Getting Ready

It has been a hectic couple of days. Some of the packing got done. DJ's room is ready for him. We are trying to spend time with Francie and Lee before we leave. And Katie is packing the refrigerator with food for the kids and grandparents.

Here We Go Again

A little over a year ago Katie and I started the process to adopt our third child. We matched with a child very quickly and have been staring at his pictures for about a year now. Occasionally we got a new photo and wondered what happened to him that day, that week, and that month. But while we thought about this this little guy constantly, we were lucky and thankful to have Francie and Lee keeping us busy, happy, laughing, and on our toes. So this year has been a time of waiting and hoping while a little boy in China kept growing and living a life that will change dramatically in about a week.

First, some stats on D.J. His name is Fu Sheng Li, bu we already have a Lee in this house! Douglas is my middle name and Joyner is Katie's middle name and her mom's maiden name. Katie still calls him Douglas sometimes, but I think D.J. fits him. We'll see what happens. He is two and a half and lives in Jiaozou which is in the Henan province in China. He was born in Jiaozou and is back there now, but for most of his life he lived in Beijing. He's huge! Despite having had several abdominal surgeries and still struggling with digestive issues, according to the reports we've seen, D.J. is in the 75th percentile in height and weight on the American growth charts. Francie and Lee either barely made the American charts or weren't even big enough to rank. The other reports we have read say that he is quite a character. He is smiley and fun, but a bit mischievous. He should fit right in.

Katie and I will leave this upcoming Wednesday for China, but we'll leave the kids at home. We are thankful to have Katie's parents and my mom splitting time in North Carolina taking care of the kids while we are gone. I will return a week early, and Katie and D.J. will make it home on December 17th. Katie won't be alone in China for the final week, though. My brother, Greg, still lives in Shanghai and will visit and help in the middle. Also, Katie's sister, Dale, will make the long trip to spend the last week in Guangzhou to help both there and on the seemingly longer flight home.

We, of course, don't know what to expect. Although we have some comfort in the fact that we have been through this before, we know that each child is different. The adjustment period might be long and hard, but we are excited to begin this next phase in the life of our family. We can't wait to meet him.

Anyway, I know that most of you skim though all the wordy stuff and are just looking for pictures. Here they are: