woot woot! I'm glad she cries! There are many babies in orphanages that don't cry...I can't wait to meet her! Our Dad is so good to us! Will talk with Dad about the three of you later today and thank Him for all He's done!
Just got back from out of town (where many thoughts and p-ers were lifted up for you) and devoured your journal!! Sarah is just TOO adorable!!, and your descriptions of your time are precious beyond words. Our F's pleasure is evident, indeed!! Mommy and Daddy, you're doing so GREAT!! I used to sing "Show me thy way..." when I didn't know what to do, and if it didn't help my little one, it helped me. :) Know you are in our thoughts and pyers!!
You are a family!! AAAAWWWWWWWWW!!!! Soooo cute!! The family photo SHOULD be this year's Christmas card. It's just so adoreable. And that's what Sarah looked like 4 minutes before all her crying and pouting?!? Wow. And Godfrey, maybe Sarah will catch on to you soon!-we hope.
Kevin and I are so enjoying your messages and photos! Yes, welcome to the (crying, inconsolable, what a joy) club. Take comfort in knowing that we are pr-ing for you and that Sarah will settle down eventually. (It reminds me that Kevin said during the 1st week with Matthew "Why does he cry so much? Is something wrong with him?"
I can relate! To Sarah (and Auntie Stacey, and Uncle Godfrey): Since we're nearly the same age, I can definitely relate to your experience in the hotel. Being in a strange place (especially a hotel) is hard on me, especially since my schedule's all disrupted and I can't figure out what I really want yet...and I make my mom carry me all the time too (note to Auntie: sometimes she "cheats" by leaning against something but she's still standing up, or bracing me on her hip). Sarah, tell your mom and dad not to get too down on themselves...usually the first few days of a trip away from the familiar are the hardest, and it's especially hard to keep perspective without sleep! It will get better...it really will...our family is praying for yours! Love, Joel Akiyoshi
Music Soothes the Soul Sooo cute! We've all been consumed reading about your adventures in China and with baby Sarah!
Actually it's fun hearing all your little asides about what to do when she cries and all the "new parent" uncertanties ~ definitely "been there done that" so Wei and I exchange our sympathies and the "remember whens" of our own experiences that you've brought back to us so vividly now! Ha!
It will get better ~ that's the only promise...and maybe worse before it does, but babies are suppose to cry...they will be anxious and so will you...it's an adjustment both ways! She doesn't know what it means to have a real dad yet Godfrey! Keep attempting to hold her...
One thing I found early on was both my kids responded wonderfully to music...singing and cooing a tune will engage them and of course any noisemakers, rattles...get their attention ~ even when they're crying...it distracts them.
That is what they told me ~ sometimes you just need to get their attention somehow and change the scenery ~ show her an image of herself in the mirror ~ bring out a stuffed toy ~ whatever it seems she responds to ~ other than just trying to console her cries by caressing her even harder...
she may just simply be trying to express herself the only way she knows how...
Someone once told me, if she's been fed, diaper changed, not sitting on a tack or nail and isn't in specific danger...it's OK to let them cry a bit...but consider it her way of expressing herself and communicate back in your own way...
Wei says I have to go now...not to write so much.
Will write more when he leaves...:-)
Praying for you!
our thoughts are with you Our hearts rejoice and cry with yours. Sarah is going thru her greiving process and evey child is different, And only Dad can truly heal her and fill up the hole in her soul. We will step up our remembering you! There is no easy way, but there IS an end to this! And Dad is watching and crying with her for He hurts for her even more than we can ever dream of-He made her and formed her since the beginning of time. He has never given us anything we cannot handle, and He will always get us out of each jam.
brought back memories Welcome to Parenthood, Ba Ba, Ma Ma. What you described brought back memories from our experience. Yeap, Stacey, you will develop muscles very quickly....I don't know if you remember, Godfrey, Yvonne held her and walked around the hallways until Sophia fall a sleep the first two nights....more than an hour each....I tried to relieved her on the third night and my arm and my back were sooooooo sore from that one experience....well,the good things is that it will get better..... and we will be prng 4 U.
AYS
Praying for you Hey Godfrey and Stacey,
It's okay if Sarah cries. Try not to get anxious or frustrated (I do too). She won't hate you if you just let her cry. She probably won't even remember it the next day.
I'm praying for you.
Tim
Godfrey/Stacey: You guys are going through what Peggy and I did with Whitney. Boy, she was a fussy baby. I had to rock her to sleep each nite for about the first year or so......There was the time that she was unconsolable and cried ALL the way from Houston to LA on the plane.....
:-) Yup - welcome to the club! Hee hee. Isn't it amazing how all can be forgiven once they're sleeping so peacefully? You'd never know they were capable of crying so much. Hee hee. Just think, there will be an end at some point, but I know it's hard to imagine in the midst of it at 3am. Sometimes you just have to hold them, let them cry and pray for perseverance. :-) Maybe the L is letting you experience some of the sleepless nights of a newborn! P-ing for more restful days ahead... take care, W
hang in there! we're pr'ing for you! We know that Father will help you through this learning time ... and, that Sarah will know that Daddy and Mommy love her! We will pr for physical and emotional strength for you.
The family pics look great!
Hannah's cousin? Your first couple of days remind us so much of when we adopted Hannah -- only I stil think Hannah was worse! She not only required me to hold her all the time, cried constantly, and wouldn't go to Dad AT ALL, but also tried to escape from our room! I know it's tiring, frustrating, but it's all normal and although it seems like an eternity, it wil soon pass -- and you'll have lots of stories to tell afterward! Sarah is SOOO beautiful and she looks so secure in your arms. We can't wait to meet her!!
Be Encouraged! :) We are thinking of you. I bet she will settle down soon. She has a lot of new things happening and crying is how babies communicate. It is definitely nerve wracking to have them scream for hours. Only one of my four children did that and the memory still gives me the shivers. I am enjoying these blogs so much! As we wait for our referral, this is giving me hope and encouragement. I think I will go lift some weights though!!! :) We are p---ing for you!
Sandy Spitler
Congrats and welcome to parenthood!! Hey Godfrey and Stacey - you're probably wondering who we are because we have not heard from you guys in a long, long time. We only heard about your adoption and being in China today from friends at CI. Wow!! Congratulations to you both for the adoption and we will pray for you all as you adjust to each other and become a family. I wish you had time to stop by Singapore, so we can see you all, but we'll try and visit when we get to go back to the States next summer. In the meantime, we just wanted to let you know that we are so excited for you both and we will pray for you and Sarah and it's so good to see pictures of you guys!!! Take care. Much love, Wilson, Esther, Rebecca, Ashley and Jared Phang
amazing...it brings true joy to my face to see you finally united w/ Sarah! she's beautiful....i'm just amazed at how awesome G is in this whole process and how he has orchestrated all of these things to ultimately be for his glory. woooo i'm so happy for you both, for all three of you. she's so precious and is already loved so much!
congratulations Congratulations Ba Ba, Ma Ma and baby Sarah,
She looks so much like Stacey no wonders she bonds with Ma Ma immediately. Well, Ba Ba, be patient...you will get there. We can't wait for your return and get to meet Sarah.
We've enjoy your logging, and great pictures.
Congrtualations again.....get some sleep....
love,
AYS
Overflowing praise! "I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live . . . Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yes, our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you." - Psalm 116:1-2, 5-7
Our hearts are filled with so much JOY for you and PRAISE to our God. To see Sarah with you now after so many prayers, tears and hours of waiting is truly the greatest testament to God's abundant love and faithfulness. THANK YOU for sharing this greatest of joys with us!!!!!!!!!!! -love always, Karen, Eric, Nathan and Joel
awwwwwwwww!!!!! AWWWWWWWWW!! She's so cute!! I'm so glad you are all together now! I can't wait for you guys to come home and see you all in person!! I'm thinking of you all!
Sarah's Yous Now! WOW!! After months of preperation, you finally have SARAH!!^-^ And the pictures are just simply adoreable!!! We all can't wait to see her here in Palos Verdes!!
How wonderful! For those of us that have kids, the sense of anticipation when you first see your child is too wonderful to describe!
Godfrey, don't feel too bad about her not taking to you yet! That should come soon!!
I wrote an email to you about our Mexican trip! I also worshipped at the BIF back in March of this year when I was in Beijing!
Congratulations!! Hey Godfrey and Stacey!!! I'm soo happy for u!! Sarah is ADORABLE!! I cant wait to see all three of back home safely!! I'll be p---ing for you guyz!!!
love, Jeanette
HEY awww HEY godfrey, stacey, and SARAH!!
aww i'm so happy for all of you! Just got back from an amazing week in Mexico last night. We'll have lots of stories for you when you get back! We've been missing you. Mr. Kawa has a really high-tech phone, so he read us your blog in the car yesterday. We were all "00hh"-ing and "aww"-ing. Come back soon. I'll keep on reading and you keep on writing!
Love,
kat
E Kawaye
non-member comment
woot woot!
I'm glad she cries! There are many babies in orphanages that don't cry...I can't wait to meet her! Our Dad is so good to us! Will talk with Dad about the three of you later today and thank Him for all He's done!