Sorry I have not been so good posting since being home, but little Sarah has been so GREAT!!!  She has adjusted better than I could have ever imagined.  She is eating good, sleeping good, attaching good and just all around perfect!

As many of you know the diagnosis from the cardiologist was a little more severe that what we expected, however we know that she is in God’s hands and we have just been amazed as how he has kept her safe over the past 2 years.  We are in the hospital today for her heart cath and she is scheduled for surgery next Wed (6/6).   We prayed this morning that it would be easy on her (having nothing to eat, getting an IV, etc..).  Our prayers were answered (as they always are), the child life staff has been great, she loved the play room, they did not do the IV until she was asleep.  While there were some screaming, overall she did GREAT!

I am posting some pictures from our last days in China (since I was not able to log on from Hong Kong) and a few since we have gotten home.

                                   Our family with the other family we traveled with from AWAA

At a park near the hotel

                                                                   Allie’s favorite part of China!

                                 Looks like they are caught doing something they should not be doing!!

In our matching shirts for the flight home

            Sweet Allie was determined to make her piano recital the day after getting home! 
                                                                         Love her dedication

                                                       Mitchell & Sarah chilling at bedtime

The Journey’s Just Begun….

Today we went to the US Consulate to take an oath that everything we have provided is correct and then provide paperwork for Sarah’s visa.  She will be traveling on an IR3 with will make her a US citizen at our first port of entry which will be Detroit.  Allie and Sarah were dressed in their red, white and blue for the big day!

We should be able to pick up her Chinese passport and visa tomorrow afternoon and then leave for Hong Kong.  It’s hard to believe that our trip is coming to an end.  It has been such a great experience and while I am happy to be leaving for home there is a part of me that is sad that Sarah will be leaving everything she has ever known.

After the Consulate appointment Jerry said I made him shop until we all dropped!  It was a lot of fun, we went back to the island and once again ate at Lucy’s – our favorite restaurant by far!   I hate that we did not take the camera again, the island is so beautiful but it just gets hard to keep up with so much stuff!

After we got back to the hotel we chilled in the room, went to the pool and then the playground.  So many cute pictures!!

Allie was able to Skype with her class tonight (their Monday morning), she LOVED it.  I think she has actually missed school.  She is not always happy when we make her do her worksheets each day, but I know she has missed her friends.  Thanks Sara – Allie was very excited (unfortunately Sarah was not so happy)!

As we prepare to leave tomorrow afternoon for Hong Kong I ask for your prayers.  I think it is going to be hard for Sarah.  We have been in this same hotel room since we got her and this is home to her.  Tomorrow will be riding for 4 hr. to Hong Kong, new hotel room, 16 hr. flight home on Wednesday morning and then a new house.  That’s a lot to spring on her after just 9 days.  I pray that God will give her a peace to know that everything is going to be ok.

Not sure if we will get another post in before arriving home, will try to from Hong Kong depending on how late we get in.                                                                                                                      

She Likes to Move It, Move It! She likes to MOVE IT!

Written by Jerry:  Oh what a day we had!  I have found the secret to Chinas weight loss program. They are a people on the move.  Most people either walk or ride a bike and all they eat is rice, vegetables and fish.  Our little Sarah is full of energy and personality and loves to MOVE IT!!  Today we went to the park and by park I mean a 90 acre piece of land with plenty of big hills and winding roads.  This place was huge it had carnival rides and a roller coaster.  It was amazing and very peaceful; we heard a group of people singing in the distance, I would like to think they were praising God but who knows?  It was beautiful to hear.  Sarah continues to amaze us with her personality and how fast she is fitting in with our crazy family.  She is warming up to me and my heart melts every time I can make her smile or steal a hug or kiss.  Her smile lights up the room and her laughter is contagious.  Amy, our guide, told us that affection was not a normal occurrence in the Chinese culture, so Sarah is not used to being kissed and hugged but she is warming up to it day by day. 

Written by Angie:  I agree with Jerry, the park was incredible!  A little more on the trip, after about 2 hours of walking we noticed some dark clouds moving in so we tried finding our way out (Sarah is asleep in the stroller by this point) and we figure out that we have to go back up the mountain to the other side.  As we make the journey in the 100 degree weather with 100% humidity we feel the rain drops start!  Jerry was holding the umbrella over the stroller trying to keep Sarah asleep but she eventually woke up.  As we got close to the hotel it started pouring!  We got soaked, but just another adventure in the journey.   After drying off and lunch we went shopping (again Jerry would say).  Then tonight we went to a Japanese Steakhouse for Mother’s Day dinner.  It was the best meal I have had since being in China!!

As for Mother’s Day – what a great day.  Sarah is continuing to grow closer to us each day, she has learned her name and comes when you call her.  She reaches for mama many times through the day and just melts my heart!  She can say mama (again I love that).  Mitchell & Allie have been so sweet today.  I am so blessed to have 3 wonderful children and an awesome husband!   

Here are some pictures from today:

                                                                   My first beautiful daughter

                                                     View of the city from the park / museum

                                                                   A museum in the park

                                                          Before the rain storm in the park

                                                              Family at Japanese Steakhouse

                                                                 Tonight playing on the bed

God's Unchanging Love

Another great day!  God continues to just amaze me through this process.  It started with the TB test this morning.  Sarah had the TB test done on Wednesday and it had to be read this morning.  There has been a red spot on her arm where she was injected.  We have been a little worried about it, but this morning it was red and a little hard.  When we showed the guide she just rubbed it and said “humm…we will just have to see” so encouraging!  When we got in they measured it and anything larger than 10mm would be considered positive (not good).  She measured around 9 or 9.5 – thank you Lord!  They signed off on it and she is good to go for her Consulate Appt. on Monday.

After the medical exam today we visited Shamian Island and had a great time shopping.  While there I just watched Sarah run and play and told Jerry this evening that I am just amazed at how God has protected her over the past 2 years!  I am not sure if God is healing her heart or has just protected her until she can get surgery, but I am thankful that He loves His children even when there may not be others to provide the care and love she needed.  She just runs and plays, laughing and playing with the kids.  We bought her these squeaky shoes (super cute) and she LOVED to hear herself walk.  She did a ton of walking and running today and I tell you I continue to be amazed at how well she has done.  The cardiologist said the type of surgery she needs would typically be done in the first 6 months of life and she is 2!  We serve such a Mighty and Wonderful God!! 

Our guide is very much about the business.  When we were on the island she took us to a couple of shops and rushed us through.  Then we had lunch before heading back to the hotel.  The other family we are traveling with and I both wanted to go back to the island for more shopping and just to look around – it is absolutely beautiful and does not fit with anything in China.  The land had a lot of European influence as it was owned by Britain and France many years ago.  There are large trees and beautiful buildings.  So after giving the kids naps we caught a cab back to the island for more shopping and dinner.  It was so great to be able to just take our time and look around (just hate that we did not take the camera back).  Sarah continues to do better and better.  I think we had less than an hour of crying ALL day.  10 to 15 minutes at nap time and bedtime, that’s a big improvement to the typical 30 – 45 minutes we were having.  She is getting in a grove, she no longer wants the bottle and eats great!  My one child that may eat veggies.  She had some broccoli with dinner tonight and loved it.

We are getting excited that we will be leaving for home in just 4 days.  It does not seem like we have been here 9 days, it has been a great trip.  Mitchell & Allie continue to be great siblings and we are so blessed to have them.

We are free tomorrow morning and our guide is taking us to an electronic market tomorrow afternoon and then to a Japanese steakhouse for Mother’s Day dinner.

Here are some pictures from today:

                                                            Little statues on the island

                                                            Sarah chilling while we shopped

                                                      Daddy feeding Sarah spaghetti

                                 Sarah’s big brother is making crazy hairstyles on her at the pool

                                                  Our little water bug - LOVES the pool

Family Day

Today was a very low key family day – no planned activities.  We slept in and took it slow getting down to breakfast (almost missing it)!  We decided to venture out and catch a cab to do some shopping.  It was much different that the US.  There were so many vendors/stores crammed in places.  It was set up like a mall (6 stories high), with 500 – 600 stores per level.  I use the term store very loosely.  It is a ton of merchandise crammed into a very small section and vendor after vendor (many with the same items).  It was almost a flea market atmosphere.  We made a few purchase of toys for the kids.  It was pouring down rain when we were ready to leave so we had to wait – well, Sarah was not happy about that and had one of her screaming fits.  After the rain stopped we were able to find a cab back to the hotel. 

We are quickly finding out that Sarah likes things her way and when they don’t go that way – she likes to SCREAM!!!   I love that very cute little girl – but we are slowlytrying to let her know that we know best.

Once we got back and had a nap we just stayed in and played.  It has rained most of the day – we did make it to the playground for a little while between the rains and then tonight over to McDonalds for a sundae.  Sarah has decided that she does like ice cream.  She would go from person to person looking for some.

The other AWAA family arrived this evening so it will be nice to have someone else to go around with.  Tomorrow morning Sarah has her medical exam (to check her TB test).  Please say a quick prayer, it has a red ring around the spot of the test, while I don’t think she has TB they said sometimes if it is questionable they send her for additional tests and it could impact when we get to leave.

We did not take the camera with us today so we didn’t take a ton of pictures like normal, but plenty to show off her cuteness!! 

                                                          Sarah dressed so cute for the day!

                                                                  Loves that thumb

                                                      Playing on the playground at the hotel

                                                        Daddy teaching her to kick the ball

                                             Enjoying her McDonalds Hot Fudge Sundae

                                                       After begging others for more!

                                                        Playing Barbie’s with her big sister!

Oh Happy Day!!

What a great day we have had!  Each day gets better and better, and today was daddy’s first day to really get to play and spend time with Sarah.  Before today she would cry if he even looked at her, get too close or talk to her!  But he shaved his facial hair this morning and then gave her a piece of pizza today for lunch – not sure what it was, but she was ready to play after that.  She has been so full of herself.  She has been down running around, laughing as the kids chase her.  She even played for a while with dad letting him pick her up and swing her around.  I know his heart has just melted today with each smile she gave him. 

We visited the zoo today and let while it was great and the animals were cool – it was HOT!  I think the “real feel” temp was over 100 (expected to be 107 today).  It’s the humidity that makes it so bad.  Sarah did not care too much for the animals, but Mitchell and Allie enjoyed it.  Allie is already thinking of how she can use the pictures in her Animal Notebook next year!  After the zoo we did some grocery shopping (diapers, cereal, drinks, crayons and coloring book for Sarah!).  Pizza Hut for lunch, Jerry said it was the best he had ever had – do you think it’s the week in China or that they really can make pizza better than the US??  LOL!!  Here are some pictures from the zoo, the kids took all of them.  Mitchell is turning into a little photographer here!

Sarah continues to try new things, and usually LOVES it.  She is rejecting the bottle and just wants a cup, we have learned that she can drink out of a straw.  After the zoo and lunch we came back to the hotel and Sarah took a short nap.  She has been so much fun today.  We spent about an hour on the playground and just ran and laughed.  She is really opening up.  Mitchell has got her to say a few words (No, Yes, baba, and maybe a couple others).  Still no mama L   The only issue we continue to have is that Sarah hates to go to sleep.  She cries (and I mean screams) for about 45 minutes to an hour.  It is so hard,  I walk the floor, bounce, rock, sitting up, laying down – nothing seems to work.  She does it at both nap time and bed time.  We are continuing to try things, but pray that we can figure it out prior to the 17 hrs. on a plane next week.

When she runs for a while we have to keep an eye on her because she will play hard.  We noticed today with all the activity that she was breathing a little heavy.  It’s funny how now she always wants down – a true toddler on the go!  So much fun.  We just hung out at the hotel and had dinner here (the buffet was around $150 for our family).  We won’t be doing that again!  

Tomorrow we have a free day so we are going to do some shopping and maybe walk to the park nearby.  I think they have amusement type rides so that should be fun!  It will be our first day completely on our own navigating taxi’s and vendors will be interesting.

We thank God for the blessings he has given us!  Mitchell & Allie have been so good on the trip, Sarah just loves them and I really feel that are part of the reason she has opened up as much as she has.  They have times they are bored and they don’t like it when we make them spend time on school work – but they have stepped up each and every time.  We have such a good set of kidos!!

Sarah trying to blow bubbles.