We expedited her birth certificate submission to the state the day she was born.

We went into the city of Philadelphia to the office of vital records the day she was released from the hospital to apply for copies of her birth certificate.

We spent an hour trying to get acceptable passport pictures.

We went back into the city and picked up her birth certificates when they were ready a week after she was born.

We had an official passport appointment two days after that at our local library with both Frank and Helen and Grace which is required for a passport for a minor.

We expedited her passport which we received five days later, which was yesterday.

Today, Mark took them by train to New York City to the Chinese Embassy to apply for an official translation of her American birth certificate for use in China and to get special travel permission from the Chinese government. Even though she is a United States citizen with a United States passport, China recognizes her as a Chinese citizen since she has two Chinese parents, and she needs special travel permission rather than a visa like we would get.

Despite a long wait in a chaotic room that looked remarkably like a Chinese DMV, both applications were accepted. And, now, we all wait another week until the documents can be picked up at the Embassy with 2 business days to spare before they leave to go home to China.

(I’ve been texting them all day and insisting that Mark send me pictures so that I could be a part of the day while I was home with Caleb and then our four. Can’t wait to hear about Grace’s big trip to NYC.)

 

Apparently, it takes 4 people (one with camera) to give a new baby a bath.

Every baby should get this much attention.

Ashlyn led the family through the Gospel story last night after we dyed eggs with Caleb for his first time. She read from Scripture and explained the significance of nails, thorns, a big rock, and an empty tomb. Mark and I answered their questions about heaven and new life and how all we have devoted our family and entire lives around means nothing without Easter. It would have been a sweet time as a family all on its own. But, it was made all the more sweet by the tiny pink bundle being cradled by her mother at the end of our table.

A little less than 2 weeks ago, nearly a week past her due date, our brother and sister, coworkers, and roommates for the last 5 months became parents once again. Our whole family joyfully welcomed this beautiful little baby girl into the world who her parents named Linxi, meaning by streams of water, named after Psalm 1:3. Her English name is Grace…grace…a name that I offered up as a suggestion and a word that defines her whole life really.

From the day they arrived on November 4th to the day she was born, we were anticipating her arrival and preparing for it. After all, it’s why they came here in the first place, to safeguard her life and live without fear until she could be cradled in their arms. March 23rd, the day she was born, marked an abrupt change as we went from preparing for her arrival to feverishly preparing for her departure, running around like crazy over the last 12 days (with a little break for Together Called) to ensure that all the paperwork and documents are in order for her to return to China with her family only 17 days from now.

It’s strange really. I can remember rubbing Helen’s belly and trying to talk Gracie girl out of there. But, the memory is distant already, as if the race for passport pictures, copies of a birth certificate with names no one can pronounce, and certifications are simply louder in my head and subsequently have drowned out the memories of waiting unable to do much of anything.

And, that’s where we are–Celebrating Easter Eve here tonight, looking forward to another kind of race in the morning as 5 children scramble to find the basket with their name on it. Considering the Cross and all that it means, the grace that came with it that I cannot even wrap my head around. Trying to savor the sweet Grace right here in between all the running and even in the midst of it while this home is still her home.

It was Monday morning, 5 days post due date. I had gotten out of bed early and spent time in the Word and in prayer. I had been pleading with God for days to bring that little girl into the world. But, I prayed with a new sense of urgency that morning. Not only was the time we needed for all the documents and travel approvals decreasing, we also had Together Called approaching. That morning, I was preparing myself for sending Mark off alone to run the marriage retreat we had been planning for a year and praying hard that that would not be needed.

At 7:10am, I sent out a text to a few girls in my circle, asking them to join me in prayer. 7 minutes after I sent the text, Helen came down to the kitchen in her robe and told me she wasn’t feeling well. I think I may have even yelled “Hot dog!” which likely confused her and seems completely idiotic on this side of the birth story.

I told her I’d give the doctor a call, and we would head to the hospital after we sent the last kiddo off to school at 8:15am. We surely had plenty of time as her contractions were 10 minutes apart still.

30 minutes later, she came to me again and said she thought we should move a little faster. Her contractions were 5 minutes apart now. Ummmm….what? 

But, someone had to stay home with their son Caleb. We’d have to wait until 8:15. That was only about 30 minutes more; surely, we’d be fine.

30 minutes later, when we got in the car to go to the hospital, Helen’s contractions were 3 minutes apart. Did I mention that the hospital is about 25 minutes away? Turns out there’s traffic at 8:15am too…yeah….

Just try to picture this…Helen in front seat, holding her seat belt away from her, huffing and puffing every few minutes with intense contractions and squirming in her seat. Frank in the back seat completely quiet. Kelly white knuckling the steering wheel, weaving through traffic with my flashers on, cars honking at me as I did, trying to encourage Helen with, “You’re doing great” “Hold on.” “We’ll be there soon.” “Hang in there.” “Not much longer” and other phrases all while Chinese praise music is playing on my iPhone in a vain attempt to bring peace to the whole situation. As I surveyed what was happening, I literally formed a plan in my head about pulling to the side of the road and handing Frank my Chinese-music-playing iPhone to call 911 so I could be coached to deliver this baby on the highway. That’s how bad it got.

You can only imagine how relieved I was when we pulled up to the hospital 45 minutes later, and I knew I wouldn’t be featured on the evening news with the headline: “White woman delivers Chinese baby on the side of the road.” Leaving the car running at the entrance, I used the phone at the door to call Labor and Delivery and tell them to come get Helen with a wheelchair NOW. But, apparently, NOW wasn’t going to be fast enough. Holding her back and rocking, Helen said she felt the head and wanted to push.

Oh no you don’t. We are not having this baby on the pavement outside the hospital. 

I pushed the emergency button to open the door and rushed Frank and Helen into the elevator and pressed the button for Labor and Delivery. The woman with the wheelchair was there when the doors opened.

You almost needed to bring a stroller down with you, lady. 

Once Helen was safely in the chair and rushed off, I rushed back downstairs to my car which was still running on the street outside the hospital. I parked it safely and then grabbed all the bags and ran back to the hospital.

I am not in good enough shape for this. I sound as bad as Helen does. 

Now back to the Labor and Delivery floor, I reunited with Frank and Helen just in time to tell her the bad news that she wouldn’t be able to get an epidural and the good news that she was having a baby…like…now.

She was 9 cm. dilated when we arrived. She started pushing about 15 minutes later, waiting only because she was urged to wait for the doctor to arrive. And about 15 minutes after that, at 9:31am, all the chaos paused and the world stood still as Helen’s cries quieted to the sound of the cries of a baby girl.

I laughed aloud and cried at the same time as I held Helen’s hand and watched the first breaths of the child who has turned all of our worlds upside down for the last 6 months.

 

 

(and, yes, I’ve been telling this story to everyone who will listen to me since Monday because I’m still debriefing and getting over the stress of nearly delivering this child in the car. So, you may hear me tell it a few more times as I perform some self-therapy.)