The Sisler Family

attention

2010-02-22T10:36:00.000-08:00

our agency has asked me to remove all the photo's of pan yue off our blog...if you'd like to keep up with what's going on in the sisler's adoption world you can go to our new blog http://onegirlpeacefulandsafe.blogspot.com

change

2010-02-19T13:36:00.000-08:00

it's been a couple weeks since i've looked at this blog...it's been a difficult couple weeks...i know it will all be okay because we serve a mighty God...who's plan is much better then mine could ever possibly be...
i came across this verse today “Once our eyes are opened, we can’t pretend we don’t know what to do. God who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls knows that we know and holds us responsible to act …” Proverbs 24:12

a few have asked why are you still adopting? each time i've responded with this: when the door has been opened and you see for yourself all the orphans who need homes your heart is changed forever...kent & i have been changed forever...not that we weren't good people prior to this but these past months have changed us both of us forever...God has placed a desire on our hearts to adopt...

yes, at 46 & 47 with 2 teenagers we are going to adopt an orphan...we've both found out that most don't understand WHY we are doing this...it's not our wish to make anyone understand why...the best way i describe it is when you know something deep inside you... you know it...no doubts...the inner most part of who you are knows when something is right for you...that is how kent & i feel...can we say for sure we understand it??? no, but we're 100% sure this is what God has called us to do ADOPT...it is wonderful to have such a strong conviction...unbelievable to KNOW without any hesitation that this is what we are to do...we have no idea who are daughter will be...that is another part many don't understand...we do know she will be just who God had planned for us this entire time...

the journey with pan yue was a part of the complete puzzle...pan yue has been filled us with many joyful and tearful days...on days it felt as if our hearts had been ripped out of our bodies without anesthesia...raw hurt unlike anything we've either felt before...the adoption of pan yue that began in october 2009 will end up totally different then either of us could of imagined...

2010-02-10T19:05:00.001-08:00

It is with a heavy heart that I write this post to you today. The last couple of weeks have been extremely
difficult for not only me, but for Kent, Natalie, and Garrett also.
We received updated information on sweet little Pan Yue, and
this information raised some serious concerns. Her head size is not growing
along a curve as it should which means that she has microcephaly. With this
diagnoses, it raises some serious issues that we know we are not capable of
handling at our ages. Every fiber of my being wanted to be this child's mom and
I was willing to fight to make sure that we had an accurate picture of her
future. Unfortunately our worst fears were confirmed when we consulted with a
pediatric neurologist on February 9, 2010. With the information we have received, we know that we can not proceed with her adoption. This decision has created an
overwhelming since of grief and loss in our lives. We are overwhelmed with an
array of emotions, as we feel like we just lost a child. This may be difficult for some to understand, but truly we've lost a child. This is a child that
we have earnestly prayed for, dreamed about, called our own, and
loved as though she was already part of our family. Would you please join me in
prayer for this sweet little girl, Pan Yue? Please pray that a family will come forward to adopt her. Pray for her safety while she waits for her forever family. Please pray that her little heart will be protected from any of this. I have peace knowing she clearly has no idea of what has been occuring half way around the world. I do pray that she will one day know in her heart of a family that loved her, prayed for her and ultimately wanted to best for her.
I would also ask that you be in prayer for Kent and I as we pick up the pieces
and move forward. We are going to claim Romans 8:28 for ourselves that God
works all things together for good for those that love him. We have been
seeking God's confirmation throughout this entire process, and we know that
there was a reason that we set out on this path. For Pan Yue it may be that we
just kept her file because the family who is meant for her just wasn't ready
yet. For us, we are already seeing God's hand in our lives. We have never had
a desire to adopt, but now that we have fallen in love with a child in a foreign
land, we see that God does intend for our family to put James 1:27 help and care for the orphans and widows in their affliction and need into action. After we take some time to mourn the loss of this precious little girl, we will seek God's
guidance and direction, we will open our hearts to looking at other orphans.
God has showed us that this story doesn't end here. There are many more
chapters to be written. Please join us as we wait on the Lord to
write the pages of this book as only He can. Thank you for supporting us during
this time. I am grateful for my friends and for the amazing forgiving body of Christ
His mercy & grace.

made with love

2010-02-04T04:38:00.000-08:00

yesterday a package is placed on our doorstep...kent brings it in opens it and to our surprise the most beautiful quilt i've ever seen...monique foley a dear friend of mine made this quilt for mallory...kent handed it to me i wrapped it around my shoulders and began to cry...with so many emotions stirring in my heart these past few days it was just what i needed...the compassion & love from a friend who took so much time to make this for our baby girl...thank you isn't adequate enough to say to monique...monique is one of those people who has a heart unlike others...i know while she was making this quilt she was thinking of mallory sleeping so peaceful with this quilt over her...or mallory snuggled in bed with mom, dad, natalie & garrett with "her quilt" made especially for her...a gift like no other... a treasure gift...thank you monique from the bottom of my heart...we love you

2010-01-26T10:23:00.000-08:00

as we wait for the next stage of the adoption...i am perplexed at the amount of puzzle pieces that need to be placed into the entire puzzle...we have many puzzle pieces but not all of them fit in the puzzle yet.
we have been blessed with many people who are helping us to fill in this puzzle...the puzzle pieces we've been given haven't came over night...i often think why can't someone pick up the phone and get an answer? it doesn't work that way in the international adoption world...your always waiting on an email or a phone call from someone else waiting on an email...always waiting...during these times of waiting i can see how God is working on me...i told my mom just last night mallory lael has no idea how many people are working to find the pieces to her puzzle...i pray in some way she knows she has a family...

God thank you for 3rd graders

2010-01-24T15:49:00.000-08:00

kent & i have the pleasure of teaching sunday school to the BEST 3rd grade kids on this planet...these kids are awesome....while asking them questions today in sunday school about "who is Jesus" i was in awww of how much they really "get it"...i was touched this morning how kent & i are the sunday school teachers but really they are teaching us...we've taught sunday school for 14 years never before have we had a class like this class...these children will make an impact for Jesus Christ...kent & i fell in love with these kids last year when we taught them in 2nd grade sunday school...we asked if we could "move up" with them this year...i can't express how God has touched my heart through these kids...each one of them brings something wonderful to our class...God thank you for giving kent & i the privilege of spending a few hours a month with these children...we know that when we walk into that room on sunday mornings at 9:30 we are in the presence of Your perfect children...i am thankful for the opportunity to know & love these children...do they know how very much we love them? i pray they do ;)

update

2010-01-19T08:44:00.000-08:00

was given an update on mallory lael today
* she has started to walk...if someone holds her hand she can take 10 steps YEAH!
* crawls very well
* loves her pacifier
* she weighs 20# 9 oz
* she is 74 cm long
* likes to play with other children
* can pass a ball to other children
* smiles ;) a lot
* she turned 14 months on January 9

a video was taken of mallory lael...lily is trying to get the video to download so she can send it via email to us...if not she will fedex it to us...she also has some new photo's of mallory lael...as you wait for your child the updates, pictures & videos are priceless...thank you Lord for allowing us to have so many updates on mallory lael...will upload the new photos when i get them....

psalm 40

2010-01-17T10:39:00.000-08:00

i waited patiently and expectantly for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry...this verse pretty much says it all for me...i've said on this blog and to many "we will bring mallory lael home in God's timing not andrea's timing" but in my head i keep thinking let's get this going...come on people...why is it taking so long for things to get done so we can move to the next stage of the paper shuffle...Dah it is because God wants us to wait patiently and expectantly on His perfect timing...God hears my cries to bring her home, God is inclined to me and God knows what is best for mallory lael and for our family...yes, september/october seem so far away but just like my brother, jeff said the other day "mallory will be in school before you know it", he's right...i look at garrett & natalie i remember the day they were both handed to me by the doctor...i remember their first words, when they took their first steps it seems like yesterday they were babies...as the saying goes stop and smell the roses...i know God has plently of roses for me to smell during these next few months before malloy lael is home...while i'm smelling the roses He's teaching me so much...thank you Jesus!

thank you God for teaching me...
thank you God for being patient with me...
thank you God for hearing my cries....
thank you God for knowing my heart...
thank you God for helping me to be still and listen to You...
thank you God for all the blessings you bestowed on me and my family...
thank you God for my children garrett, natalie & mallory lael
thank you God for Kent a loving husband & father...
thank you God for my family & friends...
I love you Lord, Amen

november ladybug

2010-01-12T08:49:00.000-08:00

dear mallory lael,
once upon a time there was a ladybug. this ladybug lived in a church. the name of the church was peachtree city methodist church. when you see a ladybug it should remind you of other children in china like you that need mommies and daddies. these ladybugs will land on people that they think would be a good mommy or daddy. your mom was at this church telling other people about the babies in china. this particular ladybug had been waiting a long time to find someone special to land on. when she saw your mommy,she new this was the perfect person. she could tell she was kind and loved Jesus. your mom and her friend were so surprised to see this special ladybug on the second floor of the church in november! this made you mom even more excited to get you home to her and your dad. so, whenever you see a ladybug know that they are little bugs sent from Heaven to remind you of how special you are, how much your family loves you and how God chose the perfect mommy and daddy just for you!
love,
the hart family
mike, amy, james, lynsey and jillian (from china too!)

this was given to me today by amy at exercise class...amy was the friend with me at church that evening in november... i hadn't heard the story of the ladybug before that evening when that tiny ladybug landed on my left shoulder... i've always loved ladybugs,who hasn't...i know have a heartfelt love for them...as you can image after reading this precious letter i began to cry (which i do often these days...happy tears) this letter was attached to a 8x8 piece of material with ladybugs on it... this will be a very special square on mallory lael's wish quilt...here i go crying again...God has touched my inner most area of my heart with this little girl...a little girl i've never met and i truly don't know at all...but oh how my heart loves her fully, completely and unconditionally.

2010-01-11T10:51:00.000-08:00

mallory lael's stocking is finished....it's already for her to put up next Christmas

the call

2010-01-10T10:54:00.000-08:00

as i begin to post the amazing morning kent & I have had i'd like to thank you for your patience in my writing skills...may not be a surprise to you guys but writing isn't my strong points...as i read other's blogs (yes, i know i'm not suppose to compare myself to others) i find my posting skills are awful but who's checking right ;0)

i've been struggling for weeks with the call God has clearly placed on kent & my hearts...i feel insecure that i don't have the tools to do this....when i have these questions God makes it crystal clear that kent & i are the perfect parents for mallory lael....i'd like to saynot for one second have kent or i felt that we're not listening to what God has called us to do...clearly this is a step of faith...i've been asked by more people than i can begin to number Why are you doing this? today God spoke CLEARLY to both kent & i while at church...pastor mark sermon today was titled The Call he talked about how abraham was called by God to do something and abraham had no idea where he was going or what he was doing....i'm glad God has made it clear that we are to adopt mallory lael....we all should desire to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ...we can't follow God's lead if we don't know God personally...with following God there is always a RISK...when you are doing something for God satan will without a doubt put up a fight against us....satan will make us doubt that we've heard what God has asked us to do....for example...if i've heard more than once YOUR TO OLD to adopt a child your 46 years old you'll be 66 when mallory lael is 20 OMG what are you thinking....God isn't so concerned about our lives being easy...yeah, that is what pastor mark said.
WHY should the sisler family be better off then an orphan in an orphanage??? God loves mallory lael and all the orphans as much as he loves those of us who have homes, families, cars, jobs, friend, heat, food, a shower to jump in, soap, tooth brush, microwave, running water (everyone of these things i take for granted...guess what an orphan doesn't have the luxury of any of these things)the list goes on and on....when God calls us to do something "out of our box" with Gods command is enablement God will enable you to do what you feel your unable to do....for the last 10 weeks i've been anxious about many things i've prayed to God about my anxieties but again He makes me aware that this is His plan for His kingdom.

a summary of andrea:
*knowing what to expect
*having it done before it needs to be done
*i don't care for surprises at all that takes the control away from me...yes, i do like to have control over my life my children's lives, even kent's life...image that!
*being a step ahead of the game
*dotting all the "i" and crossing all the "t"
*everything in it's place... aka neat freak...ocd... comes by many names
do you get my drift??? i'm about control...not just control TOTAL CONTROL

with adoption you have very little control...that is why this has been a challenge for me to say the least...if you want a play by play talk to amy hart she's been my sounding board since day one of this adoption...what a great friend she's been and i LOVE her so much i know when God brings you to something He will bring you through it...a PROMISE from our Heavenly Father...God is faithful to His promise...i often ask God to give me a glimpse of what He has in store for us & mallory lael or tell someone else so they can tell me :) or even better tell other's what His plan for our family & mallory lael so other's will understand.

kent & i for the first time ever went to the alter to be anointed with oil this morning....when pastor mark touched both of us with the oil he spoke exactly what was on kent & my heart....feeling we were not capable of doing what God has called us to do...it was as if kent & i had told pastor mark what we were thinking and he repeated it.... we didn't say a word to pastor mark prior to him anointing us with oil...God through pastor mark affirmed once again that we've been called to adopt mallory lael....that path may not be smooth, straight but this is indeed The Call for us to adopt mallory lael...

i love mallory lael just like i love garrett & natalie...that may be difficult for some of you to understand but...90%of people have said mallory lael looks just like natalie did when she was a baby...mallory lael is a part of me.... i know have 3 children... i'm not waiting until she is handed to me in china to call her my daughter she's my daughter now...today...and always...wo shi ni de ma ma (pronouched wo shir nee duh mah mah) that means I am your mommy in mandarin those are the first words i will say to mallory lael when she is handed to me...then i will tell her wo i nee means I lOVE YOU.

malloey lael's my daughter since october 2009 when God called us to be her parents.... i serve a might God. He's in control. i feel i'm not talented enough to do any of this. but God enables me. my responsibility is to do what i can." quote from lois secrist... i can't do this alone not even with kent we can only do this with the grace of God....we're so happy to be chosen to be mallory lael's parents...friends & family she's going to be awesome we'll all be for the better when we meet mallory lael...i promise!

2010-01-07T11:21:00.002-08:00
God Word says we are responsible to take care of orphans..today there are 143 million orphans...
proverbs 24:12 if you say, "but we know nothing about this," does not He who weighs the heart perceive it? does not He who guards your life know it? will He not repay each person according to what He has done? once you've been told of the call from God to adopt the orphans it is hard to walk away...God can be relentless if He in deed puts this on your heart....many people have asked us "WHY, are you adopting a baby? your in the "easy stage" now?" i will smile & simply say "it's a God thing."
i once heard in a sermon Break my heart God with the things that break Your heart i for one, have no doubt God's heart is broken when He sees all the orphans that need homes.

FYI: did you know that ester was an orphan...God had great plans for her... now didn't He.
moses was an orphan as was samuel.
i know in my heart that God has mighty plans for mallory lael...i told natalie just the other day how i feel that mallory lael will be a quit child...who loves to read...totally opposite of us loud sisler's...when i think about mallory lael i get a sense of peace.

i know adoption clearly isn't for everyone...what i mean is not everyone can actually adopt a child...that is truly okay...there is one thing we can ALL do, PRAY...this is a how prayers from total strangers made a difference in mallory lael's life...back in november 2009 i was given the name of the family that had considered adopting mallory...for some reason i felt a desire to call this women, i introduced myself and told her i had gotten her phone number etc.... she was kind and shared with me that she and her husband had prayed that a famiy with older chidren would adopt mallory lael...she then told me abotu lia kate, a little girl in china that they were adopting....they just came back from china in decemeber with lia kate...i proceeded to tell her about our family that we did have older chidren...i could hear a change in her voice and felt she was touched by the fact that we had older children... then i told her we were adopting mallory lael...she then asked me what we would name her i told her mallory lael panyue sisler...she again became emotional and said "that is the perfect name for her"...through there prayers for mallory lael to find a forever home with older children...God has chosen us to be her family...i can't tell you how many total strangers and incidence have occured that keep reminding me that this is all about God...not about the sisler's adopting a little girl from china....it is about God....mallory lael isn't even here yet and she is already making an impact, on us most defiantly but also on many others...again i will ask that you PRAY for all the orphans in this world....mallory lael is one of the fortunate orphans, she has a family, she has no clue that we are working diligently to bring her home...you can go to www.waitingtoblossom.com maybe you'll see an orphan that catches your eye or heart...pray for that child...they've been given names.... mallory is on that site under the name piper....you will see MATCHED by her photo...that means she has a family that is adopting her, that would be US ;)...
i am thankful that God has chosen us to be her family...we're the lucky one for sure.

2010-01-01T08:16:00.001-08:00

this is the newspaper with mallory lael's finding ad...the newspaper date is april 16, 2009...i have a picture of mallory lael at 5 days old & the location she was found...in the finding ad the information is of a different location and the photo doesn't look anything like the photo i have of mallory lael at 5 days of life...i'm pretty sure the newspaper people ;) put the wrong information with her name...a mistake?? i'd say so...it really doesn't matter what the finding ad says or doesn't say... mallory lael is ours and from the time she was conceived God had planned for her to be our daughter. God has a plan for each and everyone of us...God knew that where we would go so would mallory lael...where we stay mallory lael will stay also a verse in ruth comes to mind...Ruth 1:16 where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God."

Third Day

2010-01-01T08:13:00.000-08:00

amy hart sent me an email recently asking me to listen to a song...i click on the link she had provided in the email... this is what i heard

Third Day

There's a little girl trembling on a cold December morn
Crying for her momma's arms
At an orphanage just outside a little China town
There the forgotten are
But half a world away I hang the stockings by the fire
And dream about the day when I can finally call you mine

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms
And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas

As I hang the tinsel on the tree and watch the twinkling lights
I'm warmed by the fire's glow
Outside the children tumble in a wonderland of white,
Make angels in the snow
But half a world away you try your best to fight the tears
And hope that heaven's angels come to carry you here

It's Christmas time again but you're not home
Your family is here and yet you're somewhere else alone
And so tonight I pray that God will come and hold you in his arms
And tell you from my heart I wish you Merry Christmas

Christmas is a time to celebrate the holy child
And we celebrate his perfect gift of love
He came to earth to give his life
And prepare a place for us
So we could have a home with him above

It's Christmas time again and now you're home
Your family is here so you will never be alone
So tonight before you go to sleep, I'll hold you in my arms
And I'll tell you from my heart, and I'll you from my heart
I wish you Merry Christmas.

2010

2010-01-01T07:28:00.001-08:00
this year will be one to remember for the sisler family...
* garrett will graduate from high school... may 23
* garrett turns 18... may 27
* june 2010 we vacation to cozumel mexico to celebrate garrett's 18th birthday & graduation
* garrett will begin his college in august
* decorate mallory lael's room...buy toddler proof items for the house
* mallory lael's room will be what use to be garrett's room...garrett after 3 years of begging us to let him move to the apartment above the garage his wish will come true in may
* travel to china to bring mallory lael HOME :)
* natalie turns 15...august 26
* natalie takes drivers education & gets her drivers permit...she says she doesn't want to get her drivers license...something tells me when she begins high school she will change her mind.
* natalie will start high school
* after 15 years of natalie asking kent & i for a baby sister...her wish will come true this year ;)

we have at least 8 months before we travel to china...i keep telling myself this is how God prepares parents for the adoption of their child...but in reality it is paper work...the paper work process is very long...you end up waiting on total strangers to approve documents for you to adopt an orphanage who needs a home NOW not in 8 months but NOW...it has been difficult for kent & i to understand why it takes 7-12 months to adopt a child (this is for a special need child...a child without any special needs can take 4-6 years to adopt from china)...the way i see it once your cleared by the fbi...your income is verified...your home is assessed that it is indeed a safe home for a child...your cleared by the abuse & neglect people it should be a go...meaning GO get your child....also with computers & faxes this process should take 3 months...this is my option i would venture to say many adoptive families feel the very same way...once your child is placed in your arms all the time you've spent waiting all of a sudden seems irrelevant...Gotcha Day is when you officially adopt your child...i pray our gotcha day is in july so garrett & natalie both can travel with us to china...this is totally in God's hands i will do my best to be patient...while being in the front row of God's mighty powers at work...i will cherish every step it takes us to get to china.

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Christmas will be different next year

2009-12-27T18:10:00.001-08:00
CHRISTmas was wonderful this year...with garrett & natalie being teenagers we don't have cookies & milk sitting out anymore for santa...nor do take them to sit on santa's lap to tell him what they want for CHRISTmas...next year will be different
* we will take mallory lael to sit on santa lap..HO HO HO
* will she scream, cry or smile on santa's lap? i'm going with crying
* will she be mesmerized with all the glistening CHRISTmas light? i bet she will
* will she like the taste of a candy cane? i hope so
* will she understand that we are celebrating Jesus birthday? probably not but we will tell her of our Saviors birth

we have a family tradition in our home...we let the kids pick one gift to open on CHRISTmas eve...we've always had fun with this...natalie can never decided what gift to open (she is the undeceive one of the bunch)...garrett he picks one & never looks back...will mallory lael be undeceive like her big sister natalie??? will she be like her big brother pick a gift and go on? i bet she'll be mallory lael the little person God made her to be just PERFECT ;)

next year will be different...mallory lael will of just turned 2 when CHRISTmas rolls around next year...we have talked about how it will be with mallory her with us next year...natalie has plans for them to wear matching CHRISTmas pj's...i like that idea natalie has always worn CHRISTmas pj's CHISTmas eve...she brought down a pair she wore a few years ago she said "mom save these for mallory"...i didn't tell her but mallory will be 12 before they will fit her...CHRISTmas pj's are classic they will still be cool in year 2017...

2009-12-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

mallory with her foster parents 12/09...i am thankful that mallory has foster parents...even though mallory is in an orphanage they come to the orphanage weekly to see her...thank you thank you thank you for loving my baby

2009-12-24T09:01:00.000-08:00

mallory 13 mos. 12/09 play time with a BIG pink ball...

a simple phone call to a stranger

2009-12-21T19:18:00.000-08:00
today i had the pleasure of chatting with a women in indianapolis, in...her name is ginger... she is the mother of 6 children (4 biological/2 are adopted)...i've been on a web site called china talk...it is a site where you can post questions...read others posting to educate oneself on the china adoption process...different special needs...paper work questions the information truly is endless...jenna another lady i've met during the adoption process posted on china talk a question about small head circumference...ginger responded with a post..from that post she sent me her phone number and said to give her a call...as soon as i read her invitation to call i did just that...called her...again i've been asking God for clarity...He sent me ginger today...i may never actually meet ginger...that doesn't matter because our chat today was just what God had planned for our introduction...this is what she told me: the daughter they were in the process of adopting tragically passed away...through summer's death ginger was given a great gift and ginger (a total stranger)shared with me today has changed my perspective...

August 23, 2007

One year ago today, as I was obliviously going through my life, in far away Hunan China Zhi Xin struggled to hold on to hers. Little Zhi Xin, Summer…the daughter we waited for to soon join our family passed away at 4:00pm. We learned the heartbreaking news from our coordinator the next day; she was devastated, we were devastated.
Zhi Xin, the daughter I never held, never kissed, but truly loved gave me a gift…she changed my perspective. I had been selfish, in the past my prayers had been for God to lead us to a child that would be the perfect fit for our family…now I wanted God, in His grace, to make us the perfect family for this baby. My perspective had changed and I was grateful for it.

i can see clearly that God has chosen our imperfect family to be mallory's family...He will equip up with what mallory needs...He's chosen us for mallory...not mallory for us...i am at peace and my heart is filled with joy with this gift that summer left her mom ginger...and ginger gave to me today...

inner mongolia deserts

2009-12-18T12:59:00.000-08:00

inner mongolia is home to gobi desert located in the western part of inner mongolia...gobi desert is the largest desert in china & the 5th largest desert in the world.

where is inner mongolia china?

2009-12-18T12:07:00.000-08:00

inner mongolia (the pink region at the top) is located in the northern part of china...baotou is located at the foot of the yinshan mountains, and on banks of the yellow river...the people living in the vast last made some brilliant achievements. baotou has successively won the titles of national civilized city, garden city, and national excellent tourist city. this leisure capital situated on grassland well displays its charm with its natural resources and cultural assumptions.
baotou is mongolian for 'place where deer live'. hence it is called by its other name, the deer city baotou is the largest city which incorporates the largest green area in inner mongolia.
inner mongolia autonomous region, bordering to the north with both the republic of mongolia and russia, is the widest province in china. it is the third largest chinese province (over 1.1 million square kilometers or 424,736 square miles) but not very populated. the province has about 24 million inhabitants. many ethnic groups are living in this area including mongolian, daur, oroqen, ewenki, hui, han, korea. hothhot is the capital of inner mongolia.

mallory's home

2009-12-18T11:57:00.001-08:00

this is where mallory lives...baotou social welfare institute in baotou inner mongolia, china...

when God speaks

2009-12-17T14:11:00.000-08:00
god spoke to me today unlike any other time in my life...after walking my daily walk with sisco & ruby... i did my normal morning routine...got dressed then decided to change my shirt to a new t-shirt i just bought...while in the check out line in walmart this afternoon a lady taps me on the shoulder and says "that is my favorite bible verse"...on the back of the t-shirt i was wearing is a bible verse...
The Lord your God is with you,
He is mighty to save,
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing. Zephaniah 3:17i said "thank you"...she asked were she could get this t-shirt...i told her i'd ordered it online www.wildolivetree.com it is a group of ladies who have adopted children...she asked "have you adopted a child?" i said "we are in the process now"....she began to explain to me that God asked her to fast today until sundown, then she said i'm not sure why...i told her i was fasting today also...she asked me why? i told her about mallory lael and how we are concerned about her small head...she then said "I KNOW NOW WHY GOD ASKED ME TO FAST"...her eyes filled with tears...she asked what is your daughter's name? i said "mallory lael"...she repeated her name and then asked me to spell lael L A E L...i then gave her a sticky note and a pen, she wrote down mallory lael as well as the web site for the t-shirts...she then said she was visiting her sister and she lived in boston...during the entire time i felt so peaceful speaking with this lady...she was probably in her late 60...thin, petite with such a loving spirit about her...
was she an angle?
was she someone who made a difference in my life today? YES...
i most likely will never see her again...i will never forget her...if i ever did see her again i would know her without any doubt...she made a comment i don't recall her exact words but what i believe she was saying was this was an appointment by God for she & i to meet...
i wish now that i would of exchange phone numbers with her to tell her about mallory lael when we bring her home...God didn't want us to exchange phone numbers or we would have...that is how God impacted my life today...through this stranger i feel a at peace...thank you Jesus...

giraffe

2009-12-17T11:49:00.000-08:00

her "snuggle" monogrammed for her ;) this went in her care package...sandra haygood did a great job on the monogramming...thanks sondra ;)

care package

2009-12-17T02:43:00.000-08:00

here are the goodies in mallory's care package...i have to pick up her snuggle giraffe today...hopefully she will get this right after Christmas...you can't send a care package until you receive your PA...we got our PA 2 days ago...

mallory's foster parents

2009-12-16T11:53:00.001-08:00

mallory's foster parents...(foster mom in pink)they come visit mallory at the orphanage weekly...lori said she could tell mallory loves them...and they love mallory ;)

natalie's stocking

2009-12-15T17:53:00.000-08:00

made for natalie in 1995...made with love by mom ;)

garrett's stocking

2009-12-15T17:52:00.000-08:00

made for garrett in 1992...made with love by mom :)

mallory's stocking

2009-12-15T17:50:00.000-08:00

i've started mallory's stocking...it will take me a couple months to finish it...as i'm needle pointing i picture mallory lael next year putting her tiny little hands inside this stocking pulling out goodies from santa

PA

2009-12-15T16:51:00.000-08:00

we got our PA (pre-approval) Yeah!!! i now can send mallory her gift package....Praise God :)

Have you ever wondered

2009-12-12T07:26:00.000-08:00
how it would feel to be internationally adopted? perhaps, in fact, you were. if not, you might wonder what it is like to be suddenly immersed in a new life. join me for a moment of imaginary play. i invite you to picture yourself plucked from your familiar life and "dropped in the middle of nowhere."

you look around you. you are in a remote place in the middle of what seems like nowhere in particular. you have no maps or signs to tell you where you are. suddenly you are surrounded by strangers, all of whom are overjoyed to see you. these people smile, laugh, and talk loud and fast, and they act as if you can understand them. they touch your hair, your face, and your shoulders, and they hug you repeatedly. you notice they have a peculiar odor. they dress differently from anyone you have ever met. their language is unintelligible and sounds like gibberish. you have no clue how or why you are here. you have no idea if you will find your way back to your former life.

before we go further, check to see how you are feeling. SCARE TO DEATH is any part of your body tense? YES do any worries pop into you head? YES how might you feel about these overly friendly strangers? SCARED< UNSURE> GET ME OUTTA HER

you feel hand beginning to remove your clothes (after given your child you must remove the clothes they came in and put an outfit on you've brought for your child) and there, in the public, these strangers dress you in a new garments. some people appear to be assessing you, sizing you up, looking at your hair and teeth closely and noting any moles or scars on your body. you are given strange food and invited to play unfamiliar games. you are handed a container of strange liquid and encourage to drink it. everyone continue to laugh and smile and act as though this were a perfectly ordinary and normal situation. (parenting your internationally adopted child by: patty cogen 0

welcome to the mind & world of an internationally adopted child...this is how mallory will feel when she is placed in our arms... i will be overjoyed, crying most likely on an emotional high...mallory will be scared, unsure, frightened to name a few...in my reading & research to be the best mother i can be to mallory...i must remember she won't be parented initially the same as garrett & natalie were parented...she's coming from a totally different situation...many may ask or think to themselves "she'll be under 2, she won't remember much" that is 100% inaccurate...she will remember quit a bit of her first 2 years in a foster home & orphanage...due to many hurdles she won't be able to articulate how she is feeling

>

Waiting

2009-12-12T07:06:00.000-08:00
waiting isn't my strong point...i keep thinking to myself how far away october 2010 is that is 10 months from now...it seems as if it will never get here...mallory will be 23 months old if we travel to china in october 2010...i am praying that we can travel in august to bring her home...so much will be going on in august...garrett will start college...natalie will start high school...OMG it will be a busy month...hey, maybe God will have us travel in july 2010...now wouldn't that work out great...again that is what i want... i have to remember that God's timing is perfect...in my mind i want garrett & natalie to go with us to china...i want them to experience china first hand...

God knows every second of mallory's life...
*when she will meet us for the first time
*when she will start walking
*when she will be potty trained
*when she will say "mommy, daddy, garrett & natalie"
*when she will be placed in our arms for the first time
*when she will know & feel how much we LOVE her
*when she will be taken out of the orphanage for good
*when she will say goodbye to her nanny
*when she will be on an airplane headed for atlanta, GA
*when she will have her first dentist appointment
*when she will watch her big brother play soccer & her big sister play volleyball
*when she will see sisco & ruby for the first time
*when she will meet her grammie, pawpaw, nan, poppy joe & grandpa
*when she will feel LOVED unconditionally
*when she will know that Jesus LOVES her
*when she will know that God made her perfect
*when she will find out her God given talents
*when she will know what american food taste like
*when she will meet her cousins, aunts, uncles & many family friends
*when she will meet her aunt amy who helped us bring her home ;)
*when she will read the blog i've started to journal her adoption journey
*when she will see her baby pictures & video that was sent to us in october 2009
*when she will accept Jesus into her heart
*when she will be in her first school program

Okay, i know God knows every second of mallory's life...i just wish God would give me a little teaser... a peek inside His plan...

Surprise

2009-12-09T03:22:00.000-08:00
serena our angle in china...sent us updated pictures of mallory...i've put 3 on the blog...she is now 13 months old...yes, her head has been shaved darn ;(...the chinese feel if you shave a baby girls head their hair will grown in more luxurious...time will tell on that one...i had heard the orphanage mallory was in was nice...looking at these photos i feel very good about the orphanage...it looks clean...with plenty of toys to play with the nice soft ground for the babies to crawl on...half the sky nannies are coming to this orphanage to help the babies with stimulation & development...mallory playing on the floor...reaching for the balls is huge...many orphanage don't have this type of program...serena our angel has made our Christmas for us...Thank you very very much Serena...our baby looks Beautiful & healthy...

a GREAT surprise

2009-12-09T03:16:00.000-08:00
serena our angel in china surprised me this morning with 6 pictures of mallory ;)...she looks so great...i've attached 3 of them...the orphanage she is in is very clean & nice i'd heard and the pictures show it to be clean...the babies are being stimulated with toys which is awesome news...it makes me want to go get her TODAY...get me on a flight TODAY...unfortunately it doesn't work like that UGH...these pictures made my Christmas fro sure...God bless serena she's been wonderful to us...yes, they have shaved her head...darn ;(... the chinese feel if you shave the baby girls heads their hair will grown in more luxurious...we shall see about that

Sneak Peak

2009-12-08T10:10:00.000-08:00

here is the the pillow sham that will coordinate with mallory's room...the print is soft pastel colors with a splash of warm tone pink, green & blue mixed in...pattern is of pagoda with a chinese little girl, birds, fish & a butterfly...the material is very kid friendly...it doesn't come in queen size bedding only twin even if it did it is a bit pricey for my budget...we are going to have bits and pieces of this bedding...i ordered the baby quilt which she can use for mallory to snuggle with... this pagoda print bedding pieces coordinate perfect with her crib & big girl bedding...

Brrr

2009-12-06T15:50:00.004-08:00
it is a bit chilly in GA today...i wonder how cold little ms. mallory is in china today? i'd say very very very chilly...i pray she's bundled warm & being held tightly by her nanny...we decorated our Christmas tree today...we talked about how next Christmas mallory will be 2 and how much fun Christmas will be to have a toddler around our house.

God brings two families together

2009-12-05T06:35:00.001-08:00
okay her is how this story begins...i found out 2 days ago that a family in fayetteville, GA (where i live) is adopting a child from baotou, swi inner mongolia (same orphange mallory is in)...kim (the mom)and i finally get to talk after playing phone tag...kim & i both are nurses... both worked at the same hospital not only that but we know each other...we live less then 5 miles from each other...God has known all along that mallory & shiloh (kim's daughter) would be together in baotou and live in the same town in the states...shiloh's birthday is november 11 she just turned 2...mallorys birthday is november 9 she just turned 1...in the orphanage they most likely are in the same room together...with all the reading kent & i have done one of the best out comes is if you can get together with children from the same orphanage your child came from...who would of ever imaged that mallory would have a friend 5 miles from her home???? i sure wouldn't have...kim & her family will be traveling to baotou in april...when she goes she'll be able to take video's and pictures of mallory (hopefully ;) if the orphanage will allow this...some times they allow pictures to be taken of other children sometimes they don't...whatever the outcome the end result will be that mallory & shiloh will be reunited again...

LOI

2009-12-04T15:56:00.001-08:00
Big day our LOI (letter of intent) official today december 4, 2009....one step closer ;)

Home Study FINISHED....kind of

2009-12-03T03:53:00.000-08:00
kent & i drove to birmingham, AL yesterday for our FINAL home study appointment....the rain was horrible took us 3 hours 45 minutes to get to lifeline....thank God we arrived safe....our part of the home study is finished....it is in the hands of our social worker now....estimate time of completion the middle of january 2010....it was an informative meeting yesterday....kent & i left feeling educated & more eager to bring mallory "home"....our estimated time of travel has changed to september/october 2010....i pray and i'd ask you guys to pray that we can get her much early august would be ideal....again it is on God's time line not andrea's time line....the goal is to get mallory "home" and out of an orphanage....i made my views very clear on the urgency to get the home study completed our social worker promised to work diligently....the sooner the home study is completed the sooner our CIA (immigration) can be sent out....then the dossier can be sent....the goal is to get your LID (log in date)into china....when your logged in you travel 5-6 months after that date....you see the sooner the better ;)

mallory's birth mother

2009-11-29T16:26:00.000-08:00
i find myself often thinking about mallory's birth mother....while reading the lost daughters of china the authors writes this "if i know nothing else about this women who gave me the gift of this beautiful child, i know this: when she cared for this baby, she cared wholeheartedly, even if it was only during her pregnancy. when she set her down, she set her down gently." mallory nor i will never know why her birth mother had to give her away...but in my heart i believe that she loved mallory very much and her circumstances (poverty,having a girl instead of a boy,pressure from family,the one child rule) who knows but her circumstances were something most of us will never have to deal with.

as the author of the lost daughters of china puts it...."abandoned" is a harsh word, and it is tempting to soften the explanation, though the "a" word is long out of the barn, used,for instance, in the official documents each girl takes away from china. it's worth noting that parents in chain who take their children to the doorstep of a police station ~ or even more bluntly, to the front door of the chinese center for adoption affairs~ hospitals, school yards, markets with every intent of getting them to care and safety, are said to "abandon" their babies. in contrast, american women who bring their infants to the attention of a social service agency are said to "give up" their children ~ and even that terminology now has given way to the gentler and more politically correct phrase, "make an adoption plan." the word 'abandoned' should be used only when it's absolutely true," "when the prom queen leaves her baby in a trash can that's truly abandoning a baby. leaving a child on the hospital steps or on the road en route to the hospital is as close as anyone can get to making an adoption plan.

when i think of mallory's birth mother i immediately tear up....
*is it because i've carried 2 children to birth?
*is it because i could never do what her birth mother had to do?
*is it because my instinct would of been to take my baby girl run as far away as i possibly could? that sounds easy doesn't it? what if you had no money, job or place to care for my newborn baby...for me that puts a totally different perspective to all the birth mothers in china...my heart cries for them.
*does she wish for an american family to adopt her baby girl?
*does she wait & watch until the baby girl she's abandoned is picked up by a stranger?
*does she want to scream, to run out of her hiding place and take her baby back?
*does she walk by the local orphanage and wonder if her baby girl is being carried for?
*does she think about "could my baby be on that bus filled with american couples coming to china to adopt a little girl?"
*does she wonder and hope that someday years from now she will see a young lady, a young lady who looks like her, coming to find her?

i will do my very best to be open with mallory about all i know or what little i know of her birth mother. i feel a closeness to mallory's birth mother, knowing i will most likely never met her...but i do know that mallory has 2 mother's that love her very much...you may ask how do you know her birth mother loved her??? this is how i know...it is very easy (and encouraged) to have an abortion in china...and she didn't...that is how i know...i'm happy she was brave enough to give birth to mallory.

yes, i do love mallory very much...that may seem strange to some especially since i've never even met mallory...i may not of met her in person yet but my heart has met her already....God has placed mallory in my heart to be her mother i can't wait to bring my baby girl "home"

chinese horoscope

2009-11-29T16:09:00.001-08:00
mallory was born in the year of the rat...let's see what it says about children born during the year of the rat:
being born a rat is nothing to be ashamed of. in china, the rat is respected and considered a courageous, enterprising person. it is deemed an honor to be born in the year of the rat and it is considered DA privilege to be associated with a rat. rats know exactly where to find solutions and can take care of themselves and others without problems. they use their instinctive sense of observation to help others in time of need and are among the most fit of all the animal signs to survive most any situation.

years of the rat:
rat years begin the sequence and recur every 12 year. rats are blessed with one of the best intellects going. add to their intelligence a curiosity and a bright imagination, and they seem as sharp as a needle. they can be calm and perceptive, but sometimes their brains can cause mental restlessness, tempting them to take on too much, only to discover they are unable to meet their commitments.

the sign of rat:
rats is the first sign in the cycle giving rat people exude great leadership qualities and are good at taking the lead. they demonstrate a strong presence that other people respect.

the rat infant and child:
rat babies love to be loved and cuddled. when they are young, rat babies tend to deepen tremendously on their parents, but later in life they develop natural leadership qualities. during their baby years, rats mature slowly, but gain momentum as they become toddlers. eventually, they begin to exhibit active mentalities, so in the early years, plenty of sleep in necessary. in school, the young rats are eager to learn. it is then, too, that rats begin collecting things, and like to fill their bedrooms with pebbles, shells and keepsakes of every kind. they are well rounded and many of them do well in sports, too. being born in the first sign of the chinese horoscope motivates these children to be pioneers and gives them a need to be first in line.

i'm not one who believes horoscopes but found this an interesting read....

loi~ letter of intent

2009-11-26T06:28:00.001-08:00
this is a big step in the adoption process.... the loi consists of many documents that will be sent to china to inform the chinese our intentions to adopt mallory.

the following documents are included in the letter of intent (loi): (i thought it was literally a letter stating our intentions of adopting mallory....i was wrong)
1) criminal history record on kent & i
2) health physicals
3) passport photos
4) family photo
5) case letter ~ a letter explaining our family's dynamics and lifestyle.
6) certificate of income & property
7) CCAA parent information sheet
8) lifeline application
9) acceptance of referral of waiting child

that's about it....the paper work is unbelievable....i am very organized but this even challenges my organizational skills....i have 2 extra large 3 ring binders to keep the paperwork organized....

hague international adoption laws

2009-11-26T05:24:00.000-08:00
i've been asked to remove mallory's chinese name and her location in china on this blog...this is a rule implemented by hague international adoption laws....was informed of this yesterday....

#3 home study checked off :)

2009-11-23T05:35:00.000-08:00
last night we completed step 3 in the home study process...garrett & natalie were interviewed questions they were asked pertained to their feelings about the adoption of mallory....natalie said daniel (our social worker) asked her to describe herself.... she said "loud" that's my girl ;).... kent & my interview focused on our upbringing,siblings,parents,childhood,teenager years,college years.... it was a walk down memory lane.... the entire process took 3 hours.
on december 2, 09 we'll have the last and final interview....this will be done in birmingham, AL with daniel, our social worker and karla the china adoption specialist....the process is moving along very smoothly....i love to check off things that have been completed so i now will CHECK off this YEAH :)
our prayer is we can go to china before garrett begins college in august....please join us in this prayer.... we'd love to make this a family event so we all meet mallory at the same time.... it would be awesome to see mallorys heritage & culture through our own eyes....that would be perfect....i do know this is on God's timing i hope God's thinking the way i am :)

what will her name be?

2009-11-22T13:33:00.001-08:00
Mallory Lael (means belonging to God) we will keep her chinese given name as her 2nd middle name but (due to hague international adoption laws her name can't be used until on blog etc.until we have officially adopted mallory) sisler....put it all together Mallory Lael ____ Sisler

chinese proverb

2009-11-21T15:15:00.000-08:00
"an invisible read thread connects those destine to meet, regardless of time, place or circumstances. the thread may stretch or tangle,but never break." chinese proverb

when God calls you to step out of your comfort zone....do you step or stay????

2009-11-20T06:52:00.000-08:00
for I the Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, who says to you, fear not; I will help you! isaiah 41:13

I will not be in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. I will not, I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake you; not let down (relax my hand on you) hebrew 13:5

"and whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me." matthew 18:5

"for I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." jeremiah 29:11

let each of you esteem and look upon and be concerned for not his own interests, but also each for the interests of others. philipians 2:4

utube the group tenth avenue north and listen to the song BY YOUR SIDE...it is a beautiful song that touches my heart.

little girls in china

2009-11-20T03:40:00.000-08:00
* babies,female babies, it seemed, were found everywhere, every day. babies wrapped in newspapers, babies bundled in rags, babies in baskets, babies in boxes.

* the vast majority of people adopting chinese children are, after all, caucasians ~ and has accepted the application of single parents of both sexes, and of people well into their forties, even into their fifties and sixties.

* while some new american parents stay in a four or five star hotel during their adoptive sojourn to china, the baby they take home may have come from a rural area where her parents live in a one~room shelter with dirt floors and no electricity and where the price of a single night in a luxury hotel might constitute the family's yearly budget.

* chinese women's productive lives were largely controlled by the state. permission from the government was required in order to have a child; women who became pregnant without consent were often forced to have abortions, even late in their pregnancies. a women lacked official permission to bear the child she was carrying could quickly end up on the streets ~ or worse. if that baby was a girl, her husband and his family could disown her for giving birth of the wrong gender. she could lose her job and her home.

* it's a crime to give up a child in china.

* most of the women who abandon children do it in secret, hid somewhere, maybe move to another city.

* wrote poet fu hsuan in the third century, " girls were a cheap commodity in china"

* harsh realities ~ the chinese government's strict populating policy introduced in 1980, the culture's traditional reliance on sons, plus untold hardships and emotionally wrenching circumstances known only to the birth mother ~ will have forced these little girls from their families. The children who are placed with adopting families represent only a tiny fraction of those found abandoned through the country ~ or those missing altogether.

* most of the children will have no known history to look into, should they ever want to trace their parents. Their birth parents leave little information, if any. for all the benefits of adoption into a loving family in the west, there is a loss of roots each small girl must deal with as she grows into adulthood, coming of age halfway across the globe, having lost the thread that might someday lead her back.

as a soon to be mother of a orphanage from china...i put all my faith & trust in God.... i know that only through God has mallory been brought to us....why are we so fortunate to have this opportunity to adopt mallory??? i trust is God's perfect plan for mallory's life.

please pray for all the birth mother's who've abandoned their baby girls not because they wanted to but because they forced to....my heart breaks for mallory's birth mother....i thank her for her sacrifice and i vow to raise mallory the best we know how with the guidance of God.

questions

2009-11-19T03:11:00.000-08:00
we've begun the paper work....we will have our 3rd home study visit on monday....i have so many questions that really no one can answer....i am very thankful for the bits and pieces of information i've been able to get which is much more then most from what the adoption agency has told me....my list of questions continue to add up....

what did she wear today?
yesterday?
tomorrow?

is she crawling?
is she walking?
is she standing?

does she laugh?
does she call out?
does she reach to be held?
does she dream about her mom & dad?

is she happy?
is she warm?
is she safe?
is she silly?
is she serious?
is she quite?
is she loud?

does anyone play with her?
does she smell like a baby?
does she know how much we love her?

has anyone held her tight?
rocked her to sleep?
kissed her beautiful lips?
caressed her head?
rubbed her back?
played peek a boo?
read her a book?

is she hungry?
is she full?
is she curious?
is she shy?

does she like dolls?
balls?
bright colors?
music?
soft stuffed animals?

how soft is her skin?
her voice?
her hair?

does she know how much we love her?
how thankful we are that God brought her to us?
she has a big brother & big sister?
does she know how much we love her?
many say she looks like her daddy?
we want her home now?
does she know how much we love her?
we pray for her everyday?
she has an extended family that are very excited to meet her?
what great grandparents she has?
does she know how much we love her?

....just a few of the questions i have

the beginning

2009-11-17T13:10:00.000-08:00
10-22-09 i read a file on a little girl from china....that was it....i was drawn to this little baby from the moment i read her file and saw her picture...then i read her story....amazing,miracle & unbelievable are a few words to describe what mallory has been through in her short life....she's a survivor we know that already....God's finger prints all over mallory....

mallory story: when mallory's mother was pregnant, she was told that the baby she was carrying had severe organ deformities (saw this on the ultrasound) and probably would not live. God had a plan for mallory so she was born alive, even at 35 weeks. due to her prematurity the police feel she was abandoned because her parents would't be able to care for her. she was found by a man across the street in a bush directly across the street from the hospital. this mane took her home and his family decided to keep her and try to raise her. the man of the family went to the hospital to get premature nipples to feed her with after approximately 6 days she wasn't eating well. she was taken to the police station, the man explained he'd found her in the bush across the street from the hospital. she was taken to the hospital and seen by an american doctor, on admission the doctor could find no abnormalities at all, and aside from being jaundiced, thought the baby seemed pretty stable.

she had a CT Scan done on 10-27-09 results NORMAL....many questions were answered by serena, she lives in china and cares for premature orphanages.... she was working when mallory was admitted to china care on november 13. 2008 at day 6 of her life....her birthday is november 9. 2008....she weighed 3# 13oz (at 6 days of life birth weight we'd estimate to be 1-1.5 lbs larger) she was jaundice, dehydrated and tiny....other wise in very good health for a premature baby....estimated gestational age was 30 weeks after a few day of obtaining more information myself and other neonatal nurses and dr. ade (a God sent) plotted mallory at 34-35 weeks gestation at birth....10.31.09 janell sent me a video of mallory....i opened the video and saw mallory....it was priceless to see her sitting in that crib....kent, natalie, garrett & i all were hooked after watching the video....she's precious....her development is in line with a 1 year old age even with her prematurity....she's very smart i can already tell ;).... we requested an MRI be done on her to assess her small head circumference....God had it done in record time....on 11.12.09 the MRI was done....11.13.09 results NORMAL....Thank you Jesus....that is a very short version of the beginning of our adoption journey....we will travel to china in 7-10 months....WOW that seems like forever....God will use this time to prepare us for our new daugther....of course work on my patience because i want to go get her NOW... God's timing is perfect i will have to remind myself of that several times a day.

adoption journey begins

2009-11-17T09:33:00.001-08:00
this blog i've set up to share our journey to adopt Mallory Lael....we're in the early stages of the adoption process....today we're having our home study done....please join our family in this exciting journey....