It's here! It's really here!

OH MY HENNA! He will never cease to amaze me! As I entered into this adoption, my time frame has NEVER been the same as His! Why should it amaze me that I received my REFERRAL ACCEPTANCE (RA)papers in less than 4 weeks? Yes, you read that correctly...my REFERRAL ACCEPTANCE is here! For those of you not familiar in the adoption community, The RA is the next piece of paper I needed for my adoption! Some agencies will call this a Letter of Acceptance (LOA). They are the same thing. It was supposed to take 1-3 months after I received my Pre-approval. NOPE! God decided He wanted to do it sooner! Woohoo! In about 3 weeks time He did it. The next step is waiting for my travel approval. I don't have papers in front of me because I am sitting in an airport in Seoul, South Korea waiting for my plane to take me home but I think it is now 2-6 weeks to wait for my Travel Approval (TA) and then about 2 weeks until I travel.

Here is your part in all of this. PR*Y! PR*Y long! PR*Y hard! PR*Y without ceasing that all the money I need comes in. He is sooooooooo good that I know He already has this all worked out. I was hoping to be able to work 6 weeks of summer school to raise the money but He may have a different plan. I am hoping that all of this testifies too all of His power and His greatness as we trust in Him and walk where He wants us to especially when the world looks at us and says we are crazy. Crazy for giving up a job that pays almost 10 times what I am making in Ch*na...Crazy for giving up job security...Crazy for not having health insurance (which may be different now that I will have a daughter)...just plain CRAZY for going to Ch*na when you are alone and no one there to support you emotionally. I have seen Him do miracles at Shepherd's Field Children's Village and I believe He can do a miracle financially in my adoption! Just keep on pr*ying! I am thankful for all my prayer warriors out that! I couldn't have done all that He did through me this year without you behind me. You are like the people left back in the camp when Joshua went out for battle. Thank you for your continued support. I can't wait until I find out when I can finally post a picture of her on here for all of you to see!

Children's Day

Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. Matthew 18:5

June 1st is Children's Day in Ch*na. It is as big as Mother's Day is in the states! People go all out to celebrate! Our children were going to celebrate too! Each one of them is a gift from above and they were going to know that! Needless to say...celebrating with 250 adults and 175 children is not a simple matter. It takes lots of planning and lots of people to put it together. Fortunately, we had Dawn Choate's team, the Benslay family, Sally Lockett of Portion for Orphans and Janelle and Jeff Cater here to help. We spent the day blowing up pools and pool toys, washing tables and chairs and made some potato salad from 50 potatoes. In the evening, we made 230 hamburgers, cut almost 400 rolls, and peeled/cut 100 potatoes for more potato salad.

Potato salad and jiao zi central started first thing in the morning. One thousand jiao zi were made! I was blessed to be able to use our new kitchen with the Shepherd's Field chef! I don't think he knows what to think of me yet but he will get used to me by next year!

Dawn and Shepherd's Field Cook

Throughout this year, I have spent plenty of time in the Baker's kitchen. Xiao Wang, one of the Baker's ayis (nannies) is used to me and my American food. She and I spent the time making some deviled eggs and the rest of the potato salad.

Xiao Wang and I

While we were cooking, the children sang for all our staff and guests. We had over 350 people on the grounds today celebrate children. Teacher Wangs students did an awesome job. The children were dressed in their best and looked adorable, from the youngest to the oldest.

Ginger

Emily, Margaret and Luke

Tristan

Cole

Grace

Tiffany (Mei Mei)

Christina

Teacher Zhang's students

Kathy, Anya, Joy, Fiona, Jerak Robbins and Elizabeth

Teacher Wang's students join the group

(L to R) Christina, Joy, Fiona, Jerak Robbins, Elizabeth

(L to R)Anya, Kathy, Timothy (L to R) Gregg, Jamison, Joseph, Seth

There are so many pictures I want to post but there isn't enough room! Check me out on Facebook.com. Friend me (Dawn Rittenhouse) to see more pictures. These children are truly a gift. They do embody His unconditional love. Come one day and meet them. Better yet, adopt one and take them home as your own child!

Good Morning

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up. Psalm 5:3


Hearing the voice of the one that you love first thing in the morning is such a sweet sound. I imagine that is how our voices sound to Him every day. What a gift we have to be able to have a G*d that loves us enough that He wants to talk to us.

I hear Him everyday too! I start my morning off by hearing Him in the children here at Shepherd's Field Children's Village. What a gift! My apartment is directly across from Samaritan's House and first thing in the morning, one ayi (nanny) loves to take her children with her as she gets food from the kitchen or brings the trash out. As a speech therapist, you know any one who is really helping children's language to grow by how they talk to the children and how the children imitate them. This is what I hear every morning with this nanny. When the puppies were outside, I would here her say "xiao gou" (meaning small dog) and Zephaniah, Emily, and Margaret would be repeating it right back. It brings a smile to may face, even though it is happening at 5:30 in the MORNING right outside my window while I am trying to bury myself deeper under my covers. Any of you who know me well know I love my sleep and mornings are challenging to me! G*d has a funny sense of humor as He does these things! I just wanted to share with you what I woke up to this morning outside my window.

Zephaniah (tricycle) and Luke (red car)

Adrian (blue and white car), Mei Mei (Tiffany),
Tristan (in orange) and Ginger on the potty

Who says potty training has to occur inside? :) Have potty, will travel!

One of my latest tasks I have chosen to do first thing in the morning is to take care of an abandoned kitten. This one was abandoned last Sunday and it was not ready to be without a mother. I have been feeding it formula with an eye dropper.

For a few days, it started to take in more and more food and was doing well. Over the past two days it has started to deteriorate...probably the reason the mother abandoned it. I don't expect it will make it through the day as its breathing is slow and labored. Many have asked "Why do you feed it? Why don't you just let nature take it's course?" This is the reason why.

This is Ling Ling. She is 16 and comes over daily to check on the puppies and the kittens. She helps me feed them and she in turn gets some unconditional love right back. Isn't that why many of us have pets?

Ling Ling and Obi Wan

I made a rules for the boys. We don't name any of the "orphaned" pets anymore. This means they are ours. Our daily pr*yer when we get new "orphans" is that the puppies and kittens get homes. He answered the one for the puppies. The kittens may be going to an pet shop in Shunyi later next week as I will be heading home for the summer soon. Until then, Ling Ling will help me by giving them love, food and some attention.

Ling Ling and I

I am so thankful for my time with Ling Ling. She is precious. The older girls here have a hard time with her as she is a little sister mentally yet in a teenager's body. I love that about her. She just loves life to the fullest! She finds joy in the little things, such as riding tricycles that don't fit her, riding bikes with a broken seat and figuring out a way to do it because it is her favorite one or coming over to check on the liang ge xiao gou (2 puppies)and wu ge xiao mao (5 kittens) as soon as school is done for the day. Her smile always brightens my day. May you too come to love the Ling Lings in your own life.

Jade

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." Romans 8:15

Many mothers have certain things she pr*ys for before she has her child in her arms. I can say that I have several. My latest is for her vision. As an albino, she will have vision problems. I do not know the extent but I do know she will have them. My pr*yer is that she will be able to see her mama's face and see how much I love her. I also want her to "see" Him in me.

All along, I have always pr*yed that someone would come to see her before she came to me that would love her with His love. I was given that opportunity as I visited 3 precious little girls in Jianjin. I shared His love with them and pr*yed over them before they were placed in their families. I now have shared pictures with their forever families. I desire that too for my little one.

A few days ago, a women named Erin came here to visit a team from Florida. As Erin and I spoke, I shared with her that my daughter was from the city she works in. She told me that she knew a woman who spends time at that orphanage. I emailed her. Guess what? He hears the desires of our heart! He sent someone to spend time with her! My daughter is said to be "very, very, very lovey! She loves to hug and NOT let go." Sounds like she has "touch" as her love language too! I can't wait to be the one that she is hugging but I am glad that He sent someone to her before she is mine to love her! Wow! That is how much He loves each one of us! He wants to fulfill all our dreams, wrap them up in the prettiest of boxes and hand deliver them to us when we least expect it! This is as good if not better than an update from the orph*nage!

I am so glad that someone else has been hugging my daughter for me. I need to ask you a favor though. For those of you who have adopted children...there are many days and years that you didn't get to hug your child. Hug them an extra time today...hug them just a little bit longer today...help to take away and replace those hugless days with all the hugs you have for them now. If you have children...hug them...hug them lots...hug them long and lovingly. Let them know how much they mean to you. We often think children know how much we love them but tell them that you do anyways. They may just be needing to hear it.

Gifts

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. James 1:17

I started my day off wonderfully. I was able to sleep in because today is a holiday in China. Of course, there is always way too much going on outside my windows for me to sleep much past 7: the fan starting in the kitchen around 5 am, ayis coming over to get the food, ayis bringing the garbage over, the gate guard who goes for a walk and sings. :) It's all good. I was up but I didn't want to take a shower right away so I went to check my email. I started out with such exciting news.

I stared down at the list and saw two people wanted to know more about my house. If I am to return here next year, I need to find new tenants. For those of you who are my pr*yer warriors, please be pr*ying for me to get the right tenants. I also need a home for my two cats. Anyways, I was so excited to know that two people wanted to know about my house. As a matter of fact, my mom is showing one of them the house later today. Those were two things that continue to give me hope even if they don't decide to rent the house. That started my day off praising Him and put a big smile on my face.

Then I scrolled back a little further in my email. My jaw hit the floor. I leaned in closer just to make sure I was reading it correctly. I got an email from my family coordinator at AWAA with the subject title "PA HAS ARRIVED"! For those of you in the adoption community you know what this is but let me fill the rest of you in. This is the FIRST paper you need from China that says they are considering you for a specific special needs child. This one tells you that they have preapproved you for your child. Yes, check one! Jade is one step closer to coming home to rest in her mama's arms. I was floored! My agency told me that since my paperwork has already gone through the review room that it was possible that I could get my PA as soon as the beginning of June. Last I checked...it's not June yet! Twenty one days and I received my PA! Woohoo! Thank you G*d! I love how you love me and I love how you long to give the fatherless a home. The day is coming soon that my daughter will no longer have to be known as an orphan. I know she is already mine though she doesn't even know I exist. I can't wait for the day that I can send her a little care package with pictures of me in there. I can't wait to show her all the love that I have been saving up for her! He has been busy making me into the woman I needed to be so I could be the best mom for her. This in itself would have made my day wonderful, but He didn't stop here!

Friends of mine are in the process of moving back to the states after living here for 7 years. Their children range in age from 15 years to 15 months. They have six children and just fostered a little girl who is only a few weeks older than my daughter is. I went over to visit them and they walked me through the house to see what I needed. They blessed me BEYOND measure! I have a highchair, clothes, shoes, a chalkboard easel, playdough, tinkertoys, bouncy balls, arts and crafts things, a special needs Mr. Potato Head (he's missing some parts), a Christmas Tree, Duplo blocks, musical instruments, a child's sized chair/table set and the list goes on. I suddenly got overwhelmed while there. I cried tears of joy on Renee's shoulder. He heard my heart. I never realized until that moment that I had wondered what I would be able to afford to buy for her once I got her home. What would we play with? I kept thinking of all the things I had in the states and wondered if I would be able to bring them back with me. He heard all those thoughts, those questions but never once did I ask HIM to provide them for me. Ye of little faith...I love that He knew what I needed, heard my heart and gave them to me anyways. I can't wait to get playdough stuck in the carpet! I can't wait to stub my toe on her stuff in her room that I forgot to put away before I put her to sleep. I can't wait to draw on the chalk board with her. I can't wait to feed her in her highchair as she wonders "what is this food she is feeding me? Where's the rice?". What an amazing gift today was. Thank you L*rd that every good and perfect gift does come from you. You are providing for me and her in ways that I never dreamed of. Thank you for loving the two of us that way!

Race Day

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; [and] they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

Last week, Zack decided that he wanted to race the girls in the office. This was a major accomplishment for Zack. Zack tends to follow his twin brother's ideas and often doesn't trust his own ideas. Last week, Nate was home sick for three days. It was during that time that Zack came up with this idea. I told him that if he wanted to do this, he was going to have to ask the girls to do this. He was game. This brings joy to my heart. When I started here in September, Zack didn't say much. He has alot of sound errors that cause his intelligibility to be effected. At times, this will also effect his confidence when talking to others.

He decided who he wanted to ask. We went over to the office and I "spoon fed" him the words that he needed to say to ask each of them. His and Nate's two favorite office girls are Sara and Shelby. He likes to joke around with them, almost like he would with his sisters. It is cute to watch. We also asked two of the therapists who like to run: Iris and Laura. Needless to say, the girls were extremely confident that THEY were each going to win. Zack was also just as confident that he was going to beat the girls. We decided to wait until Nate was fully recovered and up to racing. Now...onto race day!

In addition to the boys, there was a family with 3 boys who also raced with them against the girls. In the first race, Zack's confidence paid off. He did win.

Nate, Zack, Gabriel and Iris

Not all the girls got into this one. So we had to let them recover and held another race. Sara is going to race the boys next week as she had errands she needed to do for work. This time, it was Shelby, Laura, Iris, Nate and Zack. I started with On your mark, Get set, Go. This didn't work for the Chinese ladies. Well, I should say...two of them. As you can see, Iris is the only one who ran (in bare feet too!) against the boys. Shelby and Laura were still back at start! This worked for Iris's advantage! She won!

Zack, Nate and Iris

This one wore Nate out! He didn't even make it to the finish line. Here's where he ended the race.

Nate

Shelby asked if they could do it again and this time count "1, 2, 3, go". This time, Shelby and Laura did run against the boys. However, Zack wasn't going to let his "big sister" beat him. Remember how I said he treated the "girls" like his sisters? Well, this time he truly did treat them the same way he would have if he had been racing them. He was NOT going to let them win at any cost, even if it meant he lost too!

Nate took full advantage of this opportunity! With two opponents out of his way, he was able to finish first! Nice job Nate and you did it fairly!

(pictures to be added after I can get back into blogger!)

Zack on the other hand was now going to have to deal with a "big sister's" need to retaliate! As any big sister would do, Shelby ran after him, put him in a head lock and wrestled him to the ground! The picture I wish I caught was off all the nannies at the Inn sticking their heads out the windows and doors, watching this all happen! It was quite the funny afternoon!

Two boys, one dog and lots of dirt

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7

If you haven't heard, Shepherd's Field is in the process of putting in the foundation for the our Vocational Center. It will be the biggest building on the grounds, almost twice the size of our biggest building presently on the grounds. As you dig a hole for that, the dirt that came out of the hole has to go somewhere. A large mound of dirt will not go unnoticed by two 12 year old boys for very long. Today, they decided to climb it.

Nate and Zack

Yes, you see it correctly. It IS as high as the roof of the building next to it! Their faithful sidekick and one of our orphans is Stevie, the dog. They lovingly call her "Ugly Doggie" but today she became "Dirty Dog". They thought she would also like to climb the mountain of dirt with them. I don't think she liked their idea too much.

the boys and Stevie

Even though she likes to go into the stinky, mucky water across the road from Shepherd's Field, being on the top of the dirt pile was not her thing. Needless to say, a bath after that wasn't such a bad idea.

Zack, Stevie and I

The boys liked using lots of soap. I bet their mom goes through shampoo like it is water in their bathroom! Stevie had enough on her that I think if that cats would have let us bathe them, we could have shared it. You know how children shape their hair in the tub when they have lots of shampoo in it? Well, it works for dogs too! That much shampoo works really well to make Stevie have a "Shampoo Mohawk"! Poor Stevie! It is a good thing she knows we love her!

Stevie's Mohawk

I don't think the boys have ever washed their dogs on their own. Poor Stevie had a face full of water, wet ears and water up her nose. All the staff that walked by found this quite a humorous sight and you could hear them chuckle as they walked past us. Remember that mucky water across the street I told you about? Well, she headed that way right after we let her go. The boys laughed so hard because she nevers runs that fast unless she is chasing something. She went running across the street but decided the garbage pile was what she wanted to roll in instead of going in the mucky water! It took her at least 30 minutes to come anywhere near us and forgive us for making her smell clean.

Two boys, one clean dog and their favorite orphan cat, Blackie