A new covenant....
Red Sofa Picture
The power trio....
Thursday September 1, 2010 11:00PM
This was our last night here at the White Swan. I have not updated for awhile so I will try to include some of our experiences. The most vivid in my mind is turning to see Cori floating on her face in the pool after I had turned for only a few seconds. That does a real number on a Momma's heart!
Cori has been having better and better days since her stomach cramp morning. On the morning of all the medical exams and shots Cori was a real trooper. Not a single tear or complaint during the exams. When we were in the last line our guide pulled me aside to say we had a problem. It would seem that our province guide did not check properly and the orphanage had given us the records of a different child...a boy. A little panic. How much longer will we have to be in this less than sanitary, hot, loud office for anyone and everyone needing exams and shots???? We were the last case of all the Holt families to get our records, but they brought reason to rejoice. Only three shots needed!!
I took her for the shots and she was just curious about why the other child was crying. I opened her sucker right before we went in...still just curious. Then the first shot...no more curiousity, just screaming pain. Then another. Then another. She calmed down quickly and Miss I Am Fine, Thank You would not even hold my hand as we marched back to the adoption room. Her squeaky shoes were a constant rhythm until she saw big sister. Then she took off running and fell into her arms crying. How she loves Grace.
Everyday saw improvement in her mood, understanding, and some simple obedience. There are things she will only do with Grace and things reserved for Mom, but more things shift to "Ma Ma", accent on the second syllable everyday. Vehicle rides belong to me since she knows I carry her barf bag! She loves for me to bathe her and would probably stay in the tub for a hour if we let her.
Today was the Red Couch picture day. The White Swan has red couches throughout and it is tradition to pile the kids on one and have everyone take pictures. Our Holt group had 29 families so the groups were split. It is wonderful to see all of the children in traditional Chinese dress, all together before we take off to our own homes. We saw a family tonight who was with us in Changsha and I had to hug them both. They are precious Christians who lead praise and worship back at their home church. They were so wonderful to be with and always looked out for me.
Then we went to the US Consulate for the last of the Visa paperwork and for the oath taking. I did not describe this accurately before because it has been 4 1/2 years since I did it last. The wonderful lady in charge of the US cases of adoption addressed us all with congratulations and praise. She and her staff review every US case. There were 300 this year. She told us that two years ago special needs adoption was in the 45% range but is now up to 67%! One child on this trip is special needs because he did not gain enough weight in his first year.
Then we take the oath. There is just something stirring about standing on US soil (marble), putting up your right hand, and swearing and oath about anything. I really choked up as did many other parents, although all we were attesting is that we did our paperwork truthfully! Cori kept staring at me as I cried. I think it was so powerful because of a truth Pastor Jay Liner shared a few years ago. He talked about the difference in creating a child versus making a solemn covenant of adoption with a child who is not our flesh. He described it as somewhat more powerful because a decision and an oath were involved. I think that it why many of us were moved today. Not because adopted children are better or worse, but because of the decision, the investment, the work, and most importantly, the promise required of us as we covenant with this child to never leave or forsake them, to never treat them differently, to do whatever it takes to bring them into our family. It is not something to be entered into lightly, but bathed in prayer and only after God's clear leading. And with these children we know many of the challenges they will face with their health or learning, something we do not know when we conceive.
God grafted us in and adopted us and made a covenant with those who were not His people and gave us every privilege as sons and daughters through the sacrifice of His Son.
Tomorrow we check out and head to the gauntlet. The train to Hong Kong sounds like a marathon. Pay the porters, check big bags, ride 2 hours, retrieve bags, go through immigration, go through customs, go to hotel, eat, go to bed. Get up 6 hours later and take bags to airport. Check luggage. Flight to Detroit at 9:15. Fly for 14 hours with a 3 year old who gets motion sickness. Land in Detroit. Show staff at immigration child's Visa. Do not under any circumstances open this envelope before you get to this desk! Get luggage and go through customs. Then recheck luggage for flight to Asheville. So myself and my 13 year old will have two huge and heavy rolling bags, one beaten up backpack, a back pack on each of our backs, a carry on size, Cori, a stroller, and Cori's carry on.
Sounding like fun yet? At least I have some offers of help with the motion sickness. One has a prescription anti nausea and one is offering children's dramamine.
I think the most important thing I can say is how tangible your prayers have been. I have made this trip three times. I have made this trip with and without such support and I just want you all to know.....We can really and truly tell that we are being carried along what could be a hazardous road with protection and grace surrounding us. Wes, Grace, Cori, and I cannot even begin to thank you enough. A part of me dreads skidding off of this ride and back onto the pavement of real life because God has made Himself so real these past 14 days.
And then again, to have my precious husband beside me, my arms around my children, vegetables, ice, non-fried food, my own bed, seeing Cori in her forever home! These things will be sweeter for their absence. I will not miss doing my laundry by hand every other night, a bed that is hard as a rock, 90 plus temp with 90 plus humidity, seeing and smelling human waste, driving like a video game with the lives of real people, being trapped on the up elevator because the new passengers will not let you through, hawking and spitting in public. I will miss the people we have met and grown to love and I will miss this country. A part of my heart belongs here and thinks of three mothers who had to make the most awful decision about their babies and who will never know who God put them into our family where they are cherished and loved.
Thank you all for being on this journey with me. It does not end when I land in Asheville at 4 on Friday. For our life with Corin Malia Jiang Yihua Wright it is just beginning!!!
I love you all.
Stephanie, Ma Ma, and Grace, Je Day, and Cori, Hua Hua.
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