My Overthinking

Philly Area mom, Life forever changed by adoption

A Gift

Have you seen this video yet of Sung-Bong Choi from Korea?

He is an amazing singer–a boy, a boy abandoned, a boy who was on his own at age 5 after being abused at an orphanage, a boy who was forced to sleep in rest rooms and public stairs while selling gum to get by, a boy who was sold into labor. He is an amazing singer. I do not understand what he is singing — but I know it is beautiful.

I am so thankful that God gave him this amazing gift–something beautiful in a desolate place. He told the judges something like “Rather than say I enjoy singing, I like singing because it was the first thing I liked after living that day-fly life.”

Grace. A gift of beauty in ugliness, of feeling when he probably had stopped feeling altogether, of relationship with others in brokenness. That’s our God.

I’m the 4,498th person to “like” his Facebook page. But, I’m wishing I could just sit with him and encourage him in person instead.

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Top 10 (+) Photos of 2010

Just because I don’t have the post-holiday blues does not mean I am not nostalgic about 2010. This year will be one that will never be forgotten–not that any of our years thus far are worthy of forgetting. But, you know what I mean. It was a very significant year for us from the very beginning.

I tried to narrow down my favorite photos of the year to a top 10 list. But, come on, people. It was just too exciting this year to limit it to a top 10. So, sorry. You are going to have to look at 20 instead.

#20 & #19 — Our fish 
Our older 3 kids finally started swimming. And, our youngest, well, she is just part mermaid or something. I love these shots taken at my parents’ condo in Fenwick Island, DE that capture their excitement. They capture tradition for me too–family vacation every summer now with Lydia joining us.
#18 – Determination
Despite our reservations initially, Ashlyn begged to take Chinese. Every Sunday afternoon, I take her to class, learning a few things myself (confession–Mark says I’m more of a one-trick pony with my repeating of “what is your name?” in Chinese over and over again). Love this picture because it reminds me of how brave and determined Ashlyn is.
#17 – Sillyness
Drew is our clown. Love how this picture captures his sillyness and Lydia’s reaction to it (a sort of “what in the world?” type of response).
#16 – Yahoo!
Even Mark is looking excited in this one. We visited Great Wolf Lodge this summer for a reunion with our adoption agency. Our kids had a ball. Evan tells pretty much everyone that his favorite places are Great Wolf Lodge and Disney World. 
#15 – Growth
Evan made such huge strides this year in school and personally. I love this picture of him observing nature and drawing his observations. It just captures his growth this year to me. Somehow, when I wasn’t looking, he really grew up.
#14 – Love
I took this year in February 2010 when we celebrated Chinese New Year. I didn’t pose them at all, maybe that’s why I like it so much. Ashlyn was so sweet with her little brother, and Drew just is loving his big sister.
In May, I helped a friend in Beijing, Lydia’s godmother actually, start up an online business geared towards adoptive families. It has been a real joy to me this year to help her support her family, provide employment for some Chinese people who were otherwise unemployed (the grandmother who makes tiger items and the young woman who makes the dolls for us, specifically), and provide real treasures for adoptive families and their children. 
#12 – We Are Grafted In website and forum
Another project I took on this year that has been a real blessing to me. 
#11 – Friendship and Community
I have been so blessed by friendships with women who I’ve connected with through the adoption community. Most of these women I’ve never even met. This picture is of my friend Angie and her daughter Emma as we skyped shortly after Angie received Emma in Xi’an. I love this picture because I can remember the overwhelming feeling I had when I saw them together finally. And, it just seems to capture the feeling I have about all the friendships God has blessed me with in 2010 with other adoptive mommies.
#10 – Beauty
I remember taking this picture while Lydia sat on our bed at the White Swan hotel on Easter morning. I remember being simply in awe of her beauty. I still am.
#9 – Celebration
I look at this picture now and can’t believe I let everyone crowd Lydia like this right after getting off the plane. But, I still love the picture. You can get a real sense of how much our family already loved this child and how excited everyone was to see her finally come home.
#8 and #7 – Family
It’s not easy to get good family pictures. In fact, I think your chance of getting a good picture decreases exponentially with each additional child. These pictures though are so special to me. The first one was from Father’s Day only a couple months after we were home. Lydia looks so tiny still. The second one was taken on Thanksgiving. I love how alive and happy she looks and how Ashlyn and Drew are looking at her. It was a posed shot for our Christmas card–but the kids weren’t posed. Their looking at her was just them being them. And, I love that.
#6 – A Godly Father
One of my favorite all-time pictures of Mark. He was on his knees beside Lydia who was falling asleep in her crib soon after we received her in Xi’an. Everything was so new, so overwhelming. This picture reminds me of Mark’s quiet nature, his humble strength, his commitment to his family, his obedience to God’s call even when it’s scary, and his heart for adoption that was growing in leaps and bounds when this picture was taken.
#5 – Our peanut
I remember so clearly when we got our phone call in January from Sarah who told us she couldn’t wait until the morning and had to email us a little girl’s file to review. We opened it up and this was the first picture we saw. I kept saying to Mark, “She’s so teeny. She’s such a peanut.” I so wanted this little one to be our Lydia.
#4 & #3 – Answered Prayers
If you have read our referral story, you know that Lydia was failing in health according to her original referral. Her measurements were alarming–in fact, they were not life sustaining if they would continue on the same curve (or line). Unsure of what to do, we could not just let her go. We asked for an update and prayed for very specific growth numbers (as pictured in the bottom picture–that was the note where I figured out what numbers to pray for in the update). And, I mean prayed; I don’t think I’ve ever prayed with so much passion. We very quickly got our update with three pictures of our peanut looking simply beautiful and strong. This was one of those pictures. These pictures are not just favorites because they remind me of the moment we knew for sure Mei Yue was our daughter; they also remind me of God’s mercy and how He hears our prayers, our specific prayers, and answers them. 
#2 – All Things New
Mark took this picture of Lydia and me as we left the Civil Affairs Office on March 28th. I look at it and can remember how fast my heart was pounding and how full it felt. I remember how small Lydia was and how confused she seemed. I love how it captures just a normal street in Xi’an, dusty and somewhat dreary. It makes the newness of “us” all the more extraordinary.
#1 – My daughter
No explanation needed. She’s amazing. And, by God’s grace, she’s my daughter.

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URGENT PRAYER NEED

Remember me asking for prayer for my friend Jenna? She urgently needs your prayer now. She was just diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and is in isolation. Please lift her up!

UPDATE 11/30/2010 —
I talked to Jenna today and she is doing much better. She is hoping to come home as early as Thursday. She has a picc line and will still have to get IV antibiotics for 2 more weeks. But, she believes that the worst of it is over.

Phew.

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