Our Beloved Gable!

Oh what a joy it is to share with you about our wonderful son, Gable Philip YiJun!

We met him on Monday, April 20, 2015. We traveled to Chengdu, Sichuan (where the yummiest food of all China is...and the spiciest!) and went with some special friends to his orphanage. We were signing some paperwork when we heard them say, "Here he is!" And in came JunJun, carried in the arms of a woman who has spent her past two years loving and caring for him.

We took our time. I had been prepared that he might pitch a big nasty fit because he was so attached to his caregiver, and she him. We spent time just talking with him as she stayed in her arms. We put our foreheads together. I handed him a teddy bear Toby and I had chosen for him at Chocolate World the week before. He pointed to my picture and then at me, "Mama," he told me.

After about 6-7 minutes, we began the handoff. He came timidly, but without tears. He whispered "mama" after I would say it. I then pulled out a few goodies from the "bag of tricks" we adoptive families take to meet our kids. It was the bubbles that we played with out on the porch that coaxed the first teethy grins and began the bonding between the two of us.

One amazing blessing that I never saw coming was the presence of a gentle, kind woman named Christine Keegan. She is a photographer living in Chengdu and had been dreaming of capturing these first moments for an adoptive family...but had not yet had the opportunity. We were beyond belief blessed to be that first family! She has posted a stream of her work on her blog. You can see those pictures here: http://homemadeinchina.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-gotcha-day-story-beginnings.html

We were doubly blessed by being able to stay with some other friends, the Holloways, while we were in Chengdu. They work during the week at a school, so we had their apartment during the day and were absolutely delighted to share time together in the evenings. What a JOY JOY JOY they are! Brandi and I had originally met at Shriner's hospital in Philadelphia when both of our sons (adopted from China) with arthrogryposis were being treated. Each member of their family is a joy and her husband made us laugh so much with his stories of music in China! We would love to come back and see them again!

In the subsequent days, we have just deeply enjoyed getting to know Gable. He is an incredibly SMART little boy and after one time of me teaching him the sign language for "more" he began asking for food that way. His soft sweet little voice saying ,"mo'" looking at me for another bite melts me each and every time.

He took his time learning to eat...he batted most things away before trying them. He's got a serious sweet tooth that may be the reason for his adorable chubby cheeks! I asked the orphanage caregivers what his favorite food was and was a bit shocked when they told me, "candy!" I can see now that they were 100% on!

He is the perfect mix of compliant child and energetic giggles. He can be a challenge to change his clothes as he thinks its the perfect time for a game of "run-from-mommy" complete with giggles that will melt your heart. But in general he is an easy going, happy boy. 

 

He is also super snuggly, a great sleeper and has decided that he MUST have his mommy almost all the time!

(This was taken during the medical exam required for getting an American visa. He was more frightened by the doctors than anyone I've ever seen.)

Evidence of his cancer is found on his multiple scars around his body from the ports and 7" incision across his belly where they went in to remove the malignant tumor. We were given a picture of him with his surgeon that the orphanage wanted us to have. I think that our Gable was really special to them. They requested a special goodbye before we left that day.

Healthwise, he appears to be completely normal. We have an appointment scheduled for the end of this week back home with a pediatric oncology team. Typically in a case like his, they would do monthly follow ups after the surgery and chemotherapy. That has not happened. We will be so anxious to hear how he is doing from a medical standpoint.

His adoption process could not have gone smoother in country and we will receive his visa today. We fly home tomorrow and are so so anxious to be together again as an entire family! Here you can see him interacting with some of our other kids using FaceTime! 

What a joyful journey it has been to return to China for this son of ours!

 

It's GO Time!!!

My dear bloggy friends,
How awesome it is to be writing again! I deeply apologize for my long hiatus! It has been unbelievably busy around here. (I can barely keep up with it all myself!)
TODAY we leave to bring home our little "caboose" Gable Philip YiJun!! 

We will be calling him "Jun Jun" as he is currently known as we first meet and then transition over to using his American name. (Just so you know who we are talking about...and that we didn't get a different child!)
We have been able to successfully expedite his adoption case due to his medical condition. We will be able to get him home and immediately to the oncologist for beginning assessments of his condition. We will just roll with it from there.
Many people have asked if we have any Love endlessly notecards left...and although we were once sold out, we now have a LIMITED QUANTITY available once again!! YAY!!! We also have a few sets of "Gable's Oil" sets (a specially prepared dipping oil for breads using Sichuan peppercorns that are native to Gable's province and an "Upper Crust" dipping plate with a package of Love endlessly notecards!) There are a few Love endlessly necklaces waiting in the hands of Upper Crust too, if you are local and would like to pick up one. (And if I'm allowed to say it, these necklaces are MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE!!) Any of these would make fabulous Mother's Day gifts AND you will help us bring Gable home!!
To reserve any of these aforementioned items, please send an email to: uppercrust@centurylink.net .

Please DO be praying for our safety, the children who are staying behind, their caregivers, and our little Gable. We have been told that he is especially connected with his "aiyi" (auntie/orphanage worker) there and that the day we meet him may be very difficult for all of us. There is simply no way to prepare a 2 year old for all that is about to sweep through his life. Pray that love is felt and that he feels safe with us. We will get him Monday April 20th at 2:30 pm local time. (That will be 2:30 am on Monday morning for Eastern coast people!)
We are so grateful for your encouragement, love and support as we follow God's lead in our lives!

Love Endlessly the Sterling Silver Necklace!

I couldn't be more excited!!!

I'm absolutely bursting with JOY to show you what we've been working on for several months behind the scenes!

If you remember, we were frantically working on fundraising for Esty's adoption...and I got this crazy, nutso idea to PAINT CANVASES to auction off as a fundraiser.
I was scared.
I'd never done that before.
But I stepped forward in fear and trembling and painted. The auction?  
It totally blew me away. We made more money than I could have ever imagined off 20 paintings.
If that didn't shock me, what happened next certainly did. 
One particular painting, Love endlessly, went crazy. As people bid on it, they asked for t shirts of it. Those went into a 3rd printing for Valentine's day last year. Then, at the prompting of a sweet friend, we had blank notecards created to fundraise for Gable.

And THAT has gone amazingly well...being for sale in a local floral shop as well as a bakery taking it and creating AWESOME bundles with her baked creations...all to help bring our Gable home. (And a fabulous local shipping company is donating their services to make shipping these bundles around the country possible too!) WOW!!! We are so stinking blessed. Thank You, sweet Lord.
And now, my dear friend who owns Mountain Girl Silver (we've never met in person, but when a woman has 10 baby name disks...you start to stand out as a customer! ;)) has done something else absolutely astonishing.
I asked her if she would be interested in using the wording "love endlessly" for a pendant that we could fundraise with. Her answer blew me completely away.
Listen to this: she requested vector art of the original painting and asked if she could take it to HER art department and to create a CUSTOM stamp from my design. She paid for this entirely. Otherwise, there would be no possible way to have that handwritten cursive "endlessly" stamped into silver. Then, she pitched an idea back to me...
Let's use these awesome necklaces not only to fundraise for Gable...but let's create a permanent part of Mountain Girl Silver where we use this design to help fundraise for OTHER adoptive families working to bring their children home. (More about this program to come!) *giggle*
I. Was. Speechless.
And then, I cried.
(I think often how MUCH I would have missed out on if I had shied away from that first painting auction!)

So as it stands tonight (launch day!) you can purchase these AWESOME necklaces of love endlessly directly from my blog.  Click here!! After the final page is ready over at MGS, you can purchase directly from there. 
Just a note about her products: they are TOP NOTCH. That's why I went to her. I have loved her work for years and years. All of her pieces are solid sterling silver. Her chains are incredibly strong and she is top quality. So these are individually hand stamped on her "La Vintage" pendant and if you buy BEFORE FRIDAY February 6, 2015 you will receive yours in time for Valentine's Day! :)
So, sweet ones, if you want to help Gable home (and dudes...we are MEDICALLY EXPEDITING HIM HOME SOON) then order yourself or your loved ones a necklace!!! You will be part of something BIG!!!
Love endlessly,
Amy

Love Endlessly Notecards...Bringing Gable Home!

These are busy days as we all prepare for the holidays. It's a challenge to hold our to do lists at bay in order to quiet our hearts to prepare for the season, don't you think? I find my mind filled up (especially as I'm trying to sleep at night!) with ways to earn funds to bring Gable home.
I'm so thrilled to say that our Mercy shirts for Gable were very well received and we sold 80 shirts with 101 former orphans listed on the back of them! So happy! Can't wait to see all those names on the back! GOD IS SO GOOD!
I had a wonderful event at the Burr House...a local open house where I took art and other crafts and sold them for Gable's adoption. I  was able to earn another $700+ for sweet boy's adoption fund! WOO HOOOOOOO!!
I'm so excited to share with you yet another product for you to help earn funds for Gable's adoption.
Remember that Love endlessly painting I made for Esty's adoption auction? Well...we now have it in notecards!

These are excellent quality, printed on heavy card stock and ready for you to write your own personal message to whomever you choose! 

Remember the thrill of getting an actual LETTER in the mail?? You can give this joy to others now...on the Love endlessly cards! And you can feel like a rock star because your purchase helps bring sweet Gable home so we can love on him endlessly!

Packs of notecards and white envelopes are NOW FOR SALE!! You can order these using the "SHOP" tab above or by clicking HERE. Each 8-pack sells for $15. You can also pick up cards at The Weeping Willow florist in Pettisville, if you are local.
These are perfect gifts for teachers, post carriers, hair dressers or any one you need a small gift for!
Thank you so much for supporting sweet Gable!

First Fundraiser for Gable--Mercy Shirts!!!!

Hey EVERYONE!!

I'm bursting at the seams with excitement to roll out our new fundraiser shirts!!

Read more about this design below.

WHY in the world are we doing this AGAIN????

He is why.

{Oh my heart.}

We need to get Gable home so we can properly care for his cancer. (Hepatoblastoma.)

And to love on him silly.

Oh those chubby cheeks!!

This design is something I created over the course of a few days (with some awesome feedback from a few of my peeps!) based on an image I saw in my mind from Hosea 14:3, "In You, O Lord, the orphan finds mercy." The silhouette is specifically God the Father holding our little Gable...safe and sound in His arms of love...but it is to represent the loving care He gives to EACH of our children.

And all of us who have adopted these precious treasures formerly known as "orphans" KNOW what a blessing it is that the Father has mercy on them (and us) and unites us together in heart.

What is going to make this Tshirt/hoodie EXTRA SPECIAL is that it's going to have names of YOUR beloved children on the back! What?? That's right! ALL of our precious kiddos get listed on the back en masse as orphans who've been shown mercy from our gracious God.

This is an example of what our shirt will look like with YOUR children's names on the back!

Yay!!!

The back space is going to be limited, so this will be open for your submissions and T shirt and hoodie orders only for TWO WEEKS. We want to get right on printing and shipping these out to you so you'll have them in plenty of time for Christmas giving! Cut off date for orders will be DECEMBER 7, 2014.

Order using the tab at the top "Mercy Shirts for Gable" or click HERE.

Orphan Sunday…introducing Our Soon-to-be-Son!

Source: Hope for Orphans

It's Orphan Sunday today and I am bursting at the seams to introduce you to our newest son!!!
I announced last week that we have been moved by God to adopt again, and we are branching out into a scary new special need: cancer. 
And the questions began…so let me offer up some details!
As of last week, we have officially been approved by his home country to adopt him!

He currently lives in an orphanage that partners with Half the Sky in a provincial city in China.
He is almost 2 years old. (He will be our caboose!)
He is adorable. (and we know we are a bit partial!)
He will be given the English name Gable. (Daddy named him!) Gable is an awesome name we've never heard ever (yes!!) and it means "Strong man of God."
Perfect.
And now…for his pictures:

These were the first I ever saw…the ones that Toby exclaimed, "Oh Mommy! I LOVE him!" about. It is this non-smiling picture that I realized he was ours. That face. That sweet, sweet, uber precious face!!!!
Gable was only 14 months old in these pictures. Since then, there was a visit to his orphanage where I was able to grab this picture from the end of a video where he smiled. This was taken just this past August at 19 months of age:

WHAT. A. CUTIE. PATOOTIE. (I know!!)
So, now you have a face for whom to pray. And we will begin fundraising ASAP!
The other question people want to know is WHEN. We pray that we could get all our clearances and funds to bring him home during the summer next year. Please join us in this prayer.
So happy to have yet another orphan on his way home to his FOREVER FAMILY!!! My arms are aching to hold and snuggle this precious one!