Our First Day At the Beach As a Family of Six

A family of six? Typing that makes me giggle as I never wanted a large family.  I sure never dreamed any of this for our life, but it is so good.  We love the beach.  It is one of our favorite places in the whole wide world.  It is only a twenty minute drive for us and it is totally free. What could be better? I remember sitting at the shores of this lake last August naming Molly Kate and now she is here with us!

 This is definitely Jillian's absolute favorite activity.  She LOVES the beach.  She was thrilled to be here.

Molly Kate doesn't love water so she didn't go near it much, but she enjoyed shoveling the sand in her bucket.  And isn't she adorable in her sun hat?

Anna Mei has grown so much since last summer.  She is a big girl who is so helpful and she loved being at the beach.  She said, "Thank you mom for this day.  It is so fun to be at the beach."  LOVE!

Molly Kate eventually asked Daddy to carry her out into the water a bit.  He did exactly as he was told, and walked in the water while she was in his arms.  She didn't smile too much as she was very unsure about this place, but she did enjoy sitting under the tree on the picnic blanket eating lunch.  The girl is becoming such a good eater.  Emily enjoyed the beach too, but wouldn't let me get any pictures of her.  :)  She is such a blessing with the girls.  It was a blessed day.  I marvel at how easy adding daughter number four has been.  She fits right in with us perfectly!

It is As If..

she has always been here.  She is such a darling baby girl and she is so very good. 

She can already get into her own car seat!

She and Anna Mei chat away like they have always been together.

 She is already sitting in her high chair eating away.

 I guess she has gained two pounds already!

Look at her sweeping.  Oh that face! I could just eat her up.

On Becoming Sisters

 It has been one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen watching my girls interact.  Anna Mei is over the moon to have a baby sister.  She is my little mommy.  She loves all things babies and her sister makes her heart overflow with love!  She tells her throughout the day how she is like her and says Molly Kate you belong with us. (This is especially precious as I tell these same things to Anna Mei often.)

They just seem to fit together perfectly.  Jillian will often sign "my baby" when she sees Molly Kate and plays so well beside her.

I am feeling so very blessed to have these three beauties to call my daughters.  They keep us very, very busy, but I wouldn't want it any other way.

Anna Mei's Dance Recital

Anna was blessed this year by a very special family in our body who provided her with dance lessons.  She has loved the friends, the recital costume, the shoes, and the Wednesday morning meeting times.  Her big performance is next Sunday, but we met yesterday to practice one time on the big stage.  She probably isn't destined for Broadway, but she has enjoyed it just the same.  

Thank you Miss Janele and Katelyn for giving her this gift!  She is blessed by your love for her!

Today

At the park today, all the emotion of my being gone for the last seventeen days, and finally returning home hit my nonverbal treasure.  A blister set her off in deep sobbing tears, and I took her in my arms to rock her against my chest right there on the park bench.  The loss of a momma is very real for her, and when I am I not here it hurts her deep.  When I returned to her yesterday, she came running down the stairs smiling so big signing "momma, momma home"!  It burst my heart wide open.  Still today when I was comforting her, the sadness she felt in my absence came back, and sitting there sobbing those big sobs was her way of telling me how much it hurt her heart to be without me.  I held her a long time there on the bench singing to her, and saying I was so sorry I had to leave for so long.  I was reassuring her that I loved her, and missed her every bit as much as she did me.  Then, I turned to look over my shoulder to check on my man who was playing with our other two girls as I was giving Jillian some one on one time.  As I turned, I saw my man walking toward me with our newest treasure's crooked little hand in his.  Once again, JOY indescribable flooded my heart.  For two years, our Molly Kate hasn't known the hand of a father, but in an instant my man took that role.  I have watched him all day sitting with her, holding her, and playing.  I have heard him saying beautiful, you are safe, daddy loves you, and daddy's got you again and again.  I have seen this man, whom I love more than any other earthly being, take this stranger on as his own and my heart expands a thousand fold!  How I am blessed that he is willing to walk alongside me and support me in this crazy.  I never dreamed this life for us and, while it is not at all what I wanted or dreamed, it is so much better.  Crazy blessed to walk this road with such an incredible father to my children by my side.  I can't imagine my life without him, and when I said I would go back to China tomorrow..he didn't say no.

In the USA

I am typing this update from O'Hare while my precious babes sleep on a couch next to me.  We are waiting for the last leg of our journey home.  Today, this precious little angel has lost every bit of her home country, but at the same time, she has gained so much.  After fifteen hours on a plane, this amazing little girl was all smiles.   She didn't make a peep throughout the flight.  She enjoyed stickers, coloring, eating the coconut cookies shared with her by a passenger, and taking advantage of all the perks of cuteness with the flight attendants.  She was given extra water, food, ice cream, pillows, and much, much attention.  What a huge paradox to what her life has been in the years before we came for her.  She is cherished..so cherished by so many these days and she is eating it up.  When we exited the plane, my baby girl was automatically granted US citizenship, but because it was her first time entering the county, we had to go through the manned lines.   She was moved to the head of the line immediately.  The officer walked her right to the front, and many applauded as we made our way through the official channels.  It always feels so good to be home...to be able to give our girls this great country as their home is more than words can describe.  I can't wait to watch her grow.  I can't wait to continue to get to know who she is and all that she thinks.  As she sleeps, I am praying over her and giving thanks to God for all of the events of the last seventeen days as each of these journeys grows my faith and shapes my heart like nothing else.  I serve a God who has allowed me the great privilege of caring for one more precious one in His name and, friends, it is so so very good! 

On Her Own

It finally happened yesterday.  Our dear girl started to move about a bit.  It happened much sooner with Anna Mei, but finally our Molly Kate is feeling comfortable enough to explore.  She literally has stayed pretty much glued to wherever I put her down in our hotel  and won't leave my lap or walk when we are out.  She sits quietly and plays with anything that is near, but hasn't moved or made any fuss to gain more.  I have tried to get her to explore, walk holding my hand, and crawl, but she has had none of that.  Yesterday, though, she did walk from her toys to the table and "got into" some things that were sitting there.  I am thrilled.  She even walked on her own just a bit at the park we visited today while she held my hand.  She is very, very cautious and it has taken her a very long time to come out of herself, but we are so excited to begin seeing a bit of her little personality.  She even thought about feeding herself some ice cream, but quickly came to her senses and withdraw so that momma could do it for her. How I love watching my littles become more themselves as they get comfortable.  I can't wait to see how she will settle in at home with our family.  She is so happy to see her daddy each time on the computer and we will all be pretty happy to see him in person on Friday!

Another Park

We took a cab to visit another park in the city to pass the morning.  We went with another momma, who traveled alone to her seven year old daughter.  She is a special education teacher who teaches children with visual differences and has already adopted one child who is blind.  We enjoyed spending time with she and her new daughter here on our last day as we have lots in common.  It is so hot though.  The pictures above are blurry because of the humidity.  It is seriously hot.   We are packing up and so excited to head out tomorrow morning for Hong Kong.  Iowa Here We Come! 

Red, White, and Blue

My dear girl was issued her visa today.  She was all decked out in her red, white, and blue for the occasion.  (I was chuckling waiting with the other families this morning about all the hairbows on our children.  I said that when a little is adopted by an American they should be given a warning that hairbows are in their future as all the little girls were wearing them.)  As soon as she lands on US soil, she will be a citizen.  We had to walk by hundreds, probably thousands, of Chinese nationals waiting in line hoping to be granted a visa to immigrate into this great country that we are blessed to call home.  We were able to walk right past them all and enter the brand new consulate where the preamble to the constitution etched in the frosted glass greeted us.  This is always an emotional moment for me when my precious daughters are adopted by our great country and the rights of citizenship are extended to them because we have called them our own.  She was called by her American name today for the first time by a stranger..Molly Katherine Ling Masterson.  She doesn't yet know that that is who she is to become, but I know and it is amazing.  As much as I love visiting this place and feel such a deep burden for the many lost here, I will be so thrilled to land on US soil.  The freedom we have is something I take for granted too often.  Praising God my Molly will soon know it.  She does love her some native food though.  Today, she devoured an egg custard type dish with soy sauce on the top.  She ate the entire pan.  I don't even know what it was as the local place we went to eat didn't have any English speaking employees.  They didn't charge us for it as they said it was lucky for the baby.  I am hoping I can find out what it was so I can try to recreate it for her when we are home.  Their native food is always so comforting to my little ladies and I love making it for them when we are home. 

Safari

We hit the safari park today.  I have never been in three trips because I have never had a baby who could handle such an outing, but this baby is soooo good.  Seriously, Molly Kate smiles all the time, eats when she needs to, sleeps when she needs to, and really loves being out.  She is darling and she enjoyed the zoo despite the 100 plus degree temperatures.  It is so hot here.  The family we are traveling with speaks Chinese so we hoped a van on our own and headed out to the zoo for the day by ourselves.  It was great fun.  You wouldn't believe how close the animals are here.  There is almost nothing separating the viewer from a tiger.  You can even buy a tray of meat and feed the lion by throwing it in the cage.  The animals are much more active too.  It was great fun, but we are more than ready for our consulate appointment tomorrow because then we will be issued that American visa.  That visa is our golden ticket home and we cannot wait!  Tomorrow, we will be sporting our red, white, and blue while we take our citizenship oath.  Then Thursday afternoon, we will pick up our paperwork and Friday we will head out from Hong Kong.  We are getting so close! 

Lucy's

We got to eat at Lucy's today on the island.  Sweet tea is a welcome taste of home after so many days of Chinese cuisine.  Emily had American fried chicken.  She was in heaven.  Molly Kate tried ketchup and she was not a fan.  She had an egg flower soup and devoured it.  She did try the sweet tea and asked for more. 

The Island

 The last two mornings, we have caught a cab and gone out to the island.  This being my third time here, I am very comfortable in this city.  There is nothing better than walking the cobblestone paths, browsing the little shops, and taking in the lush, tropical gardens on Shaman Island here in Guangzhou.  It was our lucky day today too because we just missed the huge rain storm which came while we were eating.  We have also had such great luck catching cabs quickly.  I told Em she is my good luck charm as I have never gotten cabs so quickly as this trip.  We couldn't resist taking some photos there of our treasure in her Chinese outfit. 

Heavenly

We weren't here long in Guangzhou, when my oldest was laughing her head off and saying this is heaven for you mom.  Here in this city, all families adopting must finish the US side of their paperwork and that means that Chinese children and their new families are everywhere.  I mean hundreds of them.  Most of these families are believers and just as crazy about adoption as I am .  The first morning at breakfast, we were approached by another momma who talked reusing her  dossier, orphan care, and special needs all within a few minutes of introducing herself.  It was when she left that Emily was laughing saying reusing dossiers, special needs, adoption...this is your heaven mom.  Truly, this is heaven for me seeing all these beautiful children welcomed into homes and sharing the week with these amazing families whose hearts are so close to mine is the icing on the cake.  I LOVE this place.  I LOVE adoption and I LOVE China.  Many have asked if this is my last trip here.  Only God knows, but I hope not.  I hope that God will continue to bless me with these children and that I will one day walk this soil again. 

More Pearl River

It is so special having Emily here.  I am so very grateful for all this time with her and for the love that is forming between she and her new sister. 

Pearl River

The  weather cleared up and it was beautiful just in time for our cruise on the Pearl River last night.  Molly Kate loved being on a boat again.  We heard her voice throughout the cruise.  Generally, she is stone silent, but she babbled away as we were on the upper deck watching the sunset and the lit up buildings and bridges passing by.  She loves the wind in her hair too, the children running about, and the other family who are our traveling companions.  It was a beautiful evening here.  They have a teenager about Emily's age so they enjoyed fellowship together while I listened to my Molly Kate talk away. 

Beautiful

 We did a little photo shoot at the park before leaving Hangzhou in her Chinese dress.  This is the same one all my girls have worn in China and so I love looking back at each of them in it.

Processing

As we  flew through the darkness to arrive in this new city where my precious daughter will be given American citizenship, my heart was processing the events of the last week.  While we are taking steps that lead us closer to home in America, she is being led away from all that she has been.   We left her province for the last time this trip.  We left behind her dialect, the tastes of her local food, her surroundings, and are now entering in to a new city that is completely strange and foreign to her.  I thought about how that must feel being here as she has been ripped from all that is familiar to her while those whom she has trusted promise that this is what is best for her.  How can a little one endure so much?  Each time as I watch my little ones transform from Chinese to American and orphan to daughter, I am overcome by how unjust it is that these babes have endured so very much loss in their lives.   Because of this great loss and out of their deep hurt, God brings me some of the greatest blessings of my Iife.  I  also let the tears come as I flew through the dark skies on my way here because I thought about sharing all this with her as she grows.  The truth of what  I know about her story is heartbreaking and yet she is a pure beauty created by God with a great purpose.  I was praying she would believe that as she grows.  I was praying for wisdom and strength as I parent her.  I was praying that her true identity would not be rooted in her past story, though that is a very important part of who she is and God will use that, but in all that God created her to be in Him.  How I love this sweet, precious babe.  How I feel beyond blessed that God would entrust her to me.  She is such a treasure. 

Eating

Molly Kate has just begun to eat for us.  She is finally taking a little of a bottle from me too, but not too much still.  It is pretty normal behavior after the trauma of gotcha day.  One thing I can tell is this little lady loves her native food.  In fact, for lunch today she devoured a bowl of "cats ear" soup made with shrimp, fish, and crab meat. She also loved the mango jelly dessert.  It was similar to jello with fresh mangos in it.  She kept pointing to the glass jar asking for more.   It was delicious and I am always relieved when my peanuts start eating a bit.  She is bone skinny.  I am guessing that she weighs about 18-19 pounds at 25 months.  I can't wait to get a little meat on her.  I think I might have to cook more Chinese though for this one as Anna Mei would eat any thing right away, but Molly  Kate doesn't seem so easy as far as that goes.

Tea Plantation

We visited a tea plantation this morning.  There is a green tea mountain that grows a variety of green tea that is known as their special variety here is Hangzhou.  We saw tea growing up the mountain, watched how it was prepared, and then enjoyed a cup.  It was an interesting tour and Molly Kate loved being out this morning.

A Boat Ride and Her Little Voice

 Because it was our free day, meaning we have no paperwork to complete, we enjoyed a local park around the beautiful lake here.  We took a boat out on the water and wandered the paths of this scenic place.  Molly Kate was very happy and we even heard her little voice for the first time today.  She was babbling away out on the deck of the boat.  We got it on video and I can't wait to share it with you when I can upload it.  She would even use her little pinky to point to all that she saw passing by..the trees, other boats, and water.  Have I told you how head over heels I am for this precious girl?  I am smitten.  She is perfect.  Perfect.  When we were walking today, she continued to draw a lot of attention, but for the most part, people are so kind to her.  Today, many said lovely girl lovely girl over her again and again.  We are certainly feeling your prayers and we have been so blessed by them.

A Train, Bus, Taxi, and the Subway

In order to make our way back to Wenzhou to get our Molly Kate's Chinese passport, we had to take a train, taxi, the subway, and a bus.  Traveling back there the last two days has been exhausting, but it is required by law in this province to return to the city of origin to obtain the passport for any adopted child.  Molly did great!  She slept a good deal of our journey on the train and for that I am grateful.  Neither of my first two girls felt safe enough to sleep in my arms so if we were out they never slept.  It is much easier having a little one who will sleep when she is tired.  After our third transportation switch last night about 7:00 PM, I looked at Emily and said I am thanking  God that we didn't have to do all this with Jilly because she would have never been able to take all this.  Molly has done so well, but I am so glad we have a free day today.  We now are just waiting for her passport to be processed and finished.  We leave province tomorrow evening and fly to Guangzhou to finish things at the US consulate.  We are using today to rest and are also taking in a tea plantation and going on the lake if it doesn't rain.  I am hoping for one last beautiful look at this city before heading out tomorrow.   We are almost half way through this journey.  I am getting anxious to come home.

Lunch

 Yesterday, the administrators of the orphanage asked us to share a meal with them before leaving.  I was happy to have more time soaking them in, asking questions, and continuing to collect Molly's past the most, but the food was also delicious.  This is a water community with much seafood so we enjoyed shrimp (with the eyes still on), fried chicken legs, green beans with garlic, some local fruit, cashews, eggplant, more chicken, and rice.  It was a delicious meal and I was able to discover a bit more about the day Molly was found and brought to them.  I am grateful for all I can know about my precious treasure and sharing this meal with these women who have cared for her the last two years was very special. 

Loss

Yesterday, we traveled to Molly Kate's orphanage one final time.  I tried my best to hold myself together as I walked the halls of that place because I wanted to do all I could to collect as many pieces of my daughter's past as possible.  Someday, she may want to know her story and, for now, I am its keeper.  I thought I would struggle most with the faces of the other children waiting there looking back at me, but I couldn't get my heart away from my Molly's.  She was so sad.  Sad at the thought of saying good bye and leaving this place again that she sobbed and sobbed when she was handed back to me.  Break my momma heart, this girl has experienced so much loss and abandonment in her short life.  I do not regret that we took the journey to her first home, but I wish that I could have somehow shielded her heart from experiencing leaving it again.  We met nannies, saw the buildings, walked the halls where she walked, and saw her crib.  It was very well run and clean, but it was still an orphanage.  Her nanny even showed me hundreds of pictures of her that she had taken on her phone and told me she loved her.  I could tell my little girl was loved.  I could see it in her smile when she saw her caretakers again as they approached her.  How this life isn't fair.  I know that God has a plan for this and that He will bring much good from it, but seeing my darling girl suffering is not easy for this momma. 

It's Official

Yesterday was the approval "ceremony" when China officially pronounced Molly Katherine Ling ours!  Molly was all smiles as if she knew what was happening.  It is always so emotional to hear those words read from the official knowing the great loss that Molly is experiencing and the tremendous gain I have because of it. 

My Amazing Girl

Sweet girl showed much of what she could do today with those beautiful, designed by God hands she has to call her own.  I am amazed at all she can do.  She can pick up cheerios with two index fingers and get them in her mouth.  She can stack the cups, transfer them from one hand to the other, beat them together, and cause them to crash down.  She could turn the pages of a book, point to what she wanted, and she even spent an hour inventing a game with an empty water bottle.  She could twist the cap on and off with those amazing hands of hers  all by herself while we played it.  She is an incredible little one. 
She is breathing so heavy today though.  I would be lying if I didn't say I was worried.  Her little heart seems to be constantly pounding too.  I am no doctor, but these next two weeks can't go fast enough so I can get her home to one.  Please send up some prayers for us if you think of her.  She is darling.  Absolutely darling and I am crazy about her.  We were even out and about in the public today and she was treated quite well.  There was lots of staring which I am sure is to become a bigger part of our lives than it already is as we already create quite a scene when we are out with our current treasures. (One of our friends said we should have a reality tv show called SHANGHIOWA. It made me laugh.)  Despite all the attention, Molly Kate is calm and so mild mannered.  I mean so mild mannered.  She has cried only once when she was taking a bath.  She was not a fan.  Her worst cry doesn't even begin to rival normal at my house.   She also wore her hair bow all day!  Here this people this is important stuff!  She also sat happily on my lap for the last three hours during the train ride tonight too.  She is now passed out cold in her crib.  There is nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby with an adoring momma watching near by.  Thank you!  THANK YOU, friends for all you have done so that this baby would know my love.  You hosted magic shows, bake sales, prayed for her and us, donated to our accounts..Y'all this baby is sleeping within my arms reach tonight because of your faithful support!  I am overcome!  Thank you for your willingness to be Jesus hands and feet for us!  We are so very blessed by each of you because this little arrow is in our quiver!

And We Are Off to Be A Family

All is Well!  She is here!  After such a short time, she is with us!  She is napping like a rock.  She hasn't spoken a word, hasn't cried at all, and hasn't eaten a thing.  All pretty normal stuff for the first hours after Gotcha Day.  She seems to be the go inward and shut down type of peanut, but we will see how long that holds out.  I am praying for her little heart and loving every minute with her! To God Be Much Glory for all that He has done!

Introducing Molly Katherine Ling (Part 3)

Then her smile came.  Be still this momma's heart, I love this little girl.  She had her first poopy diaper right there in the office and really loved having her pants changed.

Introducing Molly Katherine Ling (Part 2)

Baby girl was thirsty and this momma happened to have a bottle with water nearby.  She finally came to me.

She had a nice nap after having a little water all while safely snuggled in my arms.

Then she woke and gave us some smiles.  I am making strange voices from her doll here and Emily calls this Molly Kate's "you must be crazy lady" face.