April 18:  Oath Taking Ceremony

Today we went to the US Consulate to take our oath as a family.  We should get FuBing’s visa in the morning and head out to Hong Kong on a 3 hour van ride at 5:00pm.  We are almost home!!!!  We made some great progress last night playing with some dolls.  She read the work “OK” and repeated a sentence, which by the way, when she says English words, it is clear as a bell!!!  I do not understand how that happened.  I guess we have such a slow, southern accent, that it is easy for her to understand!!!  Also, last night, I tucked her in and told her goodnight and blew her a kiss.  To my surprise, she blew me one back and smiled!  Today has been a different story.  She has had a rough day.  Our guide talked to her today to let her know what was going to happen over the next few days.  I think the reality of leaving China hit her after our conversation.  She is doing better at the moment.  We are going to order room service for dinner and wait for her friends back home to wake up so she can talk with them.  I am sooooo missing my family and friends.  I am an emotional rock for the most part.  I can handle anything life throws at me.  The past week and a half has about done me in emotionally and spiritually.  I know God will take care of us and I guess that is what is keeping me going, the hope I have in Him.  He must have a lot of faith in me, although I don’t know why.  I love Him.  I trust Him.  I know He loves me.  I know He loves my girls.  I know He has great things in store for them.  I just wish He would tell me what to do to help my girls.  I wish He would call me up to the top of Green Mountain and talk with me and give me a stone tablet with instructions.  I wish I could be so close to Him that I would have to cover my face when I came down!!  I know that He is always with me, I am just being very transparent. I want to help my girls.

One week ago today we became a family of 4.  What a difference a week makes.  If you had told FuBing last Monday that she would be smiling at me today, she would have screamed at you.  We had a great day.  First we went to breakfast.  They have huge spread.  I follow her and help her when she needs it.  She went back for seconds without asking me to go, so I kept my eyes on her.  She has trouble opening these weird food warmer (you get a steam burn when you open it).  She went to one and looked back to where I was sitting.  I jumped up and ran to her!!!! She needed me!!!!!  What a feeling!  When we came back to the room, she skyped some girls back in the states (sorry for keeping your girls up so late).  Then she started calling on the phone.  She actually asked and smiled.  The second call she made, I bribed her for a hug first and I was successful!!!!!  We then went to get her TB test read which was normal.  Then she wanted McDonalds again.  She eat everything!!!!!  Next, the group of us went shopping on a local island.  It has changed a lot since last time and was not any fun for her.  She did pick out a watch.  OH…last night while she was skyping a friend, she came and got Eden out of bed to show her off.  It was so cute.  We are still not getting smiling pics.  I don’t want to post ones that may embarrass her in the future.  We are about to go eat supper so I will sign off.   God Bless, Amanda

Three for One

April 15^th: Three for One

What a day Friday was.  We got to the airport at 3:30 for a 4:50 flight which was delayed until 9:00…….and was there ac?????NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We got to our hotel about midnight and could not get internet service so there was no blog Friday.  Saturday, we realized how much of a teenage girl FuBing is….she talked on the phone all day and skyped until 10pm.  So….I am just now getting the computer for a moment.  Anyway……FuBing and Eden have been wonderful.  FuBing has not cried in over 72  hours!!!!!!  She has skyped 2 friends back in the states and loves it.  We have gone shopping twice and she secretly loves it.  She has gotten 4 small dolls, a dress, a headband, 2 hip outfits, and a pair of purple dress shoes.  She is eating now, smiling sometimes, and talking to us a little.  Again, the girl is sooooo super smart!  You show her something and she is like a sponge.  She is soaking everything up.  She watched the cashiers like a hawk today.  Anyway…..today is Eden’s 4^th birthday.  We are waiting on cake to arrive….actually it just arrived and I stopped to eat some.  The kiddos don’t like it.  Go figure.  Let’s see, yesterday was the doctor appointment.  Bless her heart.  She got 4 shots and a TB skin test (which to me looks normal!!!)  We go back tomorrow to get it read.

Oh, some are asking what time we get home Friday.  I believe our plane is due to land around 5:15ish pm. 

Love to all and thank you so much for the prayers!!!!  Oh…a little miracle…she picked out a little doll on a key chain today.  Later we went for a walk.  She hooked it on her belt loop for the walk.  About 10 minutes into our walk, I look down and it was gone.  We started back-tracking to find it.  I was so disappointed for her.  What was the chance that we would find it in a city with the massive population such as this one.  I prayed that God would please let us find it.  No sooner than the words left my heart, I looked about 15 yards and saw it laying on the sidewalk!!!! Thanks God.  I know that is a little thing, but to her it was huge.  She hooked it back on her pants and never let go! 

April 12^th:  A Glimpse of the Light

Well, today started out like the last 3 days, but ended much differently!!!!  Again, I am blown away at FuBing’s bravery and her intelligence. 

We went to the zoo today, then went shopping (bought nothing).  We crossed our first road in China today on foot and survived!!!! Tonight, we had dinner with an amazing family from Australia.  They are our second God sent family of the week.  They have a beautiful adopted daughter from India (adopted age 7, now age 15) and just adopted a 7 year old beautiful girl from here.  Their oldest daughter had dinner with FuBing and found a way to communicate with her.  I caught the beginning of several smiles that ended as soon as she saw me looking (notice, she is at least looking my way).  They chatted for about 2 hours while we spoke with the parents.  What words of wisdom they gave us!!!! AND it seems to have worked for now.  When we got back to the room, she did not turn sideways to stay as far away from us as possible.  She communicated to me that she wanted water, did not want to play the 2 games that I offered, and let me know she did not like what was on TV!  She allowed both B and I to lean on the bed and tell her we love her!!!!!!! Then it was off to sleep.  PRAISE YOU JESUS!!!

Eden is doing very well.  She was amazing today. 

Thank you all for the verses and prayers.  They are meaning so much to me.  I cannot individually thank you all or I would be on the computer all night.   God bless you all.

April 11^th

There is no title today because I have no energy to muster up anything.  FuBing had another rough day.  She got to skype with a friend in the states that was adopted in December.  She was happy to see her, sad to say goodbye.  The saving grace was this evening when she got to spend some more time with the younger girl from her orphanage.  They actually spoke to each other and smiled a bit.  God put them here at this time and place for her!  They are truly a blessing.  We got a few pics today, but B has not had time to download them.  I will post them tomorrow along with zoo pictures.

Now a request:  We are here in China with no Bible.  The Bible app (which we thought downloaded the Bible actually on our phones) is blocked.  Can you send me some of your favorite verses?  Maybe a verse a day?????

China Trip - April 10th

April 10^th:  Brave Girl

This has been a long, heartbreaking day.  FuBing is so deeply saddened.  She loves her “mother” (nanny) so much.  Her nanny must have taken good care of her.  She is homesick.  I can not imagine the amount of courage it must take for her to come with us.  We look, smell, and sound nothing like her.  To her, we are alien. 

We finished up the paperwork and the adoption is now final.  There is a new member of the Yarbrough household!!!!!  She is so smart!!  Breath taking beautiful.  She loves angry birds and noodles.  Does not like the girly clothes, or nail polish or balloons! 

She got to play with another younger girl from her orphanage today. WHAT A BLESSING!!!! Tomorrow we will be going with her friend and her family to a temple of some sort.  FuBing is very happy about that.

Thank you for your prayers…keep them going up!!!!

Touring China

Gottcha Day!!!! April 9th

We are soooo exhausted.  I do not think I was this worn out the first go around.

We stayed busy sun up to sun down in Beijing and we got up this morning at 4am.  We made it to Hefei around 10:00, got unpacked (no drawers) (ac almost non existant!), ate lunch, and then headed off to civil affairs.  When we walked in the room, Phoebe (who at this time wants to be called FuBing) was standing there.  She let me give her a hug. Yay!!  Brando filled out all the paperwork while I gave FuBing all the goodies.  Let me say that she is very independent and smart.  She figured out her ipod touch in like 2 seconds!  She loves Angry Birds.  

She is having a tough time.  She has already called her Nanny.  She has had many tears come pouring out of those big brown eyes.  She is deeply saddened and is scared.  She is sound asleep at this moment. Don’t know how long that will last.

Hopefully I can get some good pics tomorrow.  Just did not happen today.