Our Miracle of Mary Businda: We're HOME!!!!!

BIG, MAJOR, HUGE SHOUT OUT TO KIM BANKS FOR TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS ON THIS BLOG WHILE WE WERE OUT - WE LOVE YOU - YOU ROCK!!!!
Wow - what a journey, and what a long, freakin' ride home - let me say, that for my daughter, I would do it again in a heartbeat! According to how Robert was figuring our travel time through the time changes, we were up and at it (along with our toddler, Mary) for about 28 hours - and we're still feeling it!

Before I recap on the Consulate appointment, our trip back home and the amazing welcome we had, I want to share with you mine and Robert's thoughts overall about the families that journeyed with us and thoughts on adoption in general. When all of the families were reunited in Ghuangzhou, it was such a happy reunion. 30 families suddenly grew into about 90? or so people and it was so awesome to see everyone joined with their children, hearing and sharing of everyone's journey.....just amazing. Even more profound in this miracle of adoption is the fact that our awesome God TRULY handpicks our children as a perfect fit for our families. Most of the families came to adopt 'special needs' children and I can personally attest that there was no family who considered ANY of the children 'special needs' - just purely - special. But within that concept, it was amazing to see how God gave each family a specific vision, prepared their hearts and EQUIPPED them to be the parent/steward for each of these little miracles, whatever their 'special need' was. When I first started this blog, I had shared how I finally got the concept that God designed me to be a mother through the miracle of adoption, not through the miracle of natural conception; so what Robert and I just experienced doesn't even articulate the wonder and amazement of our PERFECT God and how HE rolls - through what we've witnessed.

TO ALL OF THE FAMILIES OF TRAVEL GROUP 133: It's an honor to have been on this journey beside you, Robert and I respect your courage, obedience to God in spite of circumstances and naysayers, and we are inspired and encouraged by the depth of love you have for your spouse, for your children, your biological children, family, God and your passion for adoption - YOU ROCK!!!!!!!

TO OUR FELLOW HEFEI FAMILIES - THE LUTZS' & VIDEONS: Again, isn't God so cool to have placed beside us parents and families that we could really relate to, laugh and cry with ?!?!?!? Robert & Mary and I are so excited to be an extension of your families and truly, let's really try to make that reunion happen........our daughters are sisters we look forward to keeping in touch with you and watching all of these beauties grow into the amazing women that God desires, according to His word! WE LOVE YOU!

So......our last day was the appointment at the U.S Consulate in Ghuangzhou and we swore that all the information provided was true to the best of our knowledge.......It was great to see a formal American presence and it was awesome that our love for our children through this adoption process was respected and acknowledged. After it was ALL official, there was whooping, hand-clapping and for me -tears. At that moment, God (AGAIN!) confirmed who HE is and that NOTHING gets in the way of what HE wants accomplished. At that moment, no government offical, or screwed up, missed paperwork, no one who could or did drop a ball, no one who could have tried to threaten or dismiss this miracle.....NO ONE......NOTHING......stopped God. My confidence is strengthened in this moment that truly, no matter what happens, in the midst of circumstances, if the seed and vision of what God has called you to is just busting out of your heart, nothing can stop it, no matter how frustrating, frightening, disappointing or confused life can get. What GOD wants - GOD gets and Robert and I are so honored to have this dream of ours not only blessed by God but we are honored that God thought enough of us to give us this assignment and see it through. Of course, we're just at the begining really, but getting through the past 2 years, and coming to the finish line of this segment of the journey, has reaffirmed to us the rewards of obedience, no matter what.

So - we get the final paperwork which is sealed in an envelope and cannot be opened until we get to customs in the U.S and I point to Mary's offical name: MARY KATHERINE BUSINDA - I asked Robert, "How does it feel to see this name, what it represents and be standing here right now"? Through the tears in his eyes, he nodded his head and said it felt great. I'm really hoping God allowed Robert's mother, Mary and Aunt Kitty to see this moment cause it meant so many things to us both and our baby Mary's name is a tribute to both of these women. I cried for joy all the way to the bus, and just cried with a greatful heart and in awe of my sovereign God.

THE RIDE HOME: Robert and I conjured up what we call, our 'majic juice' which was really, children's benedryl. Now we did try this remedy with Mary on the plane ride from Hefei to Ghuangzhou and although she fought it for everything she had, when it finally hit her - she was OUT! Our strategy was to hold off on giving it to her until about a few hours into the LONG segment from Beijing to Chicago. Well, Mary had a couple of meltdowns in the Ghuangzhou airport before we board, she was sooooo tired and I'm certain really ticked at ANOTHER FREAKIN' ROAD TRIP!!!! Poor baby, she had NO idea what was in store for her. But we get on the first leg of our flight, and for the 3 hour flight, she did really well, and actually fell asleep 30 minutes before we landed. So next leg - the LONG leg: she falls asleep as we're boarding the plane and I'm praying she STAYS that way but NO - as we sit down, her little head shoots up and she just HAS to see what's going on.........not looking good. She's hanging okay the first couple of hours, then the sleep deprivation starts really kicking in and since 'dinner' was about to be served we thought, hey - let's give her the "majic juice" right after her full belly! Rock on - we did and she............seemed to respond totally OPPOSITE!!!! The hilarious thing about our daughter is as hard as she fights sleep, she does it sooooo comically! So in addition to her trying to laugh and entertain her way out of sleep, she was totally deprived of it and she was just going bonkers. At times when we had to be firm with her, Robert and I both had to look away from her and keep telling each other, "don't look at her, don't look at her" cause we were just ROLLING WITH LAUGHTER at her!!!! I'm sure our sleep deprivation was over the edge too, but man, it was so frustrating and hilarious at the same time - this little miracle really is a perfect fit for our family as no language barrier can mask her inner smart aleck!!!! Over all, by the time we get to Chicago, we're starved, talking about loaded baked potatoes, steak, italian, mexican food and sooooo tired that I'm getting a little vertigo - very weird! But we make it, we're all running and bumping into things, getting really cocky and punchy with each other and just laughing at anything and it was just sooooooo good to get HOME! As we approached baggage claim (for the LAST time) we see Kenny, Tim, Nancy and my mom and stepdad, Mike! It was very cool and again, I saw in Mary's eyes she was getting concerned. But I'm so glad she saw and met a few of the family as when we got to the bottom of the escalater, our family from the Worship and Creative Arts Ministry from our church, Fairview and our "NO FEAR" friends were at the bottom, cheering Mary with signs, a balloon and lots of good 'ole southern love and hugs!!!!! Still a little confused, our daughter is really loving the attention and starts getting comfortable with the crowd! Rock on, and for the record, Robert and I were and still are so whacked out by the time difference and jet lag that we can hardly remember what we said, or did so if we were 'out there'-----well, we were so thanks in advance for understanding. I'm about to post some pics and know that in the next few days, I'll post how baby girl is adjusting. Her little body is REALLY reeling and of course, she's had some periods of confusion but it will all work out and for the most part, especially with the travels, MARY HAS DONE GREAT! She really is a tough little girl, with the sweetest heart and funny disposition!

The Hefei families about to meet our babies for the first time!!!!