Ecuador Mission Trip - June 2011

Happy 6th Gotcha Day Mia!!

Yesterday, we celebrated Mia's 6th Gotcha Day! I thought I would share what we wrote on her blog the day we met her 6 years ago:

"Our day began at about 4:30am in Beijing. We took a 7:55 flight to Changsha. We arrived at our hotel around 11:30 and had a couple hours to eat lunch and prepare for the baby and what was about to come. We meet as a group in the hotel lobby at 3:00 and were off to the Civil Affairs Office. We were lead to a conference room and were told that it would be about 30 minutes. So then 5 minutes later they walked in with Mia and called our name first. We did not even have our papers out. We had to fumble through our bag and let them confirm that she was ours. Mia was just standing and looking. She was so scared. I could not believe how beautiful she looked standing there looking at me. I slowly picked her up and she just looked around so sadly. A few minutes later she began to cry and this lasted awhile. Jason reached out his arms for her and she stopped crying and went to him. We stood and tried to comfort her. We blew bubbles and gave her toys. She came back to me and drank a bottle. Did I mention that this room was 100 degrees and full of screaming babies. It was undescribible! So with all that going Mia got sick and threw up. We changed her and we out the door to get on the bus and come back to the hotel. On the bus ride Mia became very attached to a small blow up ball and 2 stacking cups. She will NOT let them go. Well she will give them to her mama but if her "baba" (daddy) asks for them she hides them behind her back. Once back at the hotel I stayed with Mia and got to know her and Jason did some paperwork. "Qian Qian" played, had a bath, ate oatmeal, had a bottle and went to sleep.

This has been such an amazing day. We praise God for bringing us to our daughter. What a miracle. We thank you for all of your love and support."

Gotcha's days are great days to reflect. I cannot imagine my life without this girl of mine in it!! She is an inspiration and a huge blessing to me!! I am soooooo thankful for her!!

Answered Prayer

Blogging is new to me. It is kind of hard for me to spill my emotions and thoughts to everyone who might read what I am writing. Today I felt like this might be important to share as it might help or encourage someone who is struggling.

I have had a very hard time since returning home from Ecuador. My mind is constantly on the children and our friends there. I look around at all we have here and just feel pretty….yuck. When I shower and dry off I think about the kids who have not even their own towel or pj’s but share with a group of kids. I am broken and some days I cannot stop my tears.

Yesterday, I was at the pool with friends and they had babies. My mind was on baby S (from Maria Campi) all day. I would think "that baby is 11 months and S is 18 months and she is not any bigger than that baby. Oh look what that baby can do…. baby S is not doing that yet." When I got home, I was a complete mess. I mean I lost it. I was truly crying for this sweet baby who I grew to love in just 2 short days.  I felt hopeless. My sweet Emmy was asking me what was wrong. I was explaining how I was feeling and telling her how I was just so far away and felt like I could not do anything to help baby S or any of the other children from where I was. Then it hit me and I told her that I need to pray for them now. That is what I did! While praying, I heard my email chime. When I was finished, I checked my email and it was from my friend Sylvia in Ecuador. The email said, “"Ill can go check on her tomorrow morning for a little bit if u want :)... blessings my friend" She was going to check on S for me. I know God doesn’t always answer prayer that quickly and at times it may seem like he is not listening but this was a great reminder to me to go to Him!! I prayed and my prayers were answered and my sweet friend is going to make sure this baby girl is okay today not because I asked her too but because God put it on her heart when I was brokenhearted and praying.