George Mason - God's Gift!

 Now that we have PA (official pre-approval from the C C A A to adopt), we are free to share the photos of our new son! So adorable! Okay, so I'm biased I know. :) We can't wait to travel to Ch*na to embrace him! We received the very first glimpse of him through an email on October 7, 2010 and in less than a month God has chosen us to be his family!

We are beyond blessed! What a gift!

 He is 15 months old. He is said to be a happy baby and very easy going from the  reports we've been given. We hope to receive updated information after we have completed our dossier and our DTC (dossier to Ch*na).We are updating our home-study and just have a few more things to check off our list before that is completed. Then our agency is sending us the official packet that outlines everything we need for the dossier. Just as quickly as possible, we hope to get everything completed being realistic though as we have three wonderful blessings at home too. :)  The average process time is about 9 months; although, I do know a couple families who were able to complete their process and travel within 4 months! It all depends on how quickly government agencies return documents. Not just Ch*na, but also the good ol' USA with all of its red tape galore. All in God's time. His timing is perfect. :)

The map above shows where his orphanage is located (Jessa's province, Guizhou, is just below his, Sichuan.). He was born in the Sichuan Province of Ch*na in a city called Chengdu. He is currently living in the orphanage in Chengdu and is in the Half the Sky program where he receives one-on-one care from a personal "ayi" - nanny. Half the Sky is providing him with rehabilitation services and therapy as he is missing (from birth) the lower portion of his right arm. We are blessed to have dear friends who adopted a little boy with a similar special need, and their journey inspired me to look into adopting a waiting child with limb differences. Sarah and Chris are amazing parents and their son is thriving in their home! Through their testimony and amazing work for the orphans of the world, after months and months of running from God's calling, I finally found the courage to place my fears in God's hands, and he replaced them with a deep desire to adopt again. Little did I know that it would take us back to Ch*na for a son with a similar special need. :) Just to witness how he orchestrates our lives so that every detail is made perfect through His hands - what else is there to do but PRAISE HIM!

"Located in the west of Sichuan Basin and in the center of Chengdu Plain, Chengdu covers a total area of 12.3 thousand square kilometres (4,749 square miles) with a population of over 11 million. It has a humid subtropical climate and is largely mild and humid. Chengdu is situated at the western edge of the Sichuan Basin and is therefore sheltered from northwest winds from Siberia in winter by the Qinling Mountains to the north; the short winter is milder than in the Lower Yangtze because of the sheltering effect of the Qinling. Snow is rare but there are a few periods of frost each winter. The summer is hot and humid, but not to the extent of the "Three Furnaces" cities of Wuhan, Nanjing, and Chongqing in the Yangtze basin. July and August average around 25 °C (77 °F), with afternoon highs sometimes reaching 33 °C (91 °F). January averages 5.6 °C (42.1 °F). Rainfall is common year-round but peaks in July and August. Chengdu also has one of the lowest sunshine totals in China (less sunshine annually than London), and most days are cloudy and overcast even if without rain. This is especially so in the winter months, when it is typically interminably grey and dreary, compounding the poor air quality. Spring (March-April) tends to be sunnier and warmer than autumn (October-November).

Chengdu, as the capital, is extremely productive. The Min and Tuo Rivers, two branches of the Yangtze River, connected to forty other rivers, supply an irrigation area of more than 700 square kilometres (270.27 square miles) with 150-180 million kilowatts of water. Consisting of abundant mineral resources, the land is extremely fertile. In 2008, the Sichuan province was shaken by a tremendous earthquake that families are still recovering from today. His orphanage was affected, but he was not yet born. The Half the Sky program was instrumental in bringing the little ones every kind of aid imaginable during those months that followed. Since then, they have recovered and are back in the wonderful new facility.

The history of Chengdu can be traced back 2,400 when the first emperor built his capital here and named the city. Through thousands of years its original name has been kept and its position as the capital and as the significant center of politics, commerce and military of the Sichuan area (once called Shu) has remained unchanged. Since the Han (206B.C.-220) and Tang (618-907) Dynasties when its handicraft industry flourished, Chengdu has been famous for its brocades and embroideries.

Shu embroideries still enjoy a high reputation for their bright colors and delicate designs, ranking among the four main embroideries in Ch*na. Chengdu was the place where the bronze culture, an indispensable part of ancient Chinese culture, originated, the place where the Southern Silk Road started, and the place where the earliest paper currency, Jiaozi (not the dumpling!), was first printed. It is listed among the first 24 state-approved historical and cultural cities and owns 23 state and provincial cultural relic units. In addition to its profound historical and cultural background featuring historic places of interest such as the Thatched Cottage of Du Fu , Wuhou Memorial Temple and Wenshu Monastery , etc, natural beauty abounds in surrounding areas such as in the Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area and Huang Long Valley (Yellow Dragon Valley) .

The natural habitat of giant pandas, Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Center , supports the world's only giant panda breeding and research base. Sampling the famous Sichuan cuisine is a must on a trip to Chengdu. Enjoying the food as well as the culture, shopping and having tea at a teahouse afford a deeper understanding of Chengdu.Improved land and airlines extending nationwide provide greater convenience. Chengdu is also the main inland access city to Tibet."

God has filled David and I both with an excitement to go back to Ch*na and explore it with new eyes. Because of Jessa's hard transition, we had such a difficult time embracing the culture and country just because we longed for home so much, but we have a new sense of peace with this calling and we are praying already that God would grant us a peaceful transition and lots of JOY as we travel through our children's birth country. He is faithful!

As we do with all our adoptions, when good news comes from "a distant land" we celebrate with Chinese food for dinner! So yes, I know it isn't the real deal, but still, what better way to REJOICE than to TASTE and SEE that the LORD is GOOD! ♥