Update

Having internet trouble here so I havent been able to post or be on FB the last couple of days. We are enjoying being with the families from our group. One family went to Wuhan where Caleb is from and they named their son Caleb! SO cool! Reminds us of our first journey here 4 years ago. Yesterday two other ladies and I and our kids were wanting an adventure and headed to Shamian island in a taxi. It took us forever to find the two stores we wanted to and took us over an hour to hail a cab to get back to the hotel. Rods texts weren't getting through to me! It was crazy! But we finally made it back. This morning we went to the zoo. It is a very nice zoo. There was a panda there. Bethany really enjoyed seeing the animals. But we all tired out quickly as it is VERY humid here. This afternoon we are resting and going over paperwork for our visa appt which will happen on Tues. Bethany is doing really well overall. She prefers me more the last couple of days and wouldn't let Rod give her a bath. She cries at times but it seems like its just when she doesn't want to do something. We are really missing our kids back home. So thankful for those caring for them. Its going to be a long few more days. But trying to enjoy our time here. Thank you for your prayers!

We made it to Guangzhou...barely

Yesterday before we left Shanghai we went to the Bund again and then to the Temple of the gods market. It was a HUGE marketplace! I don't know if its because this is my third time in China, but most of the stores seemed to have the same things and I wasn't that impressed, except with the size of the market and the traditional Chinese architecture. The dumpling place we ate at in Shanghai was great! Then we went back to the hotel quickly to check out, then off to the airport. We started boarding a bit late. Then we sat in the plane for TWO hours because a thick fog/clouds/smog rolled in and all planes were grounded. I was afraid we would be spending the night in the airport and that we would miss our medical clinic appt. this morning and have to stay in China longer! We prayed and after it got dark we were able to fly out. But it was a rough ride! We got in late but still ran next door to our hotel and got some Mcdonalds. (The ONLY time I ever eat or step foot inside a Mcdonalds is in China1!!) We slept good then got up to a huge breakfast buffet. Austin was very impressed. It is 5 times as big as any buffet you have ever seen! Austin is going to post a video of it on his blog. After breakfast we went to the medical clinic. It was so good to see Shiayn again. She is our adoption agency's facilitator here in China. She has been with us with each of our adoptions. She said "I thought you guys were done with the last one!" :) The medical exam went ok except when they had to draw blood for the tb test and wouldn't let us go in the room with Bethany. Praying those results are negative of course! She does seem to be getting a cold. Please pray for health for all of us!!! This afternoon we rested and then Austin and I went to a nearby shop and walked around. Later we met as a group to go to dinner. There are 12 families in our group. It is so fun to meet everyone and here about their children. 12 children no longer orphans!!! We went to a Chinese restaurant that we had been to last time we were here. SO good! This evening we are going to bed early since last night we were up til midnight. Tomorrow we are going to a supermarket to buy water and anything else we need. The group is going to a folk art museum but a new friend and I are going to take a taxi with our two little ones to Shamian island to go shopping. She has also adopted from China before so we have both been to that museum. Missing our kids at home! So thankful for those caring for them!!! Thank you for your prayers!

Its official, we have 6 kids!

Hard to believe we have 6 kids now!! So today we made the adoption official as far as China is concerned. We spent the morning signing papers, then went to a notary office. At the notary office we were handed a letter written by one of her birth parents. I could barely write through my tears as it was being translated. I hope and pray this will be precious to Bethany one day and help give her some understanding. We also got her twin sister's birth name which is precious to know. I haven't fully processed or grieved all of this yet. So our daughter's full name is Bethany Grace Jiang Lan. Jiang Lan was her birth name, but in the orphanage they called her Lufen. So you may hear us still calling her that for a bit after we get home. I don't think I have shared publicly that she had a twin sister who died in Jan. 2013. They were both born with TOF, a serious but correctable heart condition. By the time their birth parents left them in the hospital at 9 mos. old, they were weak and sick. So the orphanage was waiting for them to get stronger before they had surgery. Bethany had surgery one year ago. We did know most of this story when we were matched with Bethany, but had no idea her birth parents had written a letter. After we were done with paperwork around noon, my new friend Carolyn ( a fellow Bethany adoptive family) and I decided the guys could take the kids back to the hotel for naps and she and I were dropped of at a HUGE shopping area. We also enjoyed wontons in broth and spring rolls for lunch. We spent some time in a pearl market which was amazing. It took us 20 min or more to hail a taxi but we did make it back to our hotel. This evening our family walked a few miles back to the Bund to have Subway and ice cream for dinner. It is neat to be out and about and experiencing the culture. Bethany did not care for the sandwich but enjoyed the ice cream. She is still very happy with lots of giggles. Today at one of the offices it was neat to see her sing and do hand motions to a couple of songs she had learned in preschool, with one of the workers from the orphanage. And to have our translator ask her questions about does she know she is going home with us, and that she talked to her brothers and sisters back home this morning. Tomorrow morning we get to do a city bus tour, do some shopping and then have a traditional dumpling lunch. Shanghai is famous for dumplings. Looking forward to that! Then in the afternoon we go to the airport to fly to Guangzhou. While there Bethany will have to do a medical exam and TB test. She has to pass these before she can come to the US. We will get to do some sightseeing and shopping. The last step will be the US consulate appoint on April 7th, where they check all adoption paperwork and grant a US visa, so that when we touch down see will be a US citizen. The next day we drive to Hong Kong then fly out the next morning. So we still have a ways to go! It will get harder each day to be away from our other children. So thankful for those that are caring for them!!!

First day in Shanghai

We had a good, relaxing day yesterday. We got to video chat with our kids at home. Hard to be so far away from them. So thankful they are doing ok so far. We had a good breakfast in the hotel, yummy fried rice and steamed buns, along with American food. We then ventured out about three miles to the Bund, a beautiful walkway next to the river. Saw cruise ships, barges, yachts. I loved the beautiful European buildings. Shanghai is much different than any other city we have been in in China. We enjoyed a frappachino at Starbucks. Rod and Austin were even asked to have their picture taken with some people. This city is very touristy as we have seen/heard different nationalities and languages. We enjoyed a relaxing afternoon then went to dinner at a restaurant next to the hotel. There are not really any other restaurants close by, but hoping to venture out tonight if Bethany is doing ok. We met our fellow Bethany family yesterday afternoon. They have their 6 year old son with them and are adopting a 23 month old little boy. Makes me think of Caleb who is almost 6 and who was 23 mos old when we brought him home from China 4 years ago! So today is Bethany's Gotcha Day! Its hard to believe we will have six children! Never would have thought or planed for that, and that we would be here in China for the third time. We are getting ready to go down and eat breakfast then be on our way. So prayers the next few hours would be wonderful!

On our way!

Ok, SO it has been almost two years since I have been on here! I would like blog more but not sure if its worth my time if no one reads it. And life with toddlers to teenagers is just busy!!! So yes, Noelle has been home almost two years now. We took last year "off" from going to China :) Hard to believe we are on this journey again! We have a few hour layover in LA, preparing for our 14 hour flight to Shanghai. Rod went to Shanghai in 1988, (yes he is old!) to run with his school. That began his love affair with China. He has always wanted to go back. The last two times we have been to China we just didn't have the time or money to go to Shanghai. So during the paperwork journey I just thought I would pray that our new daughter could just "happen" to be from Shanghai. And she is! We are very excited to spend a few days in this great city! Sunday have have free so we are hoping to explore a bit. We will be staying on the Bund, so you can look that up and see the area we will be staying. This time Austin, our almost 15 year old son is joining us. He has a blog also which is austinchinatrip.blogspot.com Naomi really wanted to go again, hopefully someday! It is hard to leave 4 kids behind! Especially pray for our little ones as we are away for two weeks, and for those caring for them! Our new daughter is 4, she will be 5 the end of August. She had heart surgery almost a year ago for TOF. They have told us she is no longer on any medication and this condition doesn't usually require more surgeries, sometimes a repair as a young adult. Her name is Bethany Grace Jiang Lan. I don't think I have totally wrapped my mind around that I will have 4 kids age 6 and under! Please pray for health and rest, I only slept about two hours last night, for us and for our kids and caregivers at home. Pray that God continues to prepare Bethany's heart for us when we pick her up Monday morning. We are looking forward to meeting new friends, a few who I already have connected with on FB. We are still in touch with people we met when we brought Caleb home almost 4 years ago. This journey really binds you together like no other! This journey so far has been about trusting and obeying God even when its hard! We really appreciate your prayers!

Life with 5

Thought I was going to get to do a 2 week update...well how about a 5-6 week update?! Blogging is just usually at the bottom of my list, also don't know if that many read it... Flight home was long and exhausting, but we mad it ok. Baby boy had a rough time especially the 1st couple of weeks because of being left and his new "twin" sister. But by now he has taught her how to get into everything and they are used to each other. It is very much like having twins and keeping us busy! But in a lot of ways its still hard to believe and doesn't always seem like we have 5 kids, I don't know, hard to explain... And I've been realizing it kind of strange because I'm obviously so much more bonded to baby boy. Became even more aware last night when baby girl had a really rough evening and night and I was having a hard time and we even stayed home from church today. But I had to remind myself, we have only been home 5 weeks, even though it feels much longer! I need to give her and myself grace! Overall she is coming out of her shell and becoming comfortable, like I said, getting into trouble with her younger brother! She is happy most of the time, she is still eating like crazy, has been walking for a couple of weeks, and trying to talk to do signs. Still trying to find my new groove overall, hopefully will get a good one this summer. Older kids are finishing up schoolwork. Rod and Austin are going on a missions trip to AZ with our church for a week in July. Naomi is taking an art class and going to a horse camp a couple of times for the day. Austin is also going to do a rock climbing class and an animation class. Rod and Austin are going to the cabin by themselves for a couple of days in June and then Naomi and I are going to stay at my grandpa's near the beach in Aug. I will also have a new nephew end of June or beginning of July and another one in Sep. I may go to the homeschool conference in July. We are also planning on going to homeschool family camp in Sep. It sounds like a lot maybe, but we are mostly staying home and continuing to adjust. Would appreciate prayers for continued bonding and adjustment, dr. appts. and evaluations!!

Today we had our appt. at the US consulate. Feels so good to be DONE! As soon as we land in SF, Noelle will be a US citizen! Its hard to believe after all the paperwork and waiting that we are done and bringing our daughter from China home. Again, getting a little sad to leave China and our new friends, but cannot wait to get home and see our boys and other family and friends! After the US consulate we came back to the hotel for awhile and then went to Shamian Island for shopping and eating at Lucy's. Last time we were here we stayed on the island, but this time we are far from it. It was fun to be back there and to go to the shops that we went to last time. It was hard to have only a few hours to shop when last time I had several days! This evening has been spent organizing and packing. We hope to sleep in a bit, have a late breakfast, Skype with our kids one last time, check out of the hotel early afternoon and then go have one last lunch at a really good Chinese place we went the other night. We will then leave for Hong Kong around 4:30. Our flight leaves the next morning around 10 am. We will fly to Tokyo with our new friends from Oregon, then on to SF. Now the journey really begins, right?!