July 27th...ADOPTION DAY! (and July 28th)

Check out the "Gotcha Day" blog...more pictures added!

Beth writes:

The day that will live in infamy!

Well, THAT was a day!  I am sure Paul's story will be with much more detail and colorful explanations, but I will do the shortened version.  We began at 7:30 with a trip back to the Civil Affairs office where the adoption was made final.  Levi had to read his own statement, answer vocally and sign his name to the paper that said he would like to be adopted by us.  I have to admit, I waited with apprehension as he hesitated thoughtfully before he answered!  The thought flashed through my mind, "What if he says 'no'?"  This was all in the presence of his foster mom, who was there to greet  him when we walked in!  It is very evident he was loved, and he loves her...she has had him since birth.  She has 3 older sons in their 20's--we have heard nothing of a dad in the picture.  The donation took place there also.  I was sad to see it happen in front of Levi....it feels odd anyway, but one can never choose the way things go down here.  Each of the 3 times, it has been different. 

Moment of Commitment

After that, we loaded in a van and took a 4 hour road trip to Datong, the city close to where he lived.  It was a small town of 3 million (haha!).  We had to go to the police station to finalize some papers.  Well, we waited in the police station for 3 hours for a particular person.  Finally at 5:30, after we had watched as most employees left the building for the night, the right person comes and we spend 4 minutes on the paperwork and we are done...ready for the 4 hour ride home.  But wait, that's not all!  On the ride home, our driver got sleepy, and we watched his eyes close a few times!  Boy, talk about long drive home, and we were afraid to go to sleep!  And since it was so late, the gas station stores were closed...we couldn't buy him a Red Bull (which he drank on the way there). 

Thanking the Lord, we pulled into the hotel at 10...and hit the sack.  Dinner?  skipped it....too tired and worn out!

Paul writes:

Reading it...

Well, hello again from deep in the heartland of China’s industrial belt.  We are counting the days until we are once again (Lord willing) basking in the clean air of Oregon, surrounded by family and friends.

Writing it...

I guess Beth all ready got started on a blog of yesterday (Tuesday 7/27 ), but I will add my two yuan worth (about 31. 4 cents) and then catch up on where we are today, Wednesday.

Stamping it...

Tuesday started out with a very important appointment at the Civil Affairs office.  We went to complete the adoption process and accept Levi.  It is very surreal to think that while the young man is sitting 10 feet away, they ask questions like “Do you still like him?”, or “Do you think this arrangement will be agreeable?” or my personal favorite, “Did you know about the cleft problem?”.  At the end of it all, after all of our paperwork for saying yes, and the interview of us to ask if we really wanted to this was over, it was Levi's--Wang Xiao Wen--turn to ask if he really was agreeable, and if he could like us.  After the party official (government advocate) asked him all of these things, he had to say yes or no.  After a short time to really think, he responded yes.  So then they asked him to write it in his own handwriting, and it was sealed with a thumbprint just like Beth and I’s signature.  8 months, three weeks after God placed him before us, Levi became our son.

SMILE!  He's ours!

Also in the same little office were two other foreign families adopting, one from America, one from Holland, and an American man marrying a Chinese woman.  No privacy, sorting paperwork on the floor, counting money…Chaos!  But the Lord got us through it all.

Group shot...it's official...Levi is now a Lyman!

Next step, at 0930, was to get back in the van, (a new driver/van from the previous day), and we headed north, to Datong. Only 4 ½ hours away, for a 3 PM appointment with the Vice Director of Public Safety and Documentation.  The drive was painfully slow averaging about 75 KPH. Crawling!  At one point, we stopped at a rest stop for a drink and stretch.  The driver, who I will call Bob, got a Red Bull...a Chinese labeled Red Bull. I thought, "Ok, alert driver is a good thing."  We all had a chance to cat nap as we rode along.  At a section of the highway, we drove through a 5 kilometer tunnel. It was unnerving.

Fast forward to the only cool part of the drive. One section we rode through had a part of the Great Wall for us to drive under/past. That was really nice to see. Probably could have seen more, but we never left the smog from Taiyuan, even over the 4000 foot pass.  At Taiyuan, we waited for hours, 3 hours, for a 4.5 minute appointment.  Faith and I passed the time making MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER remarks about all that was going on around us… Beth wrote post cards, Levi played with the IPhone games.  

Back in the van at 6:15, we rode back same way we came, except it got dark, and Bob the driver kept falling asleep. So Beth and Faith freaked out and kept poking me, making me talk to the guide and ask questions the driver had to answer.  Needless to say, since I am writing to you, we got back safely about 10 pm, showered, and we all hit the hay, ready to sleep.  But, of course, after Beth and Faith's nervousness, I am having a hard time unwinding and actually sleeping.

That brings us to today, Wednesday the 28th.

The day started later today, at least the official day day. I was awake from about 3:30 on, spending time talking to God and trying to understand all that is happening.  This is a very difficult time. I don’t know how to explain it.  

Difficult. 

Trying. 

Sobering. 

Obedient.

God never promised us easy did He?  As I laid there early this morning, I had to examine myself, had to really share with God  what was on my heart, and you know what, He listened. He did not argue or try to explain.  He just was my faithful Father and let me come before Him. 

Thank you Lord.

(Psalms 121:1-8)  A Song of Ascents. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?  My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.  He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.  Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.  The LORD is your keeper; the LORD is your shade on your right hand.  The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.  The LORD will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life.  The LORD will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

I thank the Lord for His comfort when He finally spoke to me through His scriptures. I know it was there before me the whole time, I was just busy crying out to God for answers.  Once I took the time to stop, to listen to the sound of my new son breathing, I could recall God’s word, reaching out to me from the Psalms.  Psalm 46:10 rang through loudly "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!"  So I take comfort in that as I started my day. Comfort in the word of God and His faithful promises.

Today was a major day for us. We took Levi shopping for new clothes.  He knows he will not see his foster mother again; he is ready to finally let us provide something else for him.  So, where do you go when you need clothes cheaply?  Walmart! 3 shirts, 3 shorts, socks, underwear, flip-flops, toothbrush and toothpaste... And we are in business!  I was shopping for deodorant, asked the guide, asked a stock clerk, guess what they do NOT sell at Walmart in China? Yep...deodorant.  Ok, that can wait. Checking out, we threw in a few packs of gum, some hard candy for Levi, laundry soap for Faith, and we spent a whopping $46 or so.  

After shopping, the guide, Rose, brought us back to hotel, dropped us off and left us for the day.  We decided we would have easy day today.  We came to the room, skyped Tyler, Travis, Jenny, Lindsey, Sophie & Amie, and then Faith’s family, Rick, Jerin & Erin and Joah..  It was fun to see the kids interact.  Although he does not speak it well yet, Levi can listen and discern what is going on and also pick up some words.  He is learning so quickly.

After the communications blitz with the family, we went to late lunch at 3. I had a burger, fries and tea. Faith had pasta w/red sauce, Beth ordered rice with meat.  Levi ordered what I had….and did not like it. So he traded to Beth. She got the burger with Brie cheese, and he got the fried rice.  After lunch we went down to the lower level and played foosball. Levi enjoyed playing and, of course, after we were done, we were challenged by a Chinese couple… so we played them two games!  And lost.  But it was a lot of fun for Levi.  After foosball, I took Levi swimming, girls did…whatever girls do… 

The caveat about swimming--the orphanage lady and foster mother said, “He likes to swim."  So we got our suits and headed for the pool.  Once changed, Levi barged on in, and by the time I walked into the pool room, he jumped in.  And sank. To the bottom. He does not swim. Although he does thrash, but that does not do much. Pool was only 1.5 meters deep, but that is above his nose.

So I jumped in and pulled him up sputtering, wide eyed, and scared.  The pool staff guy asked him if he knew how to swim. He said, “Yes,” but only in this much water and held his hand apart about 5 inches. Sooooooooooooooooo… I began swim lessons. Very difficult. Considering the translator would be ruined in the water, I struggled. Then a very nice Chinese man, about 40ish, decided to help. He talked to him, demonstrated, and really blessed both of us by helping. Then a granny came to help.  They treated him like a human and not an oddity.  Such a blessing! Thank you Lord.  We spent 2 hours there, then we showered and off to dinner in NEW CLOTHES! Yeah…the clothes he had on were the ones that he had since Saturday.

We had a great dinner tonight. Noodles and fried egg rolls. Mmm, so good. Levi is learning table manners, and we are all doing much better  As I type this, he is asleep. He showered (again), and now he is worn out and resting. I think it is my turn to sleep. I think I have only had about 4-5 hours the last two days.

So I will turn in. We are still blocked by the Google sanctions.  No Facebook either!  So God Bless you all.  I look forward to tomorrow. We love and miss you guys, and we covet your prayers

God Bless,

Paul

P.S.-Oh, one more note of praise. Levi is learning English quickly!! He's so very intelligent. Keep praying!