Hard stuff from China

When we adopted Joel we became a Chinese American family.  After we visited China and brought our son home we immediately fell in love not just with Joel but also the people of the Republic of China.  We were invested in them.  So now I follow some of the news and hurt when I see that people are killed in a train accident or a young man goes into a school and stabs students.  I hurt when they hurt. 

In January the government of China created something called a "Baby Safe Island" this was a place where children could be safely abandon.  This was to try and keep children safe and many times get them the medical care they needed (and before you place judgment on China here in the United States it is legal to abandon your child at any hospital/police station with no questions asked as long as the child is not harmed). I feel like it is safe to say the country was not prepared for the large numbers of children placed at the islands.  The orphanage that has a one-on-one relationship with the adoption agency we used for Joel received approximately 3 children a day.  After 5 months they suspended the island due to lack of staffing and resources at the orphanage.  There just wasn't enough space, workers and funds for all the new children.  All God's Children helped the orphanage add 2 nannies this year and continues to help through assisting with paperwork, encouragement and prayer.  The goal is to get the government to help with the salaries for these new Nannies that the orphanage has had to hire.  We are so proud of the orphanage staff and how they have rallied to care for these children.  But now what? 

Well, these children will be cared for medically, physically and emotionally to the best of the orphanage staff and social welfare's ability.  They will also follow the protocol to try and find their birth family.  If and when the process of finding the birth family fails then these children will become adoptable.  It has been overwhelming watching this unfold and our hearts break for all of the children.  

God has given me a deep compassion for these children and a desire to have them all a loving forever family and to know the love of our Heavenly Father and be adopted into His family.  I have prayed for each child and for the Nannies that are now charged with their care.  I can only imagine the stress the staff is under as they see the number of children increase so dramatically.  I pray for the birth parents as they have had to make such a hard decision and for many of them this was the only way to give their child hope.  I am overwhelmed but I know this is where I have a choice.  I can either be so overwhelmed with the daunting task that has been presented to me or I can do something.I choose to do something.  I was created to move and move is what I will do.  

Our Agency has asked for help in several areas.

1.     Prayer: Can you pray for China?  Pray for the Children that are in the orphanage. Pray for the orphanage staff.  Pray for the government as they try to figure out a better way.  Pray for the birth parents.  Pray for more families (in country and internationally) to step forward to adopt.

2.     Help in Orphan Care: AGCI provides some orphan care in China. They have been involved in several different projects of the years.  The project depends on the current need. You can follow the link and see the current needs there.

3.     Adopt. Well, you know I was going to go there. The China program with AGCI is currently accepting applications into the program.  This is a hard decision and should not be taken lightly.  I do not think everyone should adopt but I do think everyone should ask themselves, "What should I be doing?" I have looked into the eyes of the fatherless and for Ethan and I the excuses we have to tell children, NO are really not good.

4.     Support Adoption. For those who do not adopt there is still a great need to support adoption.  Families that adopt need to be bathed in prayer, emotional support, and sometimes financial support.  When they bring their child home there are a ton of different ways to support them. Meals brought to them (one of my favorite), gift cards, diapers, prayer, helping out with siblings, more prayer, sweet encouragement through letters, cards, emails and texts and more prayer.

So I think you know where I am going now.  Ethan and I have asked ourselves, "What do you want us to do?", "How do you want us to respond?" and the answer for us is clear and hard.  

We are excited to announce that we are expecting from China!  This is another step in faith.  When bringing Joel home we knew we would probably go back.  We are praying for our child that God has for us, we are asking for His will and not our own.  To answer some of your questions. We have just started this process and we have a way to go.  We are in the special focus program.  We don't have a preference of gender, boy or girl doesn't matter to us.  The kids are super excited.  Ethan and I are nervous. Joel kinda understands.  I am not sure how we will do it.  We will fund raise this time around as well.

• August 8th I will host a Noonday Party where 10% proceeds will go to our adoption.  You can order online with my Noonday ambassador Tesney Davis the Party will be the Blankenship Adoption (I think).

• On August 30th I will have a Boston Butt Sale.  We will be using the same gentleman we used for our last adoption, so you know how good they are.  We are selling them for $30 Get them before they are gone you can email me for information at Karablankenship@hotmail.com with the subject line Boston Butt Fundraiser.

• We have also started a Go Fund Me. Here we can accept donations to our adoption.  

So excited for this journey and to take our family and friends with us.  

    

I remember,

I remember that day.  It was a long day but a day I had been waiting for long time.  I had worked for months to get to this place and here it was 2 am as I slipped out of bed dawned my running gear and headed to the start line.

I was nervous and second guess myself as I realized I was pretty much alone.  I had only meet some of the other Rett Moms just a few days ago.  I found myself crossing the starting line and reminding myself that I can and will do this.  My motto had been "Failure is not an option." I ran the first 7 miles with out stopping.  After a quick pit stop I continued on full of energy and adrenaline.  I was doing this.  I felt great. I will finish.  By mile 11 I could feel it in my calves.  People were slowing down and dodging the masses of people was starting to take it is toll on me.  But my spirit never wavered.  I ran on. I knew that i would be done in approximately 20 minutes but kept on telling myself 30.  I stopped at the 12 mile mark and took my picture and then the last mile.  It was hard and it was getting hot. I was finding that all of this mile was a bottle neck after bottle neck which slowed me down.  I thought about just walking this last little bit but this cast member was clapping and looked me in the eye like she knew where I was and said, "Do you hear that? It is the finish line." She was right if I concentrated I could here the crowd. I could feel the emotions welling up in my throat which makes it very hard to run and breath. I can't stop the tears.  I. HAVE. DONE. IT. It is like a movie in my mind as I think of all of the people who helped me get to this point.  Who gave in honor of Korinna and then I see the finish line, the people and I think of her.  I did this for her.
I find myself at the Girl Power to Cure tent getting my picture made with Korinna's picture.  I look up and see him.  My support, my rock and my partner.  He has brought ALL of the kids to great me.  I hug and the kids remind me that I am sweaty and sticky.  We enjoy the fellowship with other people and families that have been affected with Rett Syndrome.  And this happened. At 0.24-0.35 I am doing everything I can to overcome my emotions and keep my composure.

To the nurse in in Joel's orphanage

I had something else to say. I have been blogging the happenings of Joel's surgery but then we hit a speed bump and as I sat there looking at my miracle on that hospital bed, it all made since and I had something I needed to make right so here I am.

Dear nurse at Joel's orphanage, 

I had no idea what you went through with my son. I lay here tonight gazing at him on a hospital bed covered with wires and it all makes since. 

You see that day I met you in the orphanage I was a little overwhelmed with your emotion over Joel. You cried and grieved over him leaving. You followed me around the orphanage making sure my translator let me know that Joel needed to take his meds and needed another surgery. The lady from the special care unit pulled me aside and shared with me that you were the one who went with him to Shanghi for his 2 surgeries. I was moved by your selflessness but also thought it was a little odd. Let me ask for your forgiveness. I had no idea.

I had no idea what you went through. The waiting alone is mind boggling but coming into a room with that dark headed beauty laying on the bed with wires and tubes everywhere. Medical staff moving around him like a scene out of a made for TV drama. Blood pouring out of tubes. Consulting physicians and the sheer volume of tests. I just didn't realize how much of yourself you gave. You gave him everything. Everything I couldn't and until today while I was moved by it and respected it. I never understood it.

Nurse at Joel's orphanage, there was this moment when the surgeon was summoned and they made a call right there in front of me to take him back to the OR. Something wasn't quiet right and they needed to go back in. You know what?  I was like a deer in headlights. My insides were yelling, No! But all I could do was stare wide eyed. How did you do this!? How did you give it all knowing he was going away? 

Then they returned him AGAIN! And he looked so handsome. Truly a picture of Asian perfection. Those sleeping eyelids, that dark hair, the cheeks, the curve of his chin and strong mouth. I'm sorry I didn't understand your grief that day. I sat there thinking about you tonight. Tonight we took your place. I prayed for you. I grieved for you. I thanked God for you. Because tonight I understood you and tonight you showed me what it was like to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Tonight I realized, and I pray you do to, that you gave me and example of God's lavish love. Giving it away with such reckless abandonment. Just like him giving us His perfect lamb, Jesus.

It has been an incredibly long day. He will wake up soon. I will cry. I have cried all day. But I need you to know that I will lean over and whisper your name in his ear letting him know that you love him. Because without your love I couldn't be here with my son. Without your love I couldn't have learned more about the Father and His love. And for that I am eternally grateful.