Our trip

We’re somewhere over the ocean leaving China far behind.  The princess is sitting beside me with her head completely covered with her blanket snoozing away. She asked about 3 hours ago to sit with GuGu and JieJie.  She was as happy as can be entertaining them while Trent and I got some sleep. Reece and Mary Ashtyn have been awesome on this trip…helping with Lily, carrying things for us, eating things that I know they’d NEVER touch at home, and getting along with each other.  I’m so glad that we brought them, it would not have been the same without them.

Thinking back on our  trip, it seems like we’ve been gone for years.  It seems like so long ago that we went to the lobby of the Sheraton to watch for Lily and got they call that heavy fog delayed the van for several hours.  Aggie, our guide, knew how disappointed we were and took us to a traditional hot pot restaurant to pass the time.  It was so much fun.  We laughed at each other trying to stab food with chop sticks to get our food out of the hot pot.  Aggie and Rocky (our driver) finally just started getting it for us.  The server just brought out plastic gloves for Reece and Mary Ashtyn and told them to eat with their hands!  It was hilarious.  Before we knew it, it was time to go back to the hotel to watch for Lily.

I’ll never be able to describe how it felt to see that sweet girl come through the lobby doors.  We had watched the three videos of her and looked at her pictures daily, but I wasn’t prepared for how beautiful she would be in person.  It took my breath away to finally see her and when they put her in my arms, it was perfect.  She had thrown up in the car and smelled like vomit, but we didn’t care!!  The four of us were beaming.  Not even Mary Ashtyn, who always complains about bad smells, said anything.  She had been our daughter and sister in our hearts since March 22 when we saw her video, but to finally have her in our arms was beyond words.  Finally the BamFam 5!!!!

We’ve heard that many people are following our blog…yeah!!!  So, most of you know that Lily did have a rough time with grieving.  It broke our hearts and was so hard on all of us, but we knew it was good that she had made those strong connections before us.  That knowledge did not make it easier while we listened to her howl, but it was comforting to remember after she got quiet.   I’m thrilled to type that she has not grieved since we left Hohhot. 

Lily Joy’s personality is hilarious.  She is a little charmer who know exactly how to make us laugh and keep herself out of trouble.  She’s made up silly songs and cracks us up with her facial expressions.  Last night, as I tucked her in for her last sleep in China…she was a little, well A LOT, hyper.  I picked her up to give her a stern look and get her still.  She bats those little eyelashes at me and puckers her lips for a kiss.  Seriously?!?!?  I would have let her stay up all night!!  LOL  Trent and I keep saying we’re in big trouble with this one.  We are completely falling for every ploy…she owns us!!!  

As we head for home, I am starting to think about what lies ahead for this precious baby.  I know we have to go to specialists and get her legs checked on.  Since we’ve met her, we’ve also realized that she has a lot of weakness in her arms.  Her fine motor skills are good, but she can’t lift her arms up passed her shoulders.  Despite this, she really is perfect.  Her hands are beautiful with the most perfect finger nails I’ve ever seen.  Mary Ashtyn has NO nails and we were both shocked at how pretty Lily’s are.  We had so much fun painting them!!  Anyway… I dread the doctors visits.  Before she was mine, my biggest concern was getting her hips fixed and getting her as mobile as possible.  Now that I love her completely and totally, I don’t want to put my baby through anything that will cause her pain.  Of course, we will do anything to help her.  It’s just hard now that she is OURS to think about how hard this will be.  We stepped out in faith knowing that God would take care of us, so we know He holds her future in His hands.  Whatever she faces, we’ll be right here with her.  Please pray for Lily Joy.

Now, there is a little princess asleep with her head in my lap…time to snuggle as we fly toward home.




***WE ARE HOME!!!  It's going great, after a major meltdown at the airport.  Lily is happy meeting her family and adjusting to her home.  New post with pics coming soon, just enjoying our family right now :)

"Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will gather you and your children from east and west."  Isaiah 43:5