More about little bit...

So I kind of left you all hanging...  I had one friend text me after seeing the blog and it said something like "More later?! No, more now!" Ha!

Even though I haven't been blogging about it all, God has been all over this adoption process.  Some of you who have been with me for a while, may remember a post called "November 15, 2012".... it was the day God told us that we had another child in China..... what we didn't know until 2 weeks ago was that she was in fact born just 6 weeks later.

She will turn 2 on December 26th and we hope to get to her before the Chinese New Year in med-February.... assuming China doesn't do anything crazy like tell all government workers in Beijing to skip work next week to help out with the pollution problem.... oh wait, they did do that.... only in China.... but once they get back up and running we hope to fly through the rest of our paperwork.

And while I want more than anything to have her here, I have such peace about where she is that it makes the wait bearable.  As far as we know she has never spent a night in the orphanage but has been with a foster family from the beginning!!!  This is such stark contrast to Mei Sims' story.... she is in a family... she knows what it is to be loved and as a result she knows how to love.... we could see it in her eyes the moment we saw her picture... there is life in them.  I don't think I can adequately describe what a gift this is to her... to us... and to what our journey together will be like.

Can't you just see the brightness in her eyes?

She is at a lifeline partnership, which means a team from Lifeline went to her city, met her, examined her and has given us a additional information.  My favorite tidbits to share with you are that she apparently likes to rip her clothing off....I think she will for right in with our crew.... The other day Anne Rainey screamed "I'm so excited she is my sister because she sounds just as crazy as me!!!"  And her other favorite activity?  "Basking in the sun"  Oh how I love Chinese people and the funny things they say!

She was born with a pretty big booboo in her leg called fibular hemimelia.   I know that God had great purpose in how He knit her together and I can't wait to see His plans for her.  What this means is that she is missing the fibula in her right leg.  As a result the leg is shorter and has other issues.  She will need surgery at some point after coming home and will ultimately have a prosthetic foot and ankle.  We feel so blessed and excited to navigate this path with her.  Our kids are ready to rally around her and protect her from any kids who choose to tell her that her foot is anything but awesome.  Rollins made the statement to me "I'm actually pretty good at threatening other people."  Nice.

Actually one of the sweetest moments when we were praying over whether or not she was our daughter happened when Rollins watched a video we have of her.  A few minutes later, I'm in the kitchen and he walks in with tears in his eyes.  I ask him if he is crying and then he starts laughing and crying more and throwing his hands up as if to say "I'm not sure what's going on."  He finally got out the words "I feel like God is telling me to protect her."  Sweet big brother.... she will be well taken care of!

One last note.... with Mei Sims' adoption, I felt a strong urging to share every high, low and in between.... and I know there was purpose in being open and vulnerable.  This time, I have felt different... I probably won't add much more until we go to China.  I'm not a very private person.... so I'm happy to talk in real life and answer any questions you have.... but just for now, I need to pull back on this public of a setting! That being said, I'd still love your prayers as we finish up paperwork.

Here is what I am praying and I'd love for you to join me:


*  For God to prepare our daughter for us and us for her
*  For God to bless the foster family with sweet time until then and prepare them to say goodbye
*  For us to be allowed to meet the foster family
*  We plan on taking the big kids and not the littles.  So for protection over all of us as we are apart.
*  For Mei Sims-- we feel like we will face set backs with her so just pray for her little heart during all of this and as we are separated for the first time.