly, a more rural and agricultural area.

Wuhan is bisected by the giant Yangtze River, the largest in China. There are many crops grown along the river and this is a trade center as well as goods are shipped up and down the river. There are many poorer communities here--we saw quite a bit of poverty and lower-income areas, unlike Beijing where everyone lives in relative comfort. Some of these housing developments are huge. One apartment complex alone has a population of more than 80,000 (that's the size of greater Hoover, Alabama)--and that's just one complex. But again we've found the people friendly and hospitable. And did I mention it is crowded?

Tomorrow we'll be given a brief tour to get the lay of the land around the hotel, which will be our home for the next week. On Monday morning, bright and early, we get Eden. We are so excited. We could not wait to arrive in Wuhan and I think we will not be getting much sleep tonight or Sunday night. The other families in our group are here at the hotel and everyone is on pins and needles. We are SOOOOO ready for the week to begin! One of the tasks for tomorrow is to make our list of questions to ask the Orphanage about Eden... that'll take some thought and time.

Please be in prayer for us over the next two or three days especially. At about 8:00 p.m. on Sunday night (your time), it will be 9:00 a.m. on Monday here, and we will be meeting Eden for the first time. We've been told the crying will last for a few days at least, so we're getting ready to be a loving mommy and daddy to a reluctant 18-month-old.

Continuing the China theme of contrast--there is a McDonald's here, and a KFC, and a Wal-Mart. There's a Porsche dealership. We've also seen some really terrible living conditions and I am saying a prayer of thanksgiving as I type this that God has allowed our daughter to receive such great care in the midst of obvious hardship and need among her own people.

There is just and endless sea of people everywhere we look--hardly a glance you can make anywhere in this city without seeing throngs of folks on foot, on bicycles, in buses and cars. We flippantly use that phrase all the time "God cares about each and every person," but here it takes on a very special meaning. Partly because there are just SO MANY people, and partly because He has chosen to bring us together with Eden--two among 300 million meeting one among 1.3 billion. Wow. The world is big but our God is bigger.

Okay, we're going to try to settle on a DVD to watch on the computer and hopefully get a little rest before tomorrow. ZZZzzz.....

Bye Bye Beijing, Hello Wuhan

It's Saturday morning and we're packing away for our afternoon trip to Wuhan. It's about an hour and a half flight to this city located in central China. So today is the official transition day from sightseeing days to adoption days. We're both very, very excited. Last night Keri and I kept saying to each other "We can't wait to get to Wuhan."

Friday was pretty cool overall--we saw the Summer Palace, which is where the Chinese Emperors lived when the weather was nice. It was built later, in the 1700s. At 700 acres it was pretty large, even with the man-made lake and all. We also went to a Tea House and tried out some different kinds of tea. Then we went to an acrobatic show, which in my book was as good as any Cirque Du Soliel I have ever seen. Where else are you going to see 12 women balancing on a bicycle? Oh, did I mention it was crowded?

Please be in prayer for our guide, "L", who has been very open and talkative during our time here. Keri was able to tell him a little bit yesterday about who we are, and he was interested and receptive.

Our flight leaves at 4:00 p.m. or so and we'll be in Wuhan tonight. We don't know yet if we get Eden on Sunday or Monday--most likely Monday but sometimes they bring the babies on Sunday. This is what we have been waiting on for nearly two years and it's kinda hard to believe that baby-day is just about here!

Ouch, We Have Great Wall After-Shock

We're just barely moving this morning and all our muscles hurt from climbing the Great Wall yesterday. We're taking a leisurely morning and then headed to the Summer Palace and an acrobatic show this afternoon and evening.

I didn't mention yesterday that the Hu Tong district we visited has many narrow streets and is considered the "old China" way of living and is very desirable. Here are a few shots from the back of our rickshaw.


Thanks for all the emails. We miss you guys.

The Great Wall, and Other Wonders

Today was Great Wall Day for the Mason family. Our guide told us we were going to "climb" the great wall, which I took to mean a flight or two of stairs to the top of the wall, where we would walk across it for several hundred yards. No, it was really a climb.

China is really a picture in contrasts. The Great Wall was no exception. It was absolutely marvelous to behold, a ribbon of stone stretching up the beautiful mountain peaks at impossible angles. It's about 2,800 miles long. We saw maybe half a mile of it and it was really impressive. Yet the section we saw had a four-lane highway right next to it, and one of the guard towers on the wall had been conveniently converted into a cell tower. Kinda ruined the effect at points.

We huffed it up the Wall, which was quite steep. All of us were winded and tired at the top. Though it was built in 211 B.C., conveniently the Emperor of China apparently had the foresight to locate a refreshment stand and T-shirt emporium at the peak. Did I mention it was crowded? We got plenty of great photos, although I will have to remove the power lines and transmission towers from some of them in Photoshop to being back that Ming-dynasty ambiance.

After the Wall we stopped for lunch at a combination roadside Chinese diner and shopping mall. Keri said it was like the Asian version of a Stuckey's. We also went by a jade market, which by the cost of it must be the most precious stone ever discovered by man. We determined we could go through life jade-less and be able to give our daughter the college education she deserves.

By this time we were pretty tired, and so we added insult to insomnia by touring the Hu Tong district of Beijing, where we saw how some of the locals lived about 300 years ago. Again a study in contrasts--like being driven around in a rickshaw by a driver wearing an iPod. Or walking into a million-dollar home that barely had indoor plumbing and a window unit for cooling.

One interesting thing we noticed today was the fixation on symbolism of abundance. Many of the things tourists are told to buy or you see for sale have to do with material wealth. Everything symbolizes something. For instance, fish = abundance. Peaches = long life. Color Red = wealth. Color Yellow = wealth. Four posts above your front door = wealth. Jade = wealth. Pink pearls = happiness. See a recurring theme here? Much of what we hear from our guide and others centers on the people's fixation with material things--wealth, abundance, long life, happiness. All of China seems in pursuit of these things.

Retirement age is 55, and so again you see a contrast. Young people striving to get stuff. Older folks sitting outside their homes with nothing to do at all but play chess or chat or people watch. The country seems to be moving at two different speeds. Oh, did I mention it was crowded?

Tomorrow a few more sights, then on to Wuhan on Saturday where we eagerly await little Eden coming into the Mason household. Thanks for your continued emails and prayers for us while we are away. We're having a lot of fun, but miss home and can't wait to be back in the house with our new little member of the family.

Big, Big Beijing

We had a wonderful time today touring around Beijing. Everything in Beijing is big, really, really big. Our first stop was the Temple of Heaven, where the Emperor of China would go to pray for the harvest each year. It's well over 700 acres of manicured gardens and tremendous buildings. We were struck by the many parallels to Old Testament practices and longed to tell everyone, "This is really where these religious practices come from..."



We hit the "Pearl Market" before lunch and saw how they are made. They sacrificed an oyster right before our eyes and he yielded up about 20 pearls. We bought a few things for Eden.

Tienamen Square was after lunch--essentially a very big, flat, area that holds roughly a million people. At times today we thought there were likely a million people there already--it was VERY crowded all day wherever we went. Next to the Square there was a big countdown clock to the Olympics, to be held next year in Beijing. They are renovating everything to get ready for it.

Then the Forbidden City this afternoon--home to the Emperors from about 1400 AD until the last Emperor in 1911 (FYI, go rent the Steven Spielberg movie, as it is pretty accurate). The Forbidden City was very, very, very big. It went on in all directions as far as the eye could see. We entered the first walled courtyard, then the next, then the next, then the next. There was a palace for dressing. There was another one for practicing ceremonies. There was another one for the actual ceremonies. There was another one for the Empress.

There was a giant library, and across from it a factory for making books for the library. There were gardens and storehouses and courtyards. The Emperor was always afraid of being assassinated, so there were no trees in most of the Forbidden City, and to keep people guessing, he had 27 bedrooms and shifted nightly from one to the other so no one knew exactly where he was sleeping. Creepy, huh?

At the back of the City there was a very nice garden with 300 year old trees. Everything here seems either very old, or very new. Either it was built 600 years ago, or last week. Nothing is like, 20 years old.

Oh, did I mention it was crowded? Anyway, in the ultimate ode to Fung Shui, just out the back door to the Forbidden City the Emperor had a hill constructed (because, apparently, there was supposed to be a hill there, and since there wasn't one, then of course one had to be built). It was all very interesting, very ornate and very big. And did I mention the crowds? By the end of the day, having traveled through the Ming Dynasty and back again, Keri and I were really "Ming-ed out". So we collapsed in the hotel room for a few hours, then went out to eat with friends at a nearby Chinese restaurant.

Tomorrow we're going to see the Great Wall. If today is any indication, it will likely be quite large. We're also going to see a very traditional (old) village and see how folks live in the countryside. The guide tells us we'll be able to go into some homes, meet residents and talk to them--I think we're more excited about that portion of the trip so far than anything else.

Thanks for your continued thoughts and prayers. Oh, yeah, we are still adopting Eden next Monday, lest we get too caught up in the tourist stuff. There were so many cute children running around the city today and each little smile reminded us of the reason we came here. Looking forward to the next few days...

Made It To China!

Woohoo! After 27 hours of travel we're here in Beijing. Wow! Halfway around the world from home we saw the sunrise on the airplane as we made our way toward Guangzhou and then on to the Chinese capital... the very same sunrise that our friends and family experienced 10 time zones ahead of us. We slept through the landmarks that wizzed by beneath us in the wee hours of Sunday night and Monday, passing the Bering Straight and flying down through Russia, a slight detour around North Korea and then over the Chinese mainland.

We're resting this afternoon and then will do some touring the next few days before heading to Wuhan on Saturday to begin the adoption proceedings. Keri and I are very excited and covet your prayers for the four of us (Keri, me, Keri's mom and Eden) in the coming days.

All we can say of our first few hours in Asia is, Toto, we are definitely not in Kansas anymore! Really helps to put life into perspective when you see the other side of the planet. Amazingly, Paris Hilton is just not news over here. Go figure. Also, we've noticed not only Chinese being spoken but Russian and French as well. A real challenge to us to step up and begin communicating in other tongues as we become more "world aware."

FYI... The leg from Los Angeles to Guangzhou was 14 hours (!). We began to wonder if there was going to be enough fuel in the plane. The upgrade to "premium economy" seating on China Southern Airlines was definitely worth it--we felt like we were flying first-class.

Leaving Tomorrow

Well, we're off to bed to try and get a good night's rest before we leave tomorrow. We fly out of Birmingham at 2 p.m. and go to Denver, then to L.A., then to Guangzhou China and then to Beijing. It's a LONG way to our little one but worth every mile! Just wanted to let everyone know we likely will not update the blog until we're in our hotel room in Beijing, which will be early Tuesday morning USA time. So don't worry if you don't hear from us. The fees for internet access in the airports can be quite high so we'll play it by ear. Love you all and we'll miss you.

One Week To Go!

Several times over the past week Gene and I have stopped, looked at each other, and said, "We are about to have a child!" The other night we decided at the "last minute" to go see a movie that started at 9 p.m. Gene wanted to see "Transformers" and I didn't really care to see it but I said, "Soon we won't be able to go out at the drop of a hat like this. Let's do it just because we can!" As we've spent the last week meeting with the pediatrician, installing the safety gate at the top of the stairs, buying "baby gear" for the trip, and trying to decide what to pack for Eden, I think the reality of being parents is sinking in. I'm not sure we'll truly grasp that she is ours until we step off the plane back in Birmingham.

We're excited that we are going to have a few days in Beijing to decompress after all of the last-minute running around and late nights we are pulling to get ready to be out of town. I'm excited to have my mom traveling with us as I'm beginning to feel the "first-time mom panic" of, "What do I feed her? What if she gets choked? What if she won't stop crying? What if she gets sick?" And then on top of that, there's the "I'm going to become a first-time mom on the other side of the world panic" which includes, "She understands Chinese. I don't speak Chinese. She doesn't speak English. If I call someone for help they won't speak English. I don't know what kids eat there. I don't know where anything is. What if I need something I didn't bring?" And all of this is topped off with the "I am giving birth to a toddler anxiety" which includes, "What if she doesn't like me? She can run away from me. She weighs 24 pounds...that's heavy! Oh man, I should have gotten in shape - she's going to wear me out! How am I going to entertain her for the 2-day trip home? She is going to be into EVERYTHING!"

Thankfully, however, all of this anxiety pales in comparison to the "God is sufficient" peace which includes, "God knows Eden. God knows me. God knows Gene. God created the 3 of us. God loves the 3 of us. God planned for the 3 of us to be a family. God led us to one another. God knows the future. God lives in Eden's parents. He will show us what she needs. He will love her through us. God is all we need." And then, of course, there's the "I love her with all of my heart" peace which includes, "I have been praying for her since before she was born. God has softened my heart to her needs. I don't expect anything from her - I just want to love her. She is my daughter. I will do whatever it takes to meet her needs. She is worth whatever difficulties come with her. She is a blessing. She is precious. I want to be her mommy."

As you can see, my mind is racing as I process the weeks that are ahead. So many changes, so much blessing. My head is full, but my heart is even fuller! This child who belongs to no one on this earth is about to become a daughter, a granddaughter, a great-granddaughter, a niece, a cousin, a friend. She will have a mommy, a daddy, grandparents, great-grandmothers, aunts & uncles, cousins, friends, and 2 sweet dogs! So many people have been waiting for her, praying for her, and loving her with us. We can't wait to bring her home!

The official process of putting everything into suitcases begins this week. I have been making a packing list for about 3 weeks and it's a good thing I started then because I keep remembering little things to add. I've been to Wal-Mart (I'm sure not for the last time), borrowed the biggest suitcase I have ever seen, and have begun "piles" throughout the house. Our airline tickets arrived. I have one last meeting with our social worker at the adoption agency on Tuesday to finalize details. We are almost ready to go! Thank you all for taking this journey with us. Your prayers and support mean more than you know. We love you!

Luggage Tags

I ordered some customized luggage tags for our family. Aren't they so cute? I also got mailing labels!

Travel Dates

This has been a busy week finalizing our plans for our trip to China. Me, Gene and my mom will depart for China on July 15th and return on August 1st. We are going to spend a few days sightseeing in Beijing before we go to Eden's city to pick her up. We will be in Wuhan (Eden's city) from July 21-27, and then in Guangzhou from July 27-31. We have spent the week in meetings organizing paperwork with our social worker, talking with travel agents, wiring funds to China, etc.

We also received an updated weight for Eden. We have been told that she now weighs 11 kg, which is 24.25 pounds. She turned 18 months old on June 27th. I spent about 30 minutes on the phone with attachment/bonding specialist at UAB's International Adoption Clinic on Friday. She was so realistic and encouraging as she explained what we might can expect in terms of Eden's initial transition from her foster home to life with us. She confirmed that this will be very tough and traumatic for Eden initially - but the odds are very good that since she probably has a healthy attachment to her foster mom, she will likely grieve for several months and slowly transfer that healthy bond to us, her forever parents. We were told that she will likely regress during the first few months and probably not "act like" an 18-month-old for quite some time as she adjusts. What Gene and I need to focus on is not her age and what would be considered "appropriate" behavior, but on comforting and supporting her through her grief and meeting her needs, whatever they may be. Sleep could likely be a big struggle at first, and inconsolable crying is likely to be frequent for the first month or so.

I know this may seem overwhelming, but I have faith that God has been preparing all 3 of us for the weeks and months ahead. I have a new friend at church who adopted a little girl from Russia and she reminded me this week that no matter what comes, we must remember that God perfectly matched Eden with us, and we have exactly what she needs. What an awesome God! Gene and I are so excited! We are counting down the days until we come face-to-face with the little angel who has already stolen our hearts. What a blessing she already is!

Our Travel Approval Arrived!

I think I might seriously be in some sort of shock. I'm not joking. I'm so calm, so cool, so collected. We have waited 18 months for the phone call I received today saying our TA has arrived - this is the official "yes" from China that we can adopt our baby - and I'm cool as a cucumber. I really feel sorry for my husband (or the lady who happens to be next to me in the checkout line at Wal-Mart) when the reality finally hits me that I'm about to be the mommy of an 18-month-old child who won't understand a word I say. Can you believe it?

Maybe I'm not shocked because I knew God is the only One who could carry this through to completion. Maybe for the first time in my life I'm not shocked that God answered my prayer. Have you ever done that? You pray and pray and pray and then when God answers you're shocked. I've done that so many times...but not this time. I think it's because I've always had such confidence that this was God's will for us. I've always believed in my heart that this was a prayer he WANTED to answer. To give this precious baby girl a family and a home. I'm excited, humbled, overwhelmed and bursting with joy, but I'm not shocked or surprised. Hmmm...maybe that's why it took so long. Could it be that God was building my faith, teaching me compassion and longsuffering? Maybe if the TA had come even one month ago I would have been shocked. But in His perfect timing, it came today, June 22, 2007. There is a verse that has encouraged me so much over the past month.

It's Galatians 6:9 and it says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Our "proper time" is quickly approaching when we will reap the harvest of not giving up. Our daughter's life is the harvest we will reap. And we will give all praise and glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who showed us first-hand what love really looks like when He sacrificed His life for us, and for the world. We pray our lives will be an example and picture for Eden of that love. God adopted us as His children through Christ, just as we are adopting her.

What a blessing to be her parents! We wait with such eager hope to meet her soon. We will know our travel dates sometime next week. Thank you again for your love and your prayers.