Elorra

Some of this will be repeat news for some of you, but I have a little more time now and wanted to get a message out to more people as well as a few pics if they will attach. We enjoyed our short time in Beijing but it was very cold there. The morning we left it was snowing blankets of beautiful white snow, and it was sticking so there was several inches accumulated. We arrived in Nanchang, the city of our little girl's orphanage, and thought we'd be waiting a day to get her. However, when we got picked up at the airport, our guide informed us that we'd be getting her in just a few hours. What a wonderful surprise. So, we got Bethany yesterday afternoon. She is perfect. After so much apprehension and concern about her transition, she is doing wonderful. We just love her and are very attached to her already and she seems to have the same feelings for us. She is very cute, playful, obedient, a little mischievious, and is already starting to parrot what we say in English. I believe she'll pick up the language quickly. She's so cooperative and easy to care for. It's easy to get her to smile. She eats well and slept well last night, her first night with us. We feel so very blessed to have this precious, adorable child as our daughter. We finished the Chinese side of the adoption procedures today and will wait 5 days for her passport and documents from the notary. Bethany and Jordan are playing well together and she seems to be comfortable with both D and I. I was a bit overwhelmed yesterday evening and wondering what on Earth have we gotten ourselves into. I really had thoughts we were in over our heads. Bethany has made this so easy. She has adapted better than we ever could have imagined. We praise God for this blesssing and answered prayer. I just couldn't have felt any prouder when D prayed over our children last night and Bethany lay there looking up at him not knowing what he was doing or what he was saying but closed her eyes when he was done and was peacefully asleep for the night within minutes. We are enjoying trying to teach Bethany and watching her be amazed at the newness of things. She was told when she was 3 years old that one day she would be adopted. She did not know it would be an American family and she'd get to go to America. She is excited about flying on an airplane and through the Chinese guide has told us that she'd really like to ride a train as well. So, you guessed it, her daddy who really likes trains has promised to take her on a train trip. Bethany is average sized for an almost 6 year old and not small like we expected. She does walk with a limp that gets more profound as the day goes on and she is tired. Other than that she seems very healthy. She really seems to be enjoying herself with us and we pray that when this fairytale she is presently living in becomes reality to her that she will be able to handle it all just as well as she is doing now. She is quick to smile and her smile is very beautiful and infectious. She laughs a lot and is very inquisitive and playful. We are so looking forward to having her at home and teaching her. We are so blessed to have her. I could just go on and on but need desparately to get a nap or at least some down time. Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement. We hope you all will be able to meet this special little girl soon. Much love, E