Visiting the Orphanage

Today the Three American Dads (see how I capitalized it to make it a thing?) here in Wuhan went to visit the orphanage that our adopted children came through. The mom's and kiddos stayed behind since we didn't want to confuse them by taking them back to the orphanage.

Just getting there was an adventure. We were picked up in a very nice Buick minivan that they drive here in China; Buick no longer sells minivans in the US. We entered an older part of the city with narrow streets and plenty of local life, sights and sounds. The traffic was so bad in this area that we did not move for a long time and we were really able to take in the local activity. This included a woman who was taking live birds of some kind out of a cage, then while they were still alive plucking and skinning them with ease within seconds, and then selling them to people right there off the street. It was entertaining and disturbing to watch at the same time.We eventually just got out of the minivan and walked the remaining few blocks.

Right next door to the orphanage was a Catholic Church, the St. Joseph Cathedral. Our guide said something about it being the oldest Catholic Church, I think in Wuhan, it was built in 1876. 

The orphanage was really good to visit and I am glad I did. We got to meet some staff and tour the facilities. I was impressed with how nice and clean the facilities were; they also had a lot of therapy equipment that was really nice. Below is the front entrance and a map of the facilities, although this map doesn't show you that the facility is completely surrounded by city (see the picture below the map).

I got to see where Annabelle had her physical therapy and the woman who provided the therapy for her. I also got to meet the woman who took care of Annabelle and where she slept. Very clean and very nice bedding.

I will leave you with some pics of the orphanage. In one of these you see McDonald's, this isn't a restaurant inside the orphanage, but something that said that McDonald's donated a lot of money to the orphanage.

Chinese Pizza Hut

Front of the restaurant; actual restaurant was on the third floor.

So there are three families here in Wuhan and we decided to go and eat dinner at Pizza Hut since we were wanting something more familiar. Pizza Hut had pizza, but you really couldn't just order a pepperoni pizza. They had a set menu of pizza and they would not veer from the menu without some persuading. Brooke wanted a cheese pizza and they did not have one, we talked them into letting us choose a pizza and they leave the topping off, which they charged us more for.

They also served way more than just pizza, in fact pizza was probably only 30-40% of their menu. They had salad, soup (including a pumpkin and shrimp soup), various rice and noodle dishes and other meat dishes. Other pizzas on the menu included a Korean beef pizza, a salmon and bacon pizza and a New Orleans BBQ pizza - I was not aware that New Orleans was famous for their BBQ!

Annabelle had the Cream of Mushroom soup, which Brooke said was very tasty. Brooke ordered a cheese pizza with stuffed crust and it was excellent. I ordered a pizza with bacon wrapped, basil pesto shrimp and some other ingredients and it was pretty good. You can see pics below.

All in all this was a good meal with a little taste of home.

Annabelle checking out the menu.

Shrimp basted in basil pesto, wrapped in bacon. Sausage, corn, cherry tomatoes, onions and cheese.

Cheese pizza with cheese stuffed crust. Really, really good.

She's Officially Annabelle Cartwright!!!

Today we had an interview, signed and fingerprinted some paperwork and it is 100% official. Annabelle is now a Cartwright! We wore red as a family for the ladybugs in Annabelle's outfit and because red is considered lucky to the Chinese. - Jeremy

Videos of Meeting Annabelle 2.0

Here you go. New and improved YouTube versions of the videos of Brooke and I meeting Annabelle for the first time. Enjoy! - Jeremy

Our Father's Love for the Orphans

This past fall was the must trying tone of the adoption journey for our family. We were so close to travel, yet we kept experiencing so many bizarre delays. I couldn't understand why God would allow these things to happen which kept us from our daughter. Wasn't I everything she needed?   It was a dark time emotionally. I felt anger, confusion and a deep sense of being left in the cold. 

One day, I was pouring out my emotions to another adoptiove momma.  I posed the same questions to her.  How could God let this happen?  The Holy Spirit breathed through her words telling me everything I needed to know.  She said that we have no idea the magnitude of God's love for the orphans.  His love is far greater than our own understanding.  (Insert negative response from me-"If He loves her then why doesn't He get me to her?" Her response was that our God is sovereign and we will never understand these things on Earth.  His plan is perfect and we are not.  HE is what Annabelle needs.  So, now a huge light bulb went off and I'm feeling silly that I had believed the enemies lies once again.

Trust is very hard with the unknown or unexplained.  I know God is in control and that His plan is perfect.  I thought my plan was His.  Oh how I fall into that trap more frequent than I would like to.  

From that moment on, I had to give up 100% of any expectations on this journey.  I had to stop looking back at what I thought should have happened and start looking forward to the future.

Here is what I see now.....

Our Father loves Annabelle a million times more than this momma's heart does.  As I write this and reflect on our journey, I'm in awe of His love for our baby.  Sweet Annabelle is about to have her whole world turned over. All she has evern known is that orphange.  Tomorrow will be one of the most amazing days of our lives yet one of the worst days of hers up to this point.  Like her mommy this past fall, she may be confused, angry and scared.

****This is the crib they sent to our room.  Notice Mickey Mouse everywhere?  Not a coincidence ;)

I look back at the grace and joy of our adoption.  I read your comments.  I reflect on your gifts, visits tears and hugs.  I think about the MASSIVE army of supporters she has waiting for her bak in the good ole USA.  She has a princess room full of toys, clothes, bows and her very own bed.  She has brothers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and many more family friends anxiously waiting for her.

Do you see where I'm going with this?  Look at how much our Father loves this sweet baby.  Right now she has no clue what is in store.  She will understand one day how loved she is.  My friends, this is a very small glimpse of the lover our Father has for us.  Our prize is in heaven NOT on Earth.  

Jesus has a room prepared for us.  The angels are anxiously awaiting our arrival.  We have a MASSIVE army of God's kingdom in heaven.  You are loved NOT because of what you do but because God IS love.

We are all loved deeply by God and he has chosen us!!.  All we have to do is choose Him and recognize Him as our Lord and Savior.  Oh what an amazing promise!

Tomorrow morning at 9:30am (that will be in Texas time Sunday night at 7:30pm) we will walk into Civil Affairs and meet Annabelle.  She will be an orphan no more....

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."

John 14:18

Beijing

We'll spread our Green and Gold afar.....

What an incredible day!

First, we met our friends Dorinda and Chris in the lobby. I got to know Dorinda early summer of last year through our support groups on Facebook. She's been an incredible blessing through this process and I was so excited to FINALLY meet her and her husband.  (picture below was taken this evening with our guide Michelle)

The first thing we did was visit a jade market.  Everything was so beautiful and we got to watch them carve a few pieces.

Largest carving of jade.

Next we drove to the great wall. We survived the winding roads....BARELY. I'm absolutely amazed at how they drive in Beijing. It's a wonder that we didn't wreck or witness one.

Once we got to the Great Wall it was FREEZING cold!  This Texas girl had a lot of adjusting to do.

We climbed some of the steepest stairs and ramps I've ever seen. By the time we got to the lift I was waiting for the medal presentation but alas we still needed to ride to the top in order to actually see the great wall!  Mercy!

 Here we are going up the lift VERY Steep!!

There was a lift that had a sign on it saying USA President Bill Clinton rode in this #26 car 1998. Pretty funny they commemorated it.

 Plaque entrance for the Mutiantu section of the Great Wall. 

Let me just say this. These pictures do not do this great wall experience any justice. It was magnificent and breath taking. So much history. So much beauty.

 There are watcher towers where soldiers would camp in to keep an eye on the Mongol side.  These are a few pictures of where they would sleep.

 There is a "tip" on the top so that the soldier could shoot their bow and arrow pointing down at the enemy.

 After the Great Wall,  we ate at an authentic restaurant close to the great wall. It was delicious. There was one dish we couldn't figure out but since it looked like a vegetable I did try it.  We found out it was fried eggplant. Yummy! 

 Next stop was the rickshaw tour of houtong lane. It was eye opening seeing houses that were hundreds of years old.

 We were invited into a home of a gentleman who was a fifth generation living there with his two sisters and their spouses.  White we were sitting in his kitchen I noticed his picture with a flutist. So neat!

Last stop was a tea making experience. We enjoyed tasting all the different types of herbal tea and were taught the tea making tradition.  Ginseng was my favorite!  

We did get our first glimpse of a squatty potty. Thankfully,  there was a "western" toilet so we survived! Everywhere we went the majority were squatty potties and you had to bring your own toilet paper.

We came back to the hotel for a drink and bite to eat soaking in everything we experienced. God is so good and we will always cherish this day with our amazing friends.

When I came back to the hotel I noticed a book on our night stand. I was shocked at what was there.  It is a great reminder seeing God's word is even here in Beijing.

Tomorrow morning we leave for Wuhan!  Nighty night