Update From Guangzhou, China!

(This was a blog that I tried to send while in Guangzhou, China, last week.)

Hey, Bloggers! I am so sorry for not updating that much, the internet is so difficult to deal with, and we're going a confusing route to blog, but I am trying my best to keep everyone updated! We've had our second full day, here, in Guangzhou! Guangzhou is very interesting, humid, hot, busy, and so far has been a whole lot of fun! We've already made trips to Mcdonalds, explored along the streets not far from our hotel, I'm taking TONS of pictures, we ordered pizza, we're resting, and guess what!? I found a STARBUCKS! We are staying at this INSANE hotel and it is so big and high tech....it's crazy. This evening, we went on the Pearl River cruise! It was amazing and the lights were so pretty! Today has been a week that we've had our Sophia! You will never believe how much she has improved in just a week's time. It's amazing what being loved for just one week will do to a person. It is so amazing what love can do. Sophia is starting to make out words! She
normally just makes a noise that's kind of like, "Aiyiyiyiyiyi!" if you can make that out! Haha! But, she is starting to say, "Hi," while she waves...she is starting to call Mom, "Ma," she sometimes says, "Dada," for Dad. She is very loud, she screams when she's excited and when she's mad or sleepy. She is so hilarious.... she keeps us laughing so hard! She makes the funniest faces. And her laugh....oh, her laugh! In a week, we have seen her become so happy! Her laugh is the sweetest sound. Sometimes, she laughs so much that she can't stop and she just buries her face in her lap, just laughing away. It is, by far, the most beautiful thing ever. She has really clung to Mom! She loves her Momma! When we first got her, she would only go to Mom (even still, she prefers her haha) but she is starting to come to Dad and I. I was very sad at first, when she didn't have anything to do with me. Mainly because everyone kept asking if she remembered me or if it was
just like it was a year ago...but it wasn't. It was a precious moment when we were reunited again and when Mom and Dad got to hold her and meet her for the first time...but those first few days were very hard. For her and for us. She is still adjusting, but she is doing so well now. And each day, she becomes a little closer to me again. A couple of days ago, she started reaching for me, wanting me to hold her....even though it was just only for a few seconds! Haha But, she likes for me to hold her longer now, sometimes. And, today, she let me rock her to sleep for the first time! I held her and we took a nap, this afternoon.... I was so happy that I cried a little bit. She slept for about an hour and a half. (She has good days if she has a nap!) She is a girly girl! Sophia is in love with shoes and having her hair done! She will often bring the hairbrush to us, wanting us to fix her hair. And anytime she sees shoes, on they go! She loves dresses and
hair pretties. We think that her color is yellow! She looks the best in yellow! Sophia rode on her first plane on Saturday! And she did wonderful!! She was so good! Also, I asked for prayer on Facebook earlier today because she was having her visa photo taken, a medical exam, and a TB test. Even though I can't read the comments or even really know for sure if my status update posted (via text message) I still know people were praying. And we prayed specifically for that.... we know that prayer works and that our Father is good.... Sophia did such an incredible job this morning with everything! She was so good and cooperative! Praise our Father! And we thank you for the prayers!

Aside from our Sophia and all of the stories that follow, we are having a great time in China! I, mostly, am loving it. I am so happy to be back. It was so good to be back in Luoyang last week and to see friends and babies whom I love so dearly! It is so good to experience the smell again...the good smells along with the bad! I've learned to cherish it all! Haha Even though I love China a whole lot, I am missing home a lot. Mom and Dad especially are. I miss my brothers a lot. We got to skype them all last night and the night before! It was great to see their faces and to hear their voices! Caleb also skyped us while he was in Sunday School at church yesterday morning! So, we got to see some of our church family's faces! So good! We have been on so many adventures and I can't wait to tell you all these stories! Even though I can't blog that much or share everything on Facebook, I have journaled pretty much everything so that I will never forget anything
on this crazy adventure.

Please pray for us for the rest of the week - for safety, health, adjusting, staying energized, handling important paperwork, and for Sophia to continue to do well (mentally and physically) and to bond with us. Tomorrow morning, we are going to the Guangzhou Zoo! There will be panda bears!! I am super excited! And on Wednesday, we will visit the Pearl Market and do some shopping! I am pumped to find some bargains and some cool things to bring back home! Thursday is our Consulate Appointment and that is a big day. We ask for prayer for that day! And this weekend, we will travel to Hong Kong and on Sunday we go HOME. :) We appreciate all of the prayers and encouragement and for your love to us. Thank you for loving us! Have a wonderful week, everyone! I will try to update again as soon as possible!

-Emily

An Small Update From China!

Bloggers!!!!!! It is so good to be on Internet! We are in Zhengzhou, China, where it is hard to be on the Internet where we're at.....this is on an iPad right now so i cannot type much. But I just wanted to send a short update! This is our third day with our sweet Sophia Grace...she is such a joy. I'm so happy that we are finally together again and that she is with us, safe and sound! Yesterday was a hard day for all of us, while on the road for a long time, but she is doing better today....way better. We would definitely appreciate your prayers for us for the next week and a half, all of us! On another note, zhengzhou is awwweesommmeee!!! And we took a road trip to Luoyang yesterday which was fun. The way there wasn't though haha, it was long to drive. But we ate at a duck restaurant which I ate at last year with my Show Hope group and it was awesome, I was happy that my parents got to experience it. It was delicious! We also got to visit the orphanage that Sophie lived at for a couple of months and we also visited Maria's Big House Of Hope! That was good for me. My parents had the blessing of experiencing that kind of hope for the first time....it was good to see the babies that I knew last year, for Sophie's old Nannies to see her with her new family, I was happy to see workers and nurses and very special friends, Abby and Dan, who became my good friends in China last year! It was good to see them...so refreshing. Sophie's nannies were so happy to see her, it was joyful! We took a walk down the street to McDonald's here in Zhengzhou, this evening! It was very interesting and beautiful! Sophie loves to ride in her stroller, she is perfectly content with riding and watching everything. Next week, we will be in Guanzhou, so hopefully we will have Internet by ourselves and I can upload pictures and write more, I have a lot to say and many pictures to share! More stories to come hopefully! Please keep the prayers coming! Thank you all!! :) -Emily

Today Marks A Year

  Today marks a year. One full year since I've seen my sister, held her in my very own arms, kiss her chubby cheeks, rubbed her dark, textured hair....shared smiles and tears with her.....it been a year.
  My heart hurts so badly because I want her here....I have wanted her here ever since I first start praying to God for her...before I knew her. It has been such a long, hard journey...roller coasters...whirlwinds...it's been a crazy year, a crazy life, for that matter. But, in all of this,, I've learned that God promises good to those who wait..who wait on HIM and for HIS plans for us.
  Just an hour ago, Mom and I were in Sophie's room again, beginning to pack, when the mailman came to our home with a package... I walked out to greet him, took the package, walked back inside just to find out that our visas had come! Each passport for all 3 of us had come all ready to use. My heart raced with joy and tears started to form in my eyes when I realized.......today is the 12th. Of June. Today marks a year.

  I read back in my journal of this day last year, and I know that I've shared the exact stories from this day. But, I still can't get over the very last thing I wrote that day.... "Today, while I was rubbing her face and dark, textured hair... I accidentally called her Sophie."
  No accident. That's God.
  Also, I remember the promise that I made to her exactly a year ago... As she sat there with her mouth hung open, flipping my bracelets at me, I whispered a promise...that I would try my absolute hardest to come back to her.

  Today is  a very significant day in my life. And 6 more days until I get to see that precious face again!!!!!!!! I can hardly wait... I still cannot fathom God's goodness. So so good.

  Thank you for your prayers, everyone! God is providing and we are doing well with our preparing. :) So excited for this adventure!!!
  -Emily

GOOD NEWS!

 Eh-ehm. Ladies and gentlemen… I would like everyone’s attention, please. I have an announcement to make! In case you didn’t already know this, I would like for you to know that my God is wonderful! He has strategically planned out our adoption and carefully organized each detail. I am extremely happy tp announce that my parents and I are leaving for CHINA NEXT FRIDAY!!!!!!!!! We will have our Sophie in our arms on June 18th!

 Today is special for many reasons, as you already know the obvious one. But, what you might not know is today marks an entire year since I met my sweet sister, Sophia Grace. One year ago, I had no idea that a year from then, I would be rejoicing with my family over an email telling me that I was going BACK to get her.  I know I wanted to, though!
 God has performed huge miracles since a year ago. I can’t even believe that it’s been that long ago…  But, even though we were NOT matched before I met her, even though my family hadn’t even considered international adoption before then,  even though I only knew her name and that was all….I knew that I had to go back and get her.
 I can remember walking in her room at MBHOH….seeing her run right up to me….I can remember the way she looked at me curiously and never took her eyes off of me. I can remember June 6, 2011 so well… My entire world flipped around.
 As soon as I left her room after spending time with her, I ran up to where I slept and where all of my things were, I pulled out my journal and since I was in a hurry, all I wrote was this, “I found her. I found my sister. June 6, 2011” God is crazy awesome.

 The next day, I sent an email to my parents, telling them about “Franky.” After sharing our moments together and about her personality and everything, I wrote, “Pray for Franky. And really be considering adopting her. I know it can work.”

  I have chills. Tears of happiness. In twelve days, I will see her precious face again. She will meet her Mommy and Daddy. I can’t fathom how real this is…it still feels like a dream.

Prayer Requests:
 Please keep our family in your prayers. Pray for travel safety. Pray for health for all 4 of us while we are in China. Pray that Sophia bonds with and adjusts to us well. Pray that we get everything we need there securely. Pray for the boys as they stay home (Caleb, Samuel, and Isaac << we are now officially calling our little guys by their new names!). Pray that they will stay safe while still here and that everyone will bond well once we’re all together. Also, the biggest one right now, pray that money comes in. We are still in need of money…a scary amount for needed in a week…. It is scary but God has brought us this far and I know that He will provide. Pray that we will keep our faith!!

 Thank you all…SO MUCH….for loving my family so well. We appreciate all of the prayers!

Emily

Happy Birthday. Kadin and Brodee!

 These two weeks have become super special to the Edwards family! Last week (5/15/12) was Brodee’s 4^th birthday and Kadin’s 5^th birthday is this week (5/24/12)!  Most people think that they are twins, but, they’re almost 1 year apart!

 June 18^th, of last year, these little guys came to stay with my family. It was originally for foster care. I can’t say that any of us knew, in our hearts, that it was meant to be; the first couple of months that they were with us were extremely rough.
 It was the Saturday after I came back from China… We met Kadin and Brodee exactly 11 days after I met Sophie and they came to live with us exactly 4 days after I came home from China. You may call us crazy, go ahead.

 Like I said, the first couple of months were very difficult. It wasn’t until mid-August of last year that my family felt that it was God’s will that they become a part of our family and that is when we decided to start the process to adopt our little boys.
 They have been with us for 11 months now, and I cannot express how good God has been to us. He has performed huge miracles through Kadin and Brodee! God has proved to us that HE is all powerful, all knowing, strong, and faithful. He is a good Father to His children and finds favor in bringing Kadin and Brodee into our lives.

 To celebrate the lives of these young guys, we had cake, ice cream, presents, and our family at Mamaw Lucy’s house, yesterday afternoon. They were so excited about their “par-tay” J

Happy 5th Birthday, Kadin!

Happy 4th Birthday, Brodee!

The Fight To Do Good

 I type out this opening with a burden on my heart. Lots of them, actually. Big ones.

 More every day, something that I find is important is doing good. I find it to be hard…so hard. Everyone can absolutely relate to that, I am sure of. Doing good is not easy on any level. It requires lots of strength, lots of passion. I think, as Christians, we should have a burning desire to do good in the sight of the Lord.

I’m sixteen years old. I am home schooled, so, yes, I am sheltered. Probably more than others. But, I am associated with the Enemy, the world, and all of the problems that follow from there. It is a choice that I, as a Christian, have to make to do good. To say good things. To act in a good manner. To show good things.
 Like everyone, I fail. So many times. Over and over again. It isn’t an easy way to go, trying to choose to do good. I am tempted constantly. Strength is required on this journey to stand strong against the push to do wrong.
 It is easy to often want to just push away your morals and to live on your own free will, just once, at least. We get tired of staying strong against temptation when fitting in is so fun. It is easy to let down your guard against evil. It is easy to follow into wrong things, because at the moment, it feels good…it’s fun…who really cares, right? I know that it’s easy.

 In the past couple of months, I have been told these words by Christ-honoring mothers: “I want my daughter to be like you when she is your age.” Those are strong words and I choose to keep them in my mind at all times.
 We are being watched. Even when you don’t realize it, we are being listened to. Christians, we are being heard.
 The thought of actually having these young girls being like me when they are soon this age has rocked my world. The thought has caused me to examine myself, to watch myself, to listen to myself, to hear myself… If these young girls who are watching me are going to follow me, then I MUST take a stand against evil. I MUST build my strength to resist the temptation to follow the world. I MUST fight to keep a clean mind and a pure heart because my outward appearance completely reflects the inward part of me. I shall NEVER give up in the fight to do good.

 Galatians 6:9 tells us, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” In a side-note in my Bible, it says, “Always getting picked on for being the “good girl”? Going against the flow can get tiring. Now’s not the time to give up though - the harvest is just ahead.”
 Earlier in chapter 6, it says, “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
 Those words from God are so powerful. So mighty and so motivating.

 I realize that I speak for all Christians when I talk about temptation to do wrong. I am fully aware of the sinful nature that we are all born with. But, as children of God, we were not meant to form to the world and to be a part of the sin inside. We were created to stand OUT from the crowd and to shine our light to the darkness of the earth. Britt Nicole said, “When we look different and carry something different, people are going  to see that and want it, too.”

 It’s a long and hard journey. But, do not let yourself become weary; take a stand against evil… Fight for the strength and passion to do good for our great God. The eternal reward in doing good is much greater than the temporary pleasure in doing wrong.

-Emily

Eleven Months And A Special Prayer Request!

 May 12, 2012.....
 Every time the 12th of each month comes around, I am reminded of a certain day in a certain place with a certain girl.

 Today, it has been 11 months since I said goodbye to my precious little Sophie.

 I can still remember the pain that I felt... The heaviness of my heart, the tightness in my throat, the salty tears that streamed down my face as I walked away, in fear that I would never see her again.
 But, my God is greater and stronger. My God wants that little girl home to her family, in Indiana. My God will perform miracles to get her here.
 He is, He does, He has, and He still will.

 I am eternally and completely thankful that the pain in goodbye has turned into joy, that we pray so so hard that in one month, we hope to be IN China WITH our Sophie. Please pray with us. We need all that we can get. Please pray and believe! "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark 11:24

 Also, I will be speaking at Metamora Bible Baptist's Mother/Daughter banquet, this evening! Please please pray for my heart, peace. And that I will speak the exact words that God would have those ladies to hear. I am very excited and hopeful for great things to come out of it!

 Thank you, everyone, for loving my family. And stretching your love all the way to Luoyang, China. Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, everything.
 Have a great, wonderful weekend!

-Emily