Conversations with Levi

Levi has become totally conversational in recent weeks. It is a pure delight to hear the things that he is thinking. To think that all of these things have been pent up inside for so long since being home and he has not been able to communicate them well. Here is a conversation that I just had with him while snuggling at bedtime:

Levi: You are my pumpkin. (That is one of the names that I have for the kids.)

Me: I love this boy

Levi: I love this girl (Giggles)

Levi: I can't wait for Phoebe to come home.

Me: Me neither.

Levi: She will cry?

Me: Yes she will probably cry.

Levi: I can't hear her crying.

Me: Well she is not here, she is in China.

Levi: Just like me!

Me: Yes just like you were.

Levi: Why?

Me: Because that is where you were born and Mommy and Daddy came to get you.

Levi: Why?

Me: Because we love you.

Levi: And then we go on airplane?

Me: Yes. Then we went on the airplane.

We have never had a conversation like this. The most surprising thing to me was that I don't ever remember talking about bringing him home on the airplane. Not with him I mean. He just remembers.

Another cute thing that he said from about a month ago went something like this:

We were at a local elementary school picking up a friend from school and we were standing beside the playground looking through a fence at the kids playing. There was a little boy who was Asian and as soon as I saw him I knew that Levi would make a comment. He gets excited when he sees other Asian kids, boys in particular. Right away he looked at me with huge eyes and a smile and while pointing at the boy he said "Hey! Like me!" I smiled at him. He looked at the boy who was quite a distance away and yelled "Hey like me!" while waving frantically. As if "Like Me" was the boy's name.

It is a pure joy to parent this kid.  And despite all of our parenting failures and screw ups- of which there have been many- he seems to be adjusting well and as happy as he possibly could be.  Praise Jesus, our Savior, for that.  We are not perfect and never will be.  But he is and always will be.  Our hope is in Him.

New pics of our babe!

We got these new pics of Phoebe a couple of weeks ago and I am ashamed to say that I have not taken the time to post them.  We have been a bit on the busy side with moving and all.  We moved to a different house and are just trying to get settled in and find things.  Like our toilet brushes of which I own three and have not been able to locate.  At least I know I owned three when we left Spires Dr.  Maybe they fell off of someone's truck?  Or one of my helpful friends took one home as payment for helping us move?  Whatever.  If you come for a visit don't judge me for my dirty toilets.

Oh. My. Goodness. (Insert scream!)

I knew that the super duper nice lady from our agency was going to visit Pheobe this week but she said that she would be back on the 16th and that I should not expect to hear from her until then.  BUT!  This morning, when my alarm went off at 5:00, I glanced over to my phone and low and behold I see this super duper nice lady's name come up and I know that it was gonna be gooood!  I exited the bed as if it was on FIRE when I saw the picture of our sweet baby.  AAAAHHHHH!! Can you believe it?

Here is what the super duper wonderfully kind woman says about her:

She is a very sweet child – she has chubby cheeks and a chubby little belly.  Her legs are thinner, but not skinny – also, not chunky.  When I first saw her, I was very surprised to see her lip had been repaired!  According to the orphanage staff, it was done about 2 weeks ago.  Her palate has not been repaired.She has one little tiny tooth that has just popped thru on the bottom left/front.  She weighs around 7 kilograms (15.4 lbs).  I held her and played with her for about an hour – in that time I learned:-  she has very good eye contact and loves when people talk to her-  she enjoys being bounced-  she has ticklish feet-  she grabbed onto my finger many times and has a strong grip-  she can bear weight on her legs, but needs practice doing this-  she cannot sit unsupported but has good head control-  she laughs when you fly her up in the air – but not too high, or too fast as that scares her – there is a thin line between funny and scared-    she likes when you tickle her chin/neck-  she loves peek-a-boo-  once she gets to know you, I think she will love to spin… I tried to spin her (me standing, holding her, turning around in a circle) and she thought she liked it but was a bit unsure… I’m thinking she has never done that before.We took about 25 pictures.  We also took pictures of her hands and feet – because I love baby hands and feet.


Happy dance...

The Lord is at work in our hearts over here.  Praise His glorious name!

Praise God.

We are so excited to announce that we are expecting a baby girl!  We are thrilled that God has chosen us to be her parents and we are very much looking forward to bringing her home.  Her birthday is February 24, 2011- which makes her 7 months old!  Her name is Xie Rong Tang and she is currently in Fuzhou at the Fuzhou Child Welfare Center.  As far as we know she has unrepaired cleft lip and palate and we are not sure if she will have any surgical procedures before she comes home.  We hope to get more info on her in a couple of weeks.  One of the staff from our agency is planning to visit her during a trip next week and promises to give her some snuggles and have some questions answered for us.  We are also hoping for some more pictures of our sweetie. They tell us that travel time is 4-9 months from now.  Ouch.  If I call and whine to you about the horrible misery involved in waiting for your baby laying in a crib (or sitting in a weird home-made bamboo high chair)  half way across the world please say the following things to me:

• Our father in heaven already knows the day and time that she will come home.
• His timing is perfect.
• He loves her infinitely more than you do and more than you can imagine.
• He knows exactly what she needs and he will provide those things for her, seein as how he loves her so much.

So, anyway, without further ado...here is our new beauty whom we have decided to name Phoebe.

Phoebe Glenn Rongtang Steele, we love you already and we can't wait to touch you!  

Please join us in praying for our sweetie.  Prayer requests are as follows:

• That she feels loved and cared for and that her physical needs are being met daily.
• That the Lord would be preparing her for a big transition to our home.
• That we would be able to bring her home before her first birthday.

I think that's all for now, I'm sure Ill think of more.  Thank you all for your love and support.  It is such an encouragement to us when you celebrate with us!

A couple more pics and info...

Fuzhou, Fujian China

This is the CWI where she lives.

This is where our paperwork currently resides.

Hurry up Ya'll!

Happy Birthday Levi!

We have a performer.

Naomi is 5!

Naomi turned 5 years old on August 19th so we had a girlie princess party complete with nail painting and hair fixing.  It was a grand time.  Her guest list included several little girls in addition to three of the sweet ladies who babysit for us.  This girl is absolutely adorable.  So girly and funny.  It is so much fun to watch her grow up!