LOTS TO SHARE...IT HAS BEEN BUSY!!

We have been home just over 7 weeks!  What an incredible time this has been! Of course I wish I had written down everything that has happened, but I didn’t. I love my laptop, but really had enough of it, after dragging it on my back throughout my 2 week trek to China and back!!! I haven’t spent much time on it aside from making sure our bills are paid, and THANKFULLY THEY ARE!!!

Mason, Michael, Morgan and Maddox are doing great together! There is a balance in the house that I anticipated, but seeing it here and now is just incredible to witness front and center.  Aside from the language barrier, Michael has found his place.  He has all the qualities I had read about, yet was told time and time again, not to believe…I knew he was empathetic, kind and loving.  I knew the Lord did all the leading and we had to do all the following…Follow we did and OUR lives will never be the same! THANK YOU JESUS!! Thank you to my parents and Matt’s parents for instilling our Savior in our hearts so many years ago!  Again, as I have said over and over like a broken record (whoa that makes me old! Record!!), this has been all about trust and faith in our Lord. Trust doesn’t mean that I have not had moments of fear, or even doubt, because I have, but I recognize when I’m having a moment, and know that Satan is trying to get in front of me.  I know no matter what, my Lord won’t drop me! EVER!! Ever so thankful for that knowledge!!!

Please bear with me as I try to recall and recap the last 7 weeks!!!  I’m going through pictures to trigger the memory! Jiminy Christmas I am only 44! Wait a minute!! What has happened to my brain?  What??  Did I say 44??!! I meant to say 34!!  That is really how I feel, aside from the aches and pains, and the bird’s feet that that are making their way across my face with parenthesis!! That’s all fine, because I am here and having a great life and nothing a few b12 shots, and ibuprofen can’t take care of…sorry for the side bar but I do like to have a few laughs to myself and with others in the midst as I write…

So seriously here goes my attempt at a 49 day recap since the last one was through July 9^th!  Brace yourself, this one may go into the “Novelette” category, which is between 7,500 and 17,500 words….we shall see….(interruption!!  Now that I started this post  a while ago, things have changed and I will not be writing that long…I will try to cut to the chase of some of the events that have happened, because life keeps happening and I just can’t get it all down!!) sooooo here we go...

After, my last post it was time for Michael’s first dentist appointment EVER!! In China, going to the dentist is a luxury, one not afforded to children in orphanages or foster care.  I had noticed upon meeting our son in China that he had great teeth although LOTS of buildup of STUFF that wasn’t going to be taken care of in general brushing.  He brushed his teeth just fine, but don’t know about toothpaste he had used, if any, and certainly no flossing was happening!  He was a champ!  The dentist was actually going UNDER the gum line with that REALLY SHARP instrument, and he couldn’t believe Michael was letting him…X-rays indicated he had 4 cavities, I really thought one of his teeth was completely bad, but the dentist said he could save it. We set up the appointments to do 2 and 2.  Two on one side, then the next week, the two on the other side.

After the dental cleaning appointment, the 6 of us went to a local restaurant for a bite to eat. It was funny when they said, “Ray, party of 6.”  WHAT?? Oh my goodness, that was the first time for that!! YAHOO! God did it ! We did it!!! SIX!!!  I was so excited to hear that  & I had to share with the hostess that that was the first time anyone had said, Ray, party of 6 and that we had only been home 5 days from China.  That led into chatting with the Manager in training who happened to be the golf coach for the Chinese golf team in the 2008 Olympics.  After lunch we were off to introduce Michael to Matt’s mom (Grandma Darlin’) and his step dad, (Granddaddy).  Granddaddy was so excited to finally meet his newest grandson, and Margie was too, although she really doesn’t understand since she has Alzheimer’s.  Their caregiver gave Michael a little USA beanie baby bear.  It bore a little American flag and Michael said, “Sssank you!” Translated, Thank you! (we are continuing to work on the “Th” sound).

The next afternoon we were having my dad and Betty Lou (my step-mother) over, along with Dennis and Elizabeth (my sister and her husband) and a couple of my dad and Betty Lou’s friends over for a cookout and to meet their new grandson/nephew. Poor Elizabeth!  She had been SOOOO patient waiting to meet him!!  She wanted to come over Monday and we had a day to rest, but I wasn’t sure how everything was going to go, so we planned things for later in the week.  It was great! (Most people that know me know that I am not a fancy girl. I don’t have cloth napkins or fancy plates…choice between cloth napkins and shoes for my kids, the shoes will win every time) we just had burgers and hot dogs, “Joann’s baked beans” (really yummy!) verte medley salad.  It was then that I was even more thankful to have been able to skype while in China. Michael had already met Grandpa, Bu and Elizabeth (Beedo), so it was an easier transition in person, not so intimidating for him.  He doesn’t intimidate too easily though…Michael was able to show off some of his very new swimming skills to everyone. Quite impressive for any child, let alone, one that had never been in a pool until June 28^th.

On the 14^th, our friends Dana and Craig, and their son Nate came over for a visit. Dana was so helpful in helping me fill out preliminary paperwork for the adoption, way back in September last year!!  There were so many questions to answer, what will you do if this, what will you do if that, what kind of services can you provide, and on and on…Thankfully my sweet friend knows about services since she works for an agency that provides support for foster and adoptive families, so she knows who can help in different scenarios.  I am happy to say I do not need those people that we discussed!!!Thank you God for protecting and watching over Michael as he waited ALL THOSE YEARS for a family!!! Thank you for bringing all these people together and finances together for us to bring him to our home and family!!! I am thankful he was cared for and loved.  I am grateful for the love he received and that he was prepared to receive our love in return.

Back to the visit with Dana and Craig and Nate...Dana had expressed that she wanted to meet him before we showed up at church the next morning since HER  flood gates would open. This is not a big deal to me since it happens almost every Sunday (and other days) for me! REMEMBER, I FEEL EVERYTHING! I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, I am blessed and was given the “gift of tears.” I am thankful for them, and no longer feel embarrassed about them.  After the years and years of people saying (and still saying), “Are you crying again?” or, “Are you crying?” I’m over it…I am grateful that I can release my emotions, whatever they may be, through tears…Don’t get me wrong, I can LAUGH TOO!!!  And look out if my sisters and I get tickled about something at the same time and can’t stop!  It reminds me of our momma…She could get going and have a hard time stopping too! Our daddy does it too! I miss her so much, actually more, as time passes…I know she is great and with our Lord and I will see her again, but I would have loved to have seen her see all of us and our families…I know she would be proud! WAH!!!!

My momma

 

Dana and Michael

The next morning we went to church.  We explained (beforehand) to Michael the events of the day through the electronic translator. It helps the day if Michael knows what is happening, which is a challenge for this momma since I fly by the seat of my pants most days! The days escape me and I have intentions on doing some things that just don’t get done!! But church is always on the agenda on Sundays, what a way to begin a new week!! Once again, I was so thankful to have had our church experience in Guangzhou.  I was so grateful for the young lady that took us to the pastor so Michael could hear about Jesus in his country, in his language! I thought Michael would stay in church with us during kids chapel, but he left!  He wanted to be a part of everything the children were doing, and that was ok by us…I am thankful for his independence.  At communion, he was given a blessing, since he is not baptized YET! 

 

The week was full of swimming and laughter and trying to learn English…Most points are able to be understood, although it does become a little trying at times. I cannot imagine being Michael.  I cannot imagine being a young child and having to have the confidence and trust that he has.  I would imagine most adults could not endure what he has, and his smiles remains mostly intact…

The day after we arrived home from China, I checked our blue bird box in our yard…the eggs had begun…I couldn’t wait to show Michael, he was amazed and was very excited. I explained it would be a couple of weeks before they would hatch and then we could watch them get bigger…I have SO MANY pictures and videos of the broods that we have had over the last 3 years.

Morgan, Maddox and Michael had a chapel service one night.  Michael carried the lego cross in the recession, and placed it in his room.  His heart is open to Christ which is an answered prayer!!!

 

The boys have had sleep overs in each other’s rooms, during errands one day, I took them to Mama Fu’s. Michael was excited to have some “noodles.” He has been incredible with American food, doesn’t complain, and likes most everything we have had at home.  He isn’t a fan of black beans, so he skips that on taco night (along with his brother Maddox, the pick monster!!).

Our end of the season swim banquet was a HOOT!!  This year it had changed and was an awesome, super time!!  Moe’s catered it and everyone brought desserts, there were a lot of desserts!!!  One of the board members wanted to introduce Michael and also share with those who were unaware that we had adopted.  I am not one that likes a spotlight AT ALL, but they really wanted to so I allowed it.  YIKES, was I embarrassed!!.” Mary Ray, where are you?? Is she coming, “Well let me tell you what the Ray Family has done…” He was very sweet, but I honestly could not get out of that spotlight quick enough.  Because, I have said time and time again, this was not about us, it was and is all about God…as time passes, I am MORE AWARE of how this is about HIM!!!! We are not “big people” because of what we have done…we are just being obedient, trust me when I say this!!! Sharing thoughts later….maybe not in this post....

Maddox Samuel (his first word was CHEESE!)

So after all the trophies and awards were over, the music was blaring and the kids were all being silly…dancing beside the pool together and having a great time…it was mostly the ones approaching middle school…then Morgan and Maddox joined in, and then Michael!!  You could not wipe the grin off of his face!  He had so much fun and all the kids embraced him and were so sweet!!  It was so incredible to see how everyone had taken to him and almost taken him under their wings…it was getting dark and the party was winding down…Since he has been here, he has gotten SEVERAL SHADES DARKER!!! I am used to looking for blond headed white boys, and looking for our new addition was challenging unless he was facing me and SMILING!  We closed down the party, and got home and crashed!!

Morgan and Michael dancing by the pool

The following Friday night we watched the opening ceremonies for the Olympics!  We were not sure if Michael had any knowledge of this, but then he told us, “2 0 0 8, China!” So he knew all about it, and LOVED WATCHING!!  Good thing since we love to watch also!! During the 2 weeks of events, he was almost glued at times. He said in China they called Michael Phelps, the “flying fish.”  He is trying to be like him as well, as his swimming is getting better and better each day.  I do believe if he could swim 24/7, he would!!!

Sunday came and it was awesome!! We had a LPA (Little People of America) gathering at our house.  We were so excited to have our group meet Michael.  We had one of the Orthopedic Surgeons from our Children’s clinic join us, as well as an Endocrinologist. (A study is being conducted, none of us are participants.)  All were amazed at how well adjusted Michael is and also how he is such a “go with the flow kid.”

Miranda Uhl (Gold Medalist at 2008 Paralympics - 200IM), Morgan, Anthony and Michael

August 2^nd is a big day in the Ray house!!  It’s Morgan’s  birthday!!!  BIG NUMBER 10!!! He woke up before his birth time…He wanted to take some pictures of his last moments of being 9!! Precious!! What a sweetheart!! Everything to him is BIG!!  Every breath, every moment.  He doesn’t take too much for granted and is so thankful for God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit!!  That warms this momma’s heart!!  He has his first friend birthday party. We do not do big parties, usually just family, or a dinner out, bowling or go cart racing.  The problem with the go-carts is that he cannot ride a cart alone, so that is not so much fun anymore… We had a pool party with pizza and cake and my creative husband did a “navy seal training” obstacle course. What a trip! Then “Put the candle out with the water gun!!!” The boys all had a great time, and watching them enjoying being together was just too much!! The emotions hit me that night!! How can he already be 10??? That is much too fast, and it seems to be going faster with each passing year!!! Morgan opened all his presents later that afternoon. It was a great day! Michael got to open several presents as well.  A man who Matt works with had given Michael a BUNCH of presents to welcome him to America!  We explained who they were from since we didn’t want him to think that everyone gets gifts on everyone’s birthday!! We barely even do gifts around here so we certainly don’t want that set up!!!


THAT'S A LOT OF BOYS!!!

THAT'S TOO CLOSE!!!



HE LOVED EVERYTHING!!!!

 

I had Morgan do all his thank you notes the next day. That night when I went to pull my covers back on my bed, there was a note for me and Matt under my pillow…He wrote a thank you note to us!!!

Michael and I were in a the back yard one day…I had him get on the swing…I had seen pictures of him on swings in China, but I do not know if they pushed him, or if he just sat there…he clearly did not know what to do…I showed a couple of times, and then he figured it out…he is very smart…he can pick up things relatively quickly…

We had the opportunity to take care of a baby!! My friend Lauren’s little baby, not so little anymore…Oh my goodness, my boys were so excited!  They love babies, and Asher is all boy and tons of fun!! And musical!! I got to get out some old toddler toys that I kept. I had planned to get him in the pool, but ran out of time…he had a nap, then lunch and then we strolled down the street in the hot hot sun!! Michael can change the color of a shirt in an instant.  Talk about sweaty!! He can sweat like nobody’s business!! Part of that is because people with Achondroplasia sweat more (varied views on why that is), part is something else, part is he is my son!! They all do it!!

The 7^th found the Olympics in our home!!!  They had soccer, and sword fighting. I can’t remember who won, but it was insane. I just knew we were going to end up at the ER…Praise the Lord we did not!!!

August 10^th, we dropped by the radio station so Michael could meet some MORE people!!  He got a tour of everything and missed getting to see our friend Coronette…she was an angel in our paperwork. She notarized all our documents…she was happy to do it and prayed with us along the way.  We have known her since before we were married, that is a LONG TIME!!

Matt showed Michael his studio and had played some of his voice over work for him…The look on his face was priceless!  He hasn’t recognized him on the radio yet, but in time he will know from the first word, “that’s my daddy!” 

More aunts and cousins to meet!! My sister, Anne and her teenage boys, Adam and Emory (17 and 15) came for a visit!  I hadn’t seen the boys since last year, and hadn’t seen Anne since April. Oh my goodness! What a great time for them to be here!! They get to see Michael at the beach for the very first time!!! It’s my most favorite place in the world and I was so excited to share it with him…Matt showed him pictures of where we go so he would be familiar with it…I took video as we were walking down the walkway…too much for words when he hit the sand and his smile and the wind blowing his brown straight as a board hair…the way he would run and jump on the wet sand so he could see his footprints…the water rushing up on him and splashing up his entire body….still so many firsts to experience when adopting an “older” child.  We missed so much, but we will witness more than we can imagine…Still working on building some muscles on him…I still do not know what kind of activity he had in China, but I do not think it was much…as he tried to carry the buckets or water or sand, he would get a little frustrated…it’s ok, he knows he has to work on his strength…he loved collecting shells. We have all of them that he gathered that day to place in some kind of container for memories of his first visit to the beach…no beach day could be complete without a dip cone!! But Michael has decided that he doesn’t like chocolate…that’s funny because he eats a lot of things with chocolate!!  I haven’t figured out which chocolate is ok, and which is not, but whatever he doesn’t want I WILL TAKE!!

MADDOX AND MY SISTER, ANNE,ALMOST 3 YEARS OUT FROM HER HEART TRANSPLANT!! THANK YOU JESUS FOR THE TECHNOLOGY THAT SAVED MY SISTER'S LIFE!!!

On our way home from the beach, the storm started brewing…I was taking pcitures of the sky as we drove home…I was commented how I was in such awe of the Lord’s creation of our world…how could anyone not believe that He made ALL OF THIS???!!! EVERYTHING!!! If you just look around you, how everything works together! How our bodies work together to create life! My heart aches when I think of Michael’s birth mother and father, but mostly his mother…I have to shy away from the thoughts as it can take me to such a painful place…I still have to think it is was out of love that he was left in a public place so he could be found and given an opportunity of life…I am thankful that we are a part of his life, and I am so grateful for the love he was given before coming to our family….back to happy stuff....

We had a cookout with Anne and her boys, and watched the closing ceremonies of the Olympics…a surprise visitor arrived during that time and we were thrilled. My friend Mary and her daughter Ruth were in the neighborhood and thought the y would drop by. They had yet to meet Michael and were leaving town the next morning…It was a great visit…I had visited Mary in the early stages of this adoption way before we went public with our “crazy” news.  I showed her his picture and told her he was going to be our son, Lord willing.  She immediately prayed with me. She can throw down a prayer like no other!! I love to hear her pray!  It is so soothing and deep and priceless.  I am grateful for Christian friends…

August 13^th…another big day in the Ray house…our ANNIVERSARY!!! 24 years!!  I am so blessed to call this man my husband…all the ups and downs that we have been through in this life…I cannot imagine going through any of it with anyone else!  I laugh at how our story began, our “meeting.”  It is truly amazing that God put us together…I love him with all my being and am blessed beyond words for the life we have built together with Christ in the center of it. He has been so good to us!! We pray that we bring glory to Him in all that we do…

Schooling will be another post (OR SEVERAL) all together!! 

THANKS FOR FOLLOWING OUR JOURNEY AS CHILDREN OF GOD!!!

 

July 7 - July 9 so much to be thankful for...

Before you begin reading this post, I have to warn you!! This post goes into the "short story category" which is a writing under 7,500 words. (A novel is over 40,000 – combined, maybe my blog is a novel already!) Please bear with me since there is so much to share from leaving Guangzhou until now.  I am not one that likes to leave out much!!! I hope you can find the time to read, but you are forgiven if you don’t. Thanks for following and praying!

We checked out of the hotel at 5pm then checked our bags with the hotel desk since we had to hang out until 7:30. It was too painful of a wait. The afternoon had been spent after shopping, just packing, Michael took a short snooze.  There really isn’t much of a waiting area at the hotel. We went with our backpacks to the “tea lounge.” Tried to loiter there, but they wanted us to order expensive tea, which I wasn’t going to do. We left that area and went to another one, which had a piano. No one was playing, but I was hoping they would… they never did. We did a little people watching and there was a wedding.  The piano area was a bar, smoking and non-smoking sections…I’m not sure why they think the smoke won’t go into the non-smoking section because it always finds me and sticks to my hair!  I really can’t handle it and have had my fill of smoke in China…

Getting ready to board plane for Hong Kong

Brothers on flight to Hong Kong

7:30 finally arrived and we met Elsie in the lobby, got our bags and away we went to the airport. It took a while to get there, about 35minutes.  Once we arrived, we went to the ticket counter to check our bags to Hong Kong and make our way through security and immigration. It seemed our guide would get a little irritated that we were lagging behind. I don’t think she has ever met a person like Michael.  I explained several times during our trip that it is hard for his little legs to keep up… (BUT he is just like Morgan, determined to do things himself.) We had no problems through security and away we went.

Finally made it to our gate and waited about an hour and a half to board the plane…tried to set up Skype, but couldn’t figure it out with their Wii Fi.  Our flight was less than an hour and this is where the challenges began.   I asked someone where we go to claim our bags…she pointed us down a corridor,  THEN I SAW ALL THESE PEOPLE STANDING IN DISNEY WORLD TYPE LINES!!! WINDING AND WINDING!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Aren’t we still in the same country????  Apparently not!! We had to go through immigration again!!! Had to get arrival and departure cards filled out, and wait and wait and wait. I really was done with the day. Poor little Michael just wanted to go to bed, thankfully Mason was SO HELPFUL and got me straightened out!! I believe we were in that crazy line for over an hour probably closer to an hour and a half!!!!! When I went up to the counter I gave the officer our passports.  Michael’s passport was attached to a brown SEALED envelope which is for US immigration! I was told NOT TO SEPARATE IT!  The officer was SO RUDE and said “Take it off, I need the passport!”  I said, “I can’t separate it, it is for the US immigration.” Finally after he yelled at me a couple of times, another officer came over and he said, ok but he was just as mad as the first guy. I was shaking like a leaf and trying not to fall apart. Mason just kept saying “don’t worry, it’s going to be okay.” WHAT A LOVE HE IS!! Got out of there FINALLY!!  More walking to get to where the stand is to catch our shuttle, it was now 12:40am!!!! I would NEVER have down through HK at that time, if I had known the ordeal of immigration. My agency had only said that if I go through HK I wouldn’t have a guide. I didn’t need a guide, but would have appreciated knowing what the procedure was…Got to the hotel, check in  -they tried to give me a room with one bed and a CRIB!  I said, nope I need 2 beds, no crib. I guess the travel agency assumed I was adopting a baby!  Asked about internet, I should have had free wii fi...just wanted to check in with matt and let him know we were safe!  Couldn’t do it, called and it hooked me to some far away country, and she couldn’t get it done wither (I thought I was calling the front desk) I then called the front desk and they said I needed to come downstairs! Knock it off, it was now 1:40 am, I said forget it and grabbed a shower and went to bed for a really quick sleep! 

The sun came blazing in the room at 5:45am. I was terrified again that if I went back to sleep that I would not wake up and miss our flight…oh how I love a cold, dark hotel room!!  The view of the mountains was incredible but could not get a good shot of them through the hotel window with the glare of the sun on the water. Just take my word for it!!

Michael in our 2012 VBS t-shirt
SKY - EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH GOD!!

I got up and started getting ready for a long 36 plus hours ahead of us. The boys woke up a bit later. Left the hotel on the 8 am shuttle.  Helpful people were there this morning!! YEAH!! Went to the United  Airlines counter.  It was here that the counter worker separated Michael’s passport and SEALED BROWN ENVELOPE!! I didn’t even know he did it, then said, “oh my gosh, don’t do that please.” He stapled it back and I just had to pray that it would be okay…He checked our 3 bags through to Jacksonville (this is not true I later found out!!), and then we were off to find our gate. We had not had breakfast, but even though our flight was not boarding until 10:45, I wanted to get to the area since I had no idea how far it was…GLAD I DID THAT!!  IT WAS FAR!! Again, go through immigration/customs leaving and security. They had a line for families with children! YEAH AGAIN! Our gate signs showed to the left, but then we had to go up and down several escalators and then took a shuttle to the other side of the airport for our gate. Found it and THEN we could eat. Most expensive meal we had on the trip!!  I was unaware that HK is very expensive. Don’t order a second cup of coffee, because they don’t give free refills! I never heard of such a thing!!! That was $10!  But it was pretty good coffee, I must say.

Flight was almost full. Michael was so excited!! He does his arms like he is a plane and then makes the swooshing noise…precious!! We got on and he asked one of the flight attendants a question.  She didn’t speak Mandarin, so she asked one of the other attendants…He looked up at her and asked her the same question…I asked her what he asked and she said he said , “Are you sure this airplane is going to the states??” How precious!! He is trying to make sure that is where we are taking him. I have told him several times, but he wanted to be sure! The trust this child is having in us is unbelievable!!  I know he misses his foster parents and sisters, but this is permanent. That was only temporary until God lined up all the people He lined up to get his file to us!! I know I am going to be hit like a ton of bricks when I get home…It may not be immediately, but it’s coming!! I know it!!  I have had moments during this trip, but the flood gates have stayed at bay.  I know I have said Mason has been incredible, but I actually don’t have words to describe the bond that has formed during this trip. I am not his friend, I am his mother, but what we have shared is indescribable.  I’ve always thought he was beyond his years in many ways, this trip showed it.  I think 11 sounds so young, but yet, there were moments he acted like a man.  Proud is an understatement. Humbled beyond words that I get to be his mommy, and Morgan’s and Maddox’s and Michael’s…and I get to be Matt’s wife. What more could I want…nothing!

Getting ready for take off - USA  BOUND!! AMEN!!



Last look at his homeland - ready for his new life

LAST VIEWS - BREATHTAKING

The flight to Chicago was beyond long! None of us slept much; Michael got more than any of us. They watched some of the videos played on the screens.  Michael can LAUGH! And he can do it loudly!! So hilarious! All my boys can laugh very LOUD! So the lady in front us appeared and acted very entitled. Seriously, her seat seemed to be able to go back further than any of the other seats on the plane.  I should not have been the one sitting behind her with my "mommy long legs"!!  But I dealt with it, because Michael was in the window seat and Mason was in the middle. Mason would have switched with me, but I didn’t want him to be cramped either.  One of the shows that was on was a “prank” show…there were no words, just silly music and you watched a scene and saw the people be shocked at what they just witnessed. Well, Michael couldn’t get enough of it!  He was laughing and laughing. I was laughing because he was laughing.  All the window covers were shut, it was sometime in the afternoon, but they had the covers down to try to begin the process of adjusting our bodies to the time change we were going to experience.  The cranky entitled lady in front of me turned around and said “shhhhhh” to Michael.  I was really wanting to say something but didn’t of course, this was a long flight and didn’t want to make any waves.  She told him that on 3 different occasions… I rolled my eyes in the back of my head because I couldn’t believe it…She was hearing a child laugh and it was irritating her. Really???  Does she know what has happened in this child’s life?? No! Does she know that has was left at an extremely young age, found by police, lived in an orphanage, lived in foster care where he was very loved, and then taken from there and brought to a white woman and a white boy that he can’t communicate with and has to trust that they are going to take care of him and not hurt him. She is going to shhhsh him??!! Jiminy Christmas!! He could have been hysterical, crying for hours with all that he has been through and she should have been thanking God that he was laughing!! But, there lies another issue, it was doubtful that she knows My God! She also called the flight attendant later to have her tell some passengers on the other side of the plane to shut their window shades…She was trying to sleep, she slept a lot of the flight.  The funny thing is, is that she had an eye cover for her eyes, BUT still needed the people on the other side of the plane to accommodate her.  Really, I seriously didn’t understand why she wasn’t in business or first class…I apologize for the rant, I had to share this.  It really was comical since she clearly thought of herself  as “better” and “more important” than every other passenger on the plane…I do have some news…she wasn’t, and neither was I…we all had the same purpose for being on this plane…to get to the United States for one reason or another…I honestly was about to bust at the seams as we got closer and closer to the end of the flight.  I told Michael different countdowns for landing.  I thought we had 20 minutes left and then they made an announcement, “We are on schedule to land at 12:50”  I looked at my watch and it was 1:20…I’m thinking, what is he talking about, we are LATE! Oops, landing in Chicago in the CENTRAL TIME ZONE!  Blond moment and no sleep!!

Upon our landing I couldn’t contain my tears! Finally back in America!! The land that we love and appreciated before we left and the one we appreciate even more now!!! Mason even told one of our traveling partners that he appreciated our LAWS especially the traffic laws since we really didn’t see any evidence in China that they had any!! (driving on the sidewalk and just driving in any lanes, making your own lanes etc.) It truly is a site!!

We couldn’t wait to get through immigration and get on the next flight (which wasn’t leaving for SEVERAL hours.) They had told me that my bags were checked through Jacksonville, but we had to collect them and go through the passport area and immigration. Little did I know what we were going to deal with getting through this phase after a 14 hour flight!! WE DID NOT GET A WARM WELCOME FROM OUR COUNTRY!!! It was NOTHING BUT AWFUL AND LIKE A NIGHTMARE FROM HOMELAND SECURITY!! I am still trying to figure out the problem!!  We went to the passport area for citizens. I believe I was in lane 32 or 30. (The man in lane 31 was also awful to another family!) I walked up to the desk and the man at the desk was already disgusted. I did not get his name, surely wish I had!  He said, "How many are there of you??" in a very nasty tone.  I told him 3.  He started to separate Michael's passport from the sealed brown envelope that I had been told could not be separated until immigration…Mason said, please don’t separate that and I asked him as well…He said, “It’s going to get separated down there anyway. I’m doing my job.”  I said, ‘Sir, I am just doing what I have been told. He mumbled under his breath with pure hatred on his face, stamping the documents! I did not understand what his problem was.  I said, very calmly and quietly, “wow, Welcome home to America. I have been gone 2 weeks to adopt my son, and have been on a 14 hour flight and this is the warm welcome I am getting from my country. Wow that just took the wind out of my sail, thank you.” He didn’t acknowledge me, clearly he was an unhappy man… I finally gathered our passports back from him and went to our next stop – Immigration.  Surely these people will be nice…We went to the counter and someone told me that the person working the desk has stepped away, put the file on the counter and then sit and wait. Okay…so we sat and waited and waited.  We just were so ready to get chips and salsa!!  The person finally came back and started opening the envelopes and processing the documents…then there was a hesitation…He looked at another person working there, he was Asian. They looked at the documents then the first person took Michael’s passport and another sheet and left the area, without saying a word to me…I was concerned so I asked the Asian guy, Is there a problem?”  He said that Michaels' medical report in the sealed brown envelope stated that he has TB a or b, they are not sure. Like I said before he tested positive on the skin test but the chest x-ray was clear.  The Asian worker said "I test positive on the skin test and I don't have it. A lot of Asians test positive but they don't have it, they were just exposed at some time.  It's NOT a problem. There is no treatment plan on his report, he does not have it" I felt better with him telling me this even though I already knew this…The other worker (heavy Russian accent) came back and he also shared that his medical exam had expired 7 days prior. He didn't let me look at the sheet long enough to see what he was talking about with the dates. He just said it expired on 6/30/12!  I told him I didn’t understand, but he really could have cared less…He got my phone number and said the CDC will call me this week.  I’m not worried about it now, but I was concerned then, and it was very upsetting. My BP I’m sure was up and I just couldn’t get out of there fast enough. He finally told me to go over to lane 1 and check my bags through the machines…I got to lane 1 and another unfriendly person was there to greet me…I was just about done! Thank God that Mason was with me as he was very calming!!!  This worker told me, “put your bags on the belt” in yet another irritated voice…a requirement to work there must have been, “you must be miserable and unkind and dislike people in general.”  Another worker looked at me, and he must have seen what I had been going through and must have also seen that I looked like I was going to crack…He said, “Did you go to China to adopt?” In an extremely broken voice I said, “yes.”  He then said, “You don’t have to do that, go on through. Congratulations.” That is when I said through my tears, ‘thank you, you are the first person to say that to me” He said, “I am so sorry it took so long.” He truly felt bad, and when Mason and I discussed this yesterday, he said, “That man was a God sighting!” (During VBS the kids are encouraged to see God in different places!) We went to re-check our bags for the next flight and an airport employee told me to check and see if there was an earlier flight since my flight didn’t leave for such a long time! I was beyond excited to think I could get home earlier. It was not meant to be...if immigration hadn’t been such an issue we could have left…the flight was pulling out when I was at the counter.  Oh well, it was okay. We dropped our bags on the belt and headed for Concourse B to Chili’s for some chips, salsa and a diet coke!  Made it and hung out for a very long time! Our waiter left the ticket and said to just give it to the waitress whenever. I had told him that we just wanted to be comfortable while waiting all the hours we had to wait.  A couple sat down next to our table. I was talking to my sister Jane explaining what we had just endured. The couple next to us overheard and said how sorry they were that we had to deal with that. We talked with them for over an hour. There were just coming back from Ireland celebrating their 29^th wedding anniversary! Even through Ireland was a great place to visit, they still were so thankful to live in the USA! We all should be so thankful for all the freedoms we have here!!All the opportunities! The list is too long and I’m sure your eyes have probably shut a time or two during this blog post, maybe you have had to break for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or a snack, or coffee…There is a lot to cover!! 

We headed for Concourse C around 5pm…maybe it was 4:30 I can’t remember…anyway we made it to the Gate and looked at the signage and the display had a different city listed.. I thought  maybe this is still too early and there is a flight leaving here before ours…nice thought, but not true…they changed our gate! Really??? We walked all the way down here for nothing.  Poor Michael!! Does he think he is on a wild goose chase?? Does he get to eat it in the end?? Oh my goodness, I was getting delirious!  To find someone to tell me how to get to the new gate was a challenge…I went to a United counter and there were 2 people talking to each other about someone going on a flight. They were in the middle of trying to figure something out, but never acknowledged that I was there or anything…they pretended they did not see me standing at the counter. Not once did they look up and say, ‘we’ll be with you in a minute.’ NOTHING!  After about 3 minutes of standing there, we left to try to find someone else that could help. Found another counter, and asked the man…He said to go look on the screens in the concourse.  He finally did tell me what gate, but really would have rather I left and looked at a screen.  He had to be there anyway, why did he have to act like my asking a question was such an inconvenience???  I do not understand why it is so hard for some people to be nice and happy to help…We had to take a shuttle to another concourse because I felt awful that Michael was SO TIRED!!!  He said he wasn’t but he clearly was!!! 

The shuttle ride over, I noticed a couple that looked SO FAMILIAR!!  I was saying to myself, I know I know them!!  Kept thinking with my fog-ridden brain and then knew I knew them from our old church in Ponte Vedra!  I had to ask so I did, ‘do you live in Ponte Vedra?’ She responded with yes and I asked if they went to the church and then another yes, then asked if they knew Emory and Betty Lou (my dad and step-mother) and they said yes. I explained that I was his daughter, they asked what was I doing in Chicago…told them my oldest son and I just went to China and I adopted this little boy and we are on our way home!  They were precious and very excited for us.  Found out later that my husband knew them from working on the stewardship campaign and other things from the church.  They are also good friends with some of our good friends from our church now.  Small world!!

MASON IS SO TIRED!!!

I was talking to another woman while we were waiting to board. She also looked familiar…finally asked some questions, and yes, I had met her at our church! She is good friends with another friend from church! Goodness gracious!  So fun to have nice people on this flight!!

The flight was about 2 hours and felt like 14!  We were all tired but none of us slept for more than a few minutes!! The anticipation of seeing Matt, Morgan and Maddox was a bit much for all of us!  We were all so excited!! Mason was looking forward to seeing his youngest brothers, and he couldn’t wait for Matt to give a hug. He knows how proud he made his daddy!! I texted Matt and let him know that we landed.  I had visions of what this reunion would be like. I got my camera out to record Michael getting off the plane…when we made it to the actual building, do you think I had some tears???! Yep,  I sure did!! Then we came out of the concourse headed to the main part in the middle of all the concourses. I love our airport!! It is very organized and it’s much smaller than all the other ones I had been in over the last 2 weeks!! It was almost 11pm so everything was closed…just a few people in the airport.  I saw my family, even without my glasses…they had a couple of signs, I was recording and sniffling at the same time.  Michael went straight to Morgan first. As he was approaching him he said, “Morgan!” then he gave him a hug…then he gave a hug to Maddox, then he gave Matt a hug…I got video and pictures and it was priceless!!! So precious! The grand finale!! He has arrived and he is safe!!  We are here to watch over and protect him, provide for him and love him…he was home!!! As all the boys were starting to head towards the escalator, Morgan grabbed Michael’s right hand and Maddox grabbed his left and Mason was carrying some bags.  They walked hand in hand to retrieve our luggage…The visions I have carried in my head for so long have been playing out in reality over the past 2 weeks…it is truly amazing what God has done…each and every detail could only be explained by Him, In His Way and His Time.  The picture taken in the airport of the SIX OF US was taken by the couple that attends our old church! We were so thankful for their gift to us!!

Meeting Daddy - melting the heart!

First family photo! Family of 6!

ALL MY BABIES!!



We gathered our luggage a few minutes later, and then went to the van…It was clean!  That is a switch! We are always in and out of it so much it rarely is! We drove through downtown and he looked at all the buildings lit up…we explained that was downtown Jacksonville. He said Yes…he responds yes to a lot of things…in the beginning, he was getting yes and no interchanged, but I believe he knows which is which now…like when he told me he could swim…he said yes and the answer was clearly no when I saw him sink in the pool. 

All the boys fell asleep before we made it home.

Mason woke up in the middle of some dream or thought or something and started blurting out something about, WE HAVE TO GO BACK!!!  No idea what that was all about, but maybe he thought we had forgotten Michael!

The house was lit up and there were yard signs everywhere!!  Smiley faces, hearts, stars and “WELCOME HOME!” My neighbors had also made some signs welcoming Michael! It was a wonderful homecoming…

Matt had the “triage” laundry baskets set up in the garage so I could sort and bring everything straight into the washing machine! Just in case there were any surprise visitors coming back with us (there were not!!).  So thankful I have commercial size appliances and all the laundry was done and put away within 24 hours!! That was a good feeling!! 

I knew we were going to have an issue with the dogs…remember he was terrified in a store that had a couple of puppies…Maggie and Molly were in the crate but they were barking. I picked him up and showed him they were in the crate and couldn’t get him…they wouldn’t anyway, but they would “greet him.”  He came in looked around and Morgan and Maddox wanted to give a tour of everything. There were signs in his room, and signs on each of the boys’ doors so he could see which room belonged to each brother. 

He would nod his head and say yes anytime we said anything. It was hilarious.  My friend Mary had brought over  some beginning board books for him. He loved them!  Watching his expressions was amazing.  So many new things can be overwhelming, but honestly he is so easy and a “go with the  flow” he seemed fine…I have said before, I envisioned him being fine, but really this is beyond fine…I know he doesn’t even know it yet, but he is going to have an unbelievable relationship with Jesus!! The boys stayed up until about 1:30. We gathered in Mason’s room, said prayers and then took each one to their rooms, sang “Love you forever” and kissed them goodnight…Michael was asleep within 30 seconds! They were up around 8 and it was time to start our first full day of being together…they played the Wii Guitar Hero (thank you to the Ziegler family!!) Michael had his first peanut butter and jelly sandwich and he loved it! 

We Skyped with our friend Lauren and her daughter and I was hoping that she could talk to him about the dogs, and also ask him if there is something he wants to know or ask us about…he isn’t speaking Chinese to us, just hand gestures and ok, yes, no…I have yet to be able to type with the translator in a way for him to understand how he can type in it to communicate with us…he just isn’t getting the concept…Betty talked to him about the dogs, and explained that they are sweet and we wouldn’t let anything happen to him, we were here to protect him and it is okay…Matt and I sat upstairs with him in the loft, with Maggie. He was scared, and matt had his arm around him and we kept telling him it was ok…he knows what that means…if Maggie moved, he would shudder…he had tears sitting in the well…it was breaking my heart but I really knew that we were on the verge of a breakthrough!!! He literally was trying to back himself INTO the wall! We had Maggie on her back we were able to get him to reach out to touch her paw…it was soft and he smiled, did it again, and again…then he petted her and she was calm. He smiled more, and more…It was unbelievable!  He went from terrified to peace! The transformation on his face was indescribable!!! The Holy Spirit was present and took his fear away COMPLETELY and replaced it with peace!!  He was laughing and carrying on and we were so excited. Now that he was so excited about the dogs and they needed to go outside for a “break” he went with us…when we went outside in our bare feet, Michael stepped on the grass almost like he was stepping on hot coals and lifting his knees high in the air…Interpretation lead us to believe that he had never been on grass before certainly not St. Augustine grass in bare feet…Actually looking back at our trip , I didn’t see grass except at the zoo and parks…I don’t recall seeing any at the orphanage and definitely not at his home.  His feet are very tender, and these are all new sensations but he is processing everything so incredibly well!!  If you have been following our journey you have to get a real sense that this is ALL a “GOD THING!”  Like I have said time and time again, there are NO coincidences!!! Only God can allow all these things to play out…

I need to clarify…Even if everything was NOT going well, this journey would STILL have been led by God!!  Our story of our spiritual daughter, Micah, was God inspired. Things did not turn out as WE had planned, BUT we were still used in her life!  It is okay. We are okay…I still pray that she is okay, happy and healthy, that is my position now…

While playing the Wii upstairs in the loft area, which is REALLY TIGHT now, with 4 boys and the 2 additional boys from across the street, injuries are bound to happen especially in this house!! I heard Maddox crying, got to love him, he is the baby, and can just get hurt on a dime, like nobody’s business!! Heard what could have been a bad situation, and ran upstairs (my exercise some days!!)…Michael was giving him a hug and saying,” okay, okay.” He was trying to let him know that he was okay!! Michael is used to helping take care of his younger foster siblings and it shows… all the write ups that I had read about him WERE TRUE, not false like so many people told me to assume…I knew Michael was who they said he was…I knew that he knew how to treat people, I knew that he was smart, I knew it all, because I had trust and faith in our God about this child. 

This journey has been, from the beginning, about faith…being on the other side of the world without part of my family has been one of the most challenging adventures I have ever encountered…I had many fears along the way…would the plane crash, am I risking our lives for this child, are we going to make it out of there, are we going to get sick, what if something happens to me, then what happens to Mason, or Michael…the list goes on and on.  There were moments of panic, what have I done, how is our family going to change, why didn’t I just say NO, this is too big for me, for us…

The answer is this…

Hebrews 11:6 –“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Read the entire chapter of Hebrews 11 here, and think about all the people listed and how their faith sustained them.

Faith in Action

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.

3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”[a] For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

7 By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.

8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 And by faith even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she[b] considered him faithful who had made the promise. 12 And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.

13 All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.”[c] 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future.

21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph’s sons, and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, when his end was near, spoke about the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and gave instructions concerning the burial of his bones.

23 By faith Moses’ parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the application of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.

29 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land; but when the Egyptians tried to do so, they were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.

31 By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient.[d]

32 And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. 35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning;[e] they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.

39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

THANKS BE TO GOD! WE ARE HOME! WE ARE HOME!!

THE VISION I  HAD FOR OVER A YEAR HAS BECOME A REALITY!!