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We received more pictures from Dawn who just returned from PHF.  She has also been to PHF in the past and does art projects with the children.  I love these photos!  Dawn said that the artwork from this project will be hung in the three new homes that are currently under construction.

I also asked Dawn about Elijah’s English capabilities.  Here is some some of what she wrote.  “He does speak fairly good English.  He knows the basics…Hello, goodbye, how are you?, see you tomorrow.  He understands a lot.  I did 4 art projects with them and he always could follow the directions.  Also, he helped with a painting we did last year and he and Joseph made bugs out of their fingerprints and I took him over to the picture and asked him if he remembered making the picture and that I was the one that helped him and I could see the lightbulb go off and he remembered me from last year!  He is so sweet and very active. He is going to be a joy to your family.”

A mission team was just at PHF last week and Dawn posted these pictures for us.  Thank you Dawn!!

Could that smile get any bigger?!  This is Elijah with one of his best buddies, Joseph, and also a newer friend, Jamison.

Hurray for new pictures!!  I hate to complain, but it has been almost a month since we had any pictures of our sweet boy.  Today we received these from one of the PHF staff.  We have sent a card every week (only missed one!) since the first of the year and have always enclosed a little something with the note.  That’s roughly forty-some love notes from us to him where we have longed to say much more than we could.  Hopefully in just another month we will be able to finally tell him that WE are his family.  Oh that will be joy!

Reading a card...I can't remember what we sent in this one

Enclosed a little disc that expanded into a towel when put in water

Sent a flat Dover booklet with robot stickers

Chris and I have prepared a special letter telling Elijah that we are his family and that we are coming to adopt him soon.  The older three kids also each wrote precious letters.  I met with one of my Chinese friends today from an international ministry that I have been involved with at church.  She is going to translate these letters for us and also translate the captions that I have written in the photo album we have prepared to send.  (The weekly cards are short and PHF staff has always generously translated them for us.)  This wonderful Christian lady will not allow us to pay her for her time and wants to do it as a thank you to us.  Why does she need to thank us?!  It is hard to explain the brief conversations about adoption that I have had with a couple of my Chinese friends.  I want them to know how happy and blessed we are to receive the gift of a Chinese child, without drawing any attention whatsoever to the circumstances that have brought about the need for so many of these children to have a permanent home.  But at the same time I have felt and heard from these beautiful Christian women a profound sense of sorrow or dare I say, shame, for their home country.  My sweet friend today was almost speechless when trying to form the right words to say.  She could only say a heartfelt thank you, something deep that was very much on behalf of her fellow countrymen.  It breaks my heart to think that she feels this is the least she can do.  Yet, we want no accolades, we want no special acknowledgment.  We only want to serve our Father and adopt as He has adopted us.  We only want to bring even further joy into our family.  We only want to bring Elijah home, to receive another gift from our Father, another of His rich blessings!

Here’s another neat thing from meeting with my friend today!  We finally have a confirmed translation of Elijah’s Chinese name.  We don’t know how long he has had this first name, it may only be a name that he has used in the last year and a half, but it may be something he’s had all of his short years.  His last name means “red”.  His first name means “to fly in the future”, with an intended meaning of wishing success in his future, to fly and soar like an eagle, to one day soar to great heights.  It is a name that parents give their children in wishing for them great things in the future.

Elijah’s name meaning ties right in to a song that has been an encouragement to our family throughout this last year.  The kids enjoy listening to PureNRG and one of their songs goes something like this….”When I call on Jesus all things are possible.  I can mount on wings like eagles and soar.  When I call on Jesus mountains are gonna fall ‘cuz He’ll move heaven and earth to come rescue me when I call.”  One of our faith verses during this adoption journey has been Isaiah 45:2-3 and we have truly seen mountains crumble in front of us to make this adoption happen.  It all ties together so neatly.  God is good and to be praised!

My wonderful friends hosted a baby welcome shower for Elijah and Titus.    Another of my close friends is adopting a baby from Ethiopia (Titus) and will leave in a month to meet her sweet boy.  It was extra special to share a shower together and I was overwhelmed with the generosity of our church family.  It was fun to see the creative ideas that some had for gifts….balls, a bike, bike helmet, radio control car, sleeping bag…and a few hundred dollars (!) in gifts cards (these will be great for buying clothes once we have Elijah).  Wow, I am so humbled by the outpouring of love for our family and for Elijah.  Yes, he knows that he is getting a family (doesn’t know it’s us yet), but he has no idea that so many others here are waiting to embrace him as Christian family.  Thank you Teresa and Sara for hosting a wonderful shower and for giving Carolyn and me the opportunity to share our adoption stories that are so close to our hearts.  Thank you Memorial church family for your generosity and outpouring of love!

Awesome friends - Teresa, Carolyn and Sara

Some of our wonderful gifts (back at home)