4 years!!!

So hard to believe we have been together for 4 years!!  What an incredible journey it has been!  My life was CHANGED the day our Sweet Charlotte was placed in my arms for the very first time.  I SAW with my own eyes the Face of GOD!!  And He has been revealing himself ever since!

Here are a couple pics of our sweet girl now:

2 Weeks Home/1 month with Charlotte

Well it was four weeks ago today that Charlotte was put in our arms for the first time and boy has she changed since then. She is so confident in herself and is so proud of herself when she does something new. She loves to clap and is starting to hug her bear. She loves to play with her big brother and is making lots more noises than when we were in China. We are starting to get back to normal and are looking forward to a wonderful Christmas here at home. Tomorrow is our first appointment with the craniofacial team at CHKD so we will have more to post then about medical stuff and her upcoming surgery after that. She really is doing remarkably well and we thank you for all your prayers for adjustment and bonding. We still have our moments but are so grateful for how well she is doing. I am posting some pics of her here with us at home. Enjoy!!
Carla

One Week Home

We'll be posting more pictures soon, but Carla and I were joking earlier this week about writing a post about the little things Charlotte loves, so...
Here is a very short list of things Charlotte loves about life at home that make Carla and I smile.
1. Wind and sunshine. The cool November breeze makes her giggle (and us too).
2. The sound of her bottle being made. We shake it to mix the formula, and when she hears that, she laughs out loud, and falls into the arms of the Carla or me. It's awesome!
3. When we tighten the belts on her carseat. There is this dial that you turn to make the belts tighter. It's like the carseat gives her a hug. Again, smiles and laughs.
4. Dancing and crib surfing. When she gets happy, she sways from side to side, lifting her feet. When she is standing in her pack and play, she will get her balance, and then let go in a surfing pose until she is about to fall, grabbing on to the rail again, followed by throwing her head back and laughing out loud.
It is truely the little things in life that bring the most joy. Things like Diet Pepsi with ice, laundry you don't have to pay for, "American" pizza, and time with friends and family. Thank God for home. As we continue to recover from jet lag, we realize more and more just how blessed we are.
Pictures from home to come. Have a great week!

Jay, Carla, Ethan, and Charlotte

We're Home!!

We're Home! Thanks you all so much for all your prayers and support. We cant wait for you to meet Charlotte. We have been so blessed, from the day we began this journey many months ago, and God continues to bless us each moment. Please continue to pray for our family, and for Charlotte's transtition to her new home. Enjoy this video summary of our Journey to Charlotte!

Jay, Carla, Ethan, and Charlotte

Our Final Post from China

Wow! This is our last post from China! I never thought the day would come that we would actually travel to get our Charlotte, and now we are heading home. Actually, we are really ready to return. As much as we have enjoyed being immersed in Chinese culture, we are all ready for home (personal space is at a premium in our hotel room, and in China in general).
What a wonderful, emotional, inspiring, and God-given trip this has been. There are just so many stories to share of how we have been blessed beyond measure. God continues to anoint this journey just as he did the day we decided to take it on. He continues to show us just how much He cares for us, how much he cares for all his children, and how he blesses us when we answer his call. I know we'll all have stories to share when we return.
Today was a wrap-up day in China. With most of the families in our travel group gone, it seems so quiet (prayers to all of them by the way, many who have long drives ahead of them after landing from thier 12+ hour flights). After breakfast we boarded the Guangzhou Metro for a subway adventure to Carrefour (the local wal-mart) for formula and diapers for the flight home. Then we had time for a quick nap before heading to the American Consolate. We had to appear and swear that we gave truthful information in all of our paperwork and statements to the consolate. Then we returned to the China Hotel to finish our time in Guangzhou the way we started...McDonald's take out.
Oh! Happy National Adoption Day everyone! How perfect it is that the day we Leave China (Saturday) and return home is National Adoption Day in the US.
Please continue to Pray for Carla, Charlotte and I as it seems we all have the same sinus bug. Ethan seems to have missed it, but his allergies may just cover it up. Pray also for our journey home, specifically our 12 hour flight from Beijing, the 5 hour layover in the Beijing Int. Airport, and for Charlotte. We have a fear that she will not do well with the cabin pressure on the airplane. No pictures today, but we'll have some to post when we get home and settled.
Thanks so much for your encouragement through the guestbook. It has been a really treat to hear your encouraging words from thousands of miles away.
See You Soon in the USA!!!

Jay, Carla, Ethan, and Charlotte

Passing the Time

Well, now we are just passing time until we travel home on Saturday. We are all ready for that. We have had an amazing trip but are missing home and our families. Charlotte is starting to show us her strong willed side.....but she doesn't realize she has met her match in her mommy (ha, ha!) We are starting to see the normal behaviors of a 17 month old. Testing the limits, fighting off sleep, wiggly, wiggly, wiggly. We are ready to be home where we can get on a schedule and get a handle on nap time and the such. She is still doing well. And even starting to perform for the camera. Yesterday we went to Shaimen Island again, and to the White Swan for the famous red couch pictures. Tomorrow we will pick up Charlotte' s visa and pack. Today we are just relaxing in the hotel and Ethan and Jay went to another park with one of the other families left. Ethan us still doing well. He is such a good boy and big brother. We are very proud of him. I am trying to fight off a little cold. Hopefully the allergy medicine and Airborne will do the trick. Hope you are all doing well, we can't wait to see you all. We will post one more time before we leave China on Saturday. Enjoy the pictures.

Carla, Jay, Ethan and Charlotte

The Latest on Charlotte

Hello All! We are spending our last few days here in China spending time with the new friends we've gotten to know these few weeks. Many of them will be traveling home tomorrow morning, and we are trying not to be too jealous. It's hard to stay here knowing that 14 of the 18 families are heading home tomorrow. Charlotte is doing so much! Yesterday she showed us that hse can crawl! We knew she could do it, we had seen her do so in photos, but she is becoming more trusting and active each day. this morning, she was able to play in the bath for the first time and not fuss. As I write this, we are trying to explain "no" to her as she tries to grab at the laptop. Yes, she's becoming more comfortable each day. Today is a free day for us. no real plans, just passing the time until our appointment with the Consulate, and then traveling home on Saturday! We'll try to post more pictures tonight. See you soon!

Jay, Carla, Ethan and Charlotte