Here's a Glimpse

I have so many thoughts swirling through my overwhelmed brain as we prepare to receive Kolhby's visa this afternoon and pack for the trip home.  But I'm up for a more lighthearted post, so I will share a few of the 200+ shots of Kenzie's photo shoot.

*disclaimer: I am not a professional, but I sure did have fun.*

 Today we plan to visit the Island one last time, pick up the visa this afternoon and then pack for HOME!!!

A Day at Shamian Island

We had the entire day!

We've seen very little of the sun since we've arrived, and today was no different, but we needed to get senior pictures taken.  So much for natural light.  We started with shots at the hotel, and then headed to the Island.

Like a little slice of home.

Lunch at Lucy's with our favorite iced tea.

A little fun before the serious photo session began.

 Families, look at the White Swan!  It's not complete yet...

And I took over 100 shots of this girl.  It was a blast!!!

The girls have promised me they will post today :)  Sisters Point of View

Medical Exam - Check!

Going to breakfast.

Dad and the girls stayed at the hotel to do a little relaxing, grocery shopping and laundry...and to avoid the overcrowded medical clinic. 
And a little jaunt to Starbucks to get what Dad initially called a "crappe".  Apparently he's changed his mind :/

 So I braved it alone.  Thank goodness I remembered the Ergo because when Boy Wonder was unbuckled for the exam rooms, he tried to split the scene.

One minute or thirty, he was thrashing and throwing a nice two-year-old fit, and the next he was passed out.

 Crazy Garden Hotel lobby.

Waterfall and fish pond.  Kept Boy Wonder still for 30 minutes.

The whole view.

 In the evening we enjoyed a group meal at Tekila!  Yum!

Kohlby's medical looks amazing!  We'll have to establish a base line and go from there, but we expected far more delays.  From the time line we now have, it appears that Boy Wonder started progressing by leaps and bounds around the time he went to his foster parents.  I am so thankful for the people who have poured into his life.

TO HIM BE ALL GLORY!

Guangzhou, Baby!

We hated saying goodbye to our guide, Celine, but we were ready to get to Guangzhou.  It signifies the halfway point!

We checked into our apartment in the Garden Hotel around 8 pm.

The day started with giggles, as usual.

While Daddy and the girls made a Wal-Mart run to pick up candy for the girls' classmates, Kohlby and I stayed in the room to pack.  That makes one of us:)

He had everything he needed for his first flight.  Except a nap.  He dumped his snacks and threw a fit because I picked them up.  He wanted to sit.  He wanted to stand.  He wanted to crash.  He didn't know what he wanted, so he threw a proper two-year-old fit for much of the flight.  

I finally took him out of his seat and put him in the Ergo, and at the final descent he crashed.  Didn't wake up until we were on the way to the hotel.  Have I mentioned he's stubborn :/  

We love Guangzhou!  It's where we meet up with other families, both from Lifeline, and other agencies.  We love the fellowship!  

We do have important business here, but we plan to take some family time as well.  We're going to spend a day on Shamian Island, where we will attempt to take Kenzie's senior pictures, shop at A Gift from China, Sherry's for squeaky shoes, and of course, eat at Lucy's.  In all our trips here we've never been to the Safari park and we've heard it's really cool, so we're going to try to work that in as well.

This is the 6 am view from our 15th story living room.

Today is Kohlby's medical exam.  It's crowded and chaotic, but it's a necessary part of this process.  He's not going to like it one bit.  Since he's 2, he will have to have a TB test.  We've decided that I would take him, and everyone else would stay at the hotel because it's so crowded in the medical building.  I'm sure Kohlby and I will be fine :/ 

The girls have lots more pictures, including our goodbye at the airport.  They will post later today so check it out ~ Sisters Point of View.

Goodbyes, Foster Mamas and Forever

Today was quite a day!  We visited the orphanage, and we didn't know if the foster parents would be able to come until we arrived and learned the foster mama would indeed be there.

Mr. Yan.  He is in charge of all the adoptions.  He is a super hero!  We learned today that it was Mr. Yan who took the videos of Kohlby last October and answered my ten complex questions.

 When we were logged in back in October, we were allowed to ask the orphanage ten questions, and there was none of this, "How is he doing?"  No, no.  My questions were more along the lines of, "Has he been hospitalized for any reason, and if so, when, how long and why?"  That was one question.  And he answered each and every one!

This is another super hero.  This ayi (nanny) took care of Kohlby for the first 11 months of  his life.

 This is the baby room.  There are nine babies, and three nannies.  Kohlby's crib was the one to our immediate left.  When we came in, the nannies were feeding bottles, and some of the babies were already asleep.  They appear to receive excellent care.

And then another super hero - Kohlby's foster mama!  She's cared for him for over a year and a half.  I have friends who are foster parents, and I see firsthand how much love is poured into the children they care for.  This mama will always have a place in my son's heart, as well as mine.

Little man has no idea how significant this visit is.  He's in his own two-year-old world.

 The first thing we did was deliver our gift of diapers to Mr. Yan.  He told us they had kept a small item that was left with Kohlby when he was found, and we were given that item.  Priceless!

 Signs of children everywhere!  In fact, this CWI cares for 800 children, 300 of which are in foster care.

Foster Mama came bearing gifts.

Lots and lots of snacks.  Kohlby's favs.  She told us that he will eat all the time, so his eating must be controlled...all the while making sure both his hands were full of snacks and shoving three crackers at a time into his tiny mouth :) 

 Who could resist, right?!?

This is Foster Mama, Neighbor and Neighbor's son.  The neighbor also fostered a little boy, and they will meet the adoptive parents tomorrow.  Kohlby and this little boy played together all the time.  I would love to connect with this little boy's parents!  Can you help a sister out?

We toured the rehabilitation house.  Amazing!  Children with all sorts of medical needs receive necessary therapy here!  This is HUGE, folks!  Huge!  It is life changing for these children.  Orphanages not equipped like this must often cast the children with medical needs aside because they are understaffed and must focus on the children who are strongest and most likely to be adopted (in their opinion).  As a mama to seven children with medical special needs, this is HUGE!

They even teach the children skills by having a 'bank', a 'grocery store,' a 'restaurant,' an art room, and a 'clothing store,' inside.

As we were touring, the nurse for the Hope Floor flagged us down and gave us a letter from the doctor who is in charge of all the medical information.  We are allowed to contact him and get charts, scans, labs, ask questions, everything!

Then our guide, Celine, needed to go take video for a lucky Lifeline family awaiting news about their child, so it was time to break free and play!

 If all orphanages were as nice as this one, children and families would benefit greatly.  And there would be a need for people to serve more children right where they are.  But orphanage life is not ideal.  No matter how nice the facility, it is not all these children need.  It is not family.

We are created by the Father and for the Father.  The struggle to not conform to this world is very real.  But the more time we spend in the presence of those who depend on others for basic survival, the more we understand the need and desire to live radically different and apart from this world.

The crisis is big, and we are small, but we can all do something.  One thing.  The first step is surrender.

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?  If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,  and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?  So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. James 2:14-17

One gave birth; one gave health and love; I promise to give you my heart and my life...forever, my Treasure.  Your Mama.