A Bunch of Blackwells

Show your Pastor Appreciation

2011-10-17T11:40:00.000-07:00

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 1 Timothy 5: 17

Elders mean overseers or leaders. The term Double honor comes from the Greek word time’ or teemay. It means, the value of something. So the literal Greek says that leaders and ministers are worthy of double value. We should not only value them, but double that value. Think of them twice as much as you usually do. The question is “How do we do that?” Let’s talk about the man who wrote those words, Paul. Listen to these passages that he writes to two different churches:
“I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. 2 I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. 3 In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2: 1-3.
That word agonized really stands out doesn’t it? The word is the Greek word Agon, which signified the feelings of a marathon runner in a contest. That was the way Paul felt toward the churches. He was in an inner conflict, a real struggle, as if he was at mile 22 of a marathon.
Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger? 2 Cor. 11: 28-29

That word burden can also mean anxiety, uneasiness, constant care. Notice the emotions that it brought to Paul’s life. Weakness, anger, frustrations, or as the NET Bible puts it, 'the daily pressure on me of my anxious concern for all the churches.'" Paul is saying that his physical hardships are no more difficult than his constant concern for the people in the churches he started.

80% of ministers believe that pastoral ministry affects their families negatively.
50% feel unable to meet the needs of the job.
40% of pastors revealed that they have thought about getting out of the ministry.

What are some things that you can do to encourage your ministers?
1. Pray for them. It is the prayers of your people that get you through the week. We need more prayer on Monday mornings than any other time. Monday’s are the hardest day of the week for most ministers. We are mentally tired from Sunday and we feel the most drained. Tell them you are praying for them. Ask them how you can pray for them.
2. Love their family. Nothing is better to me than when a church member does something nice for Lorrie or the kids. Offer to babysit for a staff member so that they can take their spouse out for a date. 80% of pastors say they have insufficient time with their spouse. The divorce rate for ministers is equal to the divorce rate of the average congregation. Take the minister’s wife on a shopping trip and buy her something nice. Give encouraging notes to their children or spouse. Celebrate family events with them by sending cards, letters or gifts. Don’t forget birthdays, anniversaries.
3. Take something off their agenda. Statistics tell us that churchgoers expect their pastor to juggle an average of 16 major tasks at a time. Our schedules are often filled with emergencies, life crises, and unrealistic time demands. Find something that you can do to “lighten the load.”
4. Be a friend. There are times when your ministers just would like to hang out with you. No string attached. Don’t discuss church, don’t talk to them about crises in your life, don’t ask them about the church budget. Just take them out to eat, to a ballgame, on a hunt, etc..
5. Have an appreciation for their time. I normally study for sermons on Tuesdays. So likely that is not the best time to come by and see me. You need to find out when your pastor does sermon prep and value that time. Don’t call after 9PM unless an emergency. Be sensitive to the fact that he is probably at home trying to do homework with kids, giving baths, helping with supper and trying to be a dad.
6. Just be an encourager. Over 50% of ministers say that they have experienced burn out or depression to the extent that they needed to take a leave of absence from ministry. 70% say that they have a lower self esteem now than when they started out. Commit yourself to be a constant encourager to your ministers.

One Year later

2011-07-20T12:36:00.000-07:00

July 20, 2010

July 14, 2011

It is hard for us to believe that it has been one year since we became parents of this amazing little boy. As I look back on our experience one year later I am amazed at the hand of God on the whole situation. Our Brodie now speaks fluent English, plays baseball, basketball and anything else he can get his hands on. This time last year he stood before us with fear and uncertainty as he faced a future in a whole new world. Now, he has flown through Kindergarden, passed every physical, mental and emotional test we can throw at him, and has finished his round of surgeries. He loves his new family, his new room, his church, his school, his cousins and sisters. He is learning more and more about Jesus every day. He says the prayers at night thanking God for his family and praying for those boys and girls in China who are still waiting for their forever family. He loves the Braves, the Crimson Tide, and loves watching basketball. One year later we want to, once again, thank all the people who made this possible. We could not have made it without our parents. They have accepted Brodie as their grandchild just as if he were born to us. Our girls have been amazing. They have taught him about life and loved him even though he is a typical little brother. Our Church family has embraced Brodie as their own. He is just one of the crowd around Valley Creek. Special people like Bob and Nancy Brooks have made this year so much easier with some much needed babysitting. Lifeline adoption agency is a wonderful place. Thank you for matching us with our son. You perform miracles everyday and are truly used by the hand's of God. He still has so much to learn. We have natural concerns about moving up another grade, but we have no doubt that our son will face every adversity with a strong determination. We are still praying for his salvation in Christ. We hope one day all the puzzle pieces will fit in his mind and Jesus will be more than just someone he learns about at church. We have officially moved his birthday to July 19th and will begin the readoption process next week. What a difference a year makes!

A Christmas to Remember

2010-12-30T23:14:00.000-08:00

Amazing to think that last year at this time Brodie was in a Chinese Orphanage without Christmas, family, and all the things that go with both. The greatest thing about Christmas this year was seeing him enjoying every minute of it. The joy of seeing a 6 year old celebrating Christmas for the first time was priceless. Every time Brodie would open a gift, no matter how big or small, he would throw his hands in the air and say, "Yes! Thank you Santa!" Every single present, same thing. It was awesome. He got a Buzz Lightyear, many Batman and Spiderman figures, along with other goodies. His grasp of the English language has been simply amazing. He now can carry on a conversation with you. He understands everything we say. He is a smart little fellow. We feel so blessed to have him in our family. He fusses with his sisters as though they have been together forever, it is both irritating and beautiful. We are so thankful for our extended family for all of the special holiday memories and are also thankful to our church family for the gifts. The church gave me 3 days off and I took those this week and just hung out at the house. It has been a great time of family bonding. We bought the Wii game "just dance" and it is hilarious to watch the kids dance. Life is beautiful and we have a front row seat.

Its Beginning to look like Christmas

2010-12-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

It is amazing to think that this time last year Brodie was receiving a Operation Christmas Child Shoebox in his orphanage in China. He had no concept of Christmas and especially its meaning. He still doesn't totally grasp everything, but we are constantly finding teachable moments. He is beginning to understand that he will get presents pretty soon. His mind is going to be blown on Christmas morning. He has never evened opened a present much less had 5 or 6 waiting under a tree. His language is getting better and better. He is slowly losing his Mandarin and gaining his English. It is a little sad for us to see him losing his original language. We would love to see him remain bilingual. He is doing great in school as well. He has not been in trouble in a long time. As a matter of fact, the other day at school he was a hero. His principal met us in car pool and told us the story. A little boy in his class stuck a little bead up his nose and Brodie informed the teachers about the incident. He told them as best he could, "Chase, has something in his nose." That little fellow had to go to the hospital to have it removed. Brodie came to the van that day wearing a medal around his neck. We have never seen him so proud. We were pretty proud as well. We almost have his room ready, just need some furniture. We can't wait to move him in his room. This little fellow has shared a room his whole life. In the orphanage he most likely slept in a room with several kids, so the idea of a room by himself is an amazing thought. Tomorrow night he will also be in his first Christmas play. Our children's choir is singing, "Christmas in Joyland." Brodie loves the music and sings it to the top of his lungs. He doesn't know all the words, but he has the melody down. Every day is an adventure. We are learning more about him and he is learning more about us.

A Day at Children's Hospital

2010-11-11T18:25:00.001-08:00

Our day started at 4:30 this morning. We had to be at the hospital at 6AM. Children's Hospital in Birmingham is a wonderful place. The people there are among the most wonderful people in the world. I say that unbiased even though Lorrie works there. They got us back to a room quickly and he was in surgery before 7:30. Long story short, Brodie had seven teeth pulled and several cavities filled. Dr. Shannon pulled his two front teeth on top and the bottom front teeth as well. He now looks so different without his front teeth. His molers were so decayed, I know he has been in pain. He was also circumcised and had an MRI on top of that. He finally came back to the room at 12:30 and we got home around 3:00. He has had a great amount of discomfort, but his teeth hasn't bothered him very much so far. He was such a great patient and it went as well as we could have ever dreamed. We are so thankful for our friends and family who have prayed us through this event. Unfortunately, he is now showing everyone ALL of his booboos, which has been a little interesting with his three sisters. We fear that when he gets to church Sunday the same may happen, which would ruin a good Sunday school lesson for his class. He is so excited about putting his teeth under the pillow. The tooth fairy is in for a surprise tonight with 7 teeth waiting for financial gain. How much money is that equal to anyway? We will not be at school tomorrow, but he should be good to go on Monday. We are so thankful for Nancy Brooks. She was at our house this morning at 5:15 so we could leave and the girls could sleep in on their day off from school. She took them shopping, out to lunch and even made chicken soup for Brodie to enjoy when he got home, which he did. Thanks to our parents who were just great today. Sandra brought presents and my dad bought us breakfast. Nancy also gave Brodie some gifts when he got home. We are so blessed to have such great friends and family. It was such a strange place for Lorrie and I to be today. A pastor and a Nurse is rarely the one being visited and ministered to by others, but today we were just two parents needing support. We are thankful for all of our veterans today. My dad served in Vietnam and proudly wore his veterans hat today. I am so proud to have a dad like that. Well done veterans, thank you for your service.

Brodie's First Halloween

2010-10-31T22:20:00.000-07:00

It didn't take long for Brodie to figure out that he likes Halloween and Fall Festivals. The sisters had to show him how to trick or treat, but after the first door, he was off to the races. He went to the next door, knocked and yelled "Trick or Treat, Thank You." He got his candy and we couldn't keep up with him as he went to the next door. He was Batman which is interesting considering last week, he didn't even know who Batman was. I watched some Batman cartoons with him and then bought an action figure at Target and before long, he was sold on the costume. We had a great time this year. With Halloween being on a Sunday, we were able to trick or treat in Hueytown Saturday night. We rarely get to do that, but with our church functions on Sunday night, we took advantage of a Saturday night candy spree. Tonight was simply amazing at Valley Creek. Our fall festival was a great success and the kids had a blast. Brodie's English continues to improve. Instead of saying "Thank You" he now says, "Thank you so much." He has begun calling me "Daddy" instead of "Baba." He has begun making sentences as well and he is reading words in school and doing great. We have set his surgery for November 11th at Children's. He will have a number of minor things done that day, but it will be a long recovery with some pains to overcome. We are also so proud of Andie. She was selected as one of the Superintendent's fifth grade scholars. We will attend a special ceremony this week in recognition for her achievement. It is hard to believe that November is already here. Brodie has been home with us for over 3 months now and he continues to make amazing progress. He has not had a bad report from school in several weeks. All greens on his daily report. Thank you for your prayers and support. Don't forget that this Sunday is Orphan Sunday. We will celebrate the day at Valley Creek in both of our morning services. Lorrie and I will share our testimonies and I will preach from James 1:27.

2010-10-20T21:24:00.000-07:00

2010-10-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

It is all about the color...

2010-09-22T20:00:00.001-07:00

Brodie and the other k-5 kids are on a color system for behavior. Green means that you had a good day, yellow means that you did some things that were not very nice, and red means that you were a total terror. In Brodie's folder is a calendar and every day has a dot. That dot is filled in by his teacher every afternoon with one of these three colors. Lorrie and I find ourselves anticipating opening that folder every day to see what color he got for the day. When his dot is green, he runs out to our car in the carpool line and just goes crazy showing us his good behavior. He is so proud of himself for that. However, when the color is yellow he slowly walks up with a look of disgust on his face. We are two days in a row now with yellow dots. In the past two weeks he has hit, kicked, spit, pinched and bit another child in class. The bright side for us is that he seemingly has run the list and we cannot imagine what else he can do. We figure tomorrow he will push someone or pull their hair. Yesterday, he got in trouble for singing in the hallway. However, he was singing Jesus Loves Me. That made us feel a little better. He has lost privileges and has had to sit out of play time. It is so frustrating because he knows better. He understands what he has done and that it is not good. Yet, he chooses to keep making bad decisions. Lorrie and I are at our wits end. Tonight at church, he scratched another kid. Our son may be a bully, we don't know. One thing is for sure, he will learn right from wrong if we have to do this for an entire year, he will learn. He continues to do well with his language. He is actually reading several words now. He is struggling with his colors and his shapes. We are also finding that having a 7th grader is not easy. As I write, it is 10:11PM and Maggie is still doing homework. It has been a tough week around here!! Good news with our new room addition. Some wonderful guys have been helping us build a new room and we start sheetrocking on Saturday. It is framed, insulated, and ready for rock on the walls.
Lorrie and I are finding less time to do the things we want these days. Our days are totally filled with church, schoolwork, household chores, children's activities, and working on the new room. It seems like we are constantly cooking, cleaning, doing laundry and homework. So it really is about the color these days for us. What will Brodie bring home tomorrow. Who will his latest victim be and what will be the weapon of choice. It is like a game of clue.

Life is Wonderful...and weary

2010-09-07T20:31:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since we have posted. Our brand new camera is broken and we can't post any pictures right now. Add that to my list of things to do this week. Brodie is up to a little over 100 English words now. Tonight, he actually read in English. It was only five words, but it is a start. He has successfully overcome his first bout with strep throat last week. He starts school and that afternoon we are at the doctor getting a big ole' shot in the leg. That didn't go well as you can imagine. He began his second week of K5 at McAdory today. Overall, things are going well. He has his moments, but that is to be expected. Lorrie is taking him to school and staying with him for a while in the morning. She started by taking him to school for two hours. He is now staying all day and Lorrie left him today for 3 hours without a call from the teacher. We think he is getting the hang of it. Language is obviously still a huge obstacle to him being totally comfortable at school. He really hasn't made any friends in his class, because the kids don't know how to communicate with him. I know that school is a lonely place for him. He is surrounded by hundreds of kids, but he lives in the shell of being incapable to generate friendships due to a lack of communication. We feel sorry for him, but in due time he will make friends. Today, we got a note home from his teacher. She said that he would not sit still during story time and he kept putting his feet on the other kids in front of him. He is still having major problems distinguishing his colors. He just can't seem to remember his blues from his reds and greens. He loves to jump on the trampoline. Today we jumped together and sang, "Jesus loves Me." We substitute his name in the chorus and we sing, "Yes, Jesus loves Brodie, Yes, Jesus loves Brodie, Yes, Jesus loves Brodie, for the Bible tells me so." He loves that song, I pray that one day he will understand the astounding meaning of those lyrics. Lorrie starts back to work next week and we are so bummed out about that. It has been so nice having her at home. Tonight, we are simply exhausted. Maggie and Andie have cheer leading from 4:00-5:00. Averie has gymnastics from 5:30-7:00 and we still had to get home, get everyone baths, cook supper and homework for four. By the time we get pajamas on, teeth brushed and everybody ready for bed, it is getting late. Lorrie and I just collapse on the couch when our last child goes upstairs for bed. Four children is pretty difficult because each child has so many needs and those needs and so dramatically complex. Brodie has picked up the habit of sticking his tongue out at us when things don't go his way. He went to bed crying tonight because he got in trouble for that. We are finding life to be exciting, amusing, exhausting and challenging all at the same time.

School, the new frontier.

2010-08-26T15:39:00.000-07:00

Baba and Brodie at the Golden Flake Tour

We met with the principal, vice-principal and counselor today at McAdory Elementary. It was a great meeting and we both felt great relief at the answers they gave us. Tomorrow we are going to take him to his new classroom after school so he can get acclimated to the classroom and the teacher. Mrs. Logan will be his teacher and she is super nice. We met with her today and spoke with her about our concerns and his special needs. We are planning on starting school with him Monday morning. Lorrie will set with him for the first few days. He will only go from 8:05-10:05 for the first few weeks until he gets more comfortable. We have some anxieties about this, but our trust is in the Lord. He has brought us this far and he will continue to calm the heart of our son. Every week we stretch him a little bit more with his comfort level and so far he has done well. We know school will be no exception. Our visit to the family therapist has given us so much confidence in what he can accomplish. We both feel that his best chance to learn, grow and develop is in a classroom setting with other children his age. He is getting bored staying at home every day, plus Lorrie is going back to work in two weeks.
We continue to work on our bonding, adjustment and trust each day. One thing the therapist said that was helpful to us was how much orphan children want to be held when they first get home with their new family. These little children have gone their whole life without being held lovingly by anyone. Now that they have a family, they can't get enough time in our arms. Some people have said to us "Why do you guys hold him all the time, you are going to spoil him." We asked the therapist about this and her response was, "you need to hold him as much as he wants. It is part of the bonding and he wanting you to hold him is one of the main ways that bonding occurs. He will press his face against yours and that is a great thing. So hold him as much as you can initially, it is vital to his adjustment." So if you see us holding him, it is not a kid being spoiled, it is a little boy enjoying his forever family. BTW, what is so wrong with spoiling him with attention and love anyway. He was abandoned by his parents and has been without a family for most of his life, we think he deserves a little spoiling and attention. Continue to pray for him as adjusts to his new school and his new American friends.

A Very Successful Day

2010-08-23T18:19:00.000-07:00

We had a lot of anxiety about our visit to the International Adoption Clinic today. After the dentist appointment we just didn't know what to expect. Our appointment was at 10AM and we were there for 3 1/2 hours. We first sat down with a social worker/family therapist who specializes in internationally adopted children. She asked us several questions and just observed Brodie's interaction with us. The feedback we got back from her was outstanding. She stated that Brodie was in the top 1% of all the children she sees in relation to his adjustment and bonding with his new family. She never recommends that newly adopted children enter school the first semester. However, Brodie is doing so well that she feels he will do fine in Kindergarten. She was simply amazed at how well we were all doing. It is all an answer to prayer, it is such a God thing. We then saw Dr. Chambers and she also asked us many questions. She did a general exam and was pleased at what she saw. We then went for an ultrasound to look at his kidneys and then it was off to the lab for six vials of blood. We had a few rough moments, but for the most part he did great. It all must be so overwhelming for his little mind. The Doctor agreed that he is most likely just about to turn six. We go back in three weeks to get the results from his blood work and ultrasound. We felt so affirmed as a result of this visit. We felt as though things were going well, but to have a professional put us in the top 1% of well adjusted and bonded families was a real confirmation. As I said, this is not due to us it is all because of Jesus Christ.
What a great afternoon we had together. We played football together, did homework, ate cookies and finished our night catching fireflies. Brodie was fascinated by these little bugs whose bottoms light up in the dusk of evening. Every day we learn to love him more and each day we learn more about our son. He is an amazing little guy. He is not an orphan, not a strange kid from another country, not an adopted boy, his is simply a 6 year old normal boy. He likes to play, run, catch, throw, play with bugs, and kiss and hug his new family. He is constantly loving on us and we are loving that. We are more optimistic about our future than ever before.

Dentist Appointment

2010-08-20T06:22:00.000-07:00

Brodie watched his sisters get their teeth cleaned first.

It was then his turn, and it didn't go well.

Dr. Shannon's office took a set back yesterday afternoon when the cry heard around the world took place. We were not sure how his first dentist appointment was going to go, but we found out quickly that it would not go well. We thought that if he could just watch his sisters get their teeth cleaned first and see them get prizes, he would be willing to do the same. It came his time and we had to forcibly lay him down on the table while Dr. Shannon bravely put his fingers in Brodie's mouth. It took 4 people to hold him down and Dr. Shannon had to pry his mouth open. He almost lost a finger at one point. The exam lasted about 3 minutes, but it seemed like 3 hours to us. The results were not good. He has two teeth that are beyond repair, another one that will need a crown and another one that will need a filling. We will schedule surgery for the dental work, but not for a few months. As we suspected, Dr. Shannon doubts that Brodie is really 6 1/2. He has no 6 year molars yet and has not lost a single baby tooth. He feels Brodie is more likely 5 1/2 to 6 years. After Brodie got up from the table he did get a few prizes. A spongebob toothbrush, toothpaste and a bouncy ball will not be enough to convince him to get back on that table. He was ringing with sweat, red faced and completely exhausted from those 3 minutes. It was likely the most horrific event of his short life. We have an appointment at the International Adoption Clinic on Monday and now we are thinking, it is not going to go well. Amazing isn't it? He gets an exam and shots in China and doesn't flinch, but freaks out when someone looks in his mouth. On the bright side, he continues to improve with his English speaking. He is singing his ABC's and can count to 20. We are planning to speak with the principal of the Elementary school next week about his educational options. We are just hoping that the first day of school will be better than the first dentist appointment.

2010-08-19T06:04:00.000-07:00

We are pictured with Lily. She is a guide from China who assists

parents with their Chinese adoptions. We attended the Chinese

adoption reunion put together by Lifeline.

Maggie's first day of 7th grade.

Andie's first day of 5th Grade

Averie's first day of 2nd Grade

He used up the gutter bumpers.

Everybody Goes to Milos.

Every day...a learning experience

2010-08-11T20:44:00.000-07:00

Most new adoptive parents are ill-prepared for life at home with their new child. While you are in country with your child you really don't get a good sense of what life will be like once you get home. These first few weeks are tough. He is getting to know us and we are getting to know him. Boundaries are set, language barriers are always tough, the new routine is an adjustment and adding to an established family is interesting. Adopting a 6 year old who has lived his whole life in an orphanage comes with many risks. The bonding that should take place naturally takes a little more time. I really believe that Brodie still has in his mind that this is not his permanent home. He is staying with us for a while, but eventually we will drop him in a new home. That is what orphans come to expect. Their whole life someone has taken care of them, maybe even showed them love and then they leave. They are not conditioned to bond with anyone because everyone who has ever loved them or shown them attention has eventually left them. I believe that Brodie wonders when that day will come with us. I cannot speak to him logically and help him understand the concept of a forever home. Adopted orphans also have a tough time understanding love. He has never known real love. His parent's abandoned him before he could understand the love of parents. His Nanny's at the orphanage cared for him, but they were paid to do that. The concept of someone loving him just because they choose to love him is totally unbelievable to him. We can tell him a thousand times a day that we love him and we can even show him that he is fully loved and fully accepted, but only time, persistence, and consistent compassion will teach him true love. Everyone says, "He is so friendly, he goes to everyone." But, that is not a good thing. It is critical that he bonds with us first and even has some fear of others. We don't want him to be unfriendly to others, but it is critical that he bonds with us first. He will still run to the first person that holds out a sucker, and that is not good. With all of this being said, things are going well, but it is a learning experience every day. Brodie has never been a part of a family. He has never known the dynamics of family life; being a brother, a son, a grandson. He doesn't understand the precious thing that we have given him. But, we are OK with that. In due time, he will understand, we will gel into a family and he will blossom as a Blackwell. Our church family continues to be so great to us. Tonight he got a left handed baseball glove, an English language learning CD and DVD series, a coloring book and some pictures. Valley Creek Baptist Church is truly an amazing place filled with amazing people. I cannot begin to tell you how blessed this family feels to call that church "home" and those people "family." Please pray that Brodie will come to understand the concept of love and that the bonding will continue and improve.

Fun in the Sun

2010-08-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

His first "Hot and Now" Krispy Kreme Donut!

Xtreme Kids Camp 2010 VCBC

Brodie is pretty good with a bat in his hand.

We are all still working on becoming a family together. Adding a little active boy has been an adjustment. Brodie never sits down unless he is sleeping. We figured he has learned around 30 English words and we continue to challenge him with new words. He can eat like a monster! He definitely has learned the word, "eat." He is getting more and more comfortable with the water when he swims and when he showers. This weekend was "Kids Camp" at Valley Creek. We had over 100 participants for the weekend, it was really great! Brodie and the girls had a great time. Bro. Steven rented some water slides and the kids went nuts on them. Lorrie and I got a much needed 3 hour break this afternoon, Mrs. Nancy took our children for a while and we got a work out in. We usually run 3 or 4 times a week, but since China we have only managed 2 runs. Brodie is sleeping well, adjusting well and seems to be very happy with his new home.

Life At Home

2010-08-01T21:45:00.000-07:00

Brodie is doing great in McCalla. He loves his new home, his toys, the Wii, his new bike and especially his sisters. I am so proud of the girls, they have been tremendous. They have really enjoyed teaching him what it means to be a Blackwell. He loves them too. He is now sleeping with Maggie every night, he likes that best. We tried the bunk bed the first night and that didn't go so well. But with Maggie he seems right at home. We had a great weekend together. Friday night we ate at the San Antonio Grill with Grandma, Grandpa, and the Atchisons. The servers all sang to him and awarded him with a free fried ice cream, he even wore a sombrero. Yesterday we spent the day with meme, papa, and the Dummiers. We swam, cooked out, rode the golf cart around and even found some time to get on the bike for the first time. He doesn't quite understand the concept of steering and peddling at the same time. Today he made his debut at church and what a wonderful time that was. There were 430 people in worship today at Valley Creek and I believe everyone one of those people greeted him. Two weeks ago today he was in an orphanage in a small Chinese town, today he stood before hundreds of people to a standing ovation. What a difference God is already making in our son's life. What a tremendous church family we have. They took up a love offering for us and presented us with a check tonight. We feel so blessed to share our adoption journey with our church. They have been a part of it from the very beginning. I have been a pretty lousy father to my children today. I left the house this morning at 7:40 AM and got home at 10:30 PM. It was a great day, but so long. I hope to find some time to spend with all my children this week before school begins. The life of a pastor is so demanding especially when you have been out of town for two weeks. I am now trying to find that balance between my church family and my own family. The good news is that we are all adjusting to our new normal. Life is pretty amazing.

Life at home

2010-07-30T07:02:00.000-07:00

Lorrie and I have been through a whirlwind tour over the past 48 hours. We took a train from Guangzhou to Hong Kong Wednesday afternoon that took us 2 1/2 hours. We arrived at our hotel late and grabbed the hotel shuttle to the airport terminal to find a place to eat. Those Burger King whoppers tasted pretty good. We didn't get into bed that night until well after 11:00. We boarded our plane on Thursday (China Time) at 12:10 PM. We flew for almost 15 hours before landing in Chicago. Getting through immigration and customs was crazy. We had to get our bags and recheck them. I must have shown my passport 100 times! We were feeling pretty good until we got the news, our flight to B'ham was delayed. We stayed in Chicago for 8 hours until our plane was ready. We finally took off at 9:40 PM and landed in B'ham at 11:20 PM. What a great sight it was to see our family and friends at the airport. We expected our family to be there, but our friends really blew us away. They didn't leave the airport until well after midnight. Many of them had to get up for work the next morning. What great friends we have. We were totally exhausted. Lorrie and I went 36 hours without sleep during this stretch. The girls have really taken to him and he likes them pretty good as well. We had a great surprise when we got home, there was a new bike for Brodie on our back deck. Thanks to the DeArman's, McLaughlin's, and the People's for the gift. How truly thoughtful that was. Brodie wasn't too hip on going to bed, (that is going to be an ongoing battle), so we finally hit the bed around 2:30 AM. Brodie woke us up this morning bright and early at 6AM. No rest for the weary. But, the good news is that we are at home and we now face a "new normal". We quickly realized that life as we knew it before is gone. It is better, but different. This little guy is giving us a run for our money. We are still so tired and weary from the trip, but being with our beautiful girls makes us feel so much better. Our hearts are heavy this morning for the Couch family and for Lorrie's cousin Jason. We are much in prayer today for both of these great families.

Welcome Home Brodie

2010-07-29T23:11:00.000-07:00

What a great group waiting to say "Welcome".

Brodie was a little overwhelmed by all the attention.

Clinging to BaBa

He eventually felt at home with his sisters.

The New Look Blackwell Family

Flight Delay

2010-07-29T16:21:00.000-07:00

Just received news from Kevin, their flight from Chicago has been delayed and is set to land in Bham at 11:15pm. Please pray for safe travels. They are so excited to finally be almost home.

Orphan No Longer

2010-07-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to be an orphan? To not have a family to call your own? To not know unconditional love? To never have people to fill the roles of Mama and Baba? To not have the assurance that no matter how bad you mess up, or act out that you can always run into loving, protecting, and forgiving arms. And so it was with our son. And so it was with us. We continue to marvel at the gift that God has given us in Brodie. He is a sweet, loving, charismatic, charming, naughty, affectionate and silly little guy. We bought him a new pair of sandals today. Most likely his first pair of shoes that were bought specifically for him and only for him. We watched him experience the zoo through beautiful and excited eyes. We also took an oath at the US consulate today and officially he is Brodie James Blackwell! So tonight friends, there is one less orphan in the world. One little boy who will one day come to understand the unconditional love and belonging of a forever family and an Abba Father. No matter what his life brings, he will always be our son. And so it is with us- we too, adopted, loved and forever changed by the love of a Father who chose to adopt us as his very own children. Thank you Father for our son. Thank you Father for YOUR Son

Baba and Brodie enjoying the Guangzhou Zoo.

Our newest addition just before taking our oath at the US Consulate.

He was so proud of his first pair of new shoes.

Dinner Cruise

2010-07-27T09:58:00.000-07:00

Last night we took the Dinner Cruise on the Pearl River through downtown Guangzhou. It was a beautiful ride at night with the tall buildings lit up all around us. The "dinner" wasn't too good. On the buffet table was marinated duck feet, pig intestines, chicken parts including a whole head in the pot, other unidentifiable items that we still have questions about. We both ate rice and noodles and that is about it. Some buffet, huh? After dinner a clown came out and entertained us all. Brodie got to be a part of the show as well, his little face was so excited. Everything is such a new experience for him, it is amazing to watch. Brodie isn't the only child experiencing new things. There are 11 other children here and everyone is making great progress with their new families and their new life. One child whose hands don't work like yours and mine, but she has taken ahold of her new family with a strong grip. Another who has a cleft lip and cleft palate, but when she smiles she can light up a room. A precious little girl who has developmental issues, but she can make your day when she greets you. The stories go on and on. What a joy it has been to be around these wonderful children. They are all heros, true overcomers who refused to let disabilities define their lives. Time is running out for us here in Guangzhou, we leave for Hong Kong tomorrow afternoon.

The Pearl River Dinner Cruise. Great scenery, lousy food.

Guangzhou at night on the Pearl River.

She made the ball spin on Brodie's finger. He loved it!

Homesick

2010-07-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

It is Monday here in Guongzhou and the rain is falling outside. It has rained just about everyday at some point. Yesterday we had a huge breakthrough. Brodie actually got into the pool and played. It was a kiddie pool, but a body of water none the less. He seemed to really enjoy himself. At one point, he slipped and his face went all the way underwater, he didn't like that at all. He got over that and began to play around again. The thunder forced us in prematurely, but we enjoyed our 40-45 minutes outside anyway. Brodie is really beginning to test us on his boundaries. Last night he was playing with a rubberband and hit me in the head with it. I got onto him about shooting a rubberband at someone's eyes, only to watch him a few minutes later do the same thing to Lorrie. We disciplined him and sat him on his bed for a while. He cried a little and when it was time for bed he really began to act out. I sat down with him and tried to reinforce the discipline and our love for him. It is so hard with such a language barrier to explain to him what he has done wrong, it is very frustrating. It is also hard to balance bonding, loving and yet giving him boundaries to live by. We must love him with everything we have, but he also needs to begin learning right from wrong. We believe he didn't receive any discipline at the orphanage, so he has never had anyone to tell him what to do and not do. We went to bed last night frustrated and totally exhausted. Having a 6 year old little boy 24 hours a day for 7 days will begin to wear on you, especially when we can't understand his language. I have noticed that he is constantly watching me and even mimicking my actions. Today in the bus we both had a drink in our hands and everytime I took a drink, he took a drink. He had to get some glasses today just like me. This morning we went to Shaimen Island and had his TB test checked. Everything was negative and we are cleared on our medical now. Simon took our papers to the consulate today and now he is officially "OUR SON." We also had some time to do some shopping on the island today. We got a lot of great treasures to take back home. We are concerned and praying for my dad back home. He burned his hands yesterday and spend a good bit of time at the doctor. He is in a lot of pain. Please join us in prayer for him as we pray for God's healing touch. We are also thankful for our friend Jerry Stamps. He is cutting our grass for us while we are away. He is such a great man of God. Thanks Jerry. We go on our Pearl River Dinner Cruise tonight. They are serving Chinese food on the cruise so for Lorrie it will just be a fasting cruise. We love everyone and we are terribly homesick. We are counting down the days. Someone please send over a Milo burger UPS overnight.

A day at the mall

A smile in the water, somewhat shocking.

These are all the precious children that are being adopted by other lifeline families

Things we love about Brodie

2010-07-24T07:28:00.000-07:00

We love how he smiles so big that his eyes close. We love how he mimics his favorite superhero. We love how he giggles when we give him his bath. We love his boyish curiosity about everything. We love the way he grabs our hands when we are out walking. We love how he gets up in the morning and gives us a hug. We have taught him to pray before meals and we love how he says, "amen" now automatically before he eats. When he says "Wash'ur" that means get me to the bathroom right away. (BTW, learned hard lesson today about public restrooms here. Before he sits on the toilet you better make sure there is toilet paper around. You have to bring your own toilet paper with you. Didn't know that. I do now!) When he does something that he is proud of we love how he says, "Good Job." We love how he talks nonstop in Chinese, even though we cannot understand 99% of what he is saying. He is very expressive. We feel so close to the Lord here in China. We have both grown as a result. In a place where there is no Christian influence, God has been pouring his Spirit into our hearts. God is so amazing. It is so incredible to think that God had this great plan to bring us all together. His plan for this sick little orphan boy and his plan for this Alabama couple is amazingly intertwined for all eternity. "For I know the plans I have for you says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11. Yes, the Lord had a plan for Gou FuFeng in Linyi City, Shandong China. The promise of this verse transcends cultures, nationalities, skin color, and continents. My prayer for each of you reading this tonight is to realize how big God really is. If he has this plan for an orphan boy, imagine what kind of plan he has for your life. Our prayer for our son is not only that he will find his place in this world. Our prayer is that he will change his world through the power of Jesus Christ. What a testimony he has and we pray that it will be told.

Clinic Visit

2010-07-24T07:07:00.000-07:00

Today was the dreaded clinic visit. Every adoptive family loathes for this day because they know that their new baby is going to get shots. Brodie needed 3 shots and at TB skin test. We kept the cost under a thousand yen so that was great. All 11 lifeline families loaded up in a bus and off we went to Shamian island for the medical visits, and lunch. The clinic is controlled chaos, things are so crazy. There are hundreds of people with babies and kids crammed into this small medical clinic. Kids are crying, parents are frantically going from one medical station to the next, all the while trying to make sure that they have the right paper work for the right person. It is one of the most stressful atmospheres I have ever encountered. We first went to the eye exam room and it was all a little overwhelming for Brodie. He teared up for about a minute. Lorrie comforted him, but he wasn't able to complete the exam. Next we were off to the immunization room. We were bracing ourselves for the worst, but we were completely amazed at how great he did. 3 Shots and one TB test and the child never even flinched. No tears, nothing. He cries over an eye exam and doesn't flinch with needles, go figure. We know that it was due to the effective prayer warriors back home. Thanks, it is working. Next we were in the ENT room and then physical exam room and back to the eye exam. This time, he did great with the eye exam. We left the clinic with everything finished except returning Monday for the TB check. Afterward we visited Lucy's grill, a popular attraction for westerners like us. Now we are taking it easy in our room for a while. We painfully miss our girls back home. It is so great to see their sweet faces on the skype each day. We also can't wait to get Brodie home to our pediatrician and dentist, just to know that everything is OK according to them.

A picture outside the clinic

The nurses were very friendly.

About to get the shots!

Physical exam room

That is the look of relief that it is all over.

Welcome to Guangzhou

2010-07-23T14:09:00.000-07:00

A change of scenery is such a great thing. I am writing to you from the Garden Inn in Guangzhou, China. First, a few observations about China. They are obsessed with American Basketball. I have seen a lot of Laker jerseys and Houston Rocket apparel here. When they stop at a red light they put the car in neutral and put on the emergency brake. Their language takes a while to get used to. Everyone talks like they are angry, but they are not. The inflection in their voice is so aggressive. Every time I drive around town I feel as though Godzilla is going to appear at any moment. Lorrie and I are the object of everyone's stares all the time. It is amazing. Lorrie and I are still losing weight. I am down to 163 tonight, which is a 7 pound loss in 7 day. Brodie really is the typical little boy. We were laying in bed last night trying to get him to sleep. It was quiet and all of a sudden I heard Brodie break wind, and then he began to giggle. Maybe love is not the only universal language? Brodie took his first plane ride today. The two hour flight was great. He did so good. His little face lit up when we took off, he couldn't believe it. He talked nonstop even though neither of us could understand a word. He can say mouth, nose, ears, and eyes and point to all of them. He has his alphabet all the way to H now. We said goodbye to our friends from Canada today. Joel and Gigi adopted Dan Dan and they flew to Beijing to the Canadian consulate today. When we arrived in Guangzhou we were met by the sweetest guides, Miko and Simon. We are also with several other American families now, which is so nice. Our hotel is breathtaking, it is by far the nicest hotel we have ever stayed in. Tomorrow is going to be a rough day so say some extra prayers for us. We will get his immunizations in the morning and it is not going to be fun. We have been told to expect 2-3 shots, but who knows. I am so proud of Lorrie, she has really taken to him and is already showing the love that only a mother can. I love to watch them interact together. He has never known the gentle touch of a mother's hand, but I love the way he is responding. I will update later tomorrow, thanks so much for your interest in our journey. Remember, we were all orphans once.

Saying goodbye to our Jinan guide Aaron.

Ready for takeoff!

He really loved the rice, chicken and potato meal on the plane. Lorrie didn't.

Ready for bed at the Garden Inn. Check out the cool Buzz pajamas

A Day in Jinan

2010-07-22T15:13:00.001-07:00

This morning we drove to the beautiful lake about 10 minutes from our hotel. The lake is famous in China because, according to our guide, the poets would meet here at the lake, write poetry and drink liquor. Doesn't that sound fun? It was a beautiful place with many Chinese gardens and lotus flowers. There were willow trees everywhere along with many historical markers. Afterward, Lorrie and Brodie went back to the room and I went to the Notary Public station to pick up some important documents. We had a great time visiting the Shandong Science and Technology Center. It is like the McWane center back home. There were many things that Brodie could touch and play with. The highlight was the huge play area complete with slides, ball pits, tunnels and more. We sit down and just watched him play. At one point he got into a throwing match with another little boy. Brodie was drilling this kid with the balls in the pit. I think I see pitching potential here. BTW, he is left handed when he writes and throws. As I sit there watching him play I just sit there and pondered the last 72 hours of this little guys life. Monday morning he woke up on his plywood bed (no mattress or pillow), in an orphanage behind a police station in Linyi. He was just another homeless kid whose parents were MIA and no relatives to speak of. He has never gotten a Christmas present, birthday gift, or eaten an ice cream cone. He has never been held by a mother, never been given a high five by his dad, never celebrated one stinking holiday. Every experience is brand new. He didn't want to leave the play area, he was in heaven. Lorrie and I are picking up on a few words he is using, but the language barrier is still very real and frustrating. But, something amazing is happening in Jinan, China. A little orphan boy and two people from Alabama are all becoming family. He is bonding so well, sleeping great, and so excited about everything. So thankful to Mike Gordon for taking care of our Wednesday night prayer meeting back home. Valley Creek, your pastor misses you so much. You are all so special to Lorrie and I. Can't wait to see you soon.

Fun in the city park

At the city lake and gardens.

this symbol in the middle of town is the Chinese symbol for Lake Springs. Jinan is known as the "Spring City".

The lake was spectacular

Outside the Shandong center of science and technology

A day with Brodie

2010-07-21T08:49:00.000-07:00

How would we describe our son? ACTIVE! For the parents of 3 girls, a 6 year old boy has been an experience. Wednesday was suppossed to be a rest day for us. To just spend the day at the hotel, rest, swim, and bond was the agenda. I (Kevin) took him down to the pool with his swim cap on and when I jumped in, Brodie began to cry. Big, big tears! He is scared to death of the pool. Needless to say, we got out of there as quickly as we went in. Our great swim moment lasted 2 minutes. We have found out that a day with Brodie is non stop playing. I have thrown him on the bed, picked him up by the ankles upside down, grabbed his hands and flung him into the air so many times that I am sore. He just can't get enough of the attention that we are giving him. I feel sorry for him. I little boy should not be in a hotel room all day. We are about to go out to what is the "central park" of Jinan. A big grassy area where we can just rip and roar together. He is very smart, inquisitive and somewhat mischevious. Lorrie said, "I love you" and to our shock he said to her, "I love you too." He knows A-G of the alphabet and can count to ten. I read him the Bible today for the first time. He could not understand a word I said, but one day he will. The prayers of each of you are being felt. Many of you have prayed for bonding, it is working. You have prayed for safety, we have felt safe. I can feel the power of the Holy Spirit today. I pray for the people of China. So many people in need of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We are both dropping weight. When I left the states I weighed 170, this morning I weighed 164. Keep the comments coming, we are so encouraged by them. We are already soo homesick. We just keep thinking, if we can just get to Guangzou we will be OK. We love you all so much. It has been great to Skype with so many of you.

Cute as a button!

Future Believer.

Our Trip to Linyi City

2010-07-20T07:27:00.000-07:00

Early morning today. We were up at 5:30 AM, showers, skype, breakfast and in the lobby by 7AM to leave for our trip to Brodie's hometown. Let me tell you how to create instant bonding between mom, dad and adopted son. 7 HOURS IN A MAZDA 6 BACKSEAT! Our trip to Linyi was 2 1/2 hours, our trip back to Jinan was 5 hours long. Our guide, Aaron got lost on the way back. He never admitted he was lost but he stopped 4 times to ask directions. Two hours in to the trip home I asked him how much longer and he said 1 hour and 1/2. One hour later when we were on some dirt road I asked him how much longer and he said 90 minutes!! Lorrie and I were ready to fling ourselves from the car, into some rice patty to be picked up by the US embassy. I must say, that Brodie did great. A six year old boy (FULL OF ENERGY!) cooped up in a car for that long was way too much to ask, but he colored an entire coloring book (Thanks Angie), took a 30 minute nap, played with Maggie's DS, and action figures. In Linyi we went to pick up his Visa. He had to go to the bathroom while we were there and I took him next door to the Police Station, it was the only place with a bathroom on the block we could use. That was my first experience with the squat potties with him. That was soooo nasty. The smell of that place was unforgettable. We were asked to eat lunch at a local restaurant with the orphanage director. The meal was on us of course. Crunchy vegetables with pork, lotus root with shrimp, dumplins, oyster soup, and bean curd. Yum. The look on Lorrie's face when the director was insisting that she eat the soup was hilarious. We finally got back to our hotel after 6PM. We gave him a bath, took him to Walmart and McDonalds for a night out. His favorite action figure is ultraman! I bought him an ultraman figure, some ultraman underwear (picked me out some as well, we gotta match), and some milk for him. We all walked together as a family and did we ever get some strange looks. We are ready for bed now, all is good. We are so tired. Boys are soo different, he is kicking our tails tonight. So hard to discipline a little boy when you cannot speak his language. I am sure he has called me bad names, but I can't prove it. So glad to hear that Betty Heatherly's surgery went well today and Mary is out of the hospital. I miss my church family. I love you all.

Kevin and Lorrie

Such a bitter sweet time. Here we are in front of his orphanage. He will never again set foot inside this place. Notice his two friends outside to see us off.

He really loves the breakfast bar in the mornings.

First night on the town with Brodie

2010-07-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

We all want to call him Brodie, but at this time he goes by "Fung Fung". He has a lot of energy. He was jumping from one bed to the next last night before bed. Lorrie and I gave him a bath last night and that went great. He was so dirty. Stained from head to toe, especially his feet. He loved his Buzzlightyear pajamas as well. We had a great time last night with some new friends. GiGi and Joel are from Canada and they have adopted a little boy from here as well. Brodie ate every bite of that Pizza Hut meal. He was just shoving food in his mouth, it was crazy. He doesn't like cold drinks, he would rather have it warm. We are on our way to Linyi City today to pick up his Visa and hopefully tour the orphanage. We don't have high hopes that we will be able to do that. We love you all, more updates later. Kevin, Lorrie and Brodie.

Night on the town with our new friends

Brushing his teeth

Finally clean!!

We Got Him!!!!!

2010-07-19T05:09:00.001-07:00

At 1:21 PM, our world changed forever when a really cute young man walked into the lobby of the Crown Plaza hotel in Jinan, China. At first, he was scared and he cried a little, but he really did great after that. He was escorted in by the director of Nanny's from his orphanage, a nanny, and two drivers. It has to be so overwhelming to him. He calls me Baba, and Lorrie MaMa. There seemed to be an instant bond between us as we got into the car and drove to KFC for some food and then to the civil affairs office. We then went to the Notary and he really opened up. He was all boy. We wrestled around a little and played, it was great. I have already learned the Chinese word for no and come here. Those have come in handy. He began to cry on the way back as he realized that his nanny's were gone. But a sucker and a hug helped out a ton. We now sit in our room and he is really enjoying the TV and remote. He just keeps mashing the buttons. He catches a football like an Auburn receiver, but we are going to work on that. Lorrie just brushed his teeth, washed his feet, and they now sit on the bed together. He is so beautiful, words cannot describe how beautiful he really is. He is a gift from the Lord to us. This year has been so crazy. So much paper work, so much money, so much time, so much stress, but the minute we saw his face it was all worth it. He is so worth it. We really do love him. Such a strange thing to say about someone we just met, but it was instant love. He is our son and God has prepared him for this. Please continue to pray for this bond between us. Pray that this bond will overcome the language barrier that we now face. We thought of each of you today. Your prayers have worked. We love you and he will love you too very soon. Kevin and Lorrie

Right after our first meeting. These are the Nanny's from the orphanage.

Harrison's backpack was a lifesaver. Thanks Harrison for being so thoughtful.

2010-07-18T19:35:00.000-07:00

This is Michelle (kevin's sister) I just spoke with Kevin and Lorrie on skype. They are anxiously awaiting Brodie's arrival today. They are unable to access their blog or facebook in China, although they are receiving emails so they are able to see comments that are left for them. I will be updating the blog daily, please keep the comments coming, they are loving the encouragment from friends and family. Please keep them in your prayers as they meet their son for the first time.

Monday- Jinan Day 4

2010-07-18T19:18:00.000-07:00

Last night Lorrie and I went out for a walk around the city of Jinan. It is amazing the sheer number of people that are in China. The country will only allow families to have one child, yet there are so many people here. The city of Jinan is no where near one of the largest cities in China, yet it alone has over 7 million people. On the streets last night you really had to be about your wits. There were bicycles, motorized bikes, mopeds and people everywhere on the sidewalks. We walked to the walmart which is about a 15 minute walk from our hotel. It is so unique to see a walmart right in the middle of a large metropolitan area, but this was like no walmart we have ever seen. Two stories tall with an escalator, bottom floor was grocery items, upstairs everything else. The meat section is indescribable. We are used to seeing fish fillets on ice, they have entire stingrays on ice, squid, fish heads, and turtles. They hang ducks on hooks for your viewing pleasure. PETA would have a fit. After our visit to walmart I sent Lorrie up to our room and I went to Pizza Hut for a Peperoni pizza. It took me 30 minutes to find someone who understood that I just wanted a pizza with only peperoni's. They thought that was so funny. Finally got the meal (62 YEN) and headed upstairs. We ate the pizza, watched a movie on my laptop and we both fell asleep around 9PM. About 2:30 this morning Lorrie said,"Are you asleep?" Of course, I was not and we laid there the rest of the night talking about what our day would bring. Our son will be at our door in approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes and our life together will begin. We are very anxious as you can imagine, but we know that our church, family and friends are lifting us up to the Father. I have a peace that describes explanation. It is a dreary day here in Jinan, rain and low clouds, but I pray that our Son will brighten our day. We love you so much. Kevin and Lorrie

Not like any walmart we have ever seen.

Is that the stingray that killed the Croc hunter? Could be.

Quick everyone, duck!

The front of our hotel.

Sunday- Jinan Day 3

2010-07-18T04:56:00.000-07:00

It is Sunday here. As I write this to you it is 4:55 PM on Sunday. We woke up this morning and enjoyed a muffin and a Caffee Mocha from Starbucks in Beijing. We then checked out of our hotel and were driven to the airport. What a great moment we had at Beijing International Airport as we rounded the corner and saw the Burger King sign!! That was a great burger. We flew from Beijing to Jinan on Shandong Airlines. The flight was about 50 minutes which seemed like nothing after our last flight from Chicago to Beijing. Everything went smoothly and we met our next tour guide at the airport in Jinan. His name is Arron. He picked us up in a early 90's model Toyota that made a terrible vibration noise and lacked cool air conditioning. The drive lasted about 1 hour. The driving here in China is crazy. Everyone has a horn and they are not afraid to use it. Best I can tell from our drive to the hotel we almost killed 22 people on bicycles and several pedestrians. Lorrie and I just sit back and say "oh my." Our hotel in Jinan is the Crown Plaza, very nice 5 star hotel. There is a pizza hut, burger king and McDonalds right across the street and a Walmart 15 minutes down the road. We were told we had to purchase a swimming cap before getting in the pool. Isn't that hilarious? You want me to cover my head so that no hair gets in the pool? 90% of my hair is not on my head. We found out that Brodie will be brought to our hotel room tomorrow at 12 noon. We are told that he knows about us, he is excited about meeting us and understands everything that will happen. Strange isn't it? They just bring him to our door drop him off and we begin our life together. So simple, yet so life changing for us all. We will get him on Monday 12 noon which will be Sunday 11PM for you. We will try to get pictures out as soon as possible. We love you all so much. I am thankful to my sister for transporting our emails to the blog. We are praying for Valley Creek Baptist Church today as they meet for worship. So thankful for my staff and their dedication.

What a great sign for our stomach

Jinan airport seems so small after being at Beijing airport. Beijing has the largest terminals in the world.

View from our hotel room in Jinan. So much construction going on.

Saturday- Beijing Day 2

2010-07-17T20:54:00.000-07:00

We just wrapped up our sightseeing tour of Beijing. What a fascinating journey into this new culture. First let me say that we have a great tour guide. His name is Tony and he is such a nice person and very knowledgeable of the history. We first went on a Rickshaw ride through the hutongs of Beijing. Hutongs are alleys and side streets. The old part of Beijing have these alleys which are lined with houses called quaddrangles. We were able to tour one of these houses. There were several rooms that surrounded an outdoor courtyard. The owners of the house are artists. The rickshaw tour was an incredible experience to dive head first into old Chinese culture. We then ate a traditional Chinese meal. As you can imagine Lorrie didn't do well with this. We had some type of fish rolls, rice (the only thing Lorrie would eat), pork, fish soup, and steamed vegetables. The pork tasted much like sesame chicken back home. There was a wedding going on in the hotel that we ate, and Lorrie and I enjoyed watching the festivities. Lorrie has only eaten that little bit of rice, a few crackers this morning and a bag of chips that I bought for her at the Great Wall. I am worried about her, but I am planning on finding something she will eat for dinner tonight. Our drive to the great wall was supposed to take an hour, but we caught traffic and we were in the car for over 2 hours. The wall is really impressive and worth the wait. Built 2,000 years ago to keep the Mongols from attacking China, it still stands today and is amazing to just look at. You have to be in good shape to walk up the wall, it is incredibly steep. The smog here is unbelievable. I have yet to see the sky. You can barely make out the sun during the day. We did get a chance to ride by the Olympic sites today and see the "birdsnest" and the "water cube." We are scheduled to fly out of Beijing tomorrow around 1:00 PM and will arrive in Jinan in about an hour. We will pick him up Monday morning, Sunday American time. Thanks for the prayers, keep them coming. We love you all so much.

Lorrie and I standing on the Great Wall

Now you see why Lorrie is not eating anything.

Here is me standing by a quadrangle home. This is the courtyard area.

Here is us on the the rickshaw for our hutong tour.

Friday

2010-07-17T20:44:00.000-07:00

We are finally in Beijing. We have severed jet lag. We are 13 hours ahead of you in time. The plane ride to Beijing was so much longer than we ever imagined. I felt so sorry for the nice Chinese gentlement who had to sit next to me for the flight. Lorrie and I were sandwiched in between two nice Chinese men and things were so bunched up. That poor guy next to me had to endure my small bladder the entire way here. I bet I asked him to get up 50 times during our 13 hour flight. We left B'ham at 6:12 AM on Thursday morning and arrived here at 3:30 PM on Friday. We got to our hotel and just passed out from exhaustion. We slept from 5:30 PM to 5:00 AM. We will update you all soon, we are having trouble with out internet over here. Love you. Keep up the prayers. Going to sight see today.

Busy Day, Busy Minds

2010-07-10T18:53:00.000-07:00

Every day seems to be busy in our life. But these days busy is even more the norm. When you find out you are travelling to China for two weeks, with only 7 days to prepare, you had better get busy. We are so thankful for our friend Nancy Brooks. She took our girls from us today for a while so we could get some things done. What a great church family we have. I bought him a pretty cool fitted Alabama hat and my mother-in-law found the most sought after 22 Bama jersey. I went all over town today looking for a size 6/7 Mark Ingram jersey to no avail. She grabbed one in Gadsden. We now have Brodie 6 outfits, which is probably 5 more than he currently has. We both have already began packing. (Packing for 2 weeks in China, not easy.) We bought gifts for the people in China today as well. One of our concerns about Brodie is his health. He was born with cervical meningocele. His is post-operative and all reports say that he is doing well. Full use of his arms, legs and bowels. But, medical information is not always accurate from China. Please understand, no matter what kind of physical issues he may have doesn't phase us. He is our son regardless and we will love him through any issues. We just want to know what we are facing. The Lord knows what we will be dealing with and he will give us the strength to face them. We are getting excited. Five days until we leave.

Signing our adoption confirmation

2010-07-08T21:32:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of Lorrie and I signing the confirmation letter for adoption. This is the "no turning back" point of the adoption process. This picture was taken at Lifeline.

Ponderings

2010-07-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

I sit here tonight on my couch, family in bed, everything is quiet. I am pondering all of the questions in my mind. One week from tonight I will be somewhere over the globe heading toward China, my son, and a new life that I cannot yet wrap my mind around. What does Brodie look like today? Our last picture of him is likely a year old. Does he know we are coming? Is he excited about it? What size underwear does he wear? (Lorrie and the girls went shopping today for boy clothes. That was the question that stumped them.) How will we meet him and what will be his response? Will he come to us or will he be apprehensive? How will the language barrier affect our ability to bond? So many questions and so few answers. Yet, somehow I am at peace with such few answers. I know everything is going to work out. There are too many people praying for us. After all, God called us to this work. We did not choose adoption, God chose it for us. Why adopt a little boy from China? We are not adopting him because it is the humanitarian thing to do. We are not adopting him simply to give him "the American dream." He is a soul living among millions of other souls who have no access to the gospel. Our motivation is to love him and point him to a savior. James 1:27 commands us to reach out to the orphans. To not do that is a sin. We are doing our part. We have room, we have extra food, and yes eventually we will even have him a pair of fruit of the Looms. How could we not adopt? So many questions left unanswered, but I am resting tonight knowing that God knows all those answers already.

Didn't see this coming

2010-07-07T13:20:00.001-07:00

One year ago, I was preaching through a sermon series on "pictures of grace." I was preaching through the word pictures that Paul used to describe our salvation. On the third Sunday of July 2009, I came to the next word picture, adoption. I studied Paul's words to the Galatians and his words to the Romans. "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption by sons as which we call out 'father, dear father.'"Romans 8:15. I knew that Lorrie had been praying about adoption, but I had rejected the idea for no good reason. But sitting at my desk, studying that Scripture, God grabbed my heart. I was an orphan, adopted by a heavenly father and given a second chance on eternal life. How could I withhold the same from someone else? That day I drove home, sat down with Lorrie and discussed adoption for the first time. Here we are a year later, leaving for Beijing a week from tomorrow. Guo Fufeng is six, abandoned by his parents before his first birthday. He has never known a birthday party, Christmas morning, family gatherings, and most importantly Jesus Christ. That is all about to change. On Sunday, July 18th I will hold him in my arms for the first time. This homeless orphan whose parent's threw him away will meet his forever family, and I can certainly understand that feeling. The world threw me away too, but my heavenly father opened his arms as well on Calvary to give me an eternal home. Me and this little guy have more in common than you might think.