Oh my. No more pictures for the blog!! I think I burned out the power supply for the MacBook and I am having to update the blog on my iPad. And, as we know from the Windows Surface commercials, their ain’t no USB drive on an iPad. So, just words. Sorry. Maybe I can find another power supply tomorrow (doubtful).

So, spinning plates. The last couple of days have felt like spinning plates. Just when you get one spinning, you have to run over and take care of another!! Yesterday, Riley and Leah had rough days and Jessie was an angel. Today, Leah woke up a ittle rough, but by the time we got to the US Consulate, she perked up and was happy. Riley, also, had a very good day and, except for grumbling about having to walk to get dinner, which we ate in the room, she was very happy and engaged for most of the day. Jessie, however, was a little grumpy today and was unhappy any time that she couldn’t be by her mom’s side, like when I took the girls on a paddle boat ride without Kelly. Here are the pictures … Oh wait.

This morning we left and went back to the medical clinic so that Jessie could get a chest X-Ray. It was clear, which we knew it would be but we were relieved none the less. I am sure Kelly was NOT looking forward to spending a few weeks or months here so that Jessie could receive treatment for TB!

We needed the medical report, so we waited in the lobby while the other two families walked over to the Consulate for the 9AM appointment we all had. We got pushed back to 10AM so that we could get all of Jessie’s medical files in place. Two things happened in that lobby while we waited. First, standing (no chairs) in the lobby of a building for an hour was just WAY too much to expect from Jessie and Riley! But we are improving. Last week fifteen minutes would have been too much!

The extended wait time meant that they became bored and got a little mischievous. Then they started getting in trouble, first by the security guard. Riley’s answer to that was to stand right beside him at the doorway and mimic his job. Then, when he walked away, she took over. Oh my goodness. What have we done!?!

After that they started getting in trouble with us, which they did NOT like! They were both pretty angry that we dared to make them obey. Their anger carried over to the US Consulate later!!

The other thing that happened is that while we were standing there, a young Chinese man came up to Kelly and asked, “Where are you from?” When she told him America, his next question was, “Do you know God?!” What?!? In downtown Guangzhou, China, this guy is witnessing to us?! Kelly answered “Yes!!” And he proceeded to tell us that his name was Lei and he graduated from Cornell last year. He is working as an interpreter in the building we were in and when he sees Americans that are Christians he likes to pray with them. Could he pray with us right there? WHAT?! Of course!! So, there we were, our family and Lei praying in the lobby. He prayed a beautiful prayer over us and our family and the girls we are adopting and we, in turn, prayed for him. What a wonderful moment!! We have pictures, but again …..

Finally we got all the medical information and went to the US Consulate. Remember, Riley and Jessie are pretty mad at us, so they were refusing to sit with us outside the Consulate, choosing to look like two orphans standing on the sidewalk all alone. We got approval to come into the consulate and wait for our turn to be called and, again, they chose to sit as far away from us as possible.

Jessie was the first to soften. After awhile the room started filling up with people and Jessie and Riley started talking to each other and calming down. Kelly called to Jessie and she moved a little closer. Then Kelly called again and Jessie moved a little closer. Finally Kelly called again and Jessie came the rest of the way, followed shortly by Riley. All was good again, just in time for their mini-interview with the Consulate officer. Who KNOWS what they would have told him just a few minutes earlier!

We will get all our final paperwork tomorrow along with the girls VISA’s for immigration into the United States. We have an extra day here tomorrow because they were worried that we might not have all the paperwork needed to leave by tomorrow. So, tomorrow we go to the Safari Park in the afternoon and the Circus tomorrow night. Brave, I know. But we could have left tomorrow and we should have just risked it! We have been told before that we couldn’t get out in a certain time and God has always made a way.

One final thought for the day. Throughout this process and even here in country, we are told “You are an amazing family!” While I appreciate the thought, it is far from true. We are not amazing or special. Most days we are, truth be told, mostly average and there are many days we are sub-par. What we are is willing to ignore the rational side of our brains and keep saying “yes” when asked. God equips those He calls and not the other way around. There are many days where I feel like Moses complaining to God that I am the totally wrong guy for this job! I believe Kelly would say the same thing. So I understand that people may feel we are doing something great, but in actuality we are just doing something somewhat stupid, but agreeing to do it with God’s help. This journey isn’t ending when we get home! It is just starting. And there are many challenges and struggles that we will have to be overcome. But God is and will continue to be faithful.

Tomorrow is a LONG day with us getting back very late. I am not sure I will have any additional opportunities to Blog before we get back home. Thank you for your prayers and for your continued prayers on our way home. We will update you as soon as we can.

Cameron