And Sara makes Seven!

Insanity is defined as the state of being seriously mentally ill; madness.  A second definition is extreme foolishness or irrationality.  I had a conversation with a gentleman the other day and our recent adoption was brought up.  He has three children his youngest is seventeen which is the same age as my oldest.  So, I proceeded to tell him that we have five children and the one we just adopted is 20 months and my oldest child is seventeen.  He looked at me and said "That's insane."  I guess on the surface it would seem that way.  If we chose not to adopt either Sara or Ava, then Lisa and I would be just a few years away from being "empty nesters".  I would have more time to spend with my wife.  More time to do what I want to do.
Living in the United States we really have no idea how good we have it.  We are wealthier than 95% of the entire world.  Our neighbor is everyone in the entire world.  Remember when they asked Jesus "Who is my neighbor?"  They were wanting an easy answer, but they didn't get it.  Well, we have the opportunity to help everyone in the world.  I guess what's hard to understand it they are not our neighbor.  Most people in the world can not comprehend traveling like we do.  We are basically unlimited, they are completely limited.  So, what's really insane about the picture is that there are 140 million children with out a family.  There are also so many people that are able to provide a family to one of these children and completely ignore it.  We have heard so many comments and its really sad.  I'm too busy.  Better you than me.  I don't think I could do it.  I can not imagine looking at any of my children weather adopted or biological and look them in the eye and say something like this.  I am privliged to be insane serving Jesus.  I take insanity over normal any day.

Sara's Father,
Eric

 On Wednesday, we took a trip to the Pearl Market with our guides Grace and Kathy.  It is a HUGE 5 story mall that has store after store of pearls, silver, and other precious stones.  It is the same market we visited in 2006.  The guides will take you to a reputable store that you know you will get a quality and genuine product at.
 So many pearls to choose from!  They lay out many pearls for you to choose the color, length and pearl size that you want.  When we cam in 2006, pearls were much cheaper.  I bought at least 10 strands for what we paid for 2 strands for Sara.  So, no one else got pearls this trip except her.
Here the woman is knotting Sara's pink pearls.  We got Sara the same pearls that we bought for Maria and Ava in 2006....pink pearls for when they turn 16 and white pearls for their wedding days.  Once you pick out the pearls, the women will knot the pearls by hand...they tie a knot in between each pearl so that if the strand should ever break, you will not lose them all.
Here we are on another crazy cab ride with the Devries family.  Little did we know that we were in an un-licensed cab until we arrived at the hotel and he demanded almost 3X what the fare should have been.  We stood our ground and only paid him the fair price that the cab fare should have been... 20RMB  about $3.00 USD.
Sara dining on another bowl of oatmeal in the room.
Here we are out for dinner again at the Macau restaurant that we liked so well.
Sara and daddy taking an evening dip in the pool.
Sara is tired out and ready for bed!
Here is Sara in her red white and blue all ready for her US Consulate appointment for us to take the oath and to apply for her US Visa so we can come home on Saturday!!  The Visas were done that day!!
After our consulate appointment, our guides took family pictures and a group picture in the hotel.  Here is our picture.  Sara did not like the headband in her hair!
Here is CCAI group #1857!  We were a group of 12 families!  Several families brought their children with them.  So, the above group was about how many of us were together when ever we traveled to an appointment or outing.  It was a great group of people that we were truly blessed to meet.  The support and encouragement that we received from them was a gift from God!  It was another way that we continued to see His hand in this adoption.
Here is Eric and Sara in the pool on Thursday with our new friend Miriam T.  She was with her parents to adopt her new sister Elizabeth.  Elizabeth would be the 10th child in their family!  They were an amazing family that we were so blessed by and were thankful to have met them.  I really enjoyed getting to know Miss Miriam!!
Fun in the pool with Daddy!!
As we waited on the plane for 1.5 hours for it to take off, Sara entertained herself with the head set.  She was a great traveler and slept for probably 80% of the flight home!!
Drinking some water on the plane with daddy!!

This guy was selling these things on the sidewalk.  Something tells me there is more to the movements than just speaking.  They are only like $3 each but just imagine bringing them home and talking to them on the kitchen table and they just lay there.  If you would like one just let us know.  I'm sure we could use a good laugh when we get home.

 Well, our days are starting to wind down here.  It is Tuesday night and we only have 4 more nights to sleep in China(including tonight) before we come home!  Things are a lot slower here in Guangzhou.  THe main reason we are here, is to have the medical exam for Sara's Visa(done on Monday) and then the consulate appointment on Thursday to take the oath and apply for her US Visa.  So in the meantime, we just wait. Pictures are kind of slow now since we are not doing too much.  Above is a picture of what our laundry looked like went we sent it out to the laundry factory on Monday to get washed.  2 Target bags full of dirty clothes cost about $27 USD.
 Beautiful red lanterns that were hanging in a park near the hotel.
 Today we took Taxis with several families to Shamian Island to try to finish up some shopping.  It is a beautiful place where we stayed when we were here in 2006.  There is a lot of greenery and beautiful buildings.  There are statues throughout the area.  Here is Sara standing by a statue of children.
 This is a picture of a very large group of school children that were gathered in a very large open area.  Several of the children talked to us until they were scolded in Chinese...all of a sudden they stood very still in an Army like fashion.
 For lunch we all wen to a famous Thai restaurant on the island called Cow and Bridge..I have no idea where they came up with that name.  Eric and I had Pad Thai and fried rice.  It was so delicious and Eric ate the entire meal with his chopsticks...even the rice!!  We are getting quite good at using chopsticks....it is either that or go hungry!!!

 Here is the Pad Thai we had for lunch!!  So so yummy!!  My mom would have loved it since it is one of her favorite meals!
 Our bathing beauty in her new swim suit!!  Getting ready to go to the pool!  We hope she is this happy when we get there.  She hates bath time so this could be interesting.
 Sitting by the edge of the pool with Eisa Wirtzberger, one of the sweet girls from a family in our group.  Sara actually loved the water when she got in with daddy.
 A picture of the pool in the daytime.  We went with Sara and met some other families there in the evening.
Daddy and Sara.

For those of you following the blog but are not on Facebook.  Here is a recent video we posted.  It is truly amazing to see the transformation of all these children.  Sara is still a little frustrated with us at times.  She talks to us in Chinese and we have no idea what she wants.  So, we speak to her in English and she has no idea what we are talking about.  The younger ones seem to adjust a little sooner and it seems that some of the older ones are struggling a little more.  God's unconditional love will prevail.

I told Lisa I wanted to make a post but didn't know what to write.  She informed me all my posts don't need to be so deep.  In light of that here is a post on the lighter side.  I'm not sure what you know about ramps etc in the United States.  This ramp in the picture gets you about 24" plus above sidewalk.  This ramp is about 8 feet long.  In the states this ramp would be a minimum of 24' long and required landings etc.  Not much regulation on buildings etc.
If you would like more "deep" posts, let me know.  If you would like "lighter" post that's great as well.

Sara's father,
Eric

 On Friday, May 18th, about 20 of us went out to dinner to celebrate leaving Zhengzhou the next day and also the 21st anniversary of our new friends, Ross and Lisa.  The picture above is what they brought to our table after the guys tried to order food.  The entire chicken was not even warm. While some of the group ate, I dined on the sesame cookie in my bag that housekeeping left on our pillows each night.  THe entire dinner for 20+ people was about $6 USD a couple.  Needless to say, we ended up at pizza hut and we all brought pizzas back to the hotel for hallway pizza party.
 This is Chinese congee that Sara eats every morning. Kind of like soupy rice...very popular with babies.
 This is the other thing she likes for breakfast, or whenever we can get it for her... steamed eggs with a little soy sauce.  Yep, our girl is definitely Chinese!!!
 When we arrived in Guangzhou and were waiting for our luggage, our CCAI guides Grace and Kathy were waiting with the sign.  As we exited the baggage area, they greeted all of us with huge hugs and already knew all our names and whose baby was whose...amazing!!  they are wonderful ladies!!
 Waiting for bags.  THe luggage carts are free in China.
 Papa John's carry out, or "take away" as it is called in China.  Our guides took our orders and had it delivered to our rooms to make it easier for us.
 On Sunday, we ventured out to Shamian Island which used to be the adoption hub.  Very few families stay on the island now since The White Swan is closed for renovation.  We stayed there in 2006.  THis is the Christian church there that we attended part of a service at.
 Daddy and Sara taking a break at the outside play area at our hotel.
 Interesting sign at the pool at the China Hotel(Marriott) that we are at now until 5/25.  Boy, if that does not make you want to go swimming, I don't know what does!
 Our awesome table of new friends at the group dinner arranged by our guides on Sunday night at the Macau Restaurant.  It is a Portuguese and Cantonese.  So delicious that I am sure we will go back again.  It was a feast and was only about $10 USD per adult.
 Here are the thumb sucking friends!  After dinner we walked with Ross and Lisa and the girls.  Kendra and Sara both suck their thumbs and it is so cute because it is both their right hands!!
 When ever I push Sara in the stroller she always looks up at me...either to make sure I am still there or thinking to herself "boy, she is still there!"
 Sara hates bath time!  although she has had several since we got her, it is not any better.  Here she is with daddy after her bath on Sunday night.
 Today, Monday the 21st, we all left at 10am to go to the Visa medical check up.  Here we are in the waiting room to go through the 3 stations we need to do.  The ENT station, weight and measurement and temp station, and then the general check with the doctor.  This is also where they review any medical forms we have brought along from the orphanage, hospital, foster homes etc...
 Sara passed out on the bus ride over, so she slept until it was her turn to go through the stations.
 She did not like her temperature taken.  She weighs 22 lbs, but I did not catch her height.  When she saw the doctor, she thought her surgery was a success and that it went well.  She was is a cast 114 days.  She also does not appear to have any hearing issues....basically a healthy little girl...Praising God for that!!  She will still be checked out when we get home.
 Standing up on the seat waiting for other families to complete their exams.

 Today's lunch in the hotel room.  Oatmeal for Sara and noodles for Eric and I. The picture on the left is the preserved egg that came in the ramen noodle cup.  So gross!  OUr guide told us not to eat it or give it to Sara.  Our guide said that she does not even eat them!!

It's really been interesting to actually be a foreigner.  We do get people's attention.  Funny to see people driving motor scooters on the side walk and watching them look at us.  We have had some turn around and come "talk" to us or at us we aren't quite sure sometimes.  We even have seen people keep driving and completely turn their heads around look at us.  I guess driving on the side walks isn't dangerous enough.  You can get an idea of what it's like by watching the video on an earlier post.  Just so you know anyone in front has the right of way.... at least most of the time.  Sometimes 2 or 3 families visit the local park and its not unusual for us to draw a crowd.  Sometimes people want to take our picture.  They also can not figure out why these foreign people are pushing around a Chinese baby.  Much confusion and not easily understood.
      This whole situation reminds me of when Jesus says "My kingdom is not of this world"  The bible also talks about being in the world but not of the world.  When we are walking around China it is obvious we are way different and don't "belong" here.  If you are a Christian, your life should demand and explanation.  I was speaking with a father in our adoption group and we were both discussing why we were adopting.  Part of our discussion talked about how wealthy we Americans are in relation to the rest of the world and the responsibility that goes with it.  Americans are the top 5% of the wealthiest in the world.  He talked about he and his wife were wanting to buy a home in the country and were saving up to do that.  In the process, they were made aware of the great need around the world to provide a home for a child.  They decided to use their savings to adopt a child and prolong buying a house.  They are by no means struggling financially with this decision, but just responding to the Love that Jesus has for them.  I had also commented, the only reasons for not adopting that Lisa and I could come up with were selfish, and he also agreed.  Another father that has adopted 5 children in the last 4 years.  They also have 5 biological children.  The daughter they are adopting here now is the same age as one of their grandchildren. Wow! That definitely will get some attention.  The fathers comment, "Yes, it's a great way to introduce the Gospel.  How about that,  living your life in a way that gives you the opportunity to introduce the Gospel.  What an example.  Living life in a way that people ask questions and be ready to give an answer.  That almost sounds biblical.  The bible calls us in many ways to act on his word.  Not in a way that we can earn anything, but in response to Jesus love for us.  God calls us in His word to care for, visit or meet the need of orphans, widows, sick, hospitalized, poor, hungry, and people in prison.  He calls us to take care of these people in My name for His Glory, not ours.  Here's the challenge:  Live not of this world and be ready to give credit to Jesus.

Sara's Father,
Eric

 Here are some of us gathered with the kids in the hallway.  It is nice to be able to hang out together, share stories, be encouraged by one another and get out of the 4 walls of our rooms.
 Ok...this is NOT Sara.  While at the park on Friday, I was able to get a picture of a little one wearing split pants.  Just as I took the picture, she bent over!  You see babies/toddlers all over wearing these types of pants, rather than diapers. They basically go to the bathroom where ever!  And you may wonder how Eric and I got so sick during our 2006 trip to China???  Sara came to us wearing a diaper, but has on 2 pairs of this types of pants.
 While at the park on Friday afternoon, a wedding began to take place about 11am.  She walked up the aisle to an english song and once she reached the gazebo with her groom, they began to play the wedding march.  Anyone in the park could stop and watch.
 Sara trying to give mommy a snack as I take her picture.
 After several hours at the park, we walked to McDonalds again with the Wirtzberger family...who we love spending time with.  while Paul and Eric were getting us all ice cream, these sweet kids started talking English like crazy to them.  They were great kids who loved to have their picture taken with the guys.
 The pool at the Crowne Plaza.
 After some coaxing, she decided she liked the pool!!
Eric and Sara at the park.