A Trip to the Country and Home Two Weeks!!

Betsy and her Gu Gu

Yes...we're still here! I really have missed posting. Last week it was just hard to find the time, so here's a little of what has been going on at our house. Last Saturday we took a quick trip to Granny's house (Todd's mother). The week before had been spring break and Granny along with Aunt Dee (Todd's sister) came for a visit. Sam and Hugh went home with them and stayed a couple of days. Saturday morning we all got ready and went to Granny's for the day to pick up Sam and Hugh and also let Betsy meet some more family members. Granny lives in the country a little over an hour from where we live. Betsy had been asking for her Gu Gu, which means brother in Chinese. She was talking about Sam. She really loves Sam and enjoys playing with him. When we arrived at Granny's house and she saw Sam she went right to him and started crying. She held on to him and would not let go!! She really missed him. It was so sweet to see her with her big brother:) While we were at Granny's she met cousin Maddie (Todd's sister's daughter). She had to warm up to Maddie. I think it was just because she was in a new environment. Maddie brought her an American Girl Doll she had won from a fundraising auction at school. Betsy was very interested in the doll and that was Maddie's way in! I never got a good picture of Betsy, Maddie, and the doll. All Betsy wanted to do was dress and undress the doll. She did this several times!! We had a fun visit and Betsy also met Uncle Jim, Aunt Ann, and Aunt Louise. Monday Sam, Ellie, and Hugh went back to school and we were back in full swing. We are all doing well, and Betsy continues to amaze us with what she is learning. She can say hello, good-bye, yes, no, please, thank you, just a minute, how are you, she can sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star ( half English, half Chinese), she can say her numbers to ten, excuse me, can say all the kids names, calls herself Betsy Miao Miao, says all done when she is finished eating, and has started to call me mommy instead of mama. One more thing...she said I Love You Mama the other day( this one is my favorite, of course!) Literally she says or does something new everyday. We love her so much and are enjoying getting to know more about her. I have posted a few random pictures. Can't believe we have already been home two weeks! Hope you all have a safe and Happy Easter as we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ!!

Cousin Maddie and Betsy with her new doll.

Maddie and Betsy

Silly Girl:)

Hugh, Betsy, and Daddy (Todd was shining his shoes for church:)



Henry playing on the swingset.



Betsy loves to swing, but not too high!

Betsy and Mama Time:)

It is Sunday morning and everyone is at church except for me and Betsy. I think she would be ok to go and maybe sit through part of the service with me ,but I feel like we need to be able to spend time together...just me and her. I also know this from all the reading I've done getting ready to bring her home. Although she is doing good, we have got to remember how fragile she still is and not do too much too soon. It is almost 11:00am and we have had a great morning! I was worried when everyone was leaving that she might want to go too, and would have a hard time. She loves to go go go!! Betsy also likes having her siblings around....so thankful for that:) When everyone left I got a cup of coffee and we went into the sunroom. I picked up the bible thinking...maybe I can read a little and she can sit in my lap. We had the most peaceful 30 minutes in that room. She sat down beside me and looked at a couple of books. Then she laid her head down in my lap and sucked her thumb for a few minutes...so sweet. While we were sitting there I thought of all the times I sat in that very room and prayed for her. Usually I would be there early in the morning for my quiet time. I would think about what time it was here and what time it would be in China. I remember thinking...I wonder what she's doing right now? Is she getting ready for bed? What did she have for dinner that night? How was her day? Did she get hurt? Who comforted her? Did she have fun playing with her friends? Who are her friends? The list of questions could go on and on. I looked at her sitting beside me and thought...I can't believe she is finally here. Now I can answer all of those questions! God is so good, awesome, powerful, amazing, wonderful, loving, precious, and the list goes on and on forever. I am truly thankful for this journey, this time in our lives, and this little girl he has lead us to bring into our family. Let me just say again...we have definately had some challenging days since we've been home, and I know there will be more. I also know that with God, even the most difficult days can be full of JOY!! Let me just share what I read this morning before I close. Psalm 50:23a says...giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. Sometimes it is hard to be thankful for the hard days, but in doing so we are honoring and giving glory to God. Whatever your day holds...give thanks!!

How's It Going?

This is the question I've been asked most since we got home Saturday. I'm going to try and answer this for all of you that I haven't talked to personally. We are doing good. Betsy is adjusting so well to her new surroundings. When we got home Saturday Betsy played with Hugh and Henry like she had been around them as much as Sam and Ellie. She has slept all night in her own bed every night since we've been home.  We are so thankful for that:) Ellie brings her downstairs to me every morning when she wakes up. She is a great big sister!! By the way...this is our spring break week. I'm going to miss Ellie when school starts back! Betsy usually goes to bed around 8:00pm and sleeps till about 6:30am. She takes a nap everyday for a couple of hours. I have had to wake her from her naps since we have been at home because I didn't want that to interfere with her sleep at night. Let me just say that she is not at all happy when I have to do this! It is like waking her from a deep middle-of -the-night sleep. Of course, when it is the afternoon here it is early morning in China. Her little body is still adjusting to the time change. Everyday it gets better...for all of us! We are all still getting adjusted to the time. As I mentioned in my last post, Henry got sick with a stomach virus the night we got home. Sunday me, Betsy, and Henry stayed at home while everyone else went to church. It didn't take long for Henry to start feeling better...thankfully:) He and Betsy played together all morning...everything from dress up to cars. At some point Henry wanted to watch a movie, so all three of us sat down on the couch together. I was in the middle. They were both wanting me all to themselves! Neither one of them were being ugly, but each were practically right on top of me. Betsy started crying. Although she is doing so well every once in a while she will start crying, and needs my undivided attention. I think part of it is her grieving and part is just finding her place in our family. I can't imagine what might be going on in her head sometimes. I felt like I needed to comfort her, but also felt bad because Henry had been sick. Not only had he been sick the night before, but I had been away from him the past 2 1/2 weeks! Well, Betsy continued to cry and finally Henry said would you please take her downstairs so I can hear the movie? He was so sweet. I took her downstairs and held her for a while. She got better soon:) We went back upstairs to check on Henry and everything was ok for a little while. I can't remember exactly what happened next, but Betsy got sad again and this time Henry did too. We all went downstairs, got on the couch, and my parents came in with some things they had gotten us at the grocery store. When they came in all three of us were crying! I was tired, hadn't gotten a shower, and had two children who needed ALL of their mama's attention! My daddy came over and reached out for Betsy, and she went to him. I loved on Henry, and then got a shower while they watched the kids. They saved the day!! Overall Betsy is doing great, and the other kids have been so good to her. She is a very strong-willed child, but also very sweet and loving. I am so thankful that we finally have her home. I know we will face some challenges as we all adjust to our new normal, but we know that God is faithful and in control of all things!

Henry the Pirate and Betsy the Princess!

Sweet Sisters:)





Home Sweet Home:)

It is so good to be home! Thanks for all of your prayers for good travel:) Betsy did great!! She slept almost nine hours of our twelve hour flight!! I still can't believe it. That long flight was the one I dreaded most coming home. I had a hard time with it , but not her. There's just no way to get really comfortable. Betsy is so small that she had no problem. Once she got her thumb in her mouth it was all over for her;) We couldn't wait to see Hugh and Henry when we arrived in Huntsville. When we got off the plane Betsy saw a bag of chips in a bag I was carrying and wanted them really bad. I told her to wait...just a minute(using hand motions). It was some Sun Chips that the stewardess had given us on our filght from LA to Memphis. They were a cheddar cheese flavor...very messy. I knew we were about to see friends and family who had come to greet us, and wanted her to look cute...not messy and smelling like cheese! Usually she will wait until I can give her what she wants, but she had a little melt down. Todd picked her up, gave her a small sucker, and she calmed down quickly. Ellie was so worried that she would be crying when we met everyone waiting to welcome us home. She was fine:) When we got to the escalator to go down to where our friends and family were waiting I saw Hugh and Henry's sweet smiling faces, and tears filled my eyes. I couldn't wait to put my hands on those boys! It was an awesome homecoming:) Everyone was waiting with signs, smiles, and even bouquet of flowers. We were so thankful to see everyone! Thanks to all who came to welcome us home. It is a moment I will never forget. There were several friends who couldn't make it for different reasons...ballgames, spring break, etc...thanks for your prayers. When our flight plans changed it made it impossible for some friends, who really wanted to be there, to make it. We appreciate your emails, comments, and can't wait for you to meet Betsy soon! Betsy did great her first night home. She slept in her bed all night! I think it helped that Ellie shares the room with her. She saw Ellie in her bed, got in hers, and went to sleep! Hopefully tonight will be the same...we'll see. On a side note...Henry has a stomach virus! He started vomiting last night after supper. He is better now:)  I will share pictures from our homecoming soon! Several friends had their cameras, so I will get pics from them. That's all for now!

Goodbye Guangzhou...

We are packing up today and will be on our way back home soon! Our flight leaves at 9:00pm. We will leave the hotel at 5:00pm. We got up this morning, ate breakfast, and took a taxi to Shamian Island. The White Swan Hotel is there, and that is one of the places we went shopping this week. It is so pretty...lots of beautiful flowers:) We went to the White Swan to take some pictures on the famous red couch. It has been a tradition for years for adoptive families to take pictures of their children on the red couch. Betsy did very well, but had a melt down after several pictures. She loved the dresses we brought for her to wear! I just wanted to say one last time...thanks for all your prayers, comments, and emails!! This has been an awesome journey, and we are only just beginning:) Please pray for our endurance and patience during the long flights we have ahead of us. Thank you again for sharing in this special time with us.

Cruise, Birthday Cake, and Zoo!

 

This is a catch all post:) Last night we went on the Pearl River Dinner Cruise. It was fun, and the river was beautiful with all the lights of the city shining all around us. The food was good. I have heard so many stories about the food on the cruise...eat it...don't eat it...etc. We just ate what looked familiar...rice, noodles, veggies, and we were fine! We also enjoyed a little entertainment while on the cruise. When we got back to the hotel Sam's cake was delivered. Rebecca, our guide, made all the arrangements for that...she's great!!  Sam loved it! It wasn't very big, but enough for us to all get a slice. Today we went to the zoo. We had great time, but everyone was tired. You could just tell the entire group was moving very slowly. I think we are all ready to get home! Three families leave tonight, and the other three(including us) will leave tomorrow. I haven't mentioned this on our blog, but our flight plans have changed. Instead of leaving early Friday morning and returning Friday night, we will leave Friday night and arrive in Huntsville at 10:34am Saturday. We would love to see you at the airport!

Happy Birthday Sam!!

April 6, 1999 Samuel Caldwell Evans was born. Sam is a great kid and an awesome big brother to four siblings now. We never would have imagined that on Sam's 12th birthday we would be in Guangzhou, China adopting a little girl. We have had a good day. We Skyped with my parents and Hugh and Henry this morning. They had a Happy Birthday sign, party hats, and a chocolate cake!! It was so sweet:) We are getting a cake to celebrate with Sam tonight. Shhh...don't tell! Some of the kids Sam and Ellie have gotten to be friends with gave him gifts this morning, and had a little party in their room. Today we also had our consulate appointment. All went well...although, Todd and I were the LAST family to be called to finalize everything. I was beginning to get a little worried! When we were done it was such a good feeling. Tonight we are going on the Pearl River Dinner Cruise. I will post about that and more pics of Sam's big day later:) One more thing...the napkin on Sam's head was the closest we could get to a party hat!!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory...Ephesians 3:20-21a

Betsy at Bedtime!

 When we went shopping Monday on Shamian Island I bought Betsy a pair of PJ's. She loves them!! I had to do a post with her in her new pajama's. She has them on right now...at 1:20 in the afternoon! As soon as we got in today she put them on. They are so soft, and of course I think she looks precious in them:) I took the pictures last night. She loves to get on a stool we have in the room and play in the bathroom with my makeup. She is so girly and sassy!!

Botanical Gardens...Beautiful:)

Today we went to the Botanical Gardens, and had a great time! I took so many pictures..it was beautiful there. Our hotel provides strollers, which has been a blessing. Thankfully Betsy loves the stroller. We walked all over that place for an hour and a half. Betsy pretty much just wanted to stay in the stroller. She got out for a few pictures. I told Todd I would rather her be like that than not want to be in it at all. She got tired of me wanting to take her picture, but all in all was good about it. After we walked around the gardens our group met for lunch. Rebecca took us to a restaurant just outside the entrance to the gardens. It was good...a Chinese fast food noodle restaurant. I can't remember the name of it;) I have not mentioned the toilet situation in China in any of my posts until now! Most of you may know this, but for those of you who don't...they have lots of squatty pottys! I'm not going to go into full detail...just think about it and you will figure it out! Anyway, most restaurants do not have toilets in them. If you need to go to the restroom you go to a public restroom. Let me just say...today I had the worst restroom experience since I have been here!! Betsy needed to go to the bathroom, so I took her outside the restaurant to the public restroom. It was so dirty...she would not go! It took us three times going back and forth before she finally would go to the bathroom. She refuses to use a squatty potty! Thankfully everywhere we have gone they have a regular toilet along with the squatty's. She used the regular one, but I completely covered it with antibacterial wet wipes before she got up there! If your going to China...take plenty of those, and packets of tissues:) Ok...enough of that! We are having a good time, but are getting ready to be at home. We appreciate all your emails, comments, and prayers...can't say that enough! I am posting pictures from today and last night when we went to eat at the Italian restaurant I mentioned a day or two ago. It was really good:)

Ten Ways to Describe Our Sweet Girl:)

I said in the post before this one that I didn't sleep well last night due to a cappucino. Well, after much tossing and turning this is what I began to think about...Betsy! This precious child is a pure delight. Now this doesn't mean she's perfect and there are no issues, but she is a unique little girl. She is truly a gift from God! This is what I came up with to let you know more about her.

 

Brave

Extrovert

Tickleish

Sassy

Yogurt Lover

 

Extremely Girly

Very Smart

Awesome at Coloring

Never Gives Up

Special