Monday, September 6th

Nothing like the element of surprise. We thought we were getting Noa today, but when we got off the plane yesterday our guide told us we were going to get her then! I don't know what I thought I was going to do between yesterday and today but I did not feel ready!

It was a very traumatic experience for her and she is very confused. I know I am thankful for this since it means she was VERY loved and VERY attached to her wonderful nannies but it is really worse than labor! She is however becoming very fond of her Daddy. She will not let him put her down. She also let me hold her twice today. I know this is big after the ordeal of me trying to take her from the nannies but it is hard on a mommy.

She is even more beautiful in person than in pictures. She has the most beautiful eyes that make you melt when she looks up at us! She is very quiet BUT has quite the temper. We will try to post some pictures when we can come up for air.
 
Till next time,
Brooks

Saturday, September 3rd

Brooks was able to send pictures today with a few captions. (Captions are below each picture.) Enjoy!

Tiananmen  Square

These girls ran up to us very excited and paid someone to take their picture with us!

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Troy at the Great Wall in Beijing

This is an artist that lives in Hutong District in Beijing. We went into his home and got to look at all of his artwork.

Another view from the Great Wall

This is an artist that lives in Hutong District in Beijing. We went into his home and got to look at all of his artwork.

Brooks said they haven't hardly been in their hotel room since they got there, so she doesn't have much time to write a blog entry. I'm sure she'll update more when she has a little more time to write.

Till next time,
Karee, for Brooks ~

Friday, September 3rd

Evidently there are many Chinese people who have never seen a very white, red headed American. They are constantly asking us if they can have their picture made with us. I keep wondering who they think I am but Troy said I am just really white!

Today we got to see Chairman Mao's body (yes, his real body) in what Troy called "the longest funeral ever." They sell flowers outside on Tianamen Square and then after people put them inside they retrieve them and sell them again. They file people through and his body is encased in glass with a red light illuminating his face. We toured the massive Forbidden City and its exquisite architecture. I now know just what i want my dream house to look like with all of the gold and vibrant colors they used. We saw the last emperors nephew who is a famous artist for his Chinese writing of characters. He created a very special piece for Noa which says, "Faith, Hope and Love". It has her name (An Yi Shan) as well. He picked out the special color for our "wawa" or "baby". Our guide then took us to a family's house in Hutong to eat lunch. They cooked fresh food from the market just how they eat every day. Amazing experience. We took a rickshaw tour of the little old city and got to visit a local and famous artist at his house. All of the people received us very kindly. He was amazing! He learned the traditional Chinese art as a child and then learned western watercolor and has combined them to make his own beautiful form of art on rice paper.

I was overwhelmed again today by the emotional pull I have toward this place. Even the guide said she thought I was really Chinese because of how drawn I am to all of the art forms of the Chinese. The Museum with the Qing Dynasty (like Ching/the last dynasty in china) art was very moving for both of us. This is just a very special place. God is pretty cool how He plans so far ahead but for Him 38 years is just like a day!
 
Till next time,
Brooks

Thursday, August 2nd

Throughout this adoption process when I would look at peoples blogs from China I would usually scroll down through their "pre travel" if you will to get to the good stuff: the pictures of them getting their children. As I sat atop the Great Wall of China today I realized the journey to pick up our Noa began so long ago. You can't skip the pictures of us on the Great Wall because it is a piece of the puzzle of our story. As I was gazing out onto the Wall that I had only dreamt of climbing, I was struck with a feeling of "I'm finally here." God has been leading our hearts here, to China, for years. From our love for the art and culture/decor which even trickled down from my mom, to the desire Troy had a long time ago to do mission work in Asia and culminating in love for a little Chinese orphan named An Yi Shan or Noa. God put those longings and preferences in our hearts long ago to prepare us for this journey to get our little girl.

Pictures to come soon!

Till next time,
Brooks

Introducing Noa!

First of all, let me explain that since Brooks and Troy are leaving for China in two short days, I volunteered to set up a blog for Brooks so they could share their journey with friends and family while they are over there. She'll email her updates and new photos to me and I'll post them on here for her. She's crazy busy trying to get things ready for them to leave, so there's no time for her to write anything, but she did send a few pictures to get the blog started. Enjoy these precious pictures of Miss Noa!

Karee, for Brooks ~