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Play games with Karen on Facebook

facebook Hi Phelps61.upload, Karen Phelps is inviting you to join Facebook. Once you join, you'll be able to see updates, photos and more from all of these friends ...and share your own! Karen Phelps 2 friends Join Facebook This message was sent to phelps61.upload@blogger.com. If you don't want to receive these emails from Facebook in the future or have your email address used for friend suggestions, please click: unsubscribe. Facebook, Inc. Attention: Department 415 P.O Box 10005 Palo Alto CA 94303

Home for Christmas

We are home for Christmas -- Glory to God!!!!  We arrived safely home to a wonderful welcome from family and friends at the airport around 3pm Saturday the 19th . Emeline traveled well and saved her melt down for the last 10 minutes of the flight from Chicago. It was 3am her time so we could not blame her -- she soon got over it and thoroughly enjoyed meeting and greeting her new sisters and friends. The excitement level at the airport was so contagious that people we didn't even know were clapping for us. What a blessing to be so warmly welcomed home.   Thank you for everyone who covered us with their prayers. We were a little late arriving to Chicago from Hong Kong which was significant because we only had a little over one hour to arrive , get through immigration and customs , reclaim our luggage and then check it again and find our new gate for the flight home. We were amazed at the angels who went before us to get us home on time. A lady pulled us out of the incredibly long immigration line and sent us to the front. Then a skycap led us swiftly and quickly through our other checkpoints and off to our next flight. He even had change for a $100.00 bill so that we could tip him. The weather gave us an extra 15 minutes as the flight was delayed in leaving and we arrived to the gate with 15 minutes to spare . God is so good -- He didn't want us to miss our warm homecoming welcome!!!    We are enjoying the season with Christmas activities at school. We were surprised by JOY when we were presented with a picture frame with the words to the Third day song Merry Christmas and all of the children's and teachers' names around it. They also gave us a book of prayers that the children at school made for us . Each child colored a picture and wrote out a prayer for Emeline. The had it laminated so that she could enjoy it and tied it with brightly colored ribbons. We are amazed at their thoughtful and generous spirit.These are the children who prayed for Emeline everyday the year that she was born and purposely placed to be found in the garden of a showplace orphanage in China. They also prayed her through her first surgery in China that year. At that time we didn't know which little girl was our Emeline but God knew her name and He had a very special plan for her life that He has been busy working out.   We are enjoying introducing our new daughter to everyone this Christmas. Her sisters love her and sounds of laughter can be heard throughout the house. (Emeline is especially delightful at 3 am as she has not changed over to our time zone yet! She has enjoyed the balloons and all the gifts she received at her homecoming! )   Thank you for following us on our wonderful journey and now the journey has just begun!! We rejoice at God's goodness in our lives.                   '

Hong Kong

We arrived in Hong Kong around noon on Friday. We loved the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou but were so excited to be leaving for home. We walked our bags through the airport right into the Regal Airport Hotel with very nice accommodations. We will miss the free breakfast buffet from the White Swan, however. Emeline was not cooperating with the idea of a nap so we jumped on the shuttle and headed to Hong Kong Disneyland. We had a wonderful day enjoying the Christmas spirit around Disney. A schoolage group of about 50  girls sang near the entrance. They did a wonderful job. It was very festive. We especially enjoyed the Small World exhibit that sang Jingle Bells for Christmas instead of the neverending Small World song. We also watched "The Lion King Show" which was wonderful. It was fun just to take in the sights and sounds of Christmas. Emeline slept through much of it so it is a good thing her ticket was free. She did get to go on her first Merry Go Round ride we sat on the bench and watched the horses as she was not so sure about them. Tomorrow we leave for HOME -- yeh!!!!!!

Adopted as God's Child

Here we are on our last day in Guangzhou, China. We are so ready to board the plane for home and are excited to celebrate Christmas with ALL of our daughters this year. As I look around at the many many orphans who have been found this Christmas I am reminded how in God's Kingdom we were all lost until we were found in Christ. The Lord was the author of adoption as it mirrors how he chooses us and calls us his own through Jesus whose birth we celebrate. Last week Emeline was an orphan named after her finding place -- this week she has been given a new name and the rights as our child. God desires to call each of us, give us a new name and adopt us as his children (Ephesians 1:5). The whole process is nothing short of miraculous!

Eric is off to the US Consulate to pick up Emeline's completed Visa. I am busy packing and Emeline is just as busy unpacking . Every time I turn around she has removed something from the suitcase and put it back where I just picked it up from. She is so funny!!!! She took her shoes off today and placed her socks on her hands like mittens. She was so proud of herself. It will be fun to see what she thinks of snow and the great white north. Thanks for all of your prayers on our journey. The Lord has gone before us and protected and sustained us. We enjoyed taking group pictures yesterday with Hope's family and another family from Grand Rapids whose daughter also has cleft palate. All of the children are adjusting and progressing well.

Sitting with Emeline and Hope

December 16, 2009

Today was day 12 of our journey in China. We awoke to a full day of activities, starting with pictures for all the families in our group from Bethany Christian Services. Each of the kids dressed in a traditional Chinese outfit for the photograph, which was quite neat to see--although Emeline did not seem to think too much of the idea, shedding some tears over the dress in one of the few times she has cried in the last 10 days--apparently she favored the lotus blossom dress over the butterfly print she wore.

After the photos, we got ready for the taking of the Oath of Citizenship at the American Consulate. The Consulate recently relocated from Shamian Island (where our hotel is located) to a new section of Guangzhou, which was very interesting to see with the many modern skyscrapers that had been built in recent years.

After some preliminary paperwork, one of the American Foreign Service Officers came out to speak to the 48 families at the Consulate for adoption purposes today. He did a very nice job explaining the role of the Consulate and administering the oath. While a very simple statement, I found the experience of the Oath of Citizenship moving and was really thankful for the blessing of being able to be here and to bring Emeline home to join our family.

Tommorrow, we do what we have been waiting a long time to do--pickup Emeline's Visa from the American Consulate and pack our suitcases to come home. The past 12 days have been quite an experience, but it is time to come home and we cannot wait to get there.

The pictures added today are one of Emeline in her dress, along with Karen and our friends from Grand Rapids, as well as view from our room on the 27th floor of the White Swan Hotel. The later overlooks Shamian Island where many foreign ligations had their Consulates 100 years ago. You can still see the buildings, which must have been something to see in their day.

A rainy day in Guangzhou

Greetings -- it is a good thing that we went on our stroll early this morning as it is now raining very hard. We found a shop that helps China's orphans from the Xinjiang provence called A Gift From China. It offered very nice gifts and we left with several. I'm sure God smiled down to hear me singing lullabies into our cell phone as I stood in front of this shop amongst the workman and the shopkeepers and the noise of the big city. Grace and Faith had called to say they couldn't get to sleep half a world away and could I please sing two songs for each of them.Only three days left before we leave for home. We cannot wait to get back to our girls. They will so enjoy Emeline's fun personality.

 

We have discovered that Cheerios are a universal treat. Emeline is entertained for a long period of time with a few cheerios in the covered candy dish or an empty bottle. She loves looking at the pictures that her sisters sent with us. She also likes the Rainbow book we brought but only the red page with the ladybug. If I try to turn the page she grabs it and turns back to her favorite spot. She continues to enjoy looking at the pictures of her family and practising everyones name.Last night as I was removing our dry clothes hanging from the shower she laughed hysterically when I accidently turned on the water and got all wet. It was a little funny though frustrating!!

 

Eric is downstairs waiting for his PaPa John's pizza to arrive on the back of a bicycle. He has had to resort to drinking Coke Zero as he has finished off the Cities whole supply of Diet Coke. He was delighted to recieve his special order books from Amazon.com that arrived yesterday. We had fun following the route they took to get here on the tracking emails that were sent.

 

Well -- much love to all especially to our girls!!! The pizza has arrived so off to lunch!