“He has made everyhting beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

Love makes all things grow! In just a few short days we have watched Chaeli blossom and thrive in our arms. Last night, shortly after posting our blog, Chaeli did an amazing thing. Can you guess what it was??? She started crawling! We were clapping and shouting and making such a ruckus that I am sure the guests next door wondered what was going on in our room. It was so amazing to see her crawl, and it looked like she just decided she wanted to and so she up and did it. She saw a toy that was pushed out, farther from where she was, and so with one big push she got herself up on her little knees and away she went! We couldn’t believe what we were seeing!

I remember reading in one of my adoption books that adopted children will thrive and speed up (doubling almost in size and capabilities) once they are removed from the environment of the institution and are placed in a loving, stimulating environment where their needs can really be met. Dan said it looks like Chaeli is growing about a month each day! And do not be fooled by her size, because she photographs looking much, much bigger than what she really is. She is so tiny.

This little girl has waited a long time for her family to come to her, and now that we have arrived she has been doing things we never imagined she would do (already). She started being a lot more vocal too saying Da Da and Ma Ma now (pretty regularly) since just last night’s posting. How did she do that in jist a few short days?

Chaeli loves to sleep sideways in our bed just like her Grandpa. She leaves us wanting for nothing when we look at her and hold her. We are completely captivated by he, and we walk around praying out loud all the time saying “Oh God thank youf or this beautiful child you have given us. We are so unworthy of her.”

Chaeli never pushes our love away, even when we smother her with kisses from head to toe. It’s as if she is filling up her tank that was on empty for a long time. She was saving herself for us and we were glad to fill her love tank over and over again, spilling it to the ground. Chaeli is eating up all of the touch and affection. She is our little flower, blossoming under all of this love. And oh her amazing eyes!

I want to thank you all for writing back to us, and for commenting to us on the blog. We read every email that you write with great anticipation, and although we don’t have the time to individually write back to each one of you we will do our best to talk to you continuously through Chaeli’s blog. If you have the time please continue write to us. I have loved the emails from home, and we are so so far from home right now (it really helps us stay connected). Just as you look and wait and watch eagerly for updates from China, we look and wait and listen for updates from home (especially from our children). Chase, Carsten and Cael you won’t believe what God has given you. The gift of Chaeli is so remarkable. I think God gave it all away when He gave us Chaeli. Your sister was a secret treasure that Jesus was saving just for you. Each one of you will love her in a special way and she will become your close friend. Carsten I will teach you how to make her bottles so you can help Mommy feed her, and Chase I will teach you how to hold her so you can take her on walks. And Cael I will show you all of Chaeli’s favorite toys so that you can play with your sister. I think Chaeli will really like playing with you because you have such a good imagination!

We love you all. Please keep the letters and notes from home coming. It has meant soooo much to us! And Lisa I can’t believe you managed to send us a care package all the way from Ohio! You are really something! Dan is eating all of the chocolates himself!

Hugs & Kisses!

Love Sheila & Dan.

I’m not usually one to get choaked up over emotional things but even I had trouble holding back the tears after creating this little montage of our adoption experience, here in China, with our new daughter Chaeli. Music by Rita Springer. Enjoy!

Love Dan.

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“Her eyes are like doves by the water streams, washed in milk, mounted like jewels.”
Song Of Solomon 5:12

We are completely in love with Chaeli! I mean we LOVE this child! I wake up in the middle of the night and I have to pick her up and kiss her because I can’t wait utnil morning to have her again.

I am in awe that she is ours and I cannot tell you how proud I am to carry her around on my arm. I am crying now as I type this because it is all so good, so very, very good. How did we ever receive such a gift from God? Wait until you meet my daughter, and then you will know what I mean. There’s just something about Chaeli…

I thought I would write to you today and tell you a few things we have noticed about our China pearl. We have had her for only 3 days now and all I can think about is how did I ever not have her with me? I love her so much. I want to take her everywhere I go. It is so funny because Dan and I are always trying to hold her and see who gets her next. The really neat thing is that Chaeli is equally bonded to us both. It makes no difference to her which one of us is holding or kissing her. She is very responsive to love and to touch. She holds very still to be kissed and loved, and never pushes us away (now that is saying a lot because I kiss her a lot!)

The first interesting thing that we have noticed about Chaeli is how good she is. I mean this child is a really good baby. Surprisingly enough Chaeli is still very much a baby. She has 2 teeth on the bottom and 2 teeth on the top of her mouth, and she really has no interest in any solid foods except bottles and rice cereal mixed in with her formula. I am so thankful to God that He gave us Chaeli when He did because we have not missed any big milestones in her life yet, like crawling or walking or talking. Chaeli is a delicate, tiny peanut. I am so glad that I have not missed having her as a baby.

The best news is that Chaeli is so happy and healthy. She coos all the time and really studies our faces. She is a fast learner. She copies what I do and has already said Momma and Daddy a couple times. Her favorite way to comfort herself is to take her fingers and pull them down across her bottom lip. She does this while making baby noises. And you will all get a kick out of this… Chaeli’s favorite thing to play with is a dolly! (the little Chinese doll that was in her crib). Carsten it is the one that you really like b/c it smells like cookie dough! Anyhow, Chaeli loves to play with her doll and to touch her hair. Praise God! I have a girly girl!!!!!!! Dan and I also have noted that Chaeli really likes anything that is musical and lights up. People have commented how Chaeli wears her girl fluffy stuff so well, ya know like hair bows and bracelets. She never pulls them out. Yet another sign of the girly girl I prayed for!

As little as Chaeli is she never spits up or drools. We don’t even have to use bibs with her! Wow, this is so different from our boys! She is also ticklish on her lower belly and is really starting to laugh out loud now when we play with her, which we do a lot.

Chaeli can roll over and get up on her knees. She can also sit up when propped, but falls over after awhile as her balance is still developing. In every way, in every thing, Chaeli has more than fulfilled all of our dreams for a little girl. There is nothing that has disappointed us in her. I simply cannot get enough of being with her. I want to take her everywhere and do everything with her. Could God have given me a better gift this year? I know she was my gift from Him. She has completely satisfied my soul and when I embrace her I cry prayers of thanksgiving to God in heaven. May each word be recorded as a testimony for what he has done for me.

Chaeli is so intuitive and very, very observant. She views the world more through her eyes than she does her hands right now.I think there will always be something special about her eys. She looks at us so intently as if she is recording every single thing in her mind. I am not kidding when I say she looks “into” us. I prayed for many months that God would let Chaeli see mein her dreams and somehow “know” me so that when she met me there would be something there that was familiar to her. I believe it is this familiarness that Chaeli sees when she looks at us. It is like she is remembering…

Chaeli has discovered her fingers and looks at them a lot. She also loves to suck her thumb. Her hands and feet are so tiny…

…like little baby hands (Laura even that itty bitty bracelet you had made for her falls off of her wrist, so that tells you how small she is!) Dan and I both think Chaeli looks Vietnamese now that we are here with her. I never thought that before upon seeing her pictures, but when you are face to face with her she looks very much like she is from that area. I can hardly wait to get her cousin/sister here from Vietnam. I sometimes look at Chaeli and think of Lily. The two of them will be very close. I believe that is a promise that is being kept for them.

All of the Chinese people comment about Chaeli’s eyes. They say they are very unique and filled with so much expression. We have never seen eyes like Chaeli’s before. The closest thing to them that I have ever seen is Ali’s eyes. Perhaps that is why I have felt such a love and connection with Ali from the very beginning (in her was apiece of my daughter that I had not yet received). One thing is for sure, you will all fall head over heels for Chaeli! She has a way of looking at you that puts you in a love spell!

Before I forget…we found Starbucks today! It was our first latte since leaving home and boy did it hit the spot! And remember our guide Cordelia? Well we finally got a picture of her with Chaeli & me so you can all see my Chinese sister!

Love you all!

Sheila & Dan.

“God’s voice thunders in miraculous ways. He does great things beyond our understanding.”
Job 35:5

Miracles abound a plenty here in China! Our guide came up to our room and saw some pictures of our sons posted on the mirror. In one of the photos Chase was holding a sign that read “What a friend we have in Jesus.” Our guide turned and asked Dan “Who is Jesus?”

It is amazing to me that we have been put in a place (for such a time as this) where the majority of people do not know who Jesus Christ is. The Chinese are such beautiful people and have so much goodness in them. How do you begin to tell them about the one who is above all things? This is not a God of paper or statue, but a real living God who has made us His primary object of love. We cry tears of joy just knowing that this one litle girl, Chaeli Bug (Yen Yen), was entrusted to us, and will in just a few short weeks, be brought to a country where she will never have to wonder who Jesus is. She will know of Him all her life. And she will understand that it was Jesus who put it in our hearts to come and find her. We pray for all of the Chinese people here as we believe they are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Today was a busy day at the CAB office for us. It was a day of signing formal documents, taking our Visa pictures as a family (for our return trip home) and answering questions to officials who asked us about why we wanted to adopt a child from China. We were asked to swear an oath to never leave, abandon or torture (yes they actually used that word) our new daughter. Even the thought of such things made me get very emotional as I looked at the black pearl eyes of my daughter looking up at me.

We saw 3 officials in the CAB office today and we were so humbled by how nice they were to us (I mean really, really nice). One particular woman named Laing Wen Qing, asked if she could have a picture taken with us because she said we were the most beautiful family and Chaeli was the most beautifullest of babies (Is that even a word?)

The official told us that they were all talking about our family from the day before, and that one of her friends (another official in the office) had a picture taken with us, and that she too wanted her own picture with us. She even took our blog address so she could follow our family along while in China! Isn’t that the sweetest thing? The people in these Government offices are so warm hearted and genuinely happy to see babies placed in loving homes. In one of the offices I was kissing Chaeli so much that the lady laughed at me. The CAB office is almost like my Faith Int. office here in China. I feel that close to them – like they know us by name and treat us with special hands (mostly because of Chaeli I believe). They are all so taken with Chaeli.

I must tell you about our guide Cordelia too. I knew that we would have a guide with us to pick us up from the airport, to help us through all of our paperwork, and to take us around to various sights, but I did not realize all of the little things Cordelia would do for us or how much we would grow to love her. Cordelia has become like my Chinese sister. Everywhere we have gone she has been with our family (individually) to take us there. I think having Cordelia one on one like this has allowed her and I a lot of time to talk and to bond. She has done so many little things for me! Yesterday Chaeli got constipated and Cordelia immedialtely came to the clinic with me and sat through the entire wait encouraging me that it would be ok. She translated every question/concern I had. She was a God send! Even when the appt. was over and I needed to go and buy a different formula, it was Cordelia who went shopping for me and brought me the right food to my hotel room (she kept telling me “Do not worry Sheila. You can call me anytime day or night if you need me to come and help you.” The good news is that Chaeli is doing much better now that we got her off of the Iron formula brand.

Cordelia also heard me saying that I would like to get a phone card, and do you know what she did? She went and bought one for me and came to my room to give it to me. Watch out everyone! You may get a call in the middle of the night from China now!

Cordelia has taken us to the building where she lives, introduced us to her mother-in-law and her 5 month old baby Tong Tong ( I think that is how you pronounce it). The name means bright red sun that comes up early in the morning. I LOVE that name!) A funny thing about Cordelia is she is very strict about babies being covered up and she has taught memany times to layer up our Chaeli so now air touches her legs. We were standing on the street yesterday, waiting for our drive,r and sweet Cordelia came up and was holding me and my jacket shut (mind you it wasn’t that cold, but she is just like that – very considerate of me and protective of us). Everytime I see her I tell her how much I appreciate her. She has made our time in China unforgettable. There isn’t a day that we don’t kiss and hug her goodbye. She has become so important to us. I told her if she ever wants to come to Washington to visit her “Faith Family” (that is the name of our agency she works for) that she can bring her baby and stay with me. We would have so much fun showing her our home in Washington! I will try and get a good picture of Cordelia so that I can put it on the blog for all of you.

Chaeli is her happy self now that we have her on her new formula (the Chinese version that is closer to what she ate at the orphanage) whick doesn NOT have the iron supplement in it. She had a couple hard hours but is past it now. This is one quiet, easy baby – even when she is hurting.

Chaeli loves to be loved and responds to all of our affection for her. Dan calls her his “coo baby” because you can hear her cooing back at you when you are loving on her. One of her favorite things to do is to stand in front of the mirror and watch me holding her. Her black pearl eyes look back and forth at me holding and kissing her, and she studies every detail of me. Chaeli is thriving on all of our attention, and I am forewarning all of you now that she will steal your heart when you meet her. It is hard for me not to hold her all the time. When other babies are in high chairs or strollers my Chaeli is always on my lap or in my arms. I just can’t bring myself to let go of her. As we explore more of China I may have to break down and purchase a stroller, but for now, I am holding her very, very close to my chest.

Chaeli’s personality comes out a little bit more each day. She is a snuggly, hold me baby, who really studies people’s faces. When she looks at me she looks me straight in theyes, looking back and forth, for long deep periods. I tell you if feels like she is looking deep into my soul when she does that. They are intense, long stares and it is usually me that has to look away because I begin crying again. I waited so long to hold this baby and now that I have her it is very surreal for me. Even in the middle of the night I wake up from my sleep just to look at her again. The night is far too long for me to not see Chaeli’s face. I miss her so much that I usually wake up early just so I can stare at her. When you meet Chaeli you will be mesmerized by her deep, dark, pearl shaped, expression filled eyes. This is the baby that I love.

The pictures today show a Chaeli who is fast becoming the love of Danny’s life! She has equally bonded with both of us but I can see that she is really taken with her Daddy. She loves to smell him and slept under his arm last night.

Well I better get back to my baby girl! We will post again later today. We are visiting the famous Chinese pearl market today. I will be looking for pink pearls for Chaeli.

Chaeli waves goodbye to everyone that we love and thanks you for visiting her in China!

I don’t know how to even put into words what it is that we experienced yesterday, but I can tell you that it was like nothing I have ever went through in my life before. Dan and I were escorted into the CAB office by our in country guide (Cordelia) at 2:15. Normally when you receive your baby it is with a large group of people and they shuffle you in and shuffle you out pretty quick so that the next group can come in and receive their babies. We were told to expect this when we arrived at the CAB office, but instead we were guided into a room filled with sunlight that was completely quiet and empty. Our guide told us that we were very lucky b/c normally she services anywhere from 6-8 families at a time on “Gotcha Day” but today she was just there with us (I knew the one to thank for that).

We heard a group of women talking really fast, excited like (outside of the hallway) and then I saw a baby being held in one of the ladies arms, all bundled up in a pink snowsuit with yellow shoes on (it was only the back of the baby’s head and body that I could see) but I knew it was Chaeli. I started to cry and shake and squeeze my hands together. I wanted so badly for them to walk into our room so I could take that baby into my arm and really look to see if it was my Chaeli. But instead they rushed back down the hall (again very excited) for a few more minutes. I later learned that what had happened was that a large group from the orphanage had come to bring Chaeli to us (usually only 1 person will come and sometimes the director will be there) but today I saw about 6 ladies as well as several of the orphanage’s office staff who escorted this 1 child to us (there were no other children there except for Chaeli). Again this was highly unusual from what I was told usually happens. And the reason why they had entered into the room and then walked back down the hall was b/c they were each wanting one more last picture with Chaeli before giving her to me. ALL of these women were crazy about Chaeli! Our translator/guide Cordelia told us that the reason all of these women wanted individual pictures taken with Chaeli was b/c she was their most favorite, loved baby in the orphanage. They told me this many times. They kept saying “She is most beautiful of all babies.”

She then proceeded to give me a photo album that they had made at the orphanage of Chaeli’s life. I couldn’t believe my ears or my eyes! An album of Chaelia’s life in China! And for me to keep! There were pictures of her when she first arrived on abandonment day and several others of her 10 month life in the orphanage. Here I was looking at my child and receiving so much love from these ladies that I felt like it was all too much and too good for me to keep it all. The ladies came in and hugged me and sat with me for a photograph and then they even gave me their address and asked me to please send pictures of their Yen Yen whom they would greatly miss.

They nicknamed Chaeli “Yen Yen” which Dan and I decided to keep for her as well (it just suits her!) They asked me to please send pictures or keep in touch in any way that I could. Again I was completely speechless b/c this is not the normal protocol for Chinese adoptions. These women really loved my child and had bonded with her Theye ven asked me to come to the orphanage and visit them all there before leaving (which we plan to do on Saturday).

When I first held Chaeli in my arms it was like somebody scooped out a big piece of heaven and put it in my arms to hold. I was looking at someone that I felt like I had known my whole life. She was so pretty and so quiet. She never made a sound, but she held me and she laughed with me, and pretty soon I was so taken I thought my heart would burst!

Our first night with Chaeli was spent kissing and holding her and singing to her (she loves music!) She is also very snuggly and loves to be kissed (and believe me she has been kissed a lot since I have had her!) Chaeli never cries and she holds really still when you love on her, like she doesn’t want it to end. When Yen Yen looks at you she literally captivated you with her big, chocolate eyes that Dan calls his black pearls.

Chaeli is a little peanut. Her feet are swimming in even the smallest socks that I have brought with me. She is a long baby though so I think I hit it right with the clothing sizes that I brought for her. I took a bath with her when we first got back to the room and she was so good. She never even cried and she seemed to like the warm water. She is laughing now and giggling and is very attached to both Dan and me (equally I would say). Laura, if you are reading this, you have no idea what is ahead of you. All of those months that we would try to comprehend what it would be like to have our daughters put into our arms doesn’t even come close to what you are actually going to experience. Even I cannot find th ewords to speak it. I am convinced that the reason that busy CAB office was cleared out for us and filled with sunshine streaming through every window was b/c there were angels in progression there to witness one of the greatest miracles in our life. The miracle of taking Chaeli home.

Remember the words from Hosea Laura and bind them around your neck. Your marvelous day of love and joy is coming for Jesus Christ has promised us that “In thee the orphan finds mercy.” Both Chaeli & Lily are covered in mercy. When you finally receive your daughter Laura, you will turn her over and over like a precious jewel in your hand. Your eyes won’t be able to take in all of her beauty, and your mouth won’t be able to find words that are lovely enough to express her. It will be something between you and God alone. Your gift. Keep on holding on Laura because it is so worth it in the end.

When I held Chaeli in my arms I really knew how much God loved me that he would give me all of this.

Love to you all!

Sheila & Dan.

I waited patiently for the Lord. He turned to me and heard my cry. Psalm 40:1

Today we enjoyed a delicious buffet breakfast at The White Swan Hotel. I, of course, could not sleep but a wink last night, so I had Dan up, showered and downstairs VERY early! It seemed that every table had a beautiful, Chinese baby girl with them and my heart just soared to think that today our girl was coming home to us. I cannot tell you what it is like to be in a hotel where everyone has Chinese babies in their arms (it is bitter sweet). I am certain that I would not make it very long here if our Gotcha Day was not hours away. I stop literally every family to talk to them, hear their stories, and touch their angel girls. Each family has been through so much to get here…You know you are at the end when you are a registered guest at The White Swan hotel. It is where every family stays before leaving China with their adopted daughters.

Dan and I had a fun morning out strolling around the local shops near our hotel. We met and spent a lot of time with Lucy (she’s famous here in China for lots of things like dress making, chinese laundry, and just overall good service). I also met and really loved a shop owner named Michelle (with that name how could I NOT love her???) She dressed Dan and I up in some traditional Chinese New Year clothing and took our picture.

Michelle was such a sweetheart and kept hugging me and Dan. We really bonded with her and will be going back to her shop to have matching mother/daughter dresses made for Chaeli and myself (I can finally do that!)

It is now 12:00 and my stomach is doing the twirls (feels like I could get sick or burst out crying or just pass out from the emotional exhaustion of “the wait.”) Somewhere out there my daughter is being bundled up and taken from the only home/life she has ever known. She is traveling several hours, probably confused and scared from all of the commotion, to a place she has never been before, only to then be handed over in seconds to total strangers who look different, smell different and talk in a language she has never heard before. It hurts me to think of all of this, and yet I know that when I receive her I will do all that I can to calm her and to love her. I only hope that my stomach will stop flipping up and down so that I can be ready to be her comforter. These last couple hours have defintely been the hardest. Both Dan and I are feeling anxious to just get her in our arms, but oh the goodness of our God that He evenled us here in the first place. We were just lounging in our room, resting our feet and sipping green tea (by the way, the tea rocks here! It is soooo good! Especially the jasmine & green tea) talking about how lucky we are to even be here doing all of this. I know I say it all the time,but we could have missed this and I know now that I could NEVER have been without this experience in my life. It is too wonderful for words. As I was unpacking last night I had the strangest feeling that I had been here in this room before, with Dan, exactly like this. I can’t explain it except to say that it felt like I had finally caught up to the place God had ordained for us to be. We are just trying to take it all in and to remember that He is the author of our lives and He already has written so many good things that we have only to trust Him for.

Chaeli was left by her birth mother under a Banyan tree just like the one I’m sitting under here. Her mother dressed her all in white and covered her with a pink blanket. I will forever love the banyan tree.

Well it is time to gather our gifts for the orphanage and get ready to head downstairs for our group meeting. Just think….the next time that I write I will be a Mommy again! I miss my boys so much, but I know that I am here givign them a gift that is priceless and that will change their lives forever.

We miss everyone but oh how we love China!

Sheila & Dan.

We’re here at last! To all of our friends and family who have been with us on this adoption journey we thank you!

We had the BEST flying experience we have ever had, and don’t EVER let anyone tell you that it is not worth it to fly First Class because wowza! They treated us like gold! Our seats reclined back into beds and we slept like babies the whole way over sipping on mimosas and listening to our Ipods (boy are our lives going to change real fast!) We were on the new airbust A300 plane, and get this! They even had lumbar massages for your back (kind of like those chairs at the nail salons girls!)…I think I am forever ruined now for good old fashioned coach traveling (hee hee). Truly though we felt God’s favor upon us through the entire journey to China, and we had to hold back tears everytime somebody would come up to us (for no apparent reason) and just be there to help us or to point the way for something good that we should see or do. It was like we had a private escort in the heavens leading us to China! We felt all of your prayers every step of the miraculous journey, and we are still feeling them. Oh and before I forget to tell you, the pilots of our plane invited Dan and I into their cockpit for a private “hang out” (and they insisted that we both get in their “pilot seats” for a photo to someday share with Chaeli! How cool was that?!

Of course we couldn’t refuse! We were the only ones they invited up like that too, and we still can’t figure out why they were so nice to us. All of our flight crew were amazing and kept giving us kuddos for adopting this baby from China. We passed Chaeli’s picture all around the plane. One lady even cried with me while we talked about it. We felt so much support the whole way over….and let me tell you that the sun in Tokyo is like nothing you have ever seen before! There is a reason why they call it the land of the rising sun. We were in awe of how BIG and how orangey/red the Sun was on this side of the world. I mean it when I say it literally took our breath away.

We are in our hotel room right now…the moment I walked into our room and I saw the crib I got choked up. That keeps happening to me as I unpack Chaeli’s doll like clothes and toys, realizing that in a few short hours she will be here to play with these things. How will I ever sleep? My precious baby is coming home to my arms!

The White Swan Hotel is amazing and has already earned its reputation of being a 5 star hotel in our eyes! We love it here and the Chinese people are sooooo beautiful and gracious! We will have no problem camping out here for the next 2 weeks and making a temporary home with Chaeli. It was 70 degrees here today so tomorrow should be pretty nice too. Well Dan is snoring so loud that you can all probably hear him back home! Time for me to go crawl into the bed. I love and miss you all (and of course will write tomorrow when we have our little Chaeli Bug in our arms!) Please pray for her to bond with us and not be so afraid b/c her entire world is going to change tomorrow and it can be very hard on the babies.

Hugs,

Sheila.
xoxoxo

P.S. Check out the puffy eyed picture of me and my little sister Laura right before we walked into the airport. Laura is adopting from Vietnam right now and is waiting for her referral as well. Adoption is something that her and I are connected to on a very deep level. I miss you already Laura and everytime I do something I think I want to turn and talk to you about it but you are not here. I pray you will feel close to me through these emails, so that we will not really have to be apart.

Boys Mommy loves you and Daddy won’t stop talking about how much he loves and misses his boys! Pray for your sister who is coming home to you very soon!