Be The Answer

Please scroll down and stop the music player before watching this emotional, thought provoking video....

A Day of Firsts!

Oh my goodness gracious!!!! What a day we've had already! First of all... Jia pooped in the potty!!!! Yippee! Doesn't take much to get my day off right, huh? She's been peeing in the potty for a while, albeit not always consistantly, but she does tell me some when she needs to go. Actually, this morning she woke up dry and one of the first things out of her mouth were potty. I thought we were a long way off from ever pooping in the potty since she usually hides for that. But this morning, I caught her hiding around the kitchen cabinet and said very enthusiastically that we should poopy in the potty! And she did! She was soooo proud of herself and got 2, count 'em 2, stickers! It helped that Jacen and Jory both followed up with high 5's and good jobs as well! Yeah Jia!!!!
Now, our 2nd First for the day... NO TEARS at daycare! Not a one! In fact, she smiled and blew me kisses! It helped that Dora was on... but no hand off to Mrs. Tona or anything. I just put her down while I visited a minute with Tona and told her good bye. Tona and I just stood there with our mouths agape! What a big girl she is!
Sorry no new pictures to share... but this was big news that I couldn't wait to post! I can't wait to see what other "Firsts" God has in store for us today!

3 Months and Medical Update!

Today it has been 3 months since we first held Jia in our arms... I think I say this every update, but it feels like she's been here forever! Such an amazing journey! What is one to do to show their gratefulness to the One who made it all possible? Hmmm... working on that now! Maybe in my 100 days update, I'll have more to share!
Yesterday Jia had her appointment at the International Adoption clinic at CMH. I can't even describe to you how wonderfully that went! First, the doctor that she seen had adopted a girl from China with the exact SN as Jia! He was able to tell us all about her care and the things we will be looking forward to with Jia. He was so kind and we felt so lucky to have seen him.
He ordered some lab work and we had to go next door for that. Jia was so brave! She sat on my lap while the lab tech didthe blood draw. At first the stuck Jia on the inside of right elbow. Mommy was almost in tears just dreading what was to come... but it never happened! She didn't even flinch, let alone cry! I think they got 2 viles before her vein collapsed and they weren't able to draw anymore. So she had to try another spot. Little Miss Jia just smiled at her and held up her left arm to be stuck. She did soooo incredibly good! They collected 6 viles in all and not a single tear!
The Dr. in the IA clinic recommended we go ahead and see someone in speech and hearing. He figured we would have to make another trip for that, but he called to check anyway. Turns out, they got us right in that morning after our IA clinic appointment. They talked to us about the BAHA and did a speech and hearing test on Jia. They said all things point to her inner ear being fine and would be a candidate for ear reconstruction at a later age! That's great news! So for now, we will get an appointment with an ENT and proceed with the BAHA.
So things are going great and we are more in love everyday! We're so proud of Jia for all her courage and braveness! Such a wonderful daughter!
Enjoy the 'Gotcha/Forever Family Day' photos!
Joy

New Pictures!

I was cleaning out my inbox today and found a few pictures I hadn't shared! The first 2 are of the day we went fishing at the Harrison Co. Lake with my parents! Jia loved the boat! Actually last week, we attended the annual picnic held by Jack's employer and they give away a ton of prizes... Jia won her own Barbie fishing pole! So I guess Grandpa will have to show her how to use it!

The day after Rock the Light we went to a Balloon Derby with some friends. The kids LOVED it! The balloons were coming in 20 at a time. Poor Jia just kept waving her hand at all of them, there were too many to count!

She sat and waited for a guy to make her a balloon hat and looked absolutely adorable in it! Jory had a balloon bracelet made, but you can hardly see it in the picture.

Anyway.... ENJOY!

Never Forget

Do you remember where you were 8 years ago today?

I do... and I'll never forget.

I have seen something else under the sun:

the race is not to the swift

or the battle to the strong,

nor does food come to the wise

or wealth to the brilliant

or favor to the learned;

but time and chance happen to them all.

Ecclesiastes 9:11

Gods Country

A friend sent me this email at work and I ablsolutely LOVE it so I wanted to share...

A man in Topeka, Kansas decided to write a book about churches around the country. He started by flying to San Francisco and started working East from there.

Going to a very large church, he began taking photographs and making notes.

He spotted a golden telephone on the vestibule wall and was intrigued with a sign, which read "Calls: $10,000 per minute."

Seeking out the pastor he asked about the phone and the sign. The pastor answered that this golden phone is, in fact, a direct line to Heaven and if he pays the price he can talk directly to God.

The man thanked the pastor and continued on his way. As he continued to visit churches in Seattle, Dallas, St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, and many cities and towns all around the United States, he found more phones, with the same sign and the same answer from each pastor.

Finally, he arrived in Missouri, upon entering a church in the beautiful Ozark region of Missouri, behold - he saw the usual golden telephone. But THIS time, the sign read "Calls: 35cents."

Fascinated, he asked the to talk to the pastor. "Reverend, I have been in cities all across the country and in each church I have found this golden telephone and have been told it is a direct line to Heaven and that I could talk to God. But in other churches, the cost was $10,000 a minute! Your sign reads only 35 cents a call. Why??"

The pastor, smiling broadly, replied, "Son, you're in Missouri now... You're in God's country. It's a local call."

American by birth - Missourian by the Grace of God

And why do Missourians go barefoot?

Why when you're in Missouri, you're walking on Holy ground of course!

Happy Birthday to Me!!!!

Saturday we FINALLY got to meet Caiya and parents Aimee and Cary. Jia and Caiya are Maogang sisters and I think Aimee and I met through that Yahoo group. We have talked and emailed for several months and hoped to travel to China at the same time. However, that was not to be! Caiya joined her Forever Family on May 18th and Jia on June 22nd!

We were so excited to hear that Caiya and family were coming to visit family near by and we could finally meet! Caiya will be 2 in November and Jia 4 in January. The girls didn't seem to remember one another, but they would've been in the same orphanage for about a year and a half.

After playing indoors for a while, we moved outside to the fountains! The girls loved it out there!

Jia is a water baby and couldn't resist playing in the fountain!

Here she is still dry, mostly!

Getting a little wetter....

And now we're past the point of no return! Thank Goodness we had a dry change of clothes!

Afterwards we met at the Noodle Factory so they could have a bite to eat before continuing on their journey. Caiya gave Jia the 10 Little Ladybugs book and Aimee was reading it to them.

Goodbye Hugs! Now it's our turn to visit them!

A group shot! The mom's and their girls!

Joy Jia Aimee Caiya

Afterwards we went to Rock the Light at Starlight to see the Newsboys! We went with several of our friends which made it even more of a blast!

Jia was such a rocker chick! She was shakin' it and jumpin' and had the best time!

Afterwards we stopped at Steak N Shake and got to visiting with a youth group next to us. We found out that they were from a town 30 minutes away from us... a huge former football rivalry!

Anyway they had been at Rock the Light too and their church bus a just broke down.

Long story short... the driver prayed the bus would get them to a safe place and help would come. Did I mention that my husband mechanics on the side? He didn't happen to have any tools, but our friend did. So after a few trips to WalMart for parts, we finally got their van going and got home about 2:30 AM!!! It was cool to be an answer to prayer for their driver!

2 Months!

Well, here we are 2 months ago, stepping off the airplane. We've come a looooong way... literally and figuratively!
Jia just changes everyday. Each day reveals more truths about her and her personality. She adds to her vocabulary daily as well.
It just boggles my mind to think it's only been 2 months since she became an American Citizen and since we've been home beginning our life with her. However on the other hand, it feels like it's been forever!




Here's Jia today 2 months later!
She's started daycare now and has a handful of girlfriends already! We picked her up one day and Mrs. Tona said the girls all worked on her hair and put it up like this! She said Jia loved it and even gave them a hug afterwards! So now, she likes to wear her hair like this frequently!
Feels so good to have her home... and so natural! She's certainly a Stotts in all ways! It's hard to remember all those years of waiting! I haven't forgotten, believe me! But they're less and less painful to think back on!