While We Wait

We go to places like this and ENJOY the fall!

This is where we stay.

It's likely our favorite place to visit.  We go there at least twice, if not more times, a year.  And we get amazing views on our hikes, like these:

Sometimes the locals are a little surprised that we hike where we do:

It's kinda like they're saying, "This is our territory.  What are you doing here?"
What can we say?  We love the fall, we love this place, and we will keep going back.

Grief and Joy

Tonight I am grieving and rejoicing with my friend.  Grieving because she never had the chance to bring her little boy home from the hospital.  Rejoicing because he is now with Jesus.  You can read their story here:

http://www.mandypelton.blogspot.com

Stayin' Warm

Just before moving over here my mother-in-law taught me how to crochet.  I love it!  So far I've made several blankets and a few scarves.  I can only make flat things.  One Christmas I tried making stockings and it was disastrous.

Last year I made this blanket for my friend's birthday:

I loved the design so I decided to make a similar one for our little girl's blanket:

Mark thought we needed a shot with me in the picture:

And here's a sneak preview of the second blanket for our other little girl:

Empty Bellies

It’s 11:30 pm.  Mark is due to arrive at our city’s airport at anytime and I’m lying in bed still awake, waiting for a text message that will tell me he’s arrived safely.  My stomach starts to growl.  Not because I didn’t eat…I’d had a bowl of left-over broccoli potato soup and a handful of nuts for dinner.  But that was hours ago and not enough to stick with me.

My thoughts drift to my daughters.  Not knowing where they are or how old they are, but knowing that likely they’re already born, sometimes I wonder what kind of life they’re experiencing right now.  So last night, I was wondering, “Are they too going to bed hungry?”  Are they in a poor orphanage that has to ration the amount of formula each child gets?  Or maybe it’s adequate in quantity, but not in quality and lacks the nutrients their little bodies need.  Are they crying at night when their bellies get hungry?  Or have they learned that even crying doesn’t help because they won’t get any response?  My heart shudders at these thoughts. 

 

Or maybe, just maybe, they’re in the small minority of orphans whose conditions are the best they possibly could be.  Maybe they’re warm and well-fed and living with a foster mommy and daddy who love them.  Maybe they’re in a bright and cheerful and well-funded orphanage where most all their needs are being met.  Still, they need me, they need Mark.  They need a forever family.  

God, I know that you’ve chosen them for us and us for them.  Protect and provide for them now and unite us soon.

"Being in your life is gonna change me"

Mark found this song and printed it off for me:  (You can listen to it below.)

Haven't Met You Yet lyrics
Songwriters: Michael Steven Buble, Alan Chang, Amy Foster

I'm not surprised, not everything lasts
I've broken my heart so many times, I stopped keeping track
Talk myself in, I talk myself out
I get all worked up, then I let myself down

I tried so very hard not to lose it
I came up with a million excuses
I thought, I thought of every possibility

And I know someday that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work, so we can work to work it out
And I promise you, kid, that I give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

I might have to wait, I'll never give up
I guess it's half timing, and the other half's luck
Wherever you are, whenever it's right
You'll come out of nowhere and into my life

And I know that we can be so amazing
And, baby, your love is gonna change me
And now I can see every possibility

And somehow I know that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work, so we can work to work it out
And I promise you, kid, I give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

They say all's fair
In love and war
But I won't need to fight it
We'll get it right and we'll be united

And I know that we can be so amazing
And being in your life is gonna change me
And now I can see every single possibility

And someday I know it'll all turn out
And I'll work to work it out
Promise you, kid, I'll give more than I get
Than I get, than I get, than I get

Oh, you know it'll all turn out
And you'll make me work so we can work to work it out
And I promise you kid to give so much more than I get
Yeah, I just haven't met you yet

I just haven't met you yet
Oh, promise you, kid
To give so much more than I get

I said love, love, love, love
Love, love, love, love
(I just haven't met you yet)
Love, love, love, love
Love, love
I just haven't met you yet

Then he asked what I thought it was about.  I said, "our girls".  But it isn't, it's a love song. :)

 

Bring on the madness

Those of you who know me well know that I am an extreme extrovert.  I can take about two hours of quiet alone time and then I'm done.  I need to turn on music, call a friend or connect to others virtually through Facebook and blogs.  But as much I'm addicted to Facebook and blogs, a computer screen just doesn't cut it for me.  I NEED to be around people. 

My husband has been traveling a lot this week and our apartment is way too quiet for my liking.  Having lots of time to do whatever I need or want to do sounds like a dream right?  Most of you probably think, "I wish I had that kind of time and that kind of peace and quiet."  But honestly to me this week, it's been more like a nightmare.  When I have lots of extra time, I don't get super productive.  I don't get creative (and write my husband poetic letters to tell him how much I miss him.  That's what he did for me when I was in America for two weeks this summer, but he thrives with lots of alone time.  I don't.)  I don't relax.  I don't enjoy it one bit.  I just get bored. 

I know several months from now when we get our little girls and we're struggling to figure out the hustle and bustle of everyday life with them, I'm sure there will plenty of thoughts in my head about what I should have done with this time.  But right now, in my optimism and in my longing for what I don't yet have, all I can think is "bring on the madness."  I really think I'm going to like it.  

Split Pants Dilemma

We've requested two girls under the age of two.  So I've been watching toddlers very closely, with a huge smile and the thought, "will my little girl look like you?"  Recently, my thoughts have also been turning to the very practical.  Split pants. 

Almost all babies and toddlers and even a little older kids in China have them.  It's what they're used to.  Split pants have a large gaping hole in the middle.  If kids need to go to the bathroom, they just squat down and go...on the roadside, in a shopping mall, wherever they might be.  Parents will hold smaller babies with legs widespread and whistle.  This trains the child to pee on cue.

So, what do I do when our girls are handed to us and they're used to wearing split pants!?  I don't want them to wear split pants.  I don't want them to just squat anywhere they need to go.  I don't want them to start peeing when they hear someone whistling.

But I've also heard that if this is what they're used to, they may not like to or want to wear diapers.  They'll think it's gross.  So does this mean that I'll need to potty train my one year olds?  There are so many unkowns...