Our Cup Runneth Over...

A weekend at the Lake

2010-11-17T12:49:00.000-08:00

What a nice getaway we had in August when we visited Aunt Gail and Uncle Dennis in Alabama. The kids enjoyed one of their favorite past times swimmming. We have a entire school of fish in our family! We also tried our hand at tubing. However, the highlight had to be Matt's first kill, a HUGE squirrel. Thank you Uncle Dennis for helping us make some memories!

Catching Up- Summer Fun

2010-11-17T12:44:00.000-08:00

Snow 2010

2010-01-29T14:25:00.000-08:00

Middle Tn is being blanketed with 5"+ inches of snow over the next 24 hours. Time for some snowballs!! The kids even got to go sledding TN style with our neighbors. We followed it up with some hot cocoa to defrost!

New Year

2010-01-07T13:05:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!! We enjoyed a wonderful visit with the Mowbray family for New Year's Day. Those of our Gtmo friends will never forget our time with Chaps, Shelly and the Girls. We feel so blessed that their families are only a few hours from us which means they can't come through TN without stopping to see us!! Today, January 7th the kids are enjoying the BIG SNOWFALL we are receiving which has closed schools. I know those of you north of us with get a big laugh at the thought of everything closing down!!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T14:01:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Jesus!!

2009-12-25T14:00:00.000-08:00

Holiday Season

2009-12-12T16:00:00.000-08:00

With a wonderful and eventful Thanksgiving behind us we are enjoying a busy holiday season in our new home. We were blessed with a visit from Pop and Grandma Kathie and the Thompson family over Thanksgiving weekend. Followed close behind by a visit from the Swopes. It was so nice to see family and our Gitmo friends (who might as well be family!!) Most of the boxes are unpacked, but I have to admit some things were put away a bit hastily. It will be one of my New Year's resolutions to get it all sorted out. Meanwhile, the tree trimming traditions and shopping abound. We were out and about today for about 6 hours and I don't remember it being so chaotic-people everywhere, traffic, crying kids. It seems 4 years of internet shopping warped my memory!! We are trying to focus our attention on the real gift of Christmas our Savior Jesus and have been visiting different churches in the area. There are many to choose from and we are seeking the Lord's guidance in finding our new church home. Hope you all remember that Jesus is the Reason for the Season!!

Getting Settled In

2009-11-25T08:24:00.000-08:00

This room use to be bright red with lots of white metal shelving attached to the walls. Mark spent a week painting and putting up the wainscoting. Not too shabby for a first time do it your self job!!

It has been such a long time since I've posted. We are still alive and trying our best to get settled in our new home. Most of the boxes are unpacked and it is beginning to feel like our home. Our biggest adjustment so far is the weather. We have been fighting off head colds for over 4 weeks. I finally broke down yesterday and went to the doctor where I received a shot of antibiotics. I have never been so happy to get a shot! I am tired of being sick. So far we love the area and find the people here to be very friendly and willing to help in any way possible. We are expecting family in town for Thanksgiving and look forward to seeing some friends coming through from Gitmo. We have so much to be THANKFUL for this year. Mark is loving his new job and is thanking God daily for bringing him into a relaxed and encouraging job environment. The kids are adjusting to stateside life and settling into a bit of routine. However, our conversations often return to "remember in Gitmo when.....". We will always cherish our time on island and the many friends we made through the years.

Teeny Tiny Travel Trailer

2009-10-31T10:36:00.000-07:00

Camping in SC

2009-10-28T06:17:00.000-07:00

We have made it to South Carolina for Mark's outprocessing. We are hanging out in our new (used) travel trailer that is 25ft. when extended. To say the least, it is an adventure with 6 of us trying to shuffle around. It has been rainy and cold (to us) and we have been very blessed by our friends here who have fed us and allowed us to hang out in their dry homes. It is such an encouragement to us to see our Metro family and join them in worship. We are definitely already missing those sunny Gitmo days!! Please pray for our continuted patience and for those of us feeling under the weather. The kids and I will be taking off next week for TN to close on the house.

Retirement Ceremony

2009-10-16T18:30:00.000-07:00

Today, we celebrated the end of Mark's 20 year Naval Career. We all made it through the ceremony without shedding tears, but Mark and I came close as he asked permission to go ashore for the final time. The ceremony was filled with traditional Naval retirement pomp and circumstance to include the passing of the flag (Old Glory), speeches, and the reading of the Watch. The ceremony concluded with Mark being piped ashore with the words"IT1 United States Navy departing" followed by "military family departing." Wow! We are departing a rewarding and honorable season of life. I think I can speak on behalf of our entire family when I say, we are ready to start a new phase in our lives. However, we will always be proud of Mark's service to our country and ours as a military family. We will treasure the memories of far away lands and the blessing of fast and true friendship that comes from living with and depending on other military families. Thank you to all of our family and friends who have supported us as we made our way from duty station to duty station through the years. It is never easy to have family members far from home, but we have always known we are loved and that you understood the call to service. We look forward to making up for lost time and seeing you all more often!

Mark preparing to receive his awards.

Kids and I receiving our appreciation letters for our service to our country.

Forever Family Day a.k.a. Gotcha Day

2009-10-13T07:10:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, a sickly, scared 18 month old was placed in my arms in a crowded, loud room in far away country. I had dreamed of this moment for years and felt so blessed that the Lord had called us to be this little girl's Forever Family.
Today, we celebrate this day, as do many adoptive families, to remember the moment our lives changed forever and Joy became a part of our family. She has grown so much over the last few months and is a healthy and vibrant 2 year old in every way. We have had our issues since coming home, as most adoptive families, but we praise God that Joy is attaching along with Mom and Dad. We have discovered this process is a give and take for all of us and that each baby step is a move forward. Watching her over this year has been like watching a flower grow and bloom. Each day she shows us another hidden aspect of her personality. So far, we have discovered she is smart, stubborn, silly and above all a loving child.

Today, we PRAISE and THANK GOD for our precious little Joy Elizabeth Yuhui ! We Gotcha girl and we aren't ever letting you go!

Last Landing

2009-10-10T17:16:00.000-07:00

It was strange flying into the island knowing that it was our last time landing here. We have made a lot of memories, a lot of friends and have had a lot of fun. I am forever amazed at the many blessings the Lord has given us. The kids made friends with the pilot who is from Mark's home town.

Joy is happy to be on final approach!

A beautiful view of the island from the air.

A Few Days of Fun

2009-10-10T16:32:00.000-07:00

We spent a day at Disney and a day at SeaWorld to wrap up our days stateside while house hunting. The kids got a great view of the parade while we were dining in Frontier Land. At SeaWorld, Matt and Grace were quite courageous and road the Manta with Dad. I was more than happy to "volunteer" to stay with the younger ones. Joy and Andrew enjoyed the shows at both parks. However, at SeaWorld we had a difficult time finding adequate shade for Joy. We also became acutely aware on this trip of the curiosity of strangers in regards to Joy's nevi. Due to the fact that our base here is small and intimate we haven't had to deal too much with the comments and stares of strangers. However, I have to admit on this trip it began to get to me. It is not the glances of interest of people passing by that break my heart, it is the people who make revolting faces or comments that are meant to insult. On several occasions, I just went up and asked if the person had any questions about her condition. Of course, they would say no and continue on. We have no objection to answering questions especially when they come from children. We have found that most children are accepting once we explain that she has birthmarks. It is the adults who we find unforgiving. We know that this will be a ongoing journey for both Joy and our family. We pray that we will be able to model appropriate responses for Joy in these circumstances. We already know God has given her a spunky, loving personality and that He has great plans for her. She is His beautiful Princess and that is all that matters. I pray as she grows and comes to know Jesus that others will see His light shining forth from her.

Successful Journey

2009-10-10T15:54:00.000-07:00

Our house hunitng trip was a success with the help of our great realtor, Sheila. It only took us looking at over 35 houses to finally find the one that we think will fit our needs. We are so excited and found the people of Tennessee to be warm, polite and most importantly not afraid to give God glory in their conversations. We can't wait to see how God will use us and grow us in the future.

Anyone who knows our Andrew will instantly know that it will be very difficult to get him to play inside!

Wow! That's what color looks like on a wall! We can't wait to make this house our home.

House Hunting

2009-09-25T14:56:00.000-07:00

Joy is being an angel and just going with the flow. She picked her favorite house and said "Joy's Home!"

House hunting is exhausting work! We have a great realtor who is on board with our needs and price point.

Cracked slab- Uummm! Not a great feature

We have seen 12 houses so far and only one is promising. Five more to see tomorrow. Our first impressions of Murfreesboro, Tn is that is family oriented, growing and people are very friendly. I think we will grow to love it. It is truly beautiful country. Please pray we have the energy to keep up the hunt and that the Lord will bless us with the perfect house.

Hanging Out

2009-09-04T18:35:00.000-07:00

So our things are gone and we are just hanging out counting down the days. We head out for our house hunting trip on the 22nd. The big kids will be staying with Grandma for 4 days while Dad, Joy and I fly out to Murfreesboro to get the lay of the land. We are praying that we will be able to find a home that fits our budget and our needs. We then return to FL and rest a day or two. Then off to Disney to use the last day of our 5 day passes. We also plan to take advantage of Sea World's military member discount and introduce Joy to Shamu. We will be returning back to the island on the 6th of October.

We are staying busy with school and swim lessons for the little ones. We are also trying to take advantage of this nice weather for as long we can. We are going to freeze in TN this winter!!! Our blood has grown thin with all these years in the Caribbean. I see some Snuggies in our future!

Head em up and Move em out

2009-08-20T17:42:00.000-07:00

The day has finally come. Our military journey is nearing its end.
The first sign~ MARK HAS A JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He has taken a job with the Veteran's Administration in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He will be the FCIO (Facility Chief Information Officer) for the consolidated mail order outpatient pharmacy (CMOP). In laymen's terms he will ensure the computers that fill the prescriptions for our vets are up and running at all times. Over 70,000 prescriptions a day go through this facility. We are so proud of his hard work and thankful to God for allowing him this opportunity. We are excited about our new adventure and all that Tennessee has to offer! To our SC friends~ our doors will always be open!!

Today, our household goods were boxed and tomorrow they will be crated for shipment to the good ol' USA!!

Oh so Good!

2009-08-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

Just had to post these pics of our crew enjoying some watermelon at beach. Boone loved it!!

So..... Do you have a job yet???

2009-08-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

The question of the day for us lately has been- "Do you have a job yet?" The answer, as of today, is no. However, we trust that the Lord has it all worked out.

For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
Jeremiah 29: 11-12

Of course, I would be lying if I didn't say our stress is building. However, we are determined to enjoy our last weeks here in Gitmo. The kids are on their 5th week of school and working diligently so they will be able to take time off during our actual move. I am proud of their hard work thus far. Mark has had a few interviews, but hasn't heard back from any of them. He has applications in from VA, west to TN and down to FL. He recently went to the states and bought his long dreamed of truck (2006 Toyota Tundra) and a 2001 travel trailer. Our plan is to stay in the camper until we are able to move into a house, saving us a ton on hotel bills. I am sure that will be an adventure in itself!! Please lift us up in your prayers as we prepare for the the transition into civilian life. We look forward to being back within visiting distance soon!

Tucker

2009-08-10T08:24:00.000-07:00

As part of our history this year we are journeying through the Eastern Hemisphere learning about the culturals of many different nations. We have already studied Oceania and this week wrapped up our study of Australia and New Zealand. As a final project the kids made salt dough maps of each country. Then, we had an Australia/New Zealand family night. The kids helped me make leg of lamb, roasted potatoes, beerroot (red beets) and damper bread. We completed the night with games, native desserts Pavlova and Anzac cookies, and the Crocodile Hunter movie. I love hands on learning!!

Boomerang

4 Year Anniversary

2009-07-21T05:58:00.000-07:00

We celebrated 4 years on island this weekend. We spent time reflecting on how blessed we have been over the years. This duty station has provided us with life long friends and more memories than we can count. As our time here draws to a close in the next few months, 95 days to be exact, all we can say is that Gitmo has been good to us! These pictures were taken the week of our arrival in 2005. Boy, how the kids have grown! Oh, and we will be seeing that temporary furniture again very soon- our household goods will be packed up August 20th!

Happy Birthday America!!

2009-07-04T10:38:00.000-07:00

We hope you all have a safe and relaxing 4th of July!! Now more than ever our nation needs our prayers. May each of us take a stand for the Christian principles this nation was founded upon. God Bless America!!

Relaxing on the Bay

2009-07-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

Since Dad had the day off of work, we decided to head out for a nice cruise around the bay with our friends the Mowbrays. Everyone had a great time, except Andrew who asked to go home for the two hours of the trip. He finally relaxed and took a plunge off the side of the boat. He happily annouced as we were pulling into the marina, "that was a great trip!" LOL!!!!! Mark and the kids also took a jump off the old battleship pier on Hospital Cay.
I volunteered to take the pictures!

Our Birthday Girl

2009-07-03T11:08:00.000-07:00

We celebrated our sweet Gracie's 9th birthday with all of our best friends at the pool. You might not be able to tell but her cake was supposed to be a beach ball. Due to the heat, it began to melt a bit! She loved her special day and everyone had a great time.

A special gift direct from Japan~ Thank you Monica~you are so sweet!

UMmm! UMmm! Good!

2009-06-26T07:47:00.000-07:00

Andrew after eating his solar smores! (See post below)

Summer Fun

2009-06-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

Due to the hot, humid and muggy weather here combined with a few sore throats, we have just been hanging out at the house this week. We made some solar smores and enjoyed playing (and eating in a few instances) with peanut butter playdough. As you can tell it was a big hit with Joy.

Father's Day Weekend

2009-06-21T12:47:00.000-07:00

Splash Day at the Pool
Happy Father's Day to our Family and Friends!! We hope you have a relaxing weekend~ we are!!

VBS at Crocodile Dock

2009-06-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

We just completed a inspiring, God-filled week of Vacation Bible School. I wish I had better pictures, but I was the Crawfish Crafts and Missions leader and didn't make it out of my room much to take pictures. Andrew participated in the Preschool program and as you can tell had a great time. God is With Us-FEAR NOT!!

That's a Huge Fish!!!

2009-06-08T06:58:00.000-07:00

Matthew and Dad had the awesome opportunity to go out fishing with some of the area's best fishermen on Saturday. Matthew caught a barracuda, a jack, mackeral, and a 60-70 lb. tarpon (pictured next to his arm, since it is catch and release). Truly a memorable day for them both. "It was totally AWESOME, Mom!" We have a born fisherman!!

This and That

2009-06-05T07:34:00.000-07:00

Nothing overly exciting happening down here with the Ivey clan. We are enjoying our last days of the school year and making plans for next year. We recently studied Korea and ended our week with a homemade delicious Korean lunch (thanks to Aunt Jessica's great recipe in her school cookbook!). We also had orange slushies using the orange as the bowl. Sending love to you all! Shout out to my Dad~ hope you are recovering well!!

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T17:00:00.000-07:00

Remembering those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our nation and our freedom.

In Flanders Fields:
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead.
Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie?In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders fields.
— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)

Splish Splash

2009-05-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

Finally, we are receiving some much needed rain. However, after 5 days of being cooped up the kids were ready to run off some energy. So on went the rain coats and rain boots in Andrew's case and out the door they went. Joy opted to sit this one out! Fifteen minutes later, off came the wet clothes and everyone sat down for a nice lunch of hot chicken noodle soup.

Boone pretending to be asleep!

Big Change of Plans

2009-05-15T07:19:00.000-07:00

Mark and I have decided it is in the family's best interest to remain together. Thus, our pack out dates have been cancelled and we will remain here with Mark until his terminal leave begins in late October. We are praising God for working out the details of obtaining Joy's 12 month report which we will now be able to complete from here. Also, for His discernment and gift of the Holy Spirit who continues to guide our many decisions. We look forward to one more sunny and hot summer filled with trips to the pool and beach. However, we can't wait to experience fall in the states!!

2009-05-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

With the house torn apart, the little ones have begun to sense something big is about to happen. So some good old fun was needed today. I decided to make some constarch paint and let them have at it outside on our sidewalk. They had a ball and were completely covered with dried constarch after about 25 minutes. So off to the sprinkler for a good soaking they went!!

Joy quickly found out it doesn't taste so good!!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

2009-05-01T07:11:00.000-07:00

I don't think there is anything cutier or more tedious than watching a bunch of 4 and 5 year olds play T-ball! Andrew had his first game on Tuesday and he did great minus the sitting down on the field and chatting with the other team. Their attention spans are about 10 minutes so after about 45 minutes a few tears could be seen. The promise of a snack after the game brightend many a face!! On Monday, Matt and Grace played and Grace made her first hit! The Lord answered our prayers and the crowd roared for her! Remember to Praise the LORD for the little things today like your sweet girl's first hit!

Pack out dates!!

2009-04-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

It seemed like it may never happen, but we were finally able to schedule our move yesterday. We are confirmed for the July 11th flight to Jacksonville! Our furniture however, will be leaving well in advance of us, as it takes 60 days to return stateside. Thus, our pack out will be May 21st and 22nd for our large shipment. We also get a express shipment which is suppose to take 30 days which will contain kitchen items, linens, Joy's crib, etc. which we have scheduled for the 15th of June. Don't worry we won't be sleeping on the floor! The military supplies us with "designer" (LOL ) furniture until we leave. Mark will be coming back with us to help find an apartment/house. He will then return here to finish out his tour. Fitting that as he closes out his 20 year career, he will be back in the barracks just like the good ole days! So begins, the sorting and dumping that comes with every move. Joy's room is already half packed with yard sale items!

Mother Daughter Tea

2009-04-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

Ready for the Mother Daughter Tea

My Beautiful Girls

Finished At Last!!!

2009-04-27T10:41:00.000-07:00

There is reason to celebrate in the Ivey household. Mark has finished his Master's in Science in Information Technology with Information Assurance Specialization from University of Maryland University College! We are so very PROUD of him and his many years, 11 to be exact, of working diligently to earn his degrees. Can you tell he is ecstatic??? He received his grades today for his last two classes-both A's! You are the GREATEST DADDY OF ALL TIME-Love your wife and kiddos!

2009-04-27T04:50:00.000-07:00

Matt and Grace practicing baseball on our new astro turf fields. Looks great right? What you can't tell from the pictures is that standing on that field is about 15-20 degrees hotter than standing on the pavement beside it. Which doesn't sound bad accept it was 92 degrees off the field!!! Sometimes new and improved isn't always better. Andrew is playing T-ball and hits quite well. Games begin this week against the other team. Yes~ there are only 2 teams for each age group!

6 months Home!

2009-04-16T07:37:00.001-07:00

Our little sweetheart 6 months ago

The new improved Ivey clan

Joy's first moment with Daddy
Six months ago (October 13th), a scared, sick, precious ,little girl was placed in our arms for the very first time. Instantly, our hearts we knit together as one. Time has flown by over the last few months as we have welcomed Joy into our family. Looking back at our days in China, it is amazing how much she has grown and developed. Of course, good nutrition and stimulation play a key role in her great strides, but we know it is simply the love of a family that has allowed her to blossom. There are so many children just like her who yearn for the love that only a family can give. My heart breaks for all the children who still wait around the world and in the US for such a basic need-LOVE.
I am overjoyed to report that our sponsored child, referred to as H in earlier posts, has found her forever family~CONGRATULATIONS BAKER FAMILY!! Through the amazing www we recently connected with the Bakers who have also been sponsoring Holly at PHF since 2007. They began looking for Holly's file last fall, but were told she was already being adopted. When the adoptive family disrupted, they were notified by a friend and immediately began the search for Holly. I wish I had words empowering enough to share how God has worked to bring Holly, whom we now call Ava, into this family. Please feel free to check out what God has done not once, but soon to be 5 times in the Baker family at www.bakerssweets.blogspot.com We are praising God for answered prayers for little Ava! Please pray that they will be able to bring her home very soon.

Easter

2009-04-13T06:26:00.000-07:00

Of course, we are biased, but aren't they

fine looking kids!

All dressed up to honor our Lord's Resurrection

Dad raced for the golden egg at the Easter egg hunt thinking he would win a great prize.
Unfortunately, he just won an inappropriate movie that we didn't want! Last year they gave
away Ipods and 100.00 gift cards- the Recession has hit us!

The Birthday Girl

2009-04-13T05:35:00.000-07:00

Notice the grass on our golf course- can anyone say drought!

She loved her lamb "stuffie".

We enjoyed a JOYOUS Resurrection Day and our dear Joy's 2nd birthday. We had a very busy weekend filled with egg hunts, block parties and church. In the Ivey tradition, I made Joy's cake, a bunny, of course. She loved the jelly beans more than the carrot cake! We pray that each of you had a blessed Easter too!

Eggstra Special

2009-04-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

Our Eggstra Special Girl's birthday is fast approaching on April 12th- Easter! What a special day to celebrate our Lord's Resurrection and Joy's entrance into the world. This week my mind and heart are filled with thoughts of her birth mother. Joy was found outside the gates of her orphanage (Guiping City SWI) when she was 3 weeks old. Her birth mother cared for her during these first few weeks and I know in my heart she agonized over her decision as she tearfully placed her daughter on the ground. Did she really have a choice? Was she young and unmarried without a birth permit? Was she forced by someone? Was she a second child? All these questions mill in my mind. We will never be able to answer these or other questions Joy may have as she grows older. But this she will always know- her birthmother gave her the gift of a little note on which she scribbled her birthday. This may not seem like a lot, but to Joy it is a gift only her loving birth mother could give. I believe she is half a world away, wondering and praying for her little one as her birthday approaches. I envision her purposefully passing the orphanage glancing longingly for a glimpse of Joy's sweet little face. I pray for her that some how our Heavenly Father will draw her to Him, that she and Joy may meet one day in the glory of heaven. Till then, I pray that He will whisper to her heart that her baby is being loved by a family that can't imagine life without her. She is healthy, smart and beautiful.

Our New Buddy

2009-03-30T08:33:00.000-07:00

Introducing Boone "Hot Dog" Ivey our newest addition. He is 10 weeks old and is bringing us many laughs and much joy. We brought him home from FL on our vacation.

2009-03-29T08:07:00.000-07:00

When Mickey arrives the music starts and everyone
waves their napkins.

Andrew's birthday cupcake

Joy loved anything with music and dancing and joined
right in with singing!

Character Crazy

2009-03-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

Three of our favorites Donald Duck and Chip and Dale

We splurged and went to Chef Mickeys for dinner and
the smiles tell it all!

2009-03-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

2009-03-29T07:56:00.000-07:00

We were so excited to stumble upon the man
"Buzz Lightyear."

Disney Days

2009-03-29T07:47:00.000-07:00

We just returned from a great vacation at Disney World.

We began our visit at Epcot and the kids enjoyed
learning about several different cultures including
China.

Japan- Hi Mueller Family!

Sunset Cruise

2009-03-06T18:47:00.000-08:00

Tonight, we had the privilege of being aboard the Queen for a sunset dinner cruise courtesy of
our dear friends the Thompsons. We enjoyed a windy, but beautiful ride, a deliciously filling meal
and the joy of spending a few last moments with our friends before they depart for new
adventures in Texas. Thanks Frazier and Patti for another fond island memory!

Special Privilege

2009-03-06T18:28:00.000-08:00

Matthew received the honor of being the
first person in a very long time to ring the bell
for Sunday Service. Thanks, Chaps!

Our Boys

Amazing Race Party

2009-03-02T08:14:00.000-08:00

Bottle Race

The winning team-Morgan and Sam

Matthew with teammate Sarah

Cake time-Oreo with cookies and cream ice cream inside

2009-03-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

Amazing Race

2009-03-02T07:32:00.000-08:00

Matthew's birthday party was a huge success. The kids enjoyed the "amazing race". They competed in cup stacking (with lots of wind), swimming, hunting for clues, eating yucky food, and filling up a 1-L bottle with a cup with holes in it, among other events. When they made it to the last pit stop they were rewarded with a Payday candy bar. Everyone was ready at that point for some ice cream cake. Thank you to all our friends who attended and made Matt's 10th birthday a memorable one!

Double Digits

2009-02-27T14:13:00.000-08:00

It seems like just yesterday that I held you in my arms for the first time. My dear son you are growing up so fast! It is hard to believe today is your 10th birthday. As you celebrate entering into double digits my prayer for you is this. May you always walk in the way of the Lord. May He keep you and guide you along the path of life. We love you forever and always~ Love, Mom and Dad
Happy 10th Birthday
Matthew Mark!

Stars of the Show

2009-02-15T16:03:00.000-08:00

The kids had a great time participating in the Missoula Children's Theatre production of the Little Mermaid. They practiced all week and did a great job in the show. Matt even preformed Friday night with a fever dosed with Tylenol. Andrew has the bug too so he was not able to see either show. Mom and Dad rotated Thurs. and Fri. evenings so we could both be there to cheer the kids on. Now for some rest!! Mom is fighting it off too!

Sad News

2009-02-09T12:53:00.000-08:00

Many may not know, but back in June when we were notified about the need for a family for our Joy, we were also notified about another little girl who was about to turn 2, who also has a large congenital nevus. We immediately asked if we could adopt both girls and the Center for Chinese Adoption Affairs declined our request. We then began praying that God will move any mountains in the way and allow this little girl, who I will call H,to find her forever family. Until that time we decided to sponsor her as I knew that she was living at a home built by Philip Hayden Foundation a Christian non-profit working in China. I contacted them and she became our sponsored child in September. We all enjoyed packing her a Christmas box complete with warm clothes, a jacket (Thanks Mom!), candy and a doll. The day after mailing off the box we received an email from PHF with wonderful news, she was being adopted. We all rejoiced and praised God. So the foundation sent us other files so we could transfer our sponsorship to another little one in need. We all decided we would sponsor a little girl with a colon problem who we will call P. Her chubby cheeks would make anyone smile. Now for the sad news. We received an email last week notifying us that upon meeting H that the prospective family decided her need was too great and did not want to proceed with the adoption. Our hearts sank! Then, today I received word that our precious little P passed away last week. I REJOICE she is in the arms of Jesus, but my heart grieves her short life. She was surrounded by loving nannies at PHF as she left this world for a far greater one. She is playing on streets of gold with our little Samuel! Thanks to Jesus's saving grace I look forward to holding them both one day!! Little H has two families trying to find her paperwork amongst many adoption agencies. Please pray that one of these families is able to proceed in the process and is able to bring H into their loving arms.

Enjoying the weather

2009-02-08T11:57:00.000-08:00

We decided Friday to take a short break and head outside to enjoy the cool weather we have been having. I think it has been around 80 which is cool for us. The kids enjoyed getting out some energy and having a shoot out with Mom. Our annual children's theatre is back on island and both Matthew and Grace have received a part in a rendition of the Little Mermaid (not disney version). They will have practice about 4 hours a day for the next few days and perform in the show Thursday and Friday night. In other news, Andrew saw the peds. orthopedic doctor who was on island and he assured us their is nothing wrong with his bones. We know for sure he is just clumsy!! A relief, as he falls at least 3x or more each day. He did remark that his joints are still very elastic for his age and that by 5 they will tighten up a bit. Joy is no longer anemic, but ironically, Andrew still is. Go figure! We found out we are not eligible for any type of home loan, due to new restrictions post mortgage meltdown, until Mark has a guaranteed job. Thus, renting is in our future. Not what we planned, but God must have something in store for us. Enjoy your Sunday~Love to you all-our family and friends throughout the world!!

Baby Steps

2009-02-07T09:48:00.000-08:00

Joy is fascinated with leaves and loves to put
them in piles.

A moment to melt Mom's and Dad's hearts!

This is a rare sight to see as Andrew and Joy have
been wrestling for attention from Mom and Dad.
This is one of many baby steps we have recently taken.
I even caught them playing nicely together yesterday!
Praise God for His continued blessing and care for our family.

Ribbons and Bows

2009-02-07T09:25:00.000-08:00

Look my hair is getting long enough to pin it back with a bow. I only keep it in for a few minutes though!

Camping Pics

2009-01-29T10:38:00.000-08:00

Recent Pics

2009-01-29T10:23:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the delay in posting. We have dial up and this is the first post I have been able to post out of the last 5 tries. Anyway, all is well here. We have been busy with school and preparing Joy's passport and social security paperwork. I am happy to say it is all in the mail so please pray it goes through with no problems. Mark is beginning his last semester for his master's degree this week. Yeah!! Joy is doing well and as fiesty as ever. These are a few of the outtakes for her passport photo. We also recently went camping with our good friends the Thompsons and the Mowbrays. A memorable time was had by all, especially when the Thompson's dog Sadie tried to make lunch out of an iguana!! Thank you Thompson Family for hosting our last camping trip here on the island.
Passport Photos (trying to get the perfect size for her head)

Camping Recently with our good friends the Mowbrays and the Thompsons

Happy New Year

2009-01-04T06:21:00.000-08:00

As is our custom since we arrived here, we spent New Year's Day at the beach taking a polar plunge. Well, it was 93, but the water is cold to us! Joy loved playing in the sand and wasn't too excited about going in the water. Isn't her smile just precious!

We hope you all had a joyous New Year's celebration (we were in bed). We look forward to all God has in store for our family during 2009. We have nicknamed it the "Year of Transition" and we anxiously look forward to seeing God's plans unfold.

Happy New Year!

Christmas II

2008-12-25T15:20:00.000-08:00

I love my new baby

Thank you Aunt Jessica

Happy Birthday Jesus!

2008-12-25T15:01:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! We have been busy elves the last few days preparing for the Birth of Our Savior Jesus by helping to spread His love through our Chapel ministry Operation Cookie Drop. We baked cookies and help to stuff stocking for our unaccompanied and deployed active duty members and the national staff here on base. (Pics to above) We attended a beautiful Christmas Eve service last night, I think our best since moving here and ate our traditional Christmas Eve meal of Chinese food. Stateside, it would be take-out, but here it was the homemade version. This morning the kids woke Dad as the 12 Drummers Drumming (Dad's final gift of his 12 days of Christmas) at 6:45 a.m. As the morning progressed we opened gifts, ate our traditional Christmas breakfast casserole while we discussed our Greatest Gift- JESUS. Finally, we enjoyed a lazy afternoon opening boxes. Turkey dinner and birthday cake round out the evening. Joy has enjoyed her first Christmas and we count her addition to our family as our greatest present this year. To all our family and friends scattered throughout the world- We wish you the love of the Lord on this special day. Merry Christmas!

We can't wait!!

A little overwhelming perhaps!

Our knight in shining armor!

Special Olympics Run

2008-12-21T15:00:00.000-08:00

Matthew, Grace and Dad participated in a 10 mile run (bike ride) to benefit the Special Olympics
of New Jersey. Mom, Joy and Andrew cheered on the side lines.

Olympic Torch

Look at me! I'm so cute!
Joy is doing great. We have recently discovered she loves to dance. She also adores any kind of stuffed animal and would prefer to take them everywhere we go. She is doing much better with her eating and enjoys almost everything. She is still not too fond of fruits, but eats applesauce so I guess that counts. Several nights this week we have taken the kids out to look at Christmas lights and Joy can be heard in the back saying "OOhooooooo". She listens very well and hasn't attempted to pull down the Christmas tree yet. Sorry for the gaps in posting, our duties as part of the permanent goodbye committee (position obtained by default as we have lived her so long!) have kept us busy. Our dear friends the Muellers departed on their way to Japan. You will be dearly missed and we wish you God's blessings!!

Around Town

2008-12-12T12:52:00.000-08:00

Yes are are enjoying our cool weather in the mid 80's

This is the ferry we take to get from Windward (live on) to Leeward (airport)

Sunsets are gorgeous this time of year

2008-12-12T12:34:00.000-08:00

Grace our angel on the Chapel Christmas float

Mary and Baby Jesus (aka Brooke)

MOM! Look what Dad and I caught!

2008-12-09T18:14:00.000-08:00

We decided to play hookie on Friday as it was our last day with some dear friends. It was a beautiful day and Joy had a ball. She especially enjoyed trying to eat the sand!

2008-12-01T07:10:00.000-08:00

I know what saying- What about Thanksgiving? We have so much to be thankful for this year we weren't even able to put it into words. Our adoption journey is at its end and we now have Joy in our arms. Our hearts cry out to God for His unending blessings and timing. We now know without a doubt why we waited so long for our daughter; the Lord had picked Joy for our family. She is sassy, outgoing, stubborn at times and just down right cute as pie!! Our thanfulness also goes out to our many family and friends who have blessed us in so many ways over the last few years. You each helped to bring our little girl home in one way or another. We can never express in words what our hearts feel for each one of you.
Now, to the pictures- We set up our Christmas tree on Saturday which always concludes with a cup of hot cocoa with marshmellows. Yes- hot cocoa in 90 degree weather!! We can not break tradition. We followed up our decorating with our base traditional tree lighting complete with a special guest. Fun was had by all!

Preparing for Christmas

2008-12-01T06:52:00.000-08:00

2008-12-01T06:39:00.000-08:00

2008-11-25T08:02:00.000-08:00

2008-11-25T07:23:00.000-08:00

We are Alive and Well!

2008-11-25T06:57:00.000-08:00

I really don't have an excuse for the long time between posts other than life has been busy for us. Joy has been going back and forth to the hospital for bloodwork and to return different "samples" of one sort or another. So far all her tests have come back great with only her iron levels being of concern. So we will repeat again after the holidays. Our biggest issue right now is trying to get her to let go of my leg and play a bit here and there. Her absolute favorite activity right now is to go outside and play at the park. She is fearless!! She climbs all over and doesn't miss a beat. Matthew is playing his first flag football game of the season tomorrow night and is quite excited. We had Civil War day last Friday and Grace cooked us some lentil soup and shortening bread so we could experience how the soldiers may have eaten on a good day. Matthew also drew a map of the landscape of Chancellorsville and set up his Union and Confederate soldiers to represent the battle lines. We sure wish we could actually take a field trip to a civil war historical sight. Mark began applying for some government jobs this week so the process of transitioning out of military life has really begun. He attends his retirement class in January. We are looking forward to this next chapter in our lives and pray that the Lord will lead us in all aspects of this life change. Sorry for the delay in posts!!

Settling In

2008-11-06T14:15:00.000-08:00

Step Away From My Food!

Poolside Princess

Record breaking french fry

Handsome Lad

We were able to begin school on Tuesday and I think everyone is glad to be back into our routine. Joy is sleeping 11 hours every night and taking a morning (1 hour) and a 2 hour afternoon nap. Her tastes have expanded to include steak, apples, grapes and yogurt. No worries here, now when she sees food she begins to screech. This was a little problem when we went out to dinner for Mark's birthday on Tuesday. Yes, he is getting closer to the big 4-0 turning 38 this year!! I love you Honey!! I don't think eating out is in the plans again anytime soon. Joy experienced the pool for the first time yesterday and really enjoyed herself. Mark has been busy getting Joy into the military system and next week will see the doctor officially to begin her shots and bloodwork.

HOME SWEET HOME

2008-11-01T15:21:00.000-07:00

Can you hear us shouting? We are finally home and it feels soooooooo good! We arrived home today to a great welcome by many of our closest friends. We are so thankful for the little ways so many of them have helped us like vacuuming and spraying lysol so our house is nice and fresh smelling to shopping for a few needed items. Not to mention all the meals that are scheduled for us in the upcoming days. What a treat! I owe our avid readers an apology for not posting in regards to Joy's doctor's appointment sooner. The dermatologist gave her a clean bill of health and gave us instructions on sunscreen and watching for changes in her nevi. We already knew much of what he said, but we were happy to have a professional opinion. Now, she will have to have a lot of bloodwork in the coming weeks to check for or re-check for any unknown conditions. In essence she is a newborn to our US medical system as the Chinese system is very unreliable. We look forward to gaining an extra hour of sleep tonight (change clocks!) and completing our unpacking tomorrow. Please check back every so often as we will continue to post a couple of times a week.

Meeting Family

2008-10-27T10:23:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Jacksonville, FL late last night. Joy will be seeing the dermatologist tomorrow at 1:30 pm. Please pray he only has good news for us. While in Atlanta we were able to spend some wonderful time with all our family. At the Ivey family fish fry Joy was able to meet her Aunts and Uncles and lots of cousins. We also discovered she likes fried catfish. She is a southern girl at heart!! We were showered with gifts and well wishes by all. Thank you to everyone for sharing in our homecoming. We also had the blessing of going to church with Nana and Paps and personally thanking Providence United Methodist Church of Fayetteville, GA for their help and prayers in bringing our Joy home. While there, we were joined by Aunt Gail, Uncle Dennis, Aunt Denise and cousins Bella and Bailey. We shared a wonderful lunch of lasagna and a relaxing afternoon catching up and watching Joy explore and get to know the family.
Finally, we had a great meal with Grandpa and Gammie and said our goodbye's. We can't thank them enough for keeping our children safe and sound while we were away. Joy is doing wonderful and adjusting well. Her appetite has increased but her preferred food is RICE. Imagine that! She is enjoying playing with her cousin Rosemary as we are staying with my mother here in Jacksonville. If all goes well we will be returning home on Saturday, November
1st. Mark has a mid-term to complete so I will sign off and try to post tomorrow evening after our Dr. appointment.
Thank you to everyone for your prayers, love and support!

Home and Exhausted

2008-10-23T19:18:00.000-07:00

Wow! Our homecoming was the best. Seeing our children's faces and their immediate love for Joy was amazing. We are entirely exhausted from our travel and are praying for a good night's rest. We received a special blessing when Andrew sang "You are my Sunshine" to Joy in Grandpa and Gammie's living room. We are too tired to post any more tonight, but will try to post more tomorrow.

Less than 24 hours to Go!

2008-10-21T20:21:00.000-07:00

The red couch tradition

Yummy chicken congee

This afternoon we will be going to the US Consulate to pick up Joy's visa. Yeah! Our journey of adoption is near its end. Joy is coming out of her shell more every day and is smiling often. We really can not imagine our family without her. It is so hard to explain the plethra of emotions we have felt over the last 12 days. All we can say is that we serve an awesome God who has blessed us once again with the gift of a child. We can't wait for you all to meet her. Our bags are packed and we are counting the hours until takeoff. We will miss the dear friends we have made in our group and look forward to hearing in the future how everyone adapts once we arrive home. We feel so blessed to have shared this journey with each one of them!! Please pray for our safe arrival to the states and for patience with Joy on our lap for the trip!

GuangWOW, I mean Guangzhou!

2008-10-20T19:41:00.000-07:00

Hello all. Guangzhou is very nice and the breakfast at the White Swan is unbelievable! The island (Shamain Island) where we are staying has a very European appearance and almost everyone speaks English. This is a nice little Oasis to visit prior to our trip home. We had dinner at an authentic Italian restaurant. No, not Olive Garden or Carrabbas, but what we used to eat when we were in Sicily. If you ever visit, I highly recommend the Italian place. The chef is even Italian!

Joy and Dad are making huge strides. She loves to eat meat, but she doesn't like sweets very much!?! She is smiling a lot more and is very vocal. She had her medical exam and we go to the American Consulate tomorrow. Everything is going smoothly. Please pray that it continues to go smoothly.

Guangzhou

2008-10-18T20:53:00.000-07:00

We arrived this morning in Guangzhou at 9:20 am. After checking into the hotel we headed straight for Starbuck's. What a sight for sore eyes!! We feel like we have entered back into the real world. Shamain Island where our hotel is located in very European as many of the world's embassies are here. It is just beautiful. Our only issue is the internet is very expensive in our hotel so we will be posting from Starbuck's for our final days here in China. Off to shop!!!

Visit to Local Tower

2008-10-18T01:51:00.000-07:00

Last night we were joined by a special visitor who has come to meet our little munchkin. She joined us on our tour of a special tower built to honor a famous local monk. We also visited a buddist temple which was very unsettling. Joy is doing well and only crying intermittently. She is allowing Dad to comfort her about half the time. We are so ready for our next stop which is Guangzhou and the American Embassy to obtain Joy's visa to come home. Honestly, we have found Nanning to be a bit boring and we are ready for a change in scenery. We leave in the early morning for Guangzhou and will be heading for home on Thursday the 23rd. We will be at the infamous White Swan hotel beginning tomorrow and hope to do some shopping while we are there.

Baby Steps with Dad

2008-10-17T01:20:00.000-07:00

Fish head salad anyone??

Last night we stayed in our room and Mark went out and grabbed some KFC for us. When he returned Joy allowed him to feed her chicken (which she loves) and then we had a big break through as she played with us both on the bed for about 1 hour. She even stayed up late enough to let her brothers and sister get a glimpse of her personality via Skype. When she is ready to play she giggles and smiles and it just warms our hearts. At these moments we see especially how perfect she is for our family. God picked a lively girl to fit in with a lively family!! She is already learning the word no and seems to know the meaning of the word due to our tone. We already can't imagine life without her!

Fun at Grandpa's and Gammie's!!

2008-10-16T01:34:00.001-07:00

Fortunately, it stopped raining in Georgia. The kids and grandparents took full advantage of the beautiful day.

PICS

2008-10-15T23:49:00.001-07:00

Pics

2008-10-15T23:31:00.000-07:00

Joy is grieving and crying a lot so I will make it short. I am dreaming of mashed potatoes, carrots, green beans and anything else home cooked! Mark is doing fine with the food and really likes roast duck. We went to a museum of sorts today that was suppose to teach us about the minorities of the area. We bought a few items for Joy to remember the province she was born in.

Walmart

2008-10-14T22:28:00.000-07:00

Our new friends
Bed Head
Downtown Nanning
Walmart
Coming to China just won't be complete without a trip to Walmart! It is 2 stories with food on one level and household/electronics on the other. Oh, the food-we could figure out what some delicacies were, but others remain a mystery. We haven't smelled anything quite like some of the items. When we return home, the deli area at the store will never quite be the same in our minds. We picked up some diapers and wipes and some training chopsticks for Joy and Andrew. Mark and I are feeling so much better, but our backs have a lot to say about these beds. Just imagine sleeping on only your box spring and that will give you an idea of the comfort level. Joy eat her first solid food last night at dinner. We have a Cantonese restaurant here in the hotel that is very good. We have enjoyed several meals with another family, the Georges (Janet and Kevin) who are residing across the hall from us. They are a lovely homeschooling family from Chicago who have adopted a precious little girl with an eye condition , Fu Xiang (Meghan) who is 6 years old. They brought their 3 children with them and we have enjoyed getting to know each of them. We are so thankful that we are traveling with 2 families who are like minded. Not to mention that the surgeon who specializes in Joy's condition is in Chicago. It is amazing how God sees to our every need! Back to Joy, she ate rice, some tender beef. This morning she dined on rice congee (I'm sorry, but YUCK!) and some watermelon. At lunch she really liked sharing fried chicken from KFC with Dad. Now, we know she really is an IVEY! We are just in love with her and enjoying every minute as we watch her blossom. We miss Matt, Grace and Andrew very much and are counting down the days until our entire family can be together.

Thank you to all who have prayed for us and sent their blessings by submitting comments to our blog!

It is Official!!!

2008-10-14T02:51:00.001-07:00

Woohoo! She is ours! We had another exciting day as we met with the officials to officially complete our daughter's adoption. We did our interviews and were given some great pictures from the orphanage director. The pictures range from baby pictures to present. This is a real treasure. We also received her footprints from the day that she was admitted to the orphanage. We then came back to the room, took a rest and then went for a stroll in a nearby park. Before her nap she was a little sad and started crying out for someone. It broke our hearts. She is still completely attached to Mommy, but is unsure about this Daddy person. She is starting to warm up to Daddy. The park was very interesting and quite large. We enjoyed our stroll and Joy did too!

Getting Ready for Bed

2008-10-13T15:12:00.000-07:00

Just a few pics of Joy after bath last night. She enjoys just sitting and looking at all her new toys. She is walking, but does not do it willingly. So she is content to sit and just look around except if Dad talks to her. We do not think she has ever been around men as she does the same thing when our guide talks to her.

She is in Our Arms!

2008-10-13T02:53:00.000-07:00

First Glimpse

Special Delivery

Finally!!!

Leaving Civil Affairs.

Safe in Mama's Arms

We are a family! Joy was placed in our arms just over two hours ago at the civil affairs office. We unexpectedly caught our first glimpse her as we turned the corner after getting out of the elevator. She was and is beautiful and tiny. She was being held by her Nanny and made eye contact with both of us. We were elated. It was hard to wait the thirty minutes after seeing her. She was put into Mommy's arms by the director and stayed there comfortably. After a few minutes we spoke to the director and asked a few questions. She did not cry one bit......until Dad tried to hold her. Let's just say that for right now, she has taken to Mom quite a bit better. She does have a bit of a fever and a deep, croupy sounding cough. She loves books and seems to be extremely smart and willful. She walks like a 13 month old and we would be very surprised if she weighs more than 20 pounds. Please pray for her health and our attachment process. We will update more later. We thank the Lord for her and for the other families with us and their beautiful children.

Labor Pains of the Heart

2008-10-12T23:36:00.000-07:00

1 hour until our lives are changed forever! We are shaking (literally) with excitement, anxiousness and nervousness. Our prayer is this:

Dear Heavenly Father,
Grant us peace as we wait to meet our precious Joy. Be with us and help us to meet her every need. Melt our hearts together as one as only You can. God we thank you for giving us the privilege to bring Joy into our family. May we always honor You and bring her up to know and love you.
In Holy Name of Jesus - Amen

Our Daughter's Province- Nanning

2008-10-11T23:04:00.000-07:00

Just imagine being on board a hot, old plane with people who find it necessary to smoke in the bathroom during the flight- that was our flight to Nanning this morning. It took a little over 3 hours to land in what we are calling real china. "Mark we are not in Beijing anymore." Despite the less than ideal flight we couldn't help but cherish each glimpse of our daughter's province. The skies here are very smoggy, but the beauty of the lush mountains and farmlands was still evident as we descended into Nanning. After the modernness and we have to say beauty of Beijing, Nanning sits in contrast. It is a city of 6.5 million and no matter which way you look there are people, lots and lots of people. Already in our short time here, we have noticed differences in the stature and build of the inhabitants. The women are very, very petite which would fit in with Joy's measurements. Speaking of our sweet girl, we were told that we will not be meeting her until 3:30pm tomorrow. Which will be 3:30 am Monday morning for all of you. We were a bit disappointed, but still sooooooooooo excited. I will be busy unpacking and then packing the diaper bag for the big day tomorrow. I took a few pics of our hotel here in Nanning. It is four star here, but would be 2 star in the states.

More Pics

2008-10-11T12:26:00.001-07:00

What a Sight to See

2008-10-11T11:42:00.000-07:00

We set off early this morning for our tour. First, we made our way among the thousands of people in Tiananmen Square. Our guide said it was unusually crowded due to the recent Chinese holiday. Mark's side began to hurt so we stopped and our friend John prayed for him in the middle of the square. What a moment! To stand with Mao at our backs and call on our Mighty God. I don't think any of use will forget it. We then moved with the flow of the mob of people into the Forbidden City. At one point we had to cross a narrow bridge with at least a thousand people crossing with us. Another memorable moment - getting elbowed and just praying "Lord get us over this bridge." We have decided that the Forbidden City should be named the Unending city as it goes on and on. The architecture is simply magnificent and we had to keep pinching each other and saying "Can you believe we are at the Forbidden City!" We then took our bus to a factory/restaurant for lunch. Yes, the sounds funny, but it is a government run traditional copper vase factory and you take a short tour before you eat. Lunch was wonderful. Kids- How about some fish? We then shopped a little and reboarded the bus for the Great Wall. We climbed to what we deemed the "top". If it weren't for the uneven steps it might be a little less of a workout. It was breathtaking to look out at the beautiful landscape and the sheer feat of building the wall. I can tell you this for use- no soldiers ever ran up that wall!! So after our triumphant of getting to the "top" we headed back down. Now, that was scary!! One misstep and you are rolling down like a bowling ball! We made it safely down and back to the bus. By the time we sat down, Mark was in a lot of pain and pretty much back to square one with his pleurisy. We all told him to take it easy and not climb the wall, but he felt it was a once in a lifetime moment. I agree and now it is 3 am and neither one of us can sleep. His is due to pain and mine is due to an oncoming sinus infection. We have both started our antibiotics and hope to recuperate today. We fly out this morning (Sunday here) for Nanning. We will try to post as soon as we can to let you know of our safe arrival. Please pray for our health and that our first moments with Joy will be peaceful and joyous. We miss you all!

Adventures in Beijing

2008-10-10T05:21:00.000-07:00

We woke earlier than we would of liked this morning, and dined in the hotel restaurant for breakfast with our new friends John and Sharon. It was a nice mix of western and Chinese food and Mark and I even got a little adventurous trying some items like congee and steamed buns of some sort. Since it was a free day without a guide (no interpreter), we decided to go to the Hongqiao market with Sharon and John. They have never traveled outside the US so it was a treat to introduce them to haggling. We had a fun time and picked up a few items. We then headed back via taxi and wandered around our hotel area. We found a grocery store nearby and bought more bottled water and stopped at a little exercise area on a side street. How cool!! An outdoor gym ,so of course we had to partake. As you can see Mark is feeling much better and is only feeling the pleurisy pain at night. Dinner was a disaster as we decided to eat at the western restaurant again and order hamburgers. What were we thinking? We each took a couple of bits and decided our diet days were beginning!

Things we are thankful for today:

The smiles on our childrens', faces

Meeting John and Sharon whom we have much in common with!

Mark's adventurous spirit

The beautiful smog free day God gave us

Safe travel in the taxi

Starbucks in China

Laughter

The prayers of our friends and family

2 more days until we meet our daughter!

Grueling

2008-10-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

We have arrived safely in Beijing. We are simply exhausted as the experience of crossing over half the world in an airplane is grueling. No matter what position you are in there just isn't enough room or a way to sleep comfortably. We are exactly 12 hours ahead of EST and it is midnight here. We are walking zombies so I will sign off and post more tomorrow. THANK YOU GOD for getting us here safely. (I am a white knuckle flyer and am very happy to report that I did very well on all the flights!!) I took this photo when we were flying over Alaska.

AND WE ARE OFF !!

2008-10-08T11:02:00.000-07:00

We can't believe we are actually going to China!!!!!!!!!!!!! Joy we are coming precious girl! We woke to rain this morning in Atlanta, but only had a slight delay in arrival in Detriot. It was difficult for us to say goodbye to the kids, but we know that they are in good hands. Now, we just want to get through the next 20 hours of travel with as little jet lag as possible. So we will sign off until we arrive in Beijing! Our feelings right now- excitement, joy and Praise for our Awesome God.

Plagued by Pleurisy

2008-10-07T07:08:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know us well, you know we couldn't start our trip without some sort of excitement. Mark began complaining on Sunday of pain on his right side. It progressively worsened during our drive to Atlanta and after much convincing he went to the ER where he was pampered and then diagnosed with pleurisy. This is actually a good thing, as we initially thought it might be his gall bladder. Thus, we will be heading to China in the morning with Mark and his gimpy lung. Please pray for his healing and for pain relief. They gave him a prescription for a pain killer, but he is reluctant to fill it. I am sure this is the first of several adventures we will be having on this trip!! Oh, just in case you are wondering -I have his permission to post these photos!