July 31

Got in late last night to Guangzhou. Plane delayed. Up early today for An-an's medical check. Mass chaos in the International clinic. Standing room only and lots of crying babies. An-an got 3 immunizations and a TB test. She was a trooper. It also ended up being a good time of bonding with her momma. Seems like Ellie's arm is doing better - keeping an eye on it (in case I haven't shared, she fell coming down steps at the Great Wall and twisted her arm). Cyndi and Emma are fighting off some illness - doing OK for now. Took An-an to McDonald's. She enjoyed the fries and loved the ketchup. Went swimming - hotel has a very nice pool atop the 4th floor. An-an couldn't get her arm wet because of her TB test. And we thought she was afraid of the water, but she was splashing and wanting in by the time we left. Emma and Ellie had a great time swimming. Met with other adopters in a hotel room and finished some paperwork. Tomorrow we go to a folk museum and the store.

Thanks for the prayers. Paul

Yesterday we went to the Wuhan Museum and learned about the local heritage and Ming's tomb. I think it was a little boring for Anan so we had to work on some boundaries with her - still working through conveying to her that we love her tons but she has to follow the rules:) - normal 9yr old stuff. It seems An-an is enjoying herself though - we did puzzles and ice cream and painting nails and disney princesses on the internet (in chinese). She loves yellow and pink and fashion and Wuhan noodles.

She is smart as a whip - picking up several English words already and helping us navigate the Chinese culture. Today we fly to Guangzhou, sort of the Wash DC of China. The local paperwork is done, now on to the "federal". Medical exam for her tomorrow. While in Guangzhou, we will meet back up with other adoptive parents who have been in other provinces picking up their children.

She loves Ellie, is warming up to Emma. Still trying to figure out what she thinks about Cyndi and me. I think she loves having a mommy (except when in trouble). It's taking her a while to warm up to me. Letting her paint my nails and letting her play with my iPod helps:). Probably normal for Ba-ba's (dad's).

Will attempt to send more pictures. ===paul

Yesterday we visited the famous Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan City. An-an had not been there (although you could see her orphanage in the distance from atop the tower). I think it will be a great memory for her. The afternoon was laid back. We went shopping to Carrifore (French walmart).

We were ecstatic to find some Chin/Engl flash cards with pictures, etc. They will be great for teaching English and helping us communicate. Also had some comedy moments - trying to ask for directions, trying to ask for a to-go container, etc. But we figured it out. An is getting more comfortable, sometimes starting to act like a normal 10yr old and jump on the bed, push the limits. Today, we go to a museum and more paperwork. Some amazing moments - An giving me a hug for the first time, etc. Also really neat and made us want to cry - at the store counter there was a collection box for An's orphanage. she recognized the words and got excited. I lifted her up and let her put some $ in the box. tomorrow we head for Guangzhou and more "federal" paperwork. we also re-unite with other adoptive parents there.

Later, love to all.,

Paul

today was the day that we went to the government office and sign a lot of papers. now we are back to the hotel resting. the kids were up at 5am so we are all a little weary. Anan is doing very well. she has learned to say ellie, emma, mama, daddy, luke, abby and thank-you and camera already!! she is so smart and is amazing to watch. we will try to upload video of her doing things, it is unbelievable. Emma is really struggling. Anan is very attached to Ellie and Emma's feelings are hurt. we are trying to explain to her that Anan likes Ellie better then us too, but she does not care:) Ellie's arm is getting better every day. we think the sling helped Anan feel close to her first. Ellie is amazing with her, i am so proud of her, she has really done a fabulous job. Anan took us to a noodle place last night, she had to order for us! thanks for all your prayers.
Cyndi

Gotcha Day update.
Met An-an (Lily) today at 2:30. She is quite the little girl. At first, she was staring off into space and crying some and you could tell she did not want to be with us. We could totally understand - she is leaving everything familiar to her. It was a few hours before she smiled and started interacting with us - She will fit in well - has the Ferrell strong-willed temperament (aka stubborn). She is extremely sharp and she was worried about going with strangers and missing her teacher and others at the orphanage. Our guide was amazing - she interpreted, helped us with paperwork and, most importantly, got right at An-an's level and kept reassuring her in her familiar home dialect. The orphanage director and helper also kept reassuring her in Chinese. Apparently she is also close to a foster family she lived with over a year ago and you could tell she will miss them. In the last few hours, she has become especially attached to Ellie and is opening up to us slowly. We took her shopping and found ice cream and a few of her favorite things. She is now smiling alot and laughing at the girls. No surprises yet on her physical issues. Her hands are very turned in but she amazingly finds a way to do everything so far. The language barrier is tough, using lots of hand gestures, etc. :) Well, gotta get this uploaded. More to follow.

we will be spending the next 2 days traveling, we will get the Beijing around 1:00pm ohio time on friday, this will be 1am on friday there. so don't expect to hear anything from us until saturday some time:)

Luke has a sprained tendon in his knee. He just needs to wrap it, not play sports for a week and ice and elevate it 3 times a day.....on a work/missions trip to the inner city with a bunch of elementary age kids! that should be interesting:) He did it playing ultimate Frisbee, not running:) they play barefoot. Its no wonder Im not at the ER twenty times a year:)!!

these are the Puma's that God provided for Luke today! He had no good running shoes and really wanted Puma's but knew we could not afford them. He said he was going to try to save up his money and buy them himself. As a mom I really wanted to buy him shoes! He needs them, all of his shoes were falling apart but he really wanted Puma's and that was just not in the budget right now. So this Mama got on her knees and prayed for God to provide Luke with the pair of shoes that he WANTED not just the ones he needed. God layed on my heart to go to a Savers store that I never go to. I walked in and Im sure you have guessed by now, these were on the rack. I stood and cried in the middle of Savers. I am so grateful that God cares about the little things as well as the big ones.

Luke did something to his knee so I am off to the Dr.

We only had 3 days to get ready last time so I have been packed for the most part since saturday because it just felt like I should be in a hurry:) Now I can enjoy my Bible study and the big serve today and the kids tomorrow. there are still little last min. things that need done and paperwork needs double checked but Im feeling good about things.
thank you for all your prayers, they mean the world to us, only in His strength are we able to do any of this. I will try to post big serve photos later, now off to PT. Im praying my back will behave on this trip, i never sit for more then an hour because it hurts, standing is way easier.

just some of the ways God has "shown up" in the last year!

last june I asked Paul to pray for my that i would no longer have the desire to adopt another child because he did not feel that was in the plans for our family and i was being annoying bringing it up every 3 months or so.
He went and prayed, 3 hours later he came to me and said that God changed HIS heart instead of mine!!
I showed Paul a picture of lily a year ago, last July, to show him what a limb deformity was. I never intended to consider her as she was much older then i had pictured and her disability more severe then I thought I could handle. WE looked at her file while we were still doing our homestudy and placed it back on the waiting child list until all our paperwork was finished so that if another family wanted her they would have a chance to look at her.
I was very scared of on older child. AWAA gave me a list of other people who have adopted older children and Kelly came into my life. She was able to share her story about adopting an almost 10 year old, she sent me a video and calmed my fears. without her Im not sure I could have come to a peace about an older child.
4 months later Lily was still on the list and no one had looked at her file. Paul came to me and said that he really felt that she was the one, and if not us then who. sooo in November Lily became a Ferrell in our hearts
My grandfather died in Dec. this was really hard on our entire family. We had been dealing with a prolonged illness since July. We had a very important fingerprint apt. that takes 2 months the schedule, with out this the adoption can not move forward. It ended up that his funeral and the apt. were at the EXACT same time, 3 hours apart. of course we couldn't miss his funeral so we missed our apt. we were told we could try the next wed. as a walk in but they wouldn't promise anything. We walked in that wed. and walked out 30min. later with our fingerprints done!
I went to work a home school convention in April. my friend was talking to a woman and mentioned my adoption. This woman had just come home 2 weeks ago with a 9 year old from China! we got to talking, as I told her of Lily's condition her eyes opened wide, she had a friend who has adopted a child with AMC as well. we have been in contact ever since via Face Book and they both have been a HUGE source of information and reassurance.
A young woman was on Face Book a month or so ago and some how my security settings had been changed and she was able to see pictures of Lily. she messaged me and said she also had AMC. she lives 10 min. from my mom and dad. she had been able to connect me with Dr. in Toledo because that is where much of her treatment was. She has also connected me with a family who has adopted a 4 year old with AMC in toledo. My security settings had never change before and have never changed since.
I went to a play group last week for family's with chinese children. no one from the group was there (no big deal I had 6 kids so I was a group of my own:)) as I watched the kids play I saw a little boy sitting on a blanket. as i watched him I was pretty sure he also had AMC. I asked his mom and sure enough he does. yet another amazing connection with someone who knows the disorder and how to parent someone who has it.
Our travel has been WAY more expensive then we had expected. I was really panicking because we did not have enough room on credit cards to pay for it. The day that we were told how much it was going to be two dear friends who have very little came over with a gift, I was so humbled that they gave out of what little they had, and then 2 hours later a large check came in the mail. Gods timing is always so wonderful. It was as if he winked at me and said "trust me!!!" we will still be $15,000 in debt when we get back but the little notes that he has sent to say that HE has it all under control are such beautiful gifts. and yes, our credit limit was raised!
NEVER DOUBT THAT GOD WANTS TO MEET YOU RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE!

this adoption is ALL HIM! and we want all the glory to go to HIM

we have 3 days until we leave. my list for tomorrow is a mile long and includes a trip to the pharmacy, a visit to the hospital to see a friends child, finish laundry, finish packing, walmart for therma patches and other odds and ends, printing passport photos and much much more:) we had a wonderful day today and God has seen fit to fix our air conditioner:), through a wonderful friend.
i had enough done today that i was able to visit my friend at the hospital and have lunch with some great people!

I'm afraid until we get to china this blog is going to be boring. we packed and shopped for last min. stuff yesterday, a friend who works on air conditioners is going to come look at our air conditioner today as a favor!! Wow thank-you God for all the little ways you take care of us. I am really getting used to the heat, which will be a huge blessing in China. I have had to learn to trust God to provide more in the last few months then I am comfortable with, God loves taking us out of our comfort zone so that we can allow HIM to comfort us. Its not until we are totally unable to do things on our own that we really see HIM providing.

As I relax, calm down, trust, and look to HIM to provide all I need I am reminded that He loves me, wants to take care of me and is just waiting for me to fall into his waiting arms. so....today when i fear that I don't have the strength to do everything that needs to be done I will simply tell myself "you right, you don't and that's OK because your heavenly father will fill in all the gaps for you"

I pray that we will have a day filled with the little joys and small wonders that our heavenly Father has prepared for us, and that we will have the eyes to see who has given them to us.

Here is a picture of our Lily, she is almost 10. her smile made us fall in love with her. she is holding a purse and posing, she should fit right in:)

6 days and counting

We leave in 6 days!!! we are very hot here, our air conditioner died 2 weeks ago and looks like it is not fixable, replacing it is not on option at the moment so our bodies are getting used to the heat. we have a pool and a basement so we will live! Its amazing how spoiled we get, isn't it? how much of the world is hotter then us and lives w/out air, or even clean water?!?!

I am discouraged at myself that I could let such a little thing take away my joy. When am i ever going to learn to "find it Joy when I face trials of many kinds, or learn to be content in plenty and in want"

Please pray for Lily, that she would feel safe in our family and be healthy when we get her. Also that she would be comforted in her grief. Also pray for safe travel.

today the plan is to get the meds we need to take with us, finish the laundry (like that EVER happens), write thank-you notes, finalize travel plans, finish the big kid schedules, cook up some noodles for the freezer, take books back to the library and hopefully enjoy my kids a little!