Gotcha!

Bet that gotcha attention! Sorry, not talking about Lia Faith. This "gotcha" is a celebration of our magical day two years ago today when God brought Lily Grace Xing Green into our lives. And things haven't been the same since. Pink has become the standard around here. Lily Grace thinks pink is the color everything should be, so it was only right to get her some pink roses to match her mother's roses.



Look mommy, I got some roses!



It's funny how you remember little details, and good I guess that we can put them down here for Lily Grace to read one day. Here's my best recollection of what that day was like. Let's start out the day before ...

It was a hot day in Nanchang, Jiangxi China on July 22nd, 2006. Somewhere in the mid 100s, not quite 110, but inching ever closer to "really hot" as Sally would later tell us. We arrived from Beijing in the late afternoon/early evening, having spent a few days becoming "experts" on Chinese culture so we could "educate" Lily Grace as she grew up. Looking back, we were still pretty tired from our cross-country, cross-Pacific flight. Even after a few days in Beijing to acclimate, jetlag was still the 800 lb elephant in the China shop (no pun intended). Our jetlag set the tone for interpersonal relations, which is a nice way to say we were not quite over our agitation at the internal body clock malfunctions and blamed each other for our discomfort. In short, we were dragging that Sunday afternoon and a bit tired as we arrived in Nanchang (Nun - chung!). Spread out like a squadron of lookouts, our party stretched from the luggage rack to the exit door. By this time, Connie must have been aware that we were about to receive some exciting news, because she was manning the point (that means she was out front), while I was bringing up the rear to make sure everyone made it out of the airport and into Nun-chung.



We first met "Sally" at the airport exit. She was standing there with a big sign that said "Welcome Green Family." She was wearing an "I'm about to laugh" smile, something that we came to realize was a permanent expression on her beautiful Chinese face. God had provided a real angel for us in Nun-chung. Her English was good, well enough that if she were here in the states, she would easily assimilate into society. Catching up to Connie, I approached the lady with the sign and said "Mary?" Mary was the name of the person we were told to meet, but Mary was unable to meet us, so Sally was her replacement. "No," she replied, "Sally." Oh, OK. Well we're the Greens. By this time, all of us (except maybe Austin) were wringing wet with sweat. The temperature and the humidity seemed to be locked into a spiraling battle to see which could reach 110 first. It was a heat unlike any other we had ever experienced, even living in Alabama. I asked Sally is it always this hot here in "Naaan-chaaang?" Suddenly, that "I'm about to laugh" smile burst open and she laughed out loud. "What did you say?" "Naaan-chaaang." More laughter. "The city is called Nun-chung!" You must say it with correct enunciation and head movement. Quickly. You try "Nun-chung." Thus, our first lesson in Chinese.

Now, back to that good news Connie was anticipating. We were told that we'd probably be able to meet our Lily Grace for the first time on Tuesday, July 24th. But Sally told us that the adoption had been rescheduled for Monday, July 23rd. Great!!! We only have to wait one day. To me, the best way to describe that moment is to liken it to when Austin was born. Connie had been in labor for several hours with the doctor coming in every so often to check on the progress. OK, actually she was in labor only a few hours - even then, God understood very well her impatience. We were just enjoying our time, visiting, talking with family and friends until at about 2 am, the doctor announced "OK, she's ready!" And that's when it hit me. A child is about to be born to us - and then we have to take care of it, and feed it, and ... uh oh! So, back to Sally. "You will get to see baby tomorrow." Uh-oh, a baby is about to be given to us, and then we'll have to take care of it, and feed it, and ... Of course, in both instances, the moment the baby was handed to us, time came to a complete standstill while we adored what God had given us. Anxiety gave way immediately to adoration and love. So ...

Sally took us to our hotel, the Gloria in downtown Nanchang, hard by the river. The hotel was very nice, easily measuring up to western standards (perhaps exceeding western standards). But there were no Americans anywhere to be found. We heard a few languages being spoken that we didn't recognize, but thankfully, many of the Chinese spoke some English and a few were quite fluent. So we didn't feel totally like we were on Mars. After checking in and unpacking and setting up the computer (to write to this blog!), we decided to eat. Pizza Hut. Connie and Austin claim the Pizza Hut was good. I don't think it tasted anything like pizza, but I couldn't tell you what it did taste like. At least they didn't put fried eggs on top of it.



Obviously, we couldn't sleep that night. Except Austin. He announced that he was going to bed early so he'd be plenty rested up for the next day's events. Turns out, he was the smart one. We just stayed up arranging and rearranging anything and everything. Wanting for it to be perfect. I think that was just a way to kill time, ultimately. Eventually, we did fall asleep.



The morning of July 23rd, 2006, we dressed, ate breakfast - our first at the Gloria - a meal that would become the staple of the day. Ready to go, we took one last picture as a family of three and loaded up in the van for the short ride to the local CCAA office. A critical mistake was made here. The camera and camcorder were kept at room temperature - pretty cool until we exited the hotel and got on the van. As soon as the electronics equipment was exposed to its new Nun-chung environment, each one immediately declared "It's too humid and too hot and I quit!" So, major major disappointment - no video and only limited pictures from cameras that did work.







At CCAA, we were led to a "courtroom" like area and left alone for quite some time. Even Sally left. I began to wonder if this was some kind of test to see if we really wanted Lily Grace. But after a time, we heard footsteps in the hallway - the building had wood floors that creaked and gave off loud noises with each step. We could see her in the distance, held by a lady and accompanied by two other men. Lily Grace had clearly been crying for a while and was still crying. It seemed like the next events took an eternity. Passports were requested and other paperwork which Sally had. They looked us over and finally became convinced that we were indeed the Greens, Lily's new family. Smiles now. All except Lily - she was still crying.



I'll never forget what happened next, as Connie grew impatient (surprise, surprise, surprise...) and moved in. She reached out and took Lily Grace from the Nanny (later we learned children's director) and I think the nanny was a bit surprised by that turn of events. We didn't get many pictures of the event because of the aforementioned camera strike and because the entire thing, though it seemed like it took hours, was over in a matter of minutes.



And just like that, Jiang Yongxing became Lily Grace Xing Green and was united with her forever family. And they all lived happily ever after. Well, more on that later ...



Love,
Jerry, Connie, Austin, Lily Grace, and Lia Faith
Green, Party of Five

Now that Everyone Else Has Posted ...

about their 4th of July celebrations, we'll be happy to bring up the rear. It's not that we didn't want to share, just that we had only limited access to the Internet while we were at the beach. Next week, we'll get around to posting about Lily's second trip to the 'lotion.' Sorry Laine, a little busy this week!

Check out the cool slideshow below. Austin and I took the pictures, mostly during the Athens Fireworks show, but some while we were in New York this year and last year with the Beta Club. We visited Ellis Island where during the height of immigration to America in the early 1900s, some 20,000 people a day came ashore to join our great country. How cool is that! We learned that taking pictures of fireworks can be tricky, but if you overexpose and move the camera slightly while taking the picture you can get some really cool results!


As Americans who have traveled to a foreign land and who have been witness to how millions of God's children are forced to endure life, we pledge to never again take for granted the freedoms that we enjoy. And we pledge to pray for and support those who labor without appropriate appreciation to make sure we are privileged to enjoy that freedom. We lift our soldiers, male and female, up in prayer and plead Psalm 91 for their safety and quick return home to their families. We pray also for our leaders, that they may be granted the wisdom needed to chart the course for our great country and that, as a result, God may be glorified by a Christian nation, begging all who seek Him to come. God Bless America.

Now, about that celebration! Every year, it is our family tradition to attend the fireworks show at Athens High School. We've been going since before Austin was born and we haven't missed a year since he was born. Even after the first year of absolute terror (we had three 7 month old babies in the cab of the truck, all crying ever louder with each exploding firework). The 4th of July celebration and Christmas parade. Traditions that cannot, will not, be broken as long as God allows us to attend.



It's funny, as we've gotten a little older (just a little, mind you), our little town of Athens has seemingly become more and more the sleepy little town of Doc Hollywood, without the pet pig. Oh wait a minute, we did have one of those once - a pot bellied pig. No, not us, the local animal hospital kept one as a pet 'til someone decided it wasn't right to keep a pet pig. I think a city ordinance banished the pig to a farm on the outskirts of town, where he was last seen earning $2 per ride from snaggled-tooth toddlers! Ah, the joys of life in a small town. And to think, as teenagers, we once thought how cool it would be to live in the big city where our chances of being mugged on the metro were in inverse proportion to the number of travelers left on the train! Why, just a few weekends ago, we closed up the streets downtown and settled down in the middle of Market Street to enjoy some music on the courthouse square - that would have been a good spot for the pot-bellied pig to reappear! But I digress, ...





So, on this 4th of July, we arrived early so we could get a choice spot by the football field. The Bryants and Scotts had saved us a place where we'd be sure to have a great view. And since we were there early, why not ride the pony (while simultaneously avoiding the spent fuel left behind by the miniature mare). And slide the slide - twice. And crawl through the belly of the worm. And bounce in the big balloon thing. And of course, what 4th of July celebration would be complete without cotton candy, shaved ice, and a $5 T-shirt to mark the occasion.





Austin and Kaitlyn enjoyed the evening chasing Lily Grace and then settling back for some fireworks.Lily Grace also enjoyed the fireworks. Lily has never been frightened by them and appears to be intrigued by all the different colors and loud noises. It may go back to her days in China. When we visited her orphanage, the director and assistant director set off a few rounds of choice Chinese firecrackers to welcome us (Lily) back home. The louder the better according to her point of view. We took lots of pictures at this years festive occasion.

And to top it all off, Lily Grace finally received her US passport from Dept of Homeland Security! Yea, now she can travel as an American!

If you didn't get to watch the slide show above, go back and check it out!

Love,
Jerry, Connie, Austin, Lily Grace, and Lia Faith
Green, Party of Five

Dragon Boats, Southern BarBQ, and an Update on Lia's Site

A dragon boat (traditional Chinese: 龍舟or 龍船; simplified Chinese: 龙舟 or 龙船; pinyin: lóngzhōu, lóngchuán) is a very long and narrow human-powered boat used in the team paddling sport or dragon boat racing which originated in China. For racing events, dragon boats are always rigged with decorative Chinese dragon heads and tails. At other times the decorative regalia is usually removed, although the drum often remains aboard for training purposes. Dragon boat races are traditionally on the day of the Duanwu Festival, also known in English as the Dragon Boat Festival, making dragonboating the only sport to be celebrated as a national holiday. The Chinese calendar date is the fifth day of the fifth month, which usually corresponds to a date in June. Source: Wikipedia

Saturday, June 21st, the Athens Chapter of Families with Children from China held it's Third Annual Dragon Boat Races! And so far, I'm three for three. No, I didn't win the race all three years, but I did make it to the celebration all three years. Hmm ... racing, now that's a good idea. I think we should start making boats and letting the girls and boys race them, just like Pinewood Derby races!!! Alright dads, get out the skill saws, tool sets, and paint brushes - and no cheatin'!

God has blessed us with a wonderful group of friends who have also adopted children from China or are waiting their turn to experience the riches of His plan of adoption. Some have adopted children domestically as well. Each of these families represents, in its own way, a significant piece of God's plan for the salvation of His children and it is such an honor to fellowship with them and watch the children grow and mature. Through various celebrations throughout the year, we are able to share stories of accomplishments and minister to each other in our times of need. Not to mention getting to spend time with the children. Oh, and eat. Too much of that I'm afraid!

OK, so maybe our little girls and boys won't be all that interested in racing boats, but I'm guessing it would be great fun for the parents. Pushing, shoving, elbows, you know, all that competitive stuff we parents are good at! Of course, our boats would be small. We wouldn't ride in them, just push them. Oh wait, we could get one of those little wind up toys and yank out the motor and attach a propeller. Wow, this is gonna be fun! Maybe we could go online and find some kits for building these things. Wouldn't that be cool? We could have prizes for the fastest, slowest, coolest, etc... Oh boy, I'm startin' on mine right away. Austin could paint it up real neat for me. But it'll be Lily and Lia's boat, Austin and I will just 'help' out making it. We won't have any silly weight limits or rules either, just that it fits in the stream with enough room for a few others to race. Our little Chinese dragon boat racers were more interested in the ducks and turtles than the oars and propellers. They would rather wade in the stream (boy that water is really cold) than race each other.

Of course, the highlight of our version of the Dragon Boat races is the annual splashfest in the Dragon Boat stream. The first year we participated, many of the children were dressed nicely for the Dragon Boat festival, unsuspecting mothers having put them in their cutest little outfits for the anticipated flashfest of cameras. When the boat races deteriorated into a splashing, muddy, mess, all the moms realized that nice, pretty dresses were not the best choice of attire for this day. And the flashfest turned into a splashfest. Now, just to set the record straight, I was not responsible for the muddy mess. ... Only partially so. Yes, I was in the middle of it, but Marcy and Katie made me do it. I think Marcy was first to experience the muddy bank of the small stream that year. And since I was close by, she decided that I too needed to be soaked (probably to draw attention away from her own circumstance). And from there, as they say "It's was on!"



The first year, they went easy on me. But the second year, well, let's just say that I was easily the wettest dog in the park that day. Splashing seems to be an enjoyable way to spend the afternoon, especially if it means getting someone wet who doesn't look dressed for getting wet. And when one starts, they are like a school of pirhana - vicious and splashy. And now, we have boys (Paul William and Noah) who get into the fray. Paul William kept saying "I want you in the water!" He and Austin really had a great time together. It's really heartwarming to see Austin and Paul William hanging out together and just generally enjoying each other's company. Now, the moms dress their children in old clothes and flip flops suitable for a day in the stream and by the end of the day everyone is soaking wet and exhausted from the laughter. Paul William and Lily Grace filled the downtown air with constant, unfettered laughter, each trying their best to outlaugh the other. Moms and dads watched eagerly from the bluff (a safe distance away) while little splash makers attempted to see who could get the wettest. This year, several girls added head dunking to the festivities to make sure they were wet "from head" to toe! Thanks to everyone at Athens FCC for making the day such a memorable occasion - I think the kids enjoyed it too, but you'll have to ask them to be sure. Check out the pictures from our day at the park.

Noah just decided to take a long nap in the swing - how cool is that! Gracie May and Emma enjoyed the boats, while Lily Mei, Hannah, and Brooklyn enjoyed the bubble maker toys - I guess that's what you call them. Marcy and Katie thought the park ranger, otherwise known as a box turtle, was the neatest part of the day. Tonya liked getting her picture taken. Oh, wait a minute that was Rebecca, or was that Vivian? I forget, better check the photo log. Mary Beth won the prize for being the wettest (I was not eligible). Lily Grace just liked splashing and splashing and splashing. Me, I enjoyed the kids, the stream, and , er, the food! Connie ... the conversation with other moms - they're probably talking about us dads, you just know it!





We absolutely love our Athens FCC families. Knowing each of them is a great joy and spending time with them is one of our greatest blessings. Having so much in common and knowing the joy and the trials that each of us experience in travel and raising children with a common heritage (a beautiful heritage I might add) makes it easy to love these families. BTW, Athens FCC, see you Saturday for Citizenship Day!

Just a brief update on the new web site (I can't bring myself to say "blog," it sounds funny and odd): We were very excited and humbled by the number of people who wanted to follow Lia's story. And we have been working hard to get all the email addresses into the permissions file. This is taking more time than I thought it would. Partly because when a reader's comment didn't include an email address, we went looking for it - usually at the reader's own personal web site (can't say blog) and really enjoyed the stories we found there. Somebody should put all this together into a book - it's very fascinating to read. And it is obvious that God is at work in a mighty way. One of these children will one day return to China to lead an amazing story of salvation for China's people! How cool will that be!

We need email addresses for Diane and Debra. I am sorry to single you out, but we don't have any other way of reaching you and we need your email address. We should be finished with the new web site and its permissions early next week.

Love,
Jerry, Connie, Austin, Lily Grace & Lia Faith
Green, Party of 5ive