Eli's Gotcha Day is finally here!

11-22-12

Happy Thanksgiving!

We arrived at the Civil Affairs office in Xi'an at 4:50, so we were a little rushed and I just realized we did not get a family pic. Eli was waiting for us in a room upstairs when we arrived.

Kobe telling Eli who we are

Levi showing Eli his shirt to match him & Kai

Kobe talked with Eli's foster mom who asked if she could talk to Eli and I agreed. That's when the tears started... :(  Please pray for Eli's heart and for us to have wisdom to help him grieve and heal; plus pray for his foster family who had cared for him for 10 yrs. It was a rough beginning for Gotcha Day, but he is real smart and is going along with us and prayerfully all will turn out right. :)

Orphanage officials gave us a photo album and pictures he made

Levi gave Eli his Legos we brought him to help the sadness

Eli is getting advice from his new brothers on the Lego building

This would be the Lego building sibling support group. :)

Eli & Levi together at our first dinner with Eli
Found out he likes spicy food too

Eli & Kai, who is already being a great big brother.
We can't talk to Eli, but Kai can... for the most part.
In Zhengzhou, we tried to get Kai to talk to some of the other adoptive families kids, but he was too shy.
But he talks to Eli...

Kobe & Zoe at dinner
We are so thankful for Kobe!!!

Kobe's dinner meal

Kai posing with his 2nd order of shrimp fried rice
He can really put away some food!

Steve and I commented at dinner how we just could not stop looking at him...
We are so blessed!

After dinner, more bonding time back at hotel with Legos

This was fun to watch! They are getting along so far.

In fact, Levi & Eli played for a LONG time.

Then I tucked them in and prayed over them and off to sleep they went.

Tomorrow we have a busy morning. Off to the Civil Affairs office at 9am to interview, notarize and finalize Eli's adoption.

Then we have to find our luggage... apparently the Bullet Train doens't allow large luggage, and we had to check our luggage to be sent by another train and it is due to arrive tomorrow am. Sigh!

But luggage or no luggage, we are blessed and thankful for all God has given to us.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Sherry and family

Last day in Zhengzhou

Yesterday, Wed Nov 21st, was our FREE day here in Zhengzhou, and our last full day here.
And we had a great day!
We hung out and relaxed in the hotel room; played Lego's, video games and watched movies.
Then in the afternoon we walked to McDonald's for lunch and ice cream, and then walked thru a BEAUTIFUL park.

We were never so happy to see a McDonalds!

This gazebo was beautiful!
Actually the whole park was beautiful! The best part of Zhengzhou.

Steve wanted to take Kai's pic on the stairs & Kai wanted me in the pic. :)

The boys went climbing off the path... boys!

Levi wanted to pose...

Kai asked to do the same... :) He actually WANTED his picture taken!
Wow, what an improvement a couple days has made. Thank you Jesus!

Missing Zoe, as she played photographer

We are very tired here, but thought we'd take a pic of just us anyway.
Tues was our 23rd wedding anniversary.

The bus is driving on the bicycle sidewalk!

Today is Thurs Nov 22... Thanksgiving & Eli's Gotcha Day!!!

First pic we saw of Eli on Nov 4, 2011

We are checking out of our hotel here in Zhengzhou and taking the BULLET TRAIN to Xi'an and will meet Eli in the late afternoon. We can NOT wait!

The kids are really excited to take the train too.

What a great Thanksgiving!
The only thing missing are our two oldest boys, Cory & Drew, who are back home holding down the fort. I miss them!!! But we got to Skype with them yesterday and they got to meet their brother Kai.

Well, hope everyone has a happy Thanksgiving! We are thankful for everyone that prayed for Kai (aka Joseph) all these years and for all our prayer warriors and supporters during the year of our adoption adventure. We are so thankful to God who worked out so many things and moved mts for us to be here in China to bring our boys home. He has so blessed us!

And we are thankful for all 6 of our children: Cory, Drew, Zoe, Kai, Levi and Eli who we meet today.

God bless everyone,
Sherry and family

It's official...

We finalized Kai's adoption... Yay!!!

 

 

It's official... he is part of our family!
Introducing Kai Joseph FeiLong Patton

 

Yesterday was a very busy day.

After finalizing the adoption at the civil affairs office, we did paperwork at the notary office.

 

Then we had lunch in our hotel room. The eve before we made a trip to walmart and bought noodle bowls, some soda and gatorade. Nice an relaxing.

 

Then after lunch we traveled 2.5 hrs each way in the van, to Kai's home town of Luoyang to apply for his passport & visit his orphanage.

 

 

 

We met one of his teachers from when he was little & saw his finding place, the old front gate of the orphanage. We also delivered mittens & handed our suckers to some of the children. Kai did not remember the orphanage or any of the people there. But I think it was still good that we went.

 

Teacher who remember Kai as small boy in her class

This side of the orphanage used to be the front

Kai in front of gate he was found at

the children all rushed for suckers

 

Kai enjoyed handing them out

here is Levi removing the wrapper for this lil' guy

These children were very well behaved & lined right up

This lil' girl stole Zoe's heart

9 Dragon Statue in Luoyang 

Gotcha Day!

Kai Joseph FeiLong Patton's Gotcha Day Nov 19, 2012 in Zhengzhou, Henan, China

 

 

 

Sorry, promised the kids swimming. But Kai is wonderful and is fitting in great! Bonding is going awsome and I will try to write more maybe tonight. We are just so blessed! God gets all the glory!

one blessed momma,

Sherry



1st leg complete

After 15 hrs on a plane that fly halfway around the globe, we've landed in Seoul, S. Korea. That was the LONGEST flight I've ever been on.

Thank you Lord for airport free wifi so I can update everyone.

We're tired... Well, I'm exhausted! Sleep deprivation is hitting. I just can sleep on plane I guess. Sigh! But Korean Air ROCKS!

Now we are waiting to board our connecting flight to Beijing. So excited! But so sleepy...

We're getting on the plane!

Just testing the app.  :)  We're checked in, thru security & waiting at our gate.

Blog ya from China...

Momma going to get her boys,
Sherry