Pictures of China

Hey there,

While I had a couple of minutes I thought that I would post some pictures of China. I am presently working on downloading video to our blog so you can see the amazing Great Wall.

Here is Jonathan looking out the window, which turned out to be his last look at his home country.David and I at Tienanmen Square with the Forbidden City in the background.

Tienanmen square.

David and Jonathan at the White Swan Hotel.

Mommy and her little man

Here we are an elementary school in Nanchang. This is the dance class I was telling you about.

Here we are at a very historic Buddhist temple. The brother of the emperor that built the Forbidden City hid here for fear of his life.

Gotcha' Day

Here we are at the city park of Nanchang. Included with us is the other family that traveled to Nanchang to receive their daughter.

David and I at the Forbidden City

Have a wonderful day,

Jennifer

I

Who remembers Remingtons?

Hi All,

The other day I posted some country songs on our blog. You can hear them if you scroll down on our play list at the bottom. This reminded me of my single days with my also single friend Angie. On Thursdays a country bar and dance club called Remingtons ,which is no longer there, would have line dance classes at 6:00. Angie and I would slap on our boots and head to class. Then after class we would stick around, practice, and see who else would show up. Sometimes it was just she and I and then other times other people that we knew showed up.
I was remembering a time specifically where Angie and I went to Remingtons, but it was just she and I and honestly we were getting a little bored. Then we spotted a table of guys sitting across the way and thought we would go talk to them. We ended up talking for about an hour and then they asked us to dance. As we got off the stools I was shocked to notice that I was at least a head taller than all of the men at the table. Angie is 5'4" so they were perfect for her. Fortunately my partner was a fantastic two stepper and it turned out to be a lot of fun, but as I remember, we only danced once. The height issue was a little awkward.
There are times when I remember those days with fondness, but what is the old saying about selective memory. I think I remember only the fun times, but forget about the not so fun times.
Now that my life is richer I would like to take my David to the Electric Cowboy and create new memories of country music and two stepping.

Have a great day,
Jennifer

All About China

Hi All,

It is Thursday night at 9:09 and I am at the computer once again blogging. Recently I have had a friend and fellow blogger ask about China and I realized that I haven't written about it on our blog.

How do I start? Well, the first thing that David and I tell people is that we loved China. It really is a wonderful country in many ways. There are many social habits that Americans could benefit from, such as saving before buying and less TV watching and more physical activity. Also, we must make dumplings and dim sum a staple on every American table. After a week begin home I craved dumplings, but no one seemed to have them. I was grumpy all day. Withdrawl from dumplings was not a pretty thing.

We arrived in Beijing on November 27 and for the next few days we hit all of the hot spots of the Capitol. We walked on the Great Wall, which was "so real". We went to the Forbidden City, Tienanmen Square and David ate snake at the Night Market.

One thing that I thought was interesting was that China tries to present itself as this up and coming county that encourages its people to be open minded and to embrace Western Culture. In all of this modern thinking, our guide was forbidden by law to even mention the riot that happened in 1989 at Tienanmen Square.

On the 30th we flew to Nanchang and received our little Jonathan. I would like to take this moment to voice an opinion about the experience of receiving adopted children. In the past year we heard more than one person say how wonderful the receiving process was and how there was this instant bond. My response, "This is not the norm." This experience is the very slim minority. When most children are received, especially those over one year, there are many tears by children and parents and this is followed by days and weeks of the bonding process. David and I still continue to work on this, but it is getting a little better everyday.

Nanchang was wonderful and our guide was fantastic. She kept us busy everyday with trips to the city park, trips to Walmart, restaurants and a trip to her daughter elementary school. This was my favorite part. Even though we were on the other side of the world and everything was different, the environment in the school was much the same. One difference that we noticed quickly was that the school embraces the arts. Extras such as dance, piano lessons and art classes were programmed into their day.

After Nanchang we went to Guanhzou for four days to get Jonathan's visa. By this time David and I wanted to be home so bad that in all honesty I don't remember much, but I did meet a Christian. Around our hotel there were many, many shops that sold adoption and Chinese merchandise. In walking around one day I went into a store where the keeper wrote Jonathan's name in calligraphy. When I told him our son's name he said, "Oh, Jonathan like in the Bible. I am a Christian." His faced beamed as I told him that I was a Christian too. In speaking to him I learned that China will allow people to build Christian churches and even to attend on Sunday, but it is illegal to take a child under 18 to church, to evangelize and to own a Bible.

Finally four days came and went and we were on our way home.

Jonathan did great and still continues to amaze us everyday at how much he is learning and eating. I think he likes American food.

Have a great day

Love to you all,

Jennifer

Happy New Year!

Hi All,

Could you do me a favor? I was wondering if anyone ever reads my posts. I know that my mom and dad do, but other than that I am not sure. If you read my blog please email me at lotdj715@att.net.

Well anyway, tonight I was on the LPM blog and Beth Moore had a verse to bring in the new year. It is Deuteronomy 11:11&12 But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the LORD you God cares for; the eyes of the LORD your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.

As Beth said, we are not physically taking possession of a new land, but of a new year. As the verse states there are mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven.
We will have challenges and victories, but when the rain falls if we remain focused on our Jesus, our land will become fertile and right for an abundant harvest. No matter what we encounter this year, the eyes of the LORD your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to the end.

Find Strength on Your Knees,
Jennifer