More Reflections

On day four we relaxed. We walked to McDonald's, one of China's finest eateries! Joy tasted her first ice cream . . . not so sure about this cold stuff! She now loves her icey cream! :)

We strolled around the park and experienced the incredible culture of China.

David and the kids swam in the freezing cold pool which requires swim caps to be worn by all. Classic!

 

The fifth day was our last day in Nanning. We felt bitter sweet. Our hearts were connected and were only growing fonder of this place. However, leaving meant getting one step closer to bringing our little girl home! We had lunch with a special family we met who also were adopting a little girl. Our special guide, Hannah, joined us after orally translating all of the records given to us by Joy's orphanage. This was an amazing gift! We never expected to receive any more information than what we already had (and it wasn't much). Yet, Joy had been a part of the Half the Sky Foundation. Her nanny wrote of her development every three weeks from the day she entered the orphanage to the day before we met her. Priceless, wonderful, emotional, and miraculous. So many things written by Joy's ayi are exactly Joy! To read of her development just makes us feel even more connected. God in His goodness allowed us to receive another piece of the puzzle! Late that night we were off to Guangzhou where we would have our appointment at the Consulate and receive Joy's visa to go home.

 



Reflections

So much has happened in the past month . . . it will be hard to put it all into words. But I am going to try to reflect when I feel inspired. Our time in China, meeting our little precious, was AMAZING! It seems like yesterday in so many ways, yet it seems so long ago. I can hardly remember life without our little Joy! So, she came to our hotel room on a rainy day at the end of October (the day after my birthday). As she entered the room, she immediately began pointing to each of us and calling us by name, "Ba Ba, Ma Ma, Jie Jie, Ge Ge". She smiled, played, and entertained us. (That hasn't stopped!)She said goodbye to her caretakers and settled right in. I fed her some noodles (a favorite food), and she patiently let me. However, after a bit, she took over and handled the chopsticks like a pro.

We gave her her first bath, which she loved, and we dressed her in new pajamas. I lovingly folded her clothes and put them away as a keepsake. The only time she showed any sorrow was when the lights went out. She and I cried together as I held her, rocked her, and grieved along with her. Yet I am thankful that she embraced her emotions and allowed herself to feel the hugeness of what was happening. To jump ahead a bit . . . I knew that we had made progress when she no longer cried at bedtime. After about a week of being home, our daughter was at peace at bedtime. It was a joyous night! We went through the routine . . . bath, jammies, brush teeth, read books, the whole family singing a goodnight song, hugs and kisses for everyone, and Mommy laying down in bed with her as she drifted off with a smile on her face. Praise God! Our daughter felt safe, protected, loved and peaceful.

 

Back to China . . . the second day was our official adoption day. It was October 30th, the exact day that she had been abandoned. We went through the ceremony promising to care for this precious child. She had her footprints stamped in red ink which she loved. Joy Yun became a Metzgar! She was ours, she is ours, she is dearly loved, and she is a part of us just as God had planned from the beginning of time.

The third day we went to Beihai to visit Joy's orphanage and her supposed place of birth. This was the emotional day. Seeing where she had lived for the past three years. Hugging her special nanny who loved and cared for her. Saying goodbye to her nanny and shedding many tears. Witnessing the exact spot where she was forsaken, out in the open just around the corner from the orphanage. Knowing that her birth Mother loved her and was trying to do the best she could for her. Meeting the shop owner who called the police. Grieving for her loss and accepting the fact that she had to wait for us for three years. Feeling connected to a place so far away. Wanting to return someday to show our daughter where her life began. Remembering to trust in the Lord with all of our hearts and to not lean on our own understanding. Knowing that His ways are right, good, and perfect.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Joy, Joy, Joy!

Our lives are filled with incredible joy! Our little precious Joy joined our family just over a month ago. Here is a video montage of our time in China from our first meeting with Joy until we brought her home. The pictures tell the story!

Beijing and Beyond!

We had an amazing time in Beijing! What a privilege to experience the Chinese culture! Here are some pictures of the highlights. The only thing missing is Joy!

 

 

 

We are now in Nanning, and we are just a few hours away from meeting Joy. We found out that the supervisor of the orphanage will be bringing her to our hotel instead of the civil affairs office. This is a blessing that we weren't expecting. We will be united in the comfort of our hotel which will hopefully be a more peaceful experience for all of us. Our guide, Hannah, is so helpful! She actually talked to the orphanage supervisor who told her some details about Joy. Apparently, she does indeed talk a lot! She knows she has a family coming for her. She told everyone that her parents sent her the cakes! :) She also informed her nanny that she should talk to her a lot and give her a lot of food because she is leaving and moving to another country! She sounds like a funny little thing! We pray that we will get to see that little personality come out in time. It's almost here!

"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Joy, Here We Come!

"One more day" . . . we have been waiting and waiting to recite that phrase! We made it to the end of the countdown . . . Joy, here we come! Mia and I had so much fun organizing Joy's clothes and packing her suitcase. This is all about to become reality!

The bags are all packed, and we are all so excited, we can hardly stand it! We can hardly believe we are going to China, and we can hardly believe that we will meet our little Joy face to face and bring her home. Now, we just pray that all these bags make it to their final destination!

 

 I am thanking the Lord this evening amidst all of the excitement and busyness, that my heart is truly at peace. God is in control, He is sovereign over all! He has planned this adoption since the beginning of time. We are just thankful that He has chosen us to be a part of His plan for Joy's life. There are so many unknowns, yet we know the One who holds the future in His hands. We continue to fervently pray for Joy, as her life, and ours, is about to be changed forever. We pray that God in His mercy will help her, and us, to feel His perfect peace. We can't wait to tell her about Jesus! Precious, little one, we love you and can't wait to meet you! Please join us in praying for Joy and for the country of her birth!

 

"The joy of the Lord is my strength." Nehemiah 8:10

Prayers for Joy

We are so grateful for our wonderful church body! On our final Sunday as a family of 5, we were prayed over by our church. God has blessed us with a loving and supportive community of believers! We were showered with encouragement, and it brought such joy to our hearts. In addition, my sister's family is also about to bring home their little ones. God has orchestrated every detail, and He has ordained that our two families would experience this all together. What a kind and good Father we serve!

 "God sets the lonely in families." Psalm 68:6

So many precious people are praying for us and for Joy! We continue to stand in awe of our Lord and how He has surrounded us with His love through His saints. Today we paid our final adoption invoice, and we had just enough! God has consistently and miraculously provided financially for our adoption expenses. Again, we stand in awe! We have not always known how He would provide, but we believed that He would. Even when I doubted, He provided. Even when we had a major water leak in our house, He provided. Even when we had no idea where the money would come from, He provided. When we tallied up our fundraising efforts, and it was the exact amount of the matching grant we received, we were convinced that he provided. He has proven Himself faithful time and time again. How could I ever doubt?

"Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." Isaiah 12:2-3

Joy's Cake

We had a special cake sent to the orphanage in honor of Joy's homecoming! Here it is along with a couple of fun, new pics. Gotta love that face! :)

Special Preparations

We continue to count down the days . . . we will be leaving in just over a week. It is strange how the days can seem to be flying by, yet time is slowly ticking. The preparations are in full swing. It is almost time to start the packing, to empty the bags of  "stuff for China". Those little clothes hanging in the closet are almost ready to find their way into a suitcase.

 

Joy's bed is empty, waiting for a little precious China doll to occupy it. For now, her little dollies wait for her. They will be in her arms so soon . . . and she will be in ours!

 

 

Today we received an adorable backpack that we ordered for Joy. This will be for her special things, a concept that she has probably never experienced. We can't wait to load it up with art supplies, stickers, books, and treats. Yet, these things are a dim reflection of the love and blessings that we desire to give her. Our heavenly Father blesses us with good gifts, yet nothing can compare to His unfailing love!

My mind spins at times with all that needs to get done, yet my heart is at peace. That's only possible because . . . "the peace of God which transcends all understanding is guarding my heart and my mind in Christ Jesus." This incredible peace leads to just one word . . .

We're Going to China!

Joy, here we come! We officially received the travel approval on September 25th, the day right after I had written that last post. God is so faithful, never failing to keep us standing in awe of His wonderful ways! Mia started the official white board countdown . . .

A week has already passed, and we now leave for China in 3 weeks! So many details are swimming around in our minds. Yet, we are praying that we will stay focused on Christ and His goodness. We are fervently praying that Joy will transition well into our family. We are also praying for health and saftety for all of us. We are about to embark on an adventure that will forever change us. It is so good! We desire that God will change us continually, drawing us closer and closer to Himself. We welcome the things that force us to cling to Him. Whatever we may face, we long to remember that when we are weak, He is strong! Precious Joy, we love you and can't wait to show you just how much!

Waiting to Travel!

Everything is done. All of the paperwork is finished. And now . . . we wait. We simply need to receive the news that we can travel to China. We are so very close. Little Joy, we can hardly wait to see you and wrap you up in our loving arms. We know that God has already chosen the date. He planned it before the beginning of time.

Last week each of the kids wrote a letter to Joy to tell her of their feelings right before she joins our family. It was so sweet to read what they each wrote, and I know that their heartfelt words will be treasured in Joy's heart when she is old enough to read them.

I have definitely been "nesting". Joy's bed is made, her clothes hang in the closet, her toys are put away, and our hearts are ready! It seems like such a long time ago that we saw her sweet face for the very first time.

That little baby is now three and a half! It often pains my heart to not have been there for so many milestones. Yet, now is exactly the time that God has planned. I rest in that. God has used this waiting time in incredible ways. I have learned to trust Him like never before! And I know that He is a Father to the fatherless. An orphan no longer . . . she is a daughter!!

"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

God is so personal!

An amazing thing happened. Common for God. After all, He is the Creator of the universe! But to us, He sometimes does the miraculous. And He sends us personal messages to remind us just how good and loving He is. Well, I was doing some researching, looking for info on Joy's orphanage. Any tidbit of information is a gift. I discovered a travel blog of a family who also adopted a little girl from the same orphanage as Joy about 8 years ago. They took a trip this summer to show their daughter her heritage. They were allowed into the orphanage, and they were even allowed to take pictures. I was reading their post, just taking it all in and feeling so encouraged about the conditions at the orphanage. As I scrolled down the page, there was a picture of a little girl sitting on a nanny's lap.

My heart skipped a beat as my mommy instincts just knew that it was my little Joy! What?! Really?! I had even just been thinking . . . wouldn't that be amazing if there was a picture of Joy? What are the chances? Well, with God all things are possible! I called to David from the other room to confirm what my heart already knew to be true. We hadn't seen her in so long, and we were just aching for an updated picture. (I wanted to make sure that my eyes were not playing tricks on me.) It was absolutely her with a bit more hair and looking a bit older. She just looks so precious, healthy, and loved. It is the first picture we have seen of her where she is not all bundled up. She is wearing a t-shirt, and we can see her little arms. And the nanny in the picture is the same one as in the other picture we have of Joy walking. Her ayi has the same joyful smile, and she is cherishing our little one. God is so personal!

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Letter of Approval!

It finally came!! The infamous "Letter of Approval", better known as the LOA. We were so excited to receive this approval. We have submitted immigration documents, and now once again we . . . wait! It should take 2-3 weeks for the approval from immigration, and then everything goes to the Consulate. Finally, once all of that is approved we will receive our "Travel Approval", also known as the TA. We are prayerful that we will travel in October! Little Joy, we are getting so close. We can hardly wait to meet you face to face and hold you in our arms! We have requested some updated pictures, so we will pray that we receive those soon. What joy it would be to see a smile! :)

God continues to sustain us, strengthen us, and grant us peace through this waiting process. He has been ever so faithful to guide us every step of the way! Never before has it been so real to follow after our Shepherd . . . where He leads, we follow! He is completely trustworthy, good, and loving. We know that His timing is perfect. We are clinging to Him. He is the Vine, and we are the branches. Please dear Father, watch over our little precious Joy. Please allow her to know You and Your great love for her through us! Thank you for being in control. Our trust is in You alone!

T-Shirts for Joy!

God has provided an amazing opportunity for us to help with the cost of completing our adoption. A Christian based clothing company called Zoe Clothing Company has graciously offered to give us $15 for every "adoption" T-shirt purchased as well as 25% of any purchase on any of their products. We have been praying for ideas to help fund our adoption, and this is a direct answer! God is always so faithful!

There are two available "adoption" T-shirts; one for girls and one for guys. The girly one is so cute . . . and the one for guys is pretty cool. 

Their website is: 
http://zoeclothingcompany.com/pages/help-with-joys-adoption. They gave us our own page on their website with a picture of Joy, our family, and information about our adoption. If anyone makes a purchase, you just need to type in the code: joy

We are praying that God might use this to help us financially. But we are also praying that this will be another opportunity to share the truth of the Gospel through adoption. We are so grateful to Zoe for helping us and to all who are able to help us bring Joy home in this way.

Missing You

I recently heard a line in a movie that really resonated with me. The character questioned, "How can I miss someone so much that I have never even met?" That just completely sums up how I feel about Joy. So often my heart just aches for her, to touch her, to hold her, to embrace her. I have never even met her, yet I miss her. I also began thinking about all of the milestones in her life that we have already missed. Yet, I was reminded of a poem that my sister found and sent to me. It is such a beautiful depiction of the fact that Joy's heavenly Father has always been with her, loving her and comforting her. He hasn't missed a minute! He has been planning her life since the beginning of time. This poem is untitled and the author is unknown:

You might not know the story (the one about her birth)
But I have kept a record since the moment she touched earth.
I know the day she tried to walk. I counted every fall.
I know the number of her tears. My bottle holds them all.

I was there for the day when she turned one year old.
You don't know where it happened and she might not have been told,
But those things are less important than the fact that I was there . . .
That I planned her birth with purpose is more important than the "where".

I was there when she was waiting. I whispered to her when
Her small heart first held the promise of the family I would send.
I planned all those details of herself that whisper she is yours
So that one day you could show her that I'd planned this since before.

Since before she heard your voice and before she knew your name
I was holding her and planning for her welfare just the same.
There was never once a moment when I didn't rule it all
From the numbers in her birth date to events she can't recall.

I've been planning this small life for the big one that shall be.
The missing pieces of her story make more room to trust in me.
The harvest that will come of the first few years of pain
Will be greater than your heart can know, or ever could contain.

My Sister's Adoption

It is so amazing that my sister and her family are also currently in the process of adoption. It is an incredible gift from the Lord for both of our families to be sharing in this journey together. God is leading their family to adopt two little boys from Africa. We are all anxiously waiting to find out who these two little precious ones are. We trust that God knows and has ordained all of their days. He has planned for these boys to be welcomed into a home filled with grace, acceptance, encouragement, and an abundance of love! We are just thrilled to be a part of watching God expand their family tree.

Follow their adoption journey at: http://www.treeanditsfruit.blogspot.com/.

"A Father to the fatherless, a Defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families." Psalm 68:5-6

Care Package Received

We found out that our care package was received at the orphanage! Thank you, Lord! It is such a blessing to know that Joy probably has the special things that we sent her. I say "probably" because there is no guarantee that she was given everything, but that is in God's hands. A very special lady at Blessed Kids helped us to make sure that our package arrived safe and sound.

Here are the items that we sent:

hand made blanket (made by Mia and Mommy on her birthday on February 17th)

book called "All the Ways I Love You" with our voices recorded reading the story to Joy (This was an hilarious evening as we attempted to say hello to Joy in our best Mandarin and to introduce ourselves and tell her that we love her. . . only to find out that the language is probably more likely Cantonese in the region where she lives! Oh well, we pray that she will at least smile when she hears our voices. :)

photo album of several pictures of us . . . we pray that she will think that we look somewhat familiar when we meet her.

A panda bear for Joy and goodies for the orphanage were also included along with a letter translated into Chinese for the orphanage workers to understand the contents of the package. The letter also offered our gratitude to the special "angels" who are taking care of our daughter until we can go and get her.

Whether or not Joy comes to us with these items is hard to predict. We just pray that they may offer comfort to her now and familiarity to her when we are united. I actually slept with the blanket for a few nights before we sent it. I just wanted to hug and cuddle it, and I prayed that just maybe my scent would linger long enough for her to have a sense of Mommy.

Update on Joy

We were so "filled with joy" to receive an update on Joy. Our adoption agency informed us that once we received our pre-approval, we were able to request an update. So, about two weeks ago we wrote out some questions about our daughter, and we also asked for updated pictures and measurements. We were amazed to hear back so quickly! The pictures posted to the left are the newest ones that we have. To see her walking is just making our hearts soar with thankfulness!

When we first found out about Guo Dong Yun, we asked clarifying questions about her medical conditon but didn't receive back any info for almost two months. We prayerfully took a giant leap of faith and said "yes" to her referral before receiving any update on her. Our trust was and is completely in the hands of the Lord. A few days after we said "yes" we received new pictures and a brief update. God is so good! We had prayed very specifically that we might simply be able to see her smile. God answered and blessed us with two precious pictures of her smiling face.

All that to say . . . we really didn't expect to hear anything again this time for another two months. God was just so kind and loving to allow us to receive this update so soon. And if I'm being truly honest, I was experiencing some fear of the unknown. According to Joy's medical reports, she has hip dysplasia. This is a condition which affects the hip joints, and hers is bilateral meaning on both sides. With hip dysplasia the hips are usually unstable with shallow sockets, or they can be partially or completely dislocated. This will require surgery once we get her home. We really do not know the severity of her special needs, and again that is where the faith and trust come in. Also according to the initial reports she is quite small in stature. This can be due to a number of factors: she is institutionalized, she may just be genetically small, or her hip condition could also be affecting her height. However, there is also a chance that her smallness is related to some other condition or syndrome. That is where the fear was hitting me . . . this whole thing is just so unknown. But I know Who holds the "known" in His capable hands. And I know that He is loving Joy and us through whatever His plans may be. And I know that He desires that we trust and rely on Him alone. And I know that we will love her and accept her with joy no matter what.

So, as soon as I received the update my eyes darted to the bottom of the page where the measurements were listed. My heart literally pounded out of my chest, and my eyes filled with tears to see that she had grown about 4 inches since the last report. She is still a small little thing, but to see her growth was just incredible. The wave of relief and thankfulness that I felt is indescribable. God just knew that I needed that. I needed His comfort and reassurance that all is well, and ultimately He is in charge. He is just such a personal Father who proves His love for me over and over again. I stand in awe of Him each and every day. We still don't know so many things about what we will be facing, yet the peace that surpasses all understanding is ours to claim because our hope is in Christ. "Always be joyful because you belong to the Lord. I say it again, be joyful." Philippians 4:4

Here are some of the fun tidbits that we received about Joy (Guo Dong Yun):

she is called Yun or Mimi (so cute . . . that was and still is sometimes our nickname for Mia)
she talks a lot (oh boy!) and likes smiling :)
she loves dolls and bells (girly and musical?)
she likes snacks (she is definitely a Metzgar!)
she likes to share food and toys with other kids (kindness and humility . . . so sweet)
she likes to play games with other kids (she will fit right in)

We were also given the name of the nanny that she is closest to: Liang Jian Ying. That brought tears to my eyes to know that she is being cared for by someone special. She is bonded to someone who loves her. We are so thankful to know her by name so that we can pray for her and show her our gratitude for helping to nurture our daughter until we can bring her home. We are not sure if this picture below is of her or not, but we would like to think so. She looks so happy and proud of our little one! This also brings sadness for the loss that Joy will feel when she leaves everything and everyone that she has ever known. We pray that the love she has been shown will help her to understand the love that we desire to give her. Ultimately, our deepest desire is that she will come to know and understand the love of her heavenly Father.

6 Months and Counting

We have officially begun our 6 month waiting period for Joy. Our dossier has been sent to China, and now we wait for our Letter of Confirmation from the Chinese government to adopt Joy (Guo Dong Yun). It should take about 3 months for that approval and then about another 3 months to receive approval to travel. Wait, wait, and wait some more is definitely the theme of adoption. Yet we know that God is working out His mighty plan through all of the waiting. "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

So, by faith, we will continue to hurry up and wait! It's just that our precious daughter is also waiting for us, her family, to come and get her and bring her home. It pains me to know that one of my children is currently unreachable. Although right now for Joy, she is probably unaware of the fact that she is going to be adopted. And for that matter, she probably doesn't even realize the meaning of the word family. She is unaware that a mommy and daddy and a sister and two brothers who love her are ready to receive her into our clan and claim her as our own. Adoption is an absolutely beautiful picture of what God has done for us through His Son. He has claimed us as His own. He has adopted us into His family. We have been purchased by Christ's sacrifice. He has demonstrated His love for us that while we were still sinners He died for us. What joy we now have in Christ! JOY! That is the gift that God has given us.

We know that God gave us the name Joy for our little girl. It is our delight and joy to welcome her and accept her into our family. We are confident that God has a wonderful plan for what He is going to do in and through her life. We pray that her life will bring glory to Him! So, we will continue to wait and trust the Lord for His perfect timing. Of course, we would like to pray that time will speed up so that we can go get our little precious sooner rather than later. However, we believe God when He reminds us that we can do all things through Him who gives us strength. Waiting we can do because He promises to be with us!