China and Home 2

The following days in China were a bit muddled

We woke up pretty wide eyed and happy as we headed down to our breakfast.

We found a few other people that we thought looked like they were adopting too

and we were right. We connected right away and they took us on a small tour of where we were to  buy water and food. This was their 3rd adoption from China.

They are waiting for their little boy who is 4.

He has a disability, a deformed hand and a foot that does not work that well.

Mike had dragon fruit for breakfast - he loved it. I tried a dumpling of some sort...it was interesting to say the least.

We headed off to the bank to exchange our money and went off with our facilitator on our

1st tour of Beijing.

We heading into the old city...we took the underground subway - way cool.

We meet up with a driver that took us on a  hutong and showed us what the old part of Beijing was

all about. It was lovely. We ended up at a bell tower and a drum tower - they were amazing. Great view of the city!

Then our facilitator got a phone call from our hotel.

There was alot of yelling and talking fast.

We knew something was up!

Our hotel room had caught on fire. That is all we were told.

 It took us almost an hour to get back to our room.

All our paperwork and visa's and Hana's things were in there.

All of it

If it got destroyed I am not sure what we would do.

It was the longest hour of our life.

Not one word was spoken in the taxi.

I was sick to my stomach - I had no idea what was going on...why did this happen to us.

We got to our hotel and there were no firetrucks, no one was outside...we got to our 9th floor and it was filled with smoke ...we got to our room...and well...it was bad. The bed had burned up, the ceiling was destroyed , 1/2 the room was wet and soot was everywhere 

 I had no idea what was destroyed or saved

People were everywhere soaking up the water - there was at least 1/2 inch if not more of water everywhere in our room and down the hallway.

Then I spotted my bag with the paper work in it...

It looked safe

Praise the Lord 

As I looked around my room - it was as if the fire and smoke and soot went around what needed to be saved - like as if someone was standing in front of it all...

The hotel tried to blame us.

As things work a bit different in that country...

people in the hotel were told it was a false alarm - on our floor where the smoke was...false alarm...

no one was evacuated

no one was called

as one can imagine

we did not feel very safe there

But at the end of the day

the hotel realized it was their faulty converter they rented us

 that was the cause...

They gave us a new room.

God had protected what needed to be protected and I praise Him.

We salvaged what we could...dry cleaned what we could...

went out for supper with the whole group and

then went to bed.

We leave 4 am the next day for Nanchang.

As we fell asleep - we have never felt more alone - so far away from all who we know...

and realized our need to fully depend on God - more than ever ...

I sent a quick email to our church family to pray...as we needed it more than ever now...

As one could imagine - I slept lousy - and was sick most of the night.

We woke up without a problem - more to just get out of the hotel...

At the airport we had to take a bus to get to our small charted plane 

 it was packed and a bit of a culture shock on the plane

About 2 hours later we were in another province - where our daughter is from.

We loved it right away. It was lush and beautiful.

The province has 20 million people in it but Nanchang has only 4 million people.

So, its like a small town compared to Beijing.

It's an agricultural province - it's just beautiful with mountains and all...

our hotel was stunning - very nice with windows everywhere - just beautiful.

Our new facilitator -  Mary - was very nice and as she dropped us off at our hotel

she said our daughter was coming today - not tomorrow...

tonight sometime...do we want her brought to our room or meet downstairs in the lobby...

WHAT...I am NOT ready....

I start to panic, get excited, sweat, I am nervous...when will she come?

We say ... bring her to our room...and Mary leaves...leaving us in our room to pray and start to get giddy...

One month...

It's hard to imagine we have had Hana for a month already.

We have been home almost 3 weeks...life at home has been good.

We have more than managed with what is going on at home.

I have had 1/2 a day to spend with my best friend, getting a very needed massage

We have gone to the city

I have taken Hana out to hang at Starbucks and do some grocery shopping

I have weeded the flower beds

I have finished all the laundry

Hana is a precious gift and I feel blest to be her mom

oh ya

MOM

that's kinda strange and new for me

I love my daughter and it's kinda crazy how our life has just  become this new life

sometimes I think it's not my life

then I wake up and see her beside me and I am reminded it is my life.

I have been thinking and dreaming of ministry and what that looks like for us

as a family - that has been fun.

We have been making some different holiday plans - hopefully...they will work out...

Our yearly bike trip - will not happen this year...yesterday we really realized that...missing being with our friends in the mountains...then we look at Hana and decide we need a new bike trip...so Mike gets on his bike - I take the truck with Hana and stroller and we meet up and

 go for a walk and stop at Starbucks

Today I will go out on the bike as Mike hangs with Hana...

It's a good day. It's kinda fun - finding new ways to do things to be honest...

And finding new things to do with our friends. New ways to hang out together.

I've always liked that...new things...it's an adventure!

Hana has brought new ways of living life...and we love it!

My days are full - but they have always been full. I don't remember ever sitting still.

We are now in a new full...I could have not imagined them being this full with an almost 14 month old...to love and hold and hang out with and teach and equip and just be with.

Her smile when she see me...well - not gonna lie...it's just precious.

I asked Mike last night - what am I going to do tomorrow...

He said - just be a mom and what ever the day brings.

Just be a Mom.

Kinda cool.

God in his goodness and grace - has given me a gift of a child.

I am awed at His goodness and at my life.

In 2 months we got ourselves organized and flew to China to bring Baby Hana home.

Never in my wildest dreams did I really think this was going to happen.

So I am learning what it means to be Mom and still be Natasha.

It has been... and is an on going adventure of a life time.

Frodo and Sam would be envious - yes...