We love being home!  God has been so good.  Wyatt Jianlai is adjusting to having 8 siblings and has the perfect personality to fit into our family.  We rejoice over what God has done.  We pray that all of you would know the joy of being adopted this Christmas.  May you rest securely in your heavenly Father's arms.  He longs to give you a forever home with him.  We pray that you would always know his love.  Here is a short video explaining why we adopt.  Please take a minute to look at it and remember us adopting Wyatt is just a reflection of what Christ has done for us by coming, dying and being raised.  Our adoption by God as His  sons and daughters is the single most important thing we can ever do.  We pray that if you have not been adopted that you would this Christmas.  If you have been adopted by the King of Kings that you would take a moment to say thank you. Here is the link.  Enjoy  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFXuyz6gIVQ

Wyatt is home! He was not slept for more then 3 hours in the past 42 hours and is as active as can be. He arrived home at 5:30 pm last night. He is doing great and loves to explore the new place. He loves to sing "Wheels on The Bus" and "This Little Light of Mine." He also enjoys peekoboo. He can say all of our names and talks in baby Mandarin that we can't understand. We all love this little chum! He is very silly and smart. He has gone through a lot of change and still has to get used to all of us kids. Here are some pictures that we took last night when he came home!

Hello Family and Friends,

We are on the last leg. We went to our Consulate appointment for Wyatt's visa today and we actually get his visa tomorrow. We will be driving 3 to 4 hours to Hong Kong tomorrow late afternoon. We get into Hong Kong between 8 and 9 pm, sleep there overnight and then finally get on the plane to come HOME!!! We can't wait!!! It's been a good trip, our Father has answered so many prayers. We praise Him for his faithfulness throughout our Journey2Home. Please lift Wyatt up as he'll be confined for a long drive and then a 14 hour flight. Please lift up our family as we are re-united after what feels like a forever long trip.

Wyatt continues to do well. He is now probably the cleanest kid in China since he really likes his tub now...both in the morning and at night. In fact last night he had a tub got dressed in his PJs and then was trying to undress to get another tub...he wasn't digging us saying "not now" :-)

We went to a folk museum yesterday with interesting wood carvings, and local arts and crafts. We also found an indoor market and bought some more souveniers. Our group enjoyed a yummy Chinese dinner at the hotel restaurant last night and yesterday we had Papa Johns deliver pizza. Wyatt does not like pizza yet something we certainly will need to teach him for our family pizza nights.

He loves to sing and has learned the song Wheels On The Bus and last night I taught him This Little Light of Mine. He loves the "hide it under a bushel, no" part. He is such a joy. He is so smart too. Whenever he sees a toilet/ restroom sign he tells us in Mandarin "Neow Neow" he has only had one nighttime accident so far.

The Bethany Adoption Agency guide here in China can not get over his transformation. She told us to please go home and advocate to our friends and family and encourage them to adopt some of the other children from his CP hospital. Oh they all need a home and the most difficult part is leaving so many behind who need a family. Remind us to show you photos of his friends and perhaps one of our friends will adopt one of his friends. There is a family on our trip who are adopting the good friend of one of their friends little Chinese daughter. Praying that you would all be the Fathers hands and feet as "he sets the lonely in families." Have a lovely week. We can't wait to touchdown on US soil!!

Hello Friends and Family,

Last night we had a nice dinner at a local resturant, with a pretty good selection of Western and Chinese food. When we got back we gave Wyatt a bath...after just a little hesitation, he actually enjoyed his bath for the first time...he was playing and wasn't wanting to get out of the tub! See pic below.

Today we went to Shamian Island...it was the place where everyone used to stay who were adopting...it's where the White Swan Hotel is with the famous red couch. Since the US Consulate has moved and the hotel is undergoing renovation it's not quite the shopping experience it used to be...apparently there used to be tons of market type vendors but many have closed and it was kind of desolate. There is still a well know Western resturant there called Lucy's and of course we got a cheesburger and chicken fingers and french fries:-)

We got back early afternoon and just hung at the hotel.

Wyatt is really doing well!!!   In fact the China Bethany Coordinator who has been in China helping families for over 10 year indicated that Jianlai is like a different person. She has visited him in the CP hospital and she helps select children for the Bethany Waiting Child Program. She said that Wyatt is just a different person...he is so expressive and happy now...we praise the Father for His goodness and thank Him for allowing us the means to help this littlel boy.

We are so ready to be home. We don't go to our US Consulate appointment until Tuesday :-(   We then take a van from Guangzhou to Hong Kong (a short 4 hour ride :-( on Wednesday afternoon, stay in Hong Kong Wednesday night and then finally fly out on Thursday for a 15 hour flight!! Please lift us up as we finish up this last leg of our journey. Please lift up the rest of our children back home. We love you all and can't wait you to meet Wyatt Jianlai.

In the grip of His grace,

Tim and Dawn

We got to Goungzhou yesterday and ate at McDonalds for dinner. Jianlai really likes French fries and wanted nothing to do with the Chicken Nuggets...not quite the same as the US but we really needed some "American" food!

Today we went to his visa medical exam. He had a TB blood test and did well...it was a long wait and he needed to be a two year old boy and do some running and romping. No place to run and be a boy. After the medical appointment we went to a local grocery store. It was a multifloor store with a conveyor belt escalator, a hill that moved. The grocery carts were magnetized to the belt to keep them from rolling down. The stores here are so unusual. They are facinating to just walk around. We got some snacks, soda and water

We are back at the hotel now and he had some noodles in a cup and fell asleep on my lap...it was awesome...I'm convinced now more than every that when we rest in our Fathers arms He loves it as well!

Dawn is in the lobby of the hotel now with our Bethany Agency coordinator for a review meeting for all the documents we need for our consulate appointment for Jianlia's visa to come home. Oh how we long to be home and hold and love on all our other kids. We miss all of you! A big thank you to everyone for watching our kids. Thanks Grandmom for everything. We love you kids. We will be home in less then a week.

Tonight we head with all the other Bethany families to enjoy some Western food. Looking forward to spending time with these special families. They have adopted children who are missing a hand,

missing an ear, some have serious heart defects and need immediate surgery, some have cleft lips and palates, and some have CP like Jianlai. A beautiful tapestry of grace in action as these precious little ones bond with their forever families.

Thank you for your prayers and comments on this blog. Below are a few pics.

Dear family and friends,

We are continuing to bond with our sweet boy Jianlai. He is full of smiles and has even had a few two year old tantrums already.   Naptime and bedtime are difficult for him. He is talking in baby Mandarin and is learning some English. He tells us "more" and asks for food all the time. He is most definitely comforted by holding onto snacks. He needs to know that food is readily available. He plays peek a boo and belly laughs when he drops a toy and we need to fetch it. He can run quickly but due to the CP he does fall frequently. Pray for his safety.

We fly out this morning on a 2 hour flight. Please lift him up especially his little ears.

We found a swollen spot on his lower back and our doctor at CHOP is evaluating him and concerned about it being Spina Bifida or a tumor. We won't know much till an MRI back at home. Please lift us up as this new information can be a bit intimidating. We know he is our son and no matter what his condition we will care for his needs. Our Father is not surprised by all this and he just wants us to rest in Him.

On the home front we could use prayer for Jared. He is struggling with depresssion. He is getting help but it is difficult to be here and feel helpless to help him. We are weary from travel, exhausted from lack of sleep and longing to see our sweet children.

Please email us or comment on the blog. We look forward to hearing from friends and family, it is a highlight of our day. Thank you for lifting us up. We miss you all and can't wait to introduce you to our little boy. His smile will melt your heart.

Tim visited the CP hospital yesterday. After Jianlai was found he was at the orphanage for about 6 months, then tranfered to the CP hospital (2 hours away), was there for about 1 1/2 years and then in Oct (two months ago) was tranfered back to the orphanage. A lot of transition for a little guy. The CP hospital only practices traditional Chinese medicine (acupuncture etc.) so we are not quite sure the level of care he recieved. The conditions were not good...many children and few caretakers.

In the grip of His grace,

Tim and Dawn

We took a short walk from the Hotel to a really nice park. We strolled around and even got to feed the white pigons!

Hi Friends and Family,

Well, Jianlai (Wyatt) slept very well. He got up once to go potty and fussed for a moment when we put him back in this crib, so we brought him in bed and he slept peacefully the rest of the night. Today we went to the Civil Affairs Office again and saw all our new friends with their new children....what a difference a day makes...all the new kids where all smiles and having fun with their families. The adoption was finalized and we received the Red Book which is the official adoption document. We then went to the notary office to have more paperwork notarized. We went back to the room and played in the hall with a ballon...he just belly laughed and was running back and forth between the two of us. He's taking a short nap now and then we are going to apply for his passport...which is a quick trip. We continue to praise Him for all he is doing. We love little Jianlai (we haven't been calling him Wyatt yet but will be easing into his new name). Please pray for safety for him since he has an awkward gait...he walks like a drunken sailer...he has tripped over his feet a few times and we want to keep his head safe when he falls.

Below are a few pics...he is adorable!

With Love,

Tim and Dawn