Grace's first swim
Most of our adoption group left early this morning. We said our goodbyes last night after our last meal together, and then we hit the hay. Grace woke up at 7:00am, and Sharon was able to coax her back to sleep until about 9:00am.
After a leisurely breakfast, Sharon and I tag teamed 90 minute massages. While we sat with our feet soaking in a hot concoction of water of some other dark elixir, they worked on our neck, back, and arms. After thirty minutes of this, they worked on our feet - thirty minutes per leg. It was a little bit of heaven, and all for ten bucks each. This massage was not only thirty minutes longer and ten dollars cheaper than our massage in Nanchang, it was much better in quality. Sharon did make the comment that a daily massage like this for about one week would probably cure all that ails her.
(Sharon) As Pat got his massage I walked around with Grace doing a little bit of picture taking, sightseeing, shopping, and searching for a shop Jaime Cook told me about where she met someone she felt was a true believer. After several attempts to find her shop this week and even more wrong side streets today, I finally came across her shop. She greeted me with a smile, and yes, Jaime, remembered you well! She asked, "Are you a Christian too?" and from there we sprung into a wonderful conversation. She lit up with joy to know I was a believer and in broken English told me that she prays every day for God to bring her believers. She said that every day He does! I was her first that day and she was sad I didn't have more days there to fellowship with her (I was too). She said she has been a Christian for just 5 years and couldn't believe I had been a Christian for 40. She said that lately she has really been learning so much because she is reading her Bible every day and is amazed that more and more comes to life for her. I told her that it will always be that way - that the word of God will continue to teach you and show you new things and that this never stops. She showed me her Bibles. One was in English and she said it is hard, very hard to understand. I scanned through it and even recited the Old Testament books in song which cracked her up. It is from Genesis to Revelation. I asked how she learns and how she is taught and she said, "Through emails!" She then pointed to her computer screen and showed me how many people write to her. She gave me her email address and took mine as well. She said "It is very hard because I am only christian in my family." I asked if they don't like it and she shook her head sadly "no". But her husband, who is also not a Christian, is starting to go to the church with her (the one pictured below) and she says, "not a Christian - yet! I keep praying!!" I asked, "Is it hard to get Bibles?" and she said, "Oh no, the church has LOTS of Bibles to give!" I bought things from her (how could I not!) and hurried to reach my rendevous with Pat. Can I understand these stories from the past two days and meld them with the books I have read and what I know to be true from the Voice of the Martyrs? No, but I know that when I hugged Judy good-bye (picture is below), I know that my soul bore witness of the spirit. Oh, and yes, I did ask her, too, how we could pray for her and she said, "That we be kept safe from bad things and harm." I'll leave you to ponder these events as well and to pray, pray for our brothers and sisters in China. Some who are in peril, and some who may find themselves in peril some day as they grow closer to our Lord and shine His light.
(PAT) When Sharon returned from her massage we took Grace for her first swim. The pool was beautiful, and Grace LOVED her time in the pool. She leaned back, smiled a lot, and was nonplussed when her face got wet. Swimming is a very important part of the Fitzpatrick culture, so we were pleased that she fit in swimmingly.
It is hard to believe that just two weeks ago Grace was waking up in a different crib (or box) to the smells and sounds of her foster home without any notion that her life would turn upside down. A long bus ride with five other babies, a chorus of crying babies in the gotcha room, and then, as if by magic, she becomes a Fitzpatrick.
Our five children are a true blessing to us, and we look forward to being reunited with our four older boys. This adoption journey is as much theirs as it is ours, and it would have been wonderful to have them with us here. But short of this, we, and they, look forward to Friday night - their own "gotcha" moment. We also look forward to the rest of our life together with Grace. While I am writing this, the movie "Twins" with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Devito is playing in the background. Arnold's character, Julius, finds out when he is in his thirties that he has a twin brother, and he journeys to America to find him. He finds him in a prison and breaks the news that they are brothers. He also tells him that he loves him. This struck me in a new way this time because, like Julius, we fell in love with Grace even before we were matched with her, and her brothers can't wait to express their love for her in person.
We are going to retire early tonight. It's 9:30pm and Grace is down for the evening. We wake at 5:00am to begin our journey home. Pray for us - that God gives us stamina and that Grace does well. In all, we will be traveling for 25.5 hours (including layovers). But, as one of Sharon's childhood friends used to say, "we can handle anything that is temporary." We hope that those sitting around us will adopt the same mantra.
This is our last blog while in China. Thank you all for following along, for praying us through it, for crying and laughing and smiling right along with us. We are thankful beyond words that you have joined in our joy, and we are thankful to God that he has given us Grace for the journey. You have been true friends indeed!
God bless,
Pat (and Sharon)
After a leisurely breakfast, Sharon and I tag teamed 90 minute massages. While we sat with our feet soaking in a hot concoction of water of some other dark elixir, they worked on our neck, back, and arms. After thirty minutes of this, they worked on our feet - thirty minutes per leg. It was a little bit of heaven, and all for ten bucks each. This massage was not only thirty minutes longer and ten dollars cheaper than our massage in Nanchang, it was much better in quality. Sharon did make the comment that a daily massage like this for about one week would probably cure all that ails her.
(Sharon) As Pat got his massage I walked around with Grace doing a little bit of picture taking, sightseeing, shopping, and searching for a shop Jaime Cook told me about where she met someone she felt was a true believer. After several attempts to find her shop this week and even more wrong side streets today, I finally came across her shop. She greeted me with a smile, and yes, Jaime, remembered you well! She asked, "Are you a Christian too?" and from there we sprung into a wonderful conversation. She lit up with joy to know I was a believer and in broken English told me that she prays every day for God to bring her believers. She said that every day He does! I was her first that day and she was sad I didn't have more days there to fellowship with her (I was too). She said she has been a Christian for just 5 years and couldn't believe I had been a Christian for 40. She said that lately she has really been learning so much because she is reading her Bible every day and is amazed that more and more comes to life for her. I told her that it will always be that way - that the word of God will continue to teach you and show you new things and that this never stops. She showed me her Bibles. One was in English and she said it is hard, very hard to understand. I scanned through it and even recited the Old Testament books in song which cracked her up. It is from Genesis to Revelation. I asked how she learns and how she is taught and she said, "Through emails!" She then pointed to her computer screen and showed me how many people write to her. She gave me her email address and took mine as well. She said "It is very hard because I am only christian in my family." I asked if they don't like it and she shook her head sadly "no". But her husband, who is also not a Christian, is starting to go to the church with her (the one pictured below) and she says, "not a Christian - yet! I keep praying!!" I asked, "Is it hard to get Bibles?" and she said, "Oh no, the church has LOTS of Bibles to give!" I bought things from her (how could I not!) and hurried to reach my rendevous with Pat. Can I understand these stories from the past two days and meld them with the books I have read and what I know to be true from the Voice of the Martyrs? No, but I know that when I hugged Judy good-bye (picture is below), I know that my soul bore witness of the spirit. Oh, and yes, I did ask her, too, how we could pray for her and she said, "That we be kept safe from bad things and harm." I'll leave you to ponder these events as well and to pray, pray for our brothers and sisters in China. Some who are in peril, and some who may find themselves in peril some day as they grow closer to our Lord and shine His light.
(PAT) When Sharon returned from her massage we took Grace for her first swim. The pool was beautiful, and Grace LOVED her time in the pool. She leaned back, smiled a lot, and was nonplussed when her face got wet. Swimming is a very important part of the Fitzpatrick culture, so we were pleased that she fit in swimmingly.
It is hard to believe that just two weeks ago Grace was waking up in a different crib (or box) to the smells and sounds of her foster home without any notion that her life would turn upside down. A long bus ride with five other babies, a chorus of crying babies in the gotcha room, and then, as if by magic, she becomes a Fitzpatrick.
Our five children are a true blessing to us, and we look forward to being reunited with our four older boys. This adoption journey is as much theirs as it is ours, and it would have been wonderful to have them with us here. But short of this, we, and they, look forward to Friday night - their own "gotcha" moment. We also look forward to the rest of our life together with Grace. While I am writing this, the movie "Twins" with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Devito is playing in the background. Arnold's character, Julius, finds out when he is in his thirties that he has a twin brother, and he journeys to America to find him. He finds him in a prison and breaks the news that they are brothers. He also tells him that he loves him. This struck me in a new way this time because, like Julius, we fell in love with Grace even before we were matched with her, and her brothers can't wait to express their love for her in person.
We are going to retire early tonight. It's 9:30pm and Grace is down for the evening. We wake at 5:00am to begin our journey home. Pray for us - that God gives us stamina and that Grace does well. In all, we will be traveling for 25.5 hours (including layovers). But, as one of Sharon's childhood friends used to say, "we can handle anything that is temporary." We hope that those sitting around us will adopt the same mantra.
This is our last blog while in China. Thank you all for following along, for praying us through it, for crying and laughing and smiling right along with us. We are thankful beyond words that you have joined in our joy, and we are thankful to God that he has given us Grace for the journey. You have been true friends indeed!
God bless,
Pat (and Sharon)
The Island's State church around the corner from the White Swan
A peek inside
Shamian Island Christian Church
The White Swan Hotel is home to a number of expensive pieces of art
The White Swan and Island Sites
Sights around the White Swan on our last day
