Two posts! One By Mom and the Other By Dad!

Here are two posts that from Mom and Dad's blog! The first one is from Mom.


Hello Everyone!

Sorry we missed a day. Yesterday our precious one was a little crabby cake! She hadn't gone to the bathroom for a couple of days and was letting everyone know she wasn't happy about it. We pushed bananas and carrots (which she loves) throughout the day and finally had success later in the evening. But, Sarah slept and whined all day which made it difficult for us to do anything. Even Bill was surprised by her disposition. She was back to her giggly, sweet self after her plumbing was working properly again.

We did manage to get out and see the Yellow River. Well, we got in and out of the car quite a bit because it was too cold to walk along it. Sarah wasn't happy about that. She's not too thrilled with her snowsuit. Our girl doesn't like to be bound up and the snowsuit keeps her from sucking on her index finger. A definite no-no in her book and she told anyone who would listen!

She has already stolen Bill's heart. She throws him kisses all the time. He came into our room last night and was talking to Joe with his back to Sarah. Sarah started yelling "hey!" (okay, the equivalent baby sound to hey.) When he turned around she blew him a kiss. He had to come over and high-five her! It was adorable. If she is close to him she will put her hand out until he holds it. Too cute. She's not too sure about our driver, Steed. She just watches him very carefully while hanging onto us. So I know there's something special about Bill.

This morning she was way to adorable. I can't wait for all of you to meet her. Her personality is just incredible. Her laugh is real husky. Joe calls it her diabolical laugh! Her smile lights up the room. She has started to roll around on the bed and crawl a bit. It cracks her up going from one place to another on her own. She stops and laughs about it in the middle of the journey. We brought a baby picture book of the kids and gram and papa for Sarah to look at. We wanted her to at least be familiar with their faces before coming home. She loves the book. She flips through until she comes to Christopher's picture and then slaps it! We have been encouraging her in this. HAHA Christopher says that is how they show love in China. He's a good sport!

This morning for breakfast she ate pumpkin patties, watermelon, strawberry yogurt, scrambled eggs, grape bread (my favorite), and some kind of bran muffin which wasn't a big hit but she ate it anyway. This child is like the energizer bunny when it comes to food!!! She just keeps eating until we leave the restaurant. She also waves to other tables and tries to get them to give her their food! I spoon fed her some tea which she really enjoyed. With her clefts it is difficult to give her a bottle out of the room. She needs to be lying down and the liquid just flows all over the place. She needs a change of clothes after her bottle feedings. What a mess! I will introduce her to a sippy cup when we get home. Now that she has been having solids, she will only take her bottle when she wakes up and before bed. So that helps. But I have to be diligent about getting fluids into her throughout the day now.

Oh, last night after dinner we gave her a bit of strawberry ice cream. As you know she loves it. So Joe wonders what she would do with chocolate ice cream. He gives her a bit of his and Sarah just stops. Stops moving, stops blinking, just stops. She sits like that for a moment, then her eyes get real big (which is quite a feat since they are so big already) and she smacks her lips together and starts dancing in her chair, bobbing her head and giggling. I think chocolate beat strawberry!

We are doing well - Sarah is such a joy for us. Missing home and our family a lot. It feels like we've been gone for months now. Jonah told us this morning we will be coming home in a week. I was thrilled to hear it. Tomorrow we will fly to Guangzhou. It will be a day of traveling, leaving at 1 p.m. and arriving there around 8 p.m. I'm not looking forward to the 5 hour flight but am glad we are onto the next half of our journey. Lord willing, we will be home soon!

Thank you all for your comments and prayers. Joe will post more I'm sure.
Much love to all of you, Lisa

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Dad posting:

I feel bad that there wasn't a post yesterday. Actually had a touch of the blues (Mom's birthday. How ecstatic she would've been over all this.) A weather system moved through which made the outdoors real gray, and the indoors kinda achy. (And as Lisa said, Sarah had some "issues".) Tonight's the last night in Lanzhou. Click this link http://www.theodora.com/maps/china.gif to see some cool maps of China. (For home-schoolers this counts as geography class.) Tomorrow we'll fly from Lanzhou (LON-JO) to Xi'an (SHE-ON)(just a little southeast of Lanzhou) for a stop and then on to Guangzhou (GWON JO), which is on the southeast coast by Hong Kong. That's where the only American Consulate is in China that handles adoptions. That's where we'll handle all the legal aspects on the American side. We'll be busy. But it's tropical so we're really looking forward to it. Tonight we're having dinner with Bill and Steed and another guide at the same restaurant we went to on Wednesday. We have a private room reserved. More lamb with garlic for sure. Got some video there last time of the manager "briefing" the staff prior to the dinner rush. The employees stood at attention in lines that any drill sergeant would be proud of and then she yelled at them for five minutes. She makes the Sicilians look warm and fuzzy. When she was done I had to restrain myself to keep from jumping up and getting to work. All this took place right next to our table. Can't wait to share this video stuff with everyone when we get back. We're starting to get a little homesick.
Patty and the Winter boys you guy's are so kind to stop by the house on Thursday. Everyone was so glad you came!!
Carol, Dad is going to pick us up at the airport Thursday. We'll post our flight info and would you see to it that he has it? Our car is at Sam and Geri's house. He's taking us there and we'll drive home from there. But thanks for the offer. And especially thanks for the spiritual encouragement you (and everyone else) have contributed.
The Lord Jesus continues to work on our hearts, growing us up, maturing, strengthening us. We are so thankful to Him for what He is doing in our lives. Of course, saving us from our sins would be enough, but the great care He takes to daily abide with us as we sojourn here is just so amazing to me. What a privilege He has granted us to serve Him in this way, to provide a home for Sarah where the good news of salvation and the desire to serve Him are paramount.
Speaking of strength, what a difference ten years makes. That's how long it's been since Jonah was carried around. It's nice how the Creator makes it so that baby is born small and the parents can gradually build up the physical strength as baby grows. Not so with Sarah. I guess she's only 20 lbs. or so but whoa, those muscles thought they were set up for early retirement. They ain't likin' being forced back into service. Also the eyes are sorta shot too. I was the official toe and fingernail clipper man on our first batch. (I'll let Lisa tell you why.) I thought my lovely Lisa might want the job this time but such was not the case. I went to trim Sarah's nails the other day and couldn't see them! I was squinting and straining until I was seeing double. Eventually I just sorta guessed at where they were. No blood, all's well.
Okay if I gush a little? Cupcake wakes up smiling! (except for yesterday) We laugh and play non-stop. I'm not a pessimist, but I was pretty sure this was going to be traumatic for her. I was expecting a really difficult start, but it's been wall to wall enjoyment. She's already looking at the lovely one when I say, "where's Mommy?" She's communicating with us. She reaches for us when she wants to be held and that's like always. She waves at people. It's adorable! Elbow at 90 degrees hand pointing straight up and then rotations showing the back of the hand and then the front. Definitely a princess!
REALLY looking forward to Guanzhou!
May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.
Daddy (again)