Party of 11

We're here.  We've got everyone together.  Not really together as there is no adequate hotel room to house us all...but we're in the same hotel...a few doors apart.

Daddy has four of the young men.  He had enormous success calming down Tornado Neam last night.  He was crazy getting into bed.  So Daddy put his hand on the top of his head and he suddenly calmed.  He went to sleep finally with Daddy's hand on his head, while Daddy prayed prayers of thanksgiving for him and his life.

Today has been indescribably enormous.  We started the day with finalizing the papers to make Neam an official H family member...after 15 months...seems surreal.

Then we boarded a train to another province.  Four and a half hours that were stressful, and sometimes sweet.  Upon arriving here, we were taken to our hotel.  We were told that they would bring Ezra to our hotel.  We came downstairs after dropping off our backpacks and there he was.  Sitting on the couch, his eyes wide and a little fearful, he was just sitting there waiting for us.

It was nearly six PM when we received him.  It was an emotional night for all of us. We are thankful for your lifting us up right now.

As I looked around the dinner table I felt dwarfed by the enormity of all of it..the two new ones..our family all together...the unknowns of the future. I told Daddy as he hugged and encouraged me tonight that the last time I felt this way, it was the first night when we arrived in the Middle Kingdom..to live.  I nearly had a panic attack that night, but as I look back on the raw emotion of that night, that point of no return has brought so much blessing into my life.

I'm not talking about living Here (or There) or adopting and having a family of 11 in the same apartment...it is this point when the rubber hits the road and obedience through faith. it is, well, it is so far beyond what we can handle on our own.  Only by His strength...and that is where He wants me to live...depending daily on His strength.

Tomorrow we sign the papers for Ezra..then off to the hometown where he has lived in an orphanage for the past 4 years of his life.  We pray we'll get train tickets home the day after as we so, so, so will need some time in our home to try and figure out the practical side of this divinely designed happening.

Some pictures of today...

Above:  Just after our finalization this morning...an official H family teammate.

Below:  The next few photos attest to his influence over the siblings...these were all taken while waiting at the train station.

Below: Dad and Magpie share a moment on the train platform.

Below:  Potato shows off her changing smile...that front tooth is dangling, twisted, and has moved to the middle!  It is a riot!

Below:  The Bug and The Bruiser hamming it up on the train.

Below: In the bus, on our way to meet Ezra

Below: Party of 11

Below:  The connection between these two continues. How they love each other.  Brownie wanted to feed him his dinner so badly!  (Sure this posh treatment won't go on forever!)

Too tired to think...all others in my room are snoring...so must I.

More tomorrow.