World Istre

2009 Update

2010-02-10T14:56:00.002-08:00

Happy New Year from the Istre family! We so enjoyed hearing from those of you who send us cards and letters year after year. We hope 2010 will be filled with blessings for your family.
We had quite an eventful 2009. Two of our biggest and longstanding dreams were realized.

Many of you know we have been waiting for an adoption referral since April 2007. Well, the call finally came in March, and we saw the face of our precious daughter on a computer screen.
After more paperwork and more waiting, all five of us traveled to China in late July to bring home Lilli Grace Istre, who turned two on August 4, the day after we met her. It was really the trip of a lifetime. We got to visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and got to climb a portion of the Great Wall. We were so thankful that the boys were able to come. The trip involved seven different flights and 15 days of travel. We were kind of a spectacle in Lilli’s home province, as it is an industrial area and not a place Westerners often visit. We were always stared at and often stopped for pictures. We were able to take in all in stride and enjoy it, even though it did get tiresome to not be able to communicate well.

The food was generally good, though Eli was disappointed at the lack of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The names of the food, however, were sometimes lost in translation. One of the funniest was bacon, which was translated, “Cigarette meat.” Mmmm, sounds yummy. We were thankful to be able to find a McDonald’s, KFC, and Pizza Hut in the last city we stayed in and get a taste of home. Of course, we had to go to Walmart while we were there!

Lilli Grace is such a joy to us and has blended into our family as if she’d always been with us. She has changed so much from the scared, skinny little thing we met in China. At first, she had trouble standing; now, she RUNS through the house. She is learning English rapidly and her vocabulary is growing every day. She recovered quickly from cleft palate repair surgery in November and has gained about six pounds and grown about three inches since August. She loves her brothers and they take care of and are very protective of her. It has been sweet to see their nurturing sides come out. No one can put a family together like God can!

Speaking of the boys, they are growing up before our eyes. Jacob will turn 13 this February and can almost look his mom square in the eye. He’s in seventh grade and still enjoys reading, reading, reading. He also made the middle school soccer team last spring, and was proud to represent his school. He is enjoying being a part of the youth group at church.

Luke got a nice tenth birthday present--he got a trip to China and climbed the Great Wall on his actual birthday. He’s in fifth grade and is still very much a sports guy, enjoying basketball, baseball, and soccer. He was part of a travel soccer team that played in and won two tournaments; Jacob also played on one of those teams.

Eli is eight and in third grade and has become a wonderful student and reader. His big sports interest is baseball, and this year he was the hero in a game in which he hit the winning run in against his team’s big rival. He was down to his last pitch, and we were so proud of him for being cool under pressure.

Eric finally completed his master's degree after two years of hard work. He is still driving a school bus and teaching math at the high school, and I am staying at home right now to help Lilli Grace catch up on all the development she missed. Funny thing, though; for a stay-at-home mom, I don’t get to stay home very much! There is always something to do and somewhere to go. I miss my editing work and my friends, but I know I am right where I am supposed to be and I love it. I'm hoping that I can begin teaching next year.

Our other dream realized was our new home. We had been planning an addition to our small house for about a decade, but we finally broke ground in the summer of 2008. We moved in on March 14 and it has been a huge blessing for all of us. The original plan was for the boys to each have his own room since they had shared a small room for many years; when we finally decided that we were going to adopt, Jacob and Luke decided to share a larger room and let Eli have his own, leaving a room for their little sister. That lasted about six months . . . then they all piled their beds into Eli’s room and use the bigger bedroom for a playroom. I love it that they like to sleep in the same room. I wonder how long it will be before Lilli Grace decides to join them!

It was an incredible year in so many ways, and its events changed our family forever. But this year, we’re hoping for a little less eventful 2010!
We hope that the rest of this year will be a wonderful time for your family! If you are ever in the area, please let us know. We'd love to see you!

the Istres
emistre6@yahoo.com

Still Here!

2010-01-05T10:28:00.000-08:00

Wow. Two months since my last post. The days have been full, to say the least. Mid-November was Lilli's major palate surgery, which went well, thank the Lord. But it did take a while to get back to our routine, and by then it was Thanksgiving and Eric's parents' visit, then just a few more weeks until Christmas, which is always hectic no matter how well you plan. And I usually don't plan all that well! But it was typical Istre chaos, loud and fun and exasperating, and Lilli finally got into the spirit by the end of Christmas morning, ripping paper with glee.

My mom came over early enough to see all the presents unwrapped, we had the traditional Christmas morning omelets, and just had a nice day. Josh was sick and also had to work and Joe and Lisa traveled to be with her family for the holiday. So we all met up on New Year's Day and had a second Christmas at my mom's. It was a great day.

And so now it's 2010, the boys and Eric are back to school, and Lilli and I are alone together once again. She has been home with us for almost exactly five months. I still wake up in the morning and think, "Is this real? She's really home?" But at the same time, it seems so normal that she's here, as if she had been with us all along. She is such a joy, and is learning and growing every day. When we met her in China, the 12-month size clothes we had brought for her hung on her spindly frame. Today, she's in 2T clothes and is chubby. Then, she could barely stand while holding on to something. Now, my favorite sound is the sound of her feet RUNNING through the house.

2009 was such a milestone year for our family in so many ways: We moved into our new house, the one we'd been dreaming of for a decade and constructing for seven months; Eric earned his master's degree; we traveled to CHINA! and met our sweet Lilli Grace. So many good things, so many blessings, and yet it was all so very stressful. I think we are all hoping for a less eventful year this year. But who knows what the Lord has in store? Our goal is to, day by day, rest in His provision and follow His will.

Harvest Party 2009

2009-11-04T12:10:00.000-08:00

We had one Pastor Steve (our youth pastor), one Obi-Wan Kenobi, one Too Old to Dress Up Luke, and one really cute ladybug. Lilli enjoyed her first sucker and had fun walking around. Luke and Eli gathered lots of loot as usual, and Jacob was old enough to help with the games this year. A good time was had by all!

Lilli's Blossoming Vocabulary

2009-10-16T18:13:00.000-07:00

One year today . . .

2009-09-26T06:37:00.000-07:00

. . . since my dad left this earth. I have missed him more this month than I have in the past year, I think. Mostly because I know how much he loved his grandchildren, and I feel so sad that he never got to meet Lilli. He would have adored her, and she would have loved her Pa. He knew we were adopting and was happy for us, but we didn't see any pictures of Lilli until March, so he never even got to see a picture of her. I pray someday they'll get to meet face to face!

I wish he could have seen our new home, the one that he was so instrumental in us having. When we started the renovation, we decided to keep the foundation to the original home. It saved a little money, but it had a more symbolic meaning to me: my dad laid that foundation, and it is on that foundation that our new home rests. It is a comfort to know that at least some of the work he did to give us a home will remain as long as the house is standing.

But with the sadness I feel for myself and my family, I also feel great joy for him. He is free from the pain and suffering he endured his last few years, and can rest in the promise fulfilled. I would never call him back to this earth and take him from his new life with Christ. As the Bible says, we do not grieve as those who have no hope.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

One month ago . . .

2009-09-08T18:50:00.000-07:00

. . . we were getting to know a very quiet, very somber little girl who could barely stand and who didn't know how to play with toys. We fed her everything she wanted and loved on her all we could. It was the end of one long journey, and the beginning of another great adventure!

. . . and today!

2009-09-08T11:07:00.000-07:00

Lilli learned to crawl up the steps all by herself! She was proud of herself, can you tell?

It has taken a whole month, but finally Lilli seems to have accepted that the cats mean her no harm.
Would you like a bite?
She is mastering the stacking ring!
Having fun outside while waiting for Daddy and the bubbas to get home from school

Last Post From China

2009-08-11T05:58:00.000-07:00

The boys enjoyed their last day of shopping on Shamian Island in Guangzhou. This picture was taken at the famous White Swan Hotel.

Happy siblings . . . well, Lilli is hungry, so you can see her look of displeasure :)

This is the aftermath of The Escalator Incident. You can read about it in the post below.

Daddy and his little princess have been enjoying more time together!

We never get tired of sleeping Lilli pictures. :)

Well, we're leaving Guangzhou tomorrow after a lovely few days with our travel buddies. Some of our group left today, and it was sad to see them go, but we're so happy that they are on their way home. We have an amazing group of families from all walks of life, taking these sweet children home to a new world in America.

Lilli's TB test came back negative, which I was not expecting, and we praised the Lord that she didn't have to have the x-ray. There were two children in our group that had to have the x-ray, but thankfully those came back negative. One more hoop successfully jumped through.

We have spent the last couple of days relaxing, shopping, and just getting to know Lilli better. At least for right now, she is very easygoing and loves to play little games with us, like pretending to give us something then yanking it back. She is letting the boys pick her up and hold her for a few seconds, and they are thrilled. Eric is able to hold her now too, although she thinks his kisses are still too prickly!

I told some of you jokingly that if you heard of an incident in China involving a red-headed American boy, it was probably the Istres! But we actually did come close yesterday. The group went to an upscale mall to a Thai restaurant, and the mall had about six levels. As we were leaving and going down the many escalators, Eric and Eli were in front of us. Suddenly I heard a "POP" and saw Eli fall. Eric grabbed Eli and swung him away from the bottom of the escalator, which had grabbed and eaten Eli's left shoe! So scary. And he wasn't even goofing off, it just got caught. The escalator was turned off and a bunch of guys in uniforms were standing around pointing and talking gruffly in Chinese. Our guide said they were going to have to call an engineer to come and fish the Croc remains out of the escalator. So, we left. Nothing more to see. Our guide took us to a Chinese store like Walmart called the Trust Mart. We found Eli some new sandals and all was well.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon we have our swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Consulate at 3:00, then we'll board a bus to Hong Kong, where we will spend the night. Then, Thursday morning we'll begin our long trek back to the good ole U.S. of A., stopping in San Fransisco and Denver before making it to Nashville about 11 p.m. We expect our total travel time to be about 26 hours. I'm tired just thinking about it, but we're ready to head home. Several of our travel buddies are also on the long flight to San Fransisco, so I hope the time will pass quickly.

Thanks to all of you who have followed along our journey and who have lifted us up in prayer; never have we felt the Lord at work more than during this experience. We have so much more to tell, but fatigue and a tight schedule kept us from doing more right now. I'm sure y'all will be sick of hearing about our trip before we'll be tired of talking about it. It has been a wondrous and awesome experience, and I can't wait for y'all to meet Lilli Grace Yingjiao Istre. She is a dream come true, and a living testament to the work of the Lord.

Tennessee, here we come!

P.S. Eric's trip is complete. He finally got to play ping pong with some native Chinese guys.

A Few More Pics

2009-08-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

Eric and Jacob are happy from filling their bellies at the breakfast buffet in Guangzhou.

The proud parents are glad to have each other as traveling buddies! We couldn't do this without each other!

Kickin' It in Guangzhou

2009-08-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Guangzhou late Friday night and had to be up early the next morning for the children's medical exam. Since Lilli is mostly a velcro baby to me, I decided to go it alone. The appointment went fine, but it was really crowded in the clinic, with all of the fifteen children in our group, plus other adoption groups, plus Chinese people who needed the clinic's services. Before we could get in to see the doctor, Lilli had a blowout all over her and me and the floor. I rushed to the bathroom and changed her on the floor, wiped myself up as best I could and made it through the rest of the long appointment without incident. She did fine during the exam; it was really basic. As we were leaving, I felt something warm on my hip. Lilli's diaper had leaked again. Oh well, I guess she was marking her territory? All I can say is, Chinese Huggies are just not the same. I'm wishing I had brought more American diapers.

After I got back, Eric headed off to do about two hours worth of paperwork to secure Lilli's American visa and citizenship. The boys and I were glad to not have to do anything, and watched some Chinese tv while Lilli napped. Supper was KFC. Fried chicken never tasted so good!

Sunday was a fun day, as we got to go shopping. Shamian Island is a small part of Guangzhou that has a lot of Western architecture and influence, and also a lot of small shops with lots of goodies. It's beautiful, reminds me of what Charleston and Savannah look like. We enjoyed looking and buying. The boys got kung fu outfits; I'll try to post a picture. We're going back tomorrow to get the results of Lilli's TB test, and hope to buy more stuff!

Speaking of the TB test, this is a new requirement for anyone over the age of two. If the test comes back negative, no problem. If it is positive, which sometimes happens after a child has been vaccinated, then a chest x-ray must be done. If the x-ray is clear, no problem. If the x-ray shows TB, the U.S. will refuse entry until the TB is cured. This is a several month regimen of drugs. I know of one family who, as far as I know, had to leave their child behind until the treatment is done. I don't expect this to happen to us, but would sure appreciate prayer for a clear negative result on the skin test tomorrow (Monday afternoon in China, would be early Monday morning in Tennessee).

The boys are still having a great time and are wonderful with Lilli. She is tolerating us very well right now, and seems happy to have all the adoration. We might have a little empress on our hands! She is accepting of our attention and seems very happy most of the time. Hard to believe she's only been with us a week.

Oh, and a big big thanks again to my little brother Joe, who faithfully posted our messages and pictures when we couldn't access the blog. We emailed him and then he took care of the rest. He deserves much thanks for going out of his way for us. Love you, Joe!!

Zai jian until later!

More Lilli

2009-08-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

We bought Lilli some squeaky sandals, very popular in China. She had a good time trying to walk with them on.

Like the rest of us, Lilli is enjoying the yummy breakfast buffet in Guangzhou. Her favorite thing is rice congee, which looks like the Chinese version of grits.

Eric says, "And in this corner, weighing in at 18 pounds, the Chinese Connection, the Beast from the East, the Kung Fu Panda, Lilliiii Bal-bo-aaaa!!!"

She spent about two hours crawling around on the floor with the boys, all the while clutching this plastic bag that a swim cap came in.

I'm so glad the boys are here! They love Lilli so much and will do anything to make her laugh. I think she likes them a little, too. :)

Lilli Grace

2009-08-09T00:54:00.000-07:00

A smile from our precious girl.

Last Day in Taiyuan and Trip to Guangzhou

2009-08-09T00:09:00.000-07:00

Lilli loves to be outside, even if it's in a van riding to the airport.

Walking at Yingze Park. We gathered quite a crowd of onlookers and picture-takers;we felt a little like Brad and Angelina and their bunch. :)

Behind us is the wellspring at the Jinci Temple.

This is a teenager swinging Eli around and around on the streets of Taiyuan.

Sweet Lilli napping after a long morning of activities. We are so thankful that, at least here in China, she is a good sleeper.

In Guangzhou

2009-08-08T22:57:00.000-07:00

We've been offline for several days due to technical difficulties and busyness, but with some help from a travel buddy (thanks Mike!) and a more leisurely schedule, we're back. Today is Sunday in Guangzhou and we will be here until Wednesday, when we leave to spend the night in Hong Kong, then home at last on Thursday.

We lost several good posts about our days in Taiyuan, but maybe we'll have time to tell our stories later :) Just a couple of things:

Taiyuan is one of the most polluted cities in the world, as Shanxi province is widely accepted to be the most polluted province in China. Every day we were there, there was a gray haze over everything. We finally found the park we were looking for, and it was a neat place. There was a lake and a little amusement park inside, and lots of walking trails. Many people stopped to take pictures of the funny-looking family with so many kids. On our way back to the hotel, we were stopped by a group of teenaged girls with cell phone cameras. They were squealing and laughing as each of them took turns taking their pictures with us. Then, one of them scooped Eli up in her arms and just swung him around and around right there on the sidewalk. It was funny. Teenagers are teenagers everywhere, I guess.

On our last day there, we visited Jinci Temple, one of the oldest and most important cultural sites in China. Despite its modern history as the coal mining industrial center of China, Shanxi province is the birthplace of Chinese civilization, with a history that goes back 5,000 years.

At last it was time to leave Taiyuan and head to Guangzhou to meet up with our group. I was concerned about how Lilli would do on the flight, but as long as she had her little biscuits in each hand, she was great. She is really doing well with us so far. We are able to communicate more with her, and she has learned a couple of signs, like thank you and want.

Every day she opens up to us more, and her referral paperwork was right: she does have a ready smile and she is, so far, very patient and gentle. We are enjoying getting to know her, and the boys especially are in heaven when she smiles at them.

We will try to post some pictures if we can figure it out!

Lilli's Birthday!

2009-08-07T19:44:00.000-07:00

Day 5--Lilli's Birthday!

We started this day with an early morning appointment to finalize some paperwork. The orphanage director was there, but the nanny was not. Lilli was clearly stressed to be back in the same room where we received her the day before, but made it through okay. We were uncomfortable because she was and when it was over, we were glad.

Since we had no plans for the rest of the day, we decided to get some lunch. Somehow we ended up at a South Korean restaurant, a very interesting dining experience. I'll leave it at that.

Then, the boys decided to play ping pong in the special room downstairs. After getting special shoes and socks, they were ready to go on the court. They do take table tennis seriously in this part of the world! Then it was time to check out the swimming pool. The language barrier makes everything take about three times as long to accomplish, but eventually we figured out that the boys needed to wear a swimming cap and take a shower before entering the pool, which was filled with older women. Luke made the most of it and practiced being Michael Phelps.

For dinner, we decided to celebrate Lilli's birthday American-style and headed to McDonald's. She experienced her first hamburger, fries, chicken nuggets, and Coke. Loved them all.

This was the day we got our first real smile, and it lit up our world. She is an amazing survivor of a child, and we feel so blessed to have her.

Day Six

Today we went to Walmart, a day we have all been looking forward to. It didn't disappoint, as we found all kinds of fun things to see and take pictures of. Our favorite part was finding Oreos and Lay's potato chips. We bought several kinds of chips, including mango, blueberry, and kiwi. But our favorite was the American Classic style. Yummy, just like home. The others tasted gross to our American palate. But we really like the strawberry Cheetos! We did, however, choose not to buy the seaweed pringles or shrimp pringles.

Later in the afternoon, we tried to find a nearby park, but ended up getting caught in the rain. Trying to make the most of it, we saw a KFC across the multi-laned street. Eric got into the spirit of the city and crossed against the light with Eli, almost getting hit by a bus. I was too timid and got caught in the middle of the intersection with Lilli, Luke, and Jacob. We made it across after several cars and bicycles and mopeds swerved to miss us. We walked up the steps to the KFC, ready to celebrate our escape from near death. It was under construction and was not open. Doh!

We had dinner at the Chinese restaurant in the hotel and it was the most memorable experience of the day. Lilli, who wasn't feeling well early in the day, was feeling fine after our long walk. She loved looking around at all the hustle and bustle of the big city. At dinner, she amazed us all by smiling and playing at the table. I leaned over to give her a kiss, and she turned her little face toward me and put her lips on mine. I just knew it was a fluke, so Jacob came over and gave Lilli a kiss. She did the same with him, and with Luke, and with Eli, and with Eric. We were all crying in our dumplings. That this little one could mimic our love to her after only two days is a work of the Lord, I just know it. I know she doesn't truly understand our love yet, and we know we have some long days ahead and setbacks to be had for sure, but this was a sweet, sweet day for our family.

Lilli Pictures

2009-08-03T14:55:00.000-07:00

We Have Lilli!!!

2009-08-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

We have Lilli!!

We flew out of Beijing at 7:30 a.m. Monday morning and landed in Taiyuan (tay-you-ANN) about an hour later. We met our guide at the airport and our driver, Mr. Yang, loaded up our bags and drove us about an hour to the hotel in downtown. You would not believe the driving here. It is total chaos, bicycles, mopeds, and pedestrians walking amongst the cars and trucks like it was no big deal. Cars are constantly swerving in and out of lanes, and nobody uses blinkers. Eric got video of it. It's quite scary!! I will never look at Nashville drivers the same way again.

We only had time to drop our bags at the room and it was time to go to the Civil Affairs Office to meet Lilli. It was such a strange feeling. When we got in the car, Eric said he felt exactly like he had just gotten on a thrill ride at the amusement park and it was heading up the hill. It was a good description.

We got to the office a little late, and the rest turned into a blur. Jacob was doing the filming for us, and Eric had the camera. When we walked into the room, Lilli was already there, sitting between her nanny and the orphanage director, eating a cookie.

The rest of the time was spent signing a lot of papers and we were able to ask the nanny a few questions about her schedule and things that she likes and doesn't like. Then it was over, and we were back in the van, heading to the hotel.

Lilli has done really well so far, but she is so very sad. Everything she has ever known is gone, and she doesn't know why. It is hard for her to look at us, but she is accepting food, and by bedtime, she was feeding each of us bites of her cookie.

The orphanage director told us through the translator that she is lucky to have three brothers that like her so much already. I was thinking, you have no idea!

We found out there is a McDonald's within walking distance of the hotel and Eric, Luke, and Jacob went off to get us some comfort food in the afternoon. A Big Mac has never tasted so good to me! We have enjoyed trying all the Chinese food the last couple of days, but it was time for some "home cookin'", ha ha. Eric said it was quite an experience. While Beijing has a lot of international visitors, especially westerners, Taiyuan does not, even though it has a population of about 3 million. We are looking forward to exploring this city this week and seeing more of "real" China.

We were all so exhausted from the day's events that we fell asleep one by one around 7. We totally skipped supper and slept in our clothes! It's now just before 5 a.m. and we've all been awake since about 4. Except Lilli, who we are watching sleep peacefully on the bed.

Our family of six is together!

The Great Wall, and Luke's Birthday

2009-08-02T12:52:00.000-07:00

The Great Wall, and Luke's Birthday

On Sunday, we went to a church run by the International Christian Fellowship. It was nice to worship with believers from all over the world, but I personally felt a little uncomfortable and unworthy to be free to worship there, when so many who are from China don't have that right. This church was only open to foreigners, and we had to show our passports to gain entry.. I don't know, it just felt strange.

The big event of the day was our visit to the Great Wall of China. It was truly awe-inspiring. The mountains rise up suddenly just outside of Beijing,and the sections of wall run up the side of the mountain and alongside the ridgetops. So many interesting things to say, but it was an unreal experience, and so wonderful to see my boys climbing a wonder of the world.

We had several other activities that I hope I can describe later, but tonight (it's 10:06 p.m. Sunday night in Beijing) we are repacking our stuff and getting ready to meet Lilli Grace in the morning. We have to leave about 5:30 to catch our flight to Taiyuan, which leaves about 7:30. It's a one-hour flight, and we are scheduled to meet Lilli around 10:30 a.m. For anyone who's keeping up, that will be 9:30 p.m. Sunday night in Tennessee.

Also, Luke turned ten twice today, once on Beijing time and once in "real" (Tennessee) time. He had a great day climbing the Great Wall and learning about several different Chinese art forms as we toured around. Our guides, Rosa and Maggie, and really, all of our travel group, were so loving to him today. Rosa and Maggie even arranged for a birthday cake during dinner. It was a great day for a great kid. :)

So I hope to be posting lots of pictures of our baby girl tomorrow! The internet service there is a little sketchy, though, so if there is no post, you'll know why.

Love to you all, and thanks for your continued prayers. We are really feeling them!

Day 2 in Beijing

2009-08-02T12:49:00.000-07:00

Day 2 in Beijing

We had a very full day today. After breakfast, we drove to Tiananmen Square. Even though I've seen it on TV many times, I couldn't get over the size of it (over 10,000 square meters, I think). You could easily fit a million or more people there, and I think a good chunk of them were there today! So many people, mostly families on vacation, it looked like. A long, snaking line of people, probably ten thousand or more, was quietly waiting their turn to pay their respects and file past the body of Chairman Mao, which is housed in a huge building at one end of the square.

We saw the Chinese congress building and most famously, the Tiananmen Rostrum, the big building with the picture of Chairman Mao on it. You can see it behind us in one of the pictures.

Then, we walked through a tunnel that was built under the large highway that runs between the square and the entrance to the Forbidden City. The highway is 16 lanes wide.

The Forbidden City was massive. I can't even describe how huge it is. The outer gates are bigger than most castles, I think. It took us about twenty minutes to pass through the two outer gates and courtyards, and that was just the section for the emperor's offices. The first emperor began buidling the Forbidden City in the late 1400s, and it was the home of 24 emperors. The reign of emperors ended in 1911 and the city was opened up to the public.

The boys were all awestruck to walk where the emperors walked. It was a very surreal experience.

One funny thing that has happened several times is when Chinese people want to take pictures of you. Actually, the boys have had this experience several times. One lady grabbed Jacob's arm and I thought she wanted him to take a picture of her, but she wanted to take his picture with her young daughter. A man grabbed Eric by the arm and stroked his nose and started smiling and laughing. I don't know what the nose was all about, but then he pointed to Eric's arm and then his beard. I think he was impressed (or amused) by Eric's hairiness. Most Chinese do not have much arm or facial hair. I snapped a picture, it was too funny.

Luke has had his picture made a few times, too, and I've seen people take pictures of Eli. They are quite interesting to people, apparently. And I must brag on them, they are really getting into the experience. They are trying the food (well, Eli's not too happy about that) and trying to speak to people in Chinese, and just soaking it all in. It has been great to see them experiencing the culture. They are good ambassadors for Hickman County!

As we were leaving the Forbidden City, we saw several people begging. It was sad for us and we didn't know what to do. Our hearts went out to them, but our agency and guides had instructed us not to give anything. It was a difficult moment. One lady followed Eric; she had a small child in her arms, about one year old, and he kept his hands together the whole time, like he was praying. The lady kept walking alongside him, even after he repeatedly shook his head and said, "Bu yao, xie xie (We don't want to give, thank you). He didn't know what to do, so he called for our guide, Maggie, who is Chinese. She told the lady, "He told you he doesn't want to give. Leave him alone, please." Then the lady said some words really fast in Chinese. Eric asked Maggie what she said, and she said, "She say bad word to me!" and laughed. She told us that most of the people in that area are not really destitute, it's how they make a living. She even doubted that the child belonged to the lady. Still sad, though.

After the Forbidden City, we had lunch and then we visited a pearl market, where a lady explained how pearls are made and even showed us some oysters. She gave the boys two pearls each. We bought a small strand for Lilli and they made a necklace and bracelet for her that she can make one longer strand as she grows.

Then we went to the Summer Palace, the vacation residence of the emperor. It was so crowded and we were so tired of being shoulder to shoulder with people that we didn't take many pictures. We were just trying to survive it. It was very beautiful, though, I can imagine how peaceful it must have been for just the emperor and his people.

After dinner, we came back to the room and pretty much went to bed. On Sunday, we're going to church and then to the Great Wall! It is Luke's birthday, and I hope we can do something special for him. That sounds weird . .. . what could we do that's more special than taking him to one of the ancient wonders of the world?!

Enjoy the pics from this busy day! Should be uploaded soon!

We Are Here!!!

2009-07-31T13:03:00.001-07:00

We Are Here!

We made it to Beijing just fine today, it was just a really long day. We left Chicago at 12:41 and got to Beijing about 1:30 a.m. Friday morning central time. But it was 2:30 p.m. Beijing time, so basically our bodies feel like we skipped Thursday night. We were all very tired and pretty much crashed for a few hours after we got all checked in. It is a surreal but not entirely bad feeling to be distinctly in the minority in a place. As we stood in the entry line awaiting permission to enter China, I was self-conscious as I was talking to Eric because I realized I was the only one speaking English within earshot.

Beijing is a bustling town to say the least. There are people everywhere, bikes, cars, on foot. It's amazing to watch the chaos on the roads, but they all seem to take it in stride.

We had no major mishaps (thanks for the prayers) and the boys got lots of compliments on their nice manners and good behavior on the very long 13-hour, cramped flight. This mama was very proud!

I think the coolest thing for all of us was flying really close to the North Pole and seeing the Arctic Circle from 36,000 feet. It was awe-inspiring.

We made some new friends on the plane, the Blommels from Minnesota. They are also with our agency and are adopting their first child, who is eight months old. How sweet. We also met a few other families on our flight; we'll all be together during our days in Beijing.

The boys are sleeping and soon we'll be off to bed too. Big day of sightseeing tomorrow, I think partly to help us shock our bodies into China time. I think it's about 11 hours worth: the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and Summer Palace.

We slept through supper so I hope the breakfast buffet is good! Thanks again for all the prayers, we really felt them during this exciting day.

Hope you enjoy the pics. My brother Joe is posting today (thanks Joe!!) and I hope to add captions later.

We're on our way!

2009-07-30T03:38:00.001-07:00

The bags are packed, the fees are paid, the papers are gathered, the Istres are scurrying around, and the last crisis (we hope) has been averted: Luke has found his new glasses. Whew. Now he can see China clearly!

We have a full day of travel: leaving Nashville at 9:30, to Chicago; from Chicago at 12:41, 13 hours to Beijing. That's a long time aloft :0 But we get to fly over the Arctic, so that's pretty cool. We'll get to Beijing at 3:30ish local time on July 31. We're like time travelers!

Thank you to all of you who have encouraged and prayed for us, especially over the last several months. You can never know what your words and actions have meant to us. I'm sorry I haven't had the opportunity to write my notes and tell you personally.

Zai jian (goodbye) for now! China, brace yourself--the Istres cometh!!

Packing, packing, packing

2009-07-25T21:11:00.000-07:00

Well, our packing is in full gear now. I can't believe in just five days we'll be winging our way to China, after all the years of waiting and dreaming! Woo hoo :)

We had a conference call yesterday with our agency travel buddies, and it was a neat experience. We discussed some of the particulars of the trip, and found out we'll be getting our detailed itinerary on Monday via Fedex. We will also find out the total cost :0

The best part of the meeting, which consisted of about 12 families, was the group prayer at the end. It was very moving, sharing a prayer with believers from Seattle to Jacksonville.

Oh, and for those of you who read of our concern about the plane tickets, it all worked out great! Thanks for your thoughts. The tickets actually came in under our budget by a good amount, so that leaves us with some wiggle room. I love wiggle room.

Thursday was my last day at work. It was a little bittersweet, and I will miss my friends, but I know that it is time for me to go. I actually interviewed at the middle school for a teaching position, even though I had already told them I couldn't start any earlier than January. I left the interview feeling good, so we'll see if anything comes of it later. Right now, I'm looking forward to spending a few months with Lilli Grace, helping her transition into her new life.

The boys spent the afternoon today packing their backpacks for the long plane trip. My goal is to be completely packed and ready to go by Tuesday night. It would be good to have one last day of calm after all the craziness of the last few weeks.

And now, off to bed.

Hating Technology

2009-07-25T21:07:00.000-07:00

I have four posts saved as drafts but unpublished because I can't get the accompanying pictures to upload. One of the pitfalls of living in the country, I supposed. It's still frustrating. We are supposed to have better than dialup, but I don't believe it, especially right now.

So, I'm sorry, Aunt Connie and Uncle Doug and everyone else who would like to see pics of the new house. I'm trying!

I have posts on our wonderful family visit to Georgia, on the work we've done in Lilli's room, of our packing and other things. Maybe one day I'll get to publish them.

Consulate Appointment!

2009-07-15T20:30:00.000-07:00

We got our consulate appointment today, which is where we will finalize all the immigration stuff. It's the last official business we have in China, and our appointment is at 9:30 a.m. on August 11. That means our travel will be from July 30-August 13, one day longer than planned.

Right now we're waiting on our travel arrangements, and it is a bit of a nail biter. We are concerned at the high fares we are finding on our searches, and praying that our agency can find some better deals. We just can't afford $2,000 a ticket! It makes me feel a little sick just thinking about it. But I have to remind myself that the Lord owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and He has not led us to this point to leave us stranded. So we prayerfully wait for the details, trusting that He has it worked out.

If anyone out there happens to be reading this tonight, would you pray for our situation? Thank you :)

Tired but happy

2009-07-12T20:58:00.000-07:00

We've had a long day today, a long weekend, really, but filled with so many good things. Eric's mom and dad have been visiting since Thursday and it has been great catching up with them. This is the first time they've stayed with us, now that we have room for a couple of extra folks. We gave them the "master suite," and I hope it has been better than the Days Inn.

Thursday was also Eli's eighth birthday; how time flies. My baby boy, growing up before my eyes. We had a small family celebration with Hulk cupcakes for breakfast and presents right away, like Christmas morning. We gave him some Star Wars figures and his very own dart gun.

His actual birthday was Saturday; he had it all planned out: pool in the morning, then cookout, then cake, ice cream, and presents, then a campfire with marshmallow roasting, then a campout in the backyard with Jacob and Luke.

We managed to get it all in except for the swimming, because it looked like rain. We went to the creek instead. It was a long day, but really good. Attendees were Nana, Nunu and PawPaw, Joe, Josh, Tristin and Destini. And us, of course.

Sunday was church and then the shower for Lilli Grace! What a joyous day it was. So many people pouring out their love and prayers for a little girl half a world away. My heart was just aching for her to be with us to celebrate. Only 17 days to go before we are on our way . . .

Sunday afternoon was spent looking through all the gifts and relaxing on the front porch, watching the rain.

Now, I'm tired :)

TRAVEL APPROVAL!

2009-07-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

Wow, we got our travel approval yesterday, so we are definitely set to leave on July 30! Can't believe it . . . it's so exciting.

No more words, just thankful.

Getting Ready

2009-06-30T08:33:00.000-07:00

Well, we've all gotten our shots to go to China, and the boys were so brave! Typhoid shots hurt! But they were willing to do it for Lilli Grace, just so they could be there to see her from the first moment. They are so anxious to get there; I'm starting to feel anxious to get home. I just want my girl!

We got the boys' passports in the mail, so now I can finish their visa applications and mark something else off my expanding list. We have four weeks exactly before we leave, if our travel dates hold out.

We've decided to use Lilli's room as the staging point for our packing, which will begin this weekend, I hope. I've been busy reading other people's lists and trying to decide what we need to take.

We're still waiting for our official travel approval, so we won't know much about flight information until probably a couple weeks from now. But there's plenty to do! See my to do list for today, for instance:

1. Freak out! We'll be in China one month from today!!

2. Calm down. We have to focus.

3. Slight rise in heart rate with thoughts of organizing the packing. Head gets a little swimmy.

4. Deep breaths, one thing at a time. Start making lists.

5. AHHH!! She's finally coming home!!!

6. Sit quietly with a deer in the headlights look.

Repeat steps one through six at various points throughout the day.

All that being said, this really is the fun part. We actually shopped for clothes for Lilli Grace and registered for gifts for our shower at church on July 12. I can just imagine her in each outfit. The boys had a good time picking out outfits; Eli was walking around holding up tops to match with the cute little skirt he had picked out. They can believe she's real now, too. :) I look at her picture and try to see the smallest details about her. My little girl. I'm so ready.

And now, I think it's time to go over my list again:

1. Freak out!! We'll be in China one month from today . . .

Still chasing papers

2009-06-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

After all the months of paperchasing, I thought we were pretty much done. Someday I'll do a post on just what all we had to do to get our dossier ready at the beginning of our adoption journey. Fourteen pieces of paper that sum up our whole life.

Now, two years and two months later, we're a lot farther down the road, but it's like deja vu all over again.

Today I FedExed our Referral Acceptance and several other papers so they will arrive at our agency in Virginia by the noon deadline tomorrow, and this afternoon, we got a packet of about 30 pages of travel-related documents to fill out. I'm feeling overwhelmed!

And we neglected to get the boys their passports already, so I'm really kicking myself now. Okay, I've never traveled outside the country before, and I didn't know you had to have your passport way ahead of time in order to get your visa. So we'll be paying some stupid tax to get them expedited. Don't know if it will delay our travel, but it does mean more paperwork.

Oh well, like the old saying goes, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

It's a good thing I'm hungry to get to China :) When I think of our little girl waking up and going to sleep in the orphanage, I would do anything to get to her.

Okay, gimme a pen and that stack of papers . . .

Big News

2009-06-15T19:40:00.000-07:00

For those of you who may not know our big news, here it is:

Our family is fixin' to get bigger by one! We are in the middle of an adoption from China, and just today, after a really long and difficult wait, we finally got the referral acceptance from the Chinese government to proceed with the adoption of a little girl we were matched with back in March. With the official approval comes permission to share her photo with all our friends and family.

This adoption journey has stretched all of us beyond what we could have imagined, and she's not even in our arms yet! What a privilege it has been to see God's hand at work. That's material for another post!

For now, we invite you to share our joy as we prepare to bring our little girl home. We are hoping to travel in late July or early August, but we have found that the only thing for certain in international adoption is uncertainty! So we shall see, but we know that we will one day be home as a family of six, with a lot more pink in the house! :)

Introducing . . .

2009-06-15T18:57:00.000-07:00

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a far country (Proverbs 25:25) . . .

After almost two years of waiting, praying, and hoping, and 103 days after we first saw her face, we have permission to introduce you to the newest member of the Istre bunch . . .

Lilli Grace Yingjiao Istre
She currently lives in Shanxi Province, China.
She will be two in August.
There are no words to say how thankful we are that God has granted us favor in allowing us
to travel this adoption road and to love this sweet child!

End of the Year Ramblin's

2008-12-25T17:22:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all! Whew, what a whirlwind for the past few weeks! It has been a bit of an odd time around the Istre household, but only a little odder than usual. :) I found out at the end of November that my employer could no longer meet payroll, so I've joined the others who are looking for new work. It has been nice to be able to spend more time with my family around this time, though. I was able to go to the boys' school parties and pick them up from school and bake cookies, etc. and not be stressed about work.

I have been thinking about a career change for a while anyway, not because I don't love my job, but because it's just tough to be all the places I have to be when I'm an hour away from home most of the time. So I'm looking into some other options and hopefully, something will come up at the first of the year.

It's been a difficult year in so many ways . . . losing my dad, still waiting and waiting for our girl to come home, losing a job . . . but still, the blessings outweigh the struggles. I'm thankful for everything I have, right down to the socks on my feet (borrowed from Jacob--yep, I can wear his shoes, too), and I hope you will take the time to be thankful for all the things in your life that bring joy. We are not promised an easy path, but we have a God who has promised to walk with us through it all.

I'm posting from my mom's computer, and so my updates will be few and far between until we have the internet again, but please feel free to leave a comment or send an email if you visit the site.

Oh, and the house is coming along, slowly but surely! Maybe I will be able to post some pics soon. The siding is up and so is the sheetrock, so hopefully we will be ready in a couple of months.

Happy 2009!

Not so good at this blogging thing

2008-11-20T12:23:00.000-08:00

I've discovered I'm not very good at blogging. I messed up something and lost my nice background. So now my blog is back to being plain and boring. **sigh**

Okay, this time there really are pics

2008-11-20T11:43:00.000-08:00

This time I really do have pictures to post. I was trying to download about 500 pictures the other day and it was too slow, so I stopped, but accidentally published the post anyway. Here are the house pictures I promised:

They have now finished the connecting hallway between the house and garage, the roof is on everywhere, and the wiring is done. Next up is siding and insulating. We are thankful for the progress that has been made :)

Progress

2008-11-14T14:43:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm finally posting and adding some pictures. I am just not in a good position to keep up with this blog daily as I would like to. The house is coming along just fine, although slower than our impatient, homesick hearts would like. We are thinking it will be another couple of months before it's done. But like a positive-thinking friend told me, it will be better to not have to move during the holidays. Well, until I post again, enjoy the pics of the old (new) homeplace!

Waiting

2008-10-28T11:34:00.000-07:00

We are still waiting, waiting, waiting to get THE CALL from our adoption agency. I was sure it would come last month, and when it didn't, I was even more sure that it would come this month. But our heart's desires don't always match up with God's perfect will, and the call never came. It was so disappointing. We all ache to see her face and to call her by name.

I told some friends that I know the waiting has been a refining event for me spiritually, but it is painful. I came across this quote from F. B. Meyer that sums it up:

What a chapter might be written of God's delays! It is the mystery of the art of educating human spirits to the finest temper of which they are capable. What searchings of heart, what analyzings of motives, what testings of the Word of God, what upliftings of soul. . . . all these are associated with those weary days of waiting, which are, nevertheless, big with spiritual destiny.

Do not worry

2008-10-28T11:23:00.000-07:00

Mornings are crazy at our house. We have a system, it's just kind of chaotic. Jacob and Luke are pretty self-reliant when it comes to making sure they are ready for school, but Eli just marches to his own beat. He wants to be ready, but there are so many other things to think about and do! So I feel like I constantly have to remind him to do this and that.

The other day, we were especially late, and I ended up getting pretty irritated with Eli, who instead of getting dressed had decided it would be a better use of his time to wander around the house. When I told him to get dressed NOW and gave a mini-lecture on how stressful it was to have to remind him of every little thing and that he was going to end up wearing his pajamas to school if he didn't get dressed immediately, he listened carefully, nodded his head, and turned to get his clothes. Then, without any hint of sarcasm, he said slowly and thoughtfully, "You know, Mom, I believe it was in Matthew where Jesus said we shouldn't worry about our clothes and stuff."

It was so unexpected I just started laughing. The kid had a point, and used Scripture to back himself up. I finally managed to say, "Well, I don't think Jesus was talking about getting ready for school in the mornings, but you're right, there's no use in getting too upset over clothes."

We made it to school in plenty of time.

Time Marches On

2008-10-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it through the memorial service, and it truly was a time of joy and celebration, with little bits of sadness here and there. There was lots of music and a lot of funny stories, and so many friends and family! We truly felt loved in that moment. Not to mention humbled that so many took time out of their day to come.

But time truly stops for no man. And my dad wouldn't have wanted it to! And so now, we move forward, trying to catch up on everything that kept moving in regular motion while we were moving in slow motion. School, work, soccer, and on and on.

We're finding out what our new normal is, day by day. Luke said the other night, "Life will never be the same without Pa." I told him he was right. Then I said, "But there's still a lot of good life ahead of us, and we'll remember that when we feel sad for what it used to be like. It will take some time, but things will be okay." His eyes were teary, but he smiled.

He is free indeed

2008-09-30T14:08:00.000-07:00

With hope-tinged sadness, I write these words. My dad, who battled a rare brain tumor for four years, passed from this life to the next in the early hours of Friday, September 26. He was 65.

Even though we expected him to go home to the Lord in the next few months, it was still a shock that he was called away so soon. We are grieving, but not as those who have no hope. Through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, this is not the end.

It was my privilege to be with him and hold his hand as he passed, and today, he is free indeed.

Please continue to pray for our family in the coming days as we adjust to our new reality, especially my mother and my three boys, who loved their Pa dearly.

Our House Transformed!

2008-09-11T08:51:00.000-07:00

I tried to find a picture of our "old" house, but will have to post one later. This is a little of what has been done so far. The most shocking to us was the gutting of the inside, but it's really exciting to see our dream take shape.

The best part is coming to the house and seeing things done that WE didn't have to fret over and figure out how to do!

Finally Friday

2008-09-05T12:51:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe it's been more than a week since I posted. We've been busy with regular life stuff, and time just slips away. No wonder it's September already! Soccer starts this weekend, and Jacob and Luke are ready for another season. Jacob is hoping to make the middle school team in the spring, so this will be especially good for him.

I'm still trying to find the cable for the camera so I can post some pics. The house is coming along great. I love the framing part of construction because your vision really starts to take shape. They should be putting up the second floor next week.

No word on adoption stuff lately. The wait is so hard. Just knowing your child is going to sleep and waking up in a place where you know she doesn't belong . . . well, it's just hard. We love her so much already, and she doesn't know there's another life waiting for her. Sigh. We are praying that the call comes soon and that we will finally see her face.

For now, I'm just glad it's finally Friday. :)

Homesick

2008-08-28T12:34:00.000-07:00

We've all been feeling a little homesick lately. We've been living in the Bentley House (as we call it) since June, and it's really been wonderful. It's a great old house with lots of room and character, and it's closer to school, which has been a real blessing to the chronically late Istres.

But lately, I think we've all been missing our little refuge on Leatherwood Creek. Construction is really starting to pick up on the addition now, and Eric and the boys got a real shock when they went over to feed Pepper (our cat) yesterday: The house has been almost completely gutted!

Eric took lots of pictures (I'll try to figure out how to post them soon!) and the boys apparently were having a lot of fun weaving in and out of all the studs and generally playing in the mess.

I noticed at church last night that Eli wasn't himself, but I couldn't figure out what it was. He was really uncooperative and obstinate. He didn't want to be comforted or touched. He was obviously angry, but I couldn't get to the source of it.

After church, Eric pulled out the camera and started to show me all the pictures of the house carnage. When I saw the inside, my throat suddenly tightened and tears stung my eyes. It seems silly, but it was hard to see our home of ten years all torn up. I said, "Oh my goodness, the house!" and glanced at Eli. His eyes were red and filled with tears, and his little lip quivered. In a flash, I realized what was bothering him: the poor little guy was grieving his home, the only home he'd ever known. He just didn't know how to say it.

I felt glad that the mystery had been solved, but my heart hurt for my little boy, who was mourning and couldn't see that there would be something good and new after the old had been torn down.

Fillings and crowns and root canals, oh my!

2008-08-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm going to the dentist today and I am not at all happy about it. I have always had really good teeth, which is why it was so jolting to find out I need major dental work. Is this the first sign of impending middle age? Is the deterioration of my somewhat pearly whites just a harbinger of the trouble to come? Probably not. Most likely I've just neglected my teeth and the chickens are coming home to roost.

Whatever, the fact is I have to have a filling, a crown, and a root canal today, and I wish I didn't.

Why we are adopting, part II

2008-08-20T14:07:00.000-07:00

It was hard for me to believe we were actually walking into an adoption seminar. Just to get this far reflected answered prayers beyond anything I had experienced. It had taken many years to get to this point, but in His time, God had removed the barrier of income, so that now we did meet the financial requirements. He had created within both Eric and me a likemindedness to at least be open to the possibility. I was a happy woman.

Eric had said emphatically before we walked in that we wouldn't be signing anything, that we were just there to gather information and then we'd pray about it. That was fine with me. After all, it is a huge step!

The seminar was great and really, it was more like a Bible study on how God views adoption. Plus at the end there were testimonies from other families in process and a sweet video featuring Stephen Curtis Chapman and his family.

The most important thing that I think both of us learned is that God does not view adoption as second best, or a last resort. It is just as valid in His eyes as a biological birth. In fact, we are His by adoption! This truth transformed my thinking about adoption in general, and my relationship to God specifically, and it is still being transformed day by day. The agency's motto is Romans 8:15: "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."

At the end, we stood up to leave, and Eric hesitated just for a moment, then smiled and said, "Can we go ahead and sign up today?"

We didn't sign up right then, though. We waited a couple of weeks and sent in our application. Soon we were approved and we were officially on the roller coaster ride of adoption.

Because that's where she is

2008-08-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

Why China? I can't really tell you the exact moment I felt God pulling me toward adoption; I just know that after Eli was born, I started thinking about it more and more. And I have had a heart for China since I was in high school, and whenever I thought of adoption, I saw the face of an Asian girl. I studied Chinese language, culture, and issues in high school and in college. I couldn't really tell you why, not then. I just loved the country's rich history and people. I had even made arrangements through my Chinese teacher to teach English for a year at an engineering school in Wuhan. Then came the Tiananmen Square uprising, and I backed out. But I still felt a connection to China.

When I was first seriously thinking of adopting from China, I got some information from a couple of agencies. My heart sank as I read the income requirements. We weren't even close. And at the time, there seemed to be no way we'd ever qualify. I remember praying, "Well, God, You will sure get the glory if we ever do adopt, because there's no way we'll ever be able to do it unless You arrange it!"

Maybe China wasn't for us, I thought. I researched the other programs and tried to talk myself into choosing other countries. I just couldn't do it. My heart was in China, and I realized my child was, too.

We've had a lot of questions from others about why China. Why not here in the U.S., where so many children wait for families? Or why not another country? Originally, we would have a long answer about how God calls different people to different places, and how each one has to determine God's will for their family. We still believe that to be true; we've seen it firsthand.

But now, instead of a theological answer to the question, we just smile and say,

"Because that's where she is."

Why we are adopting, part I

2008-08-14T09:01:00.001-07:00

First, let me share why we are not adopting. We are not adopting to rescue a child; we are not adopting to fulfill a missionary vision; we are not adopting so we can "finally" have a girl. We are adopting because God has revealed to us by His grace that we have a daughter, and she is in China.

I admit that I have had adoption in my heart a lot longer than has Eric; we had even talked about it many times over the years. I was convinced from the time Eli was a baby, but the Lord had not yet made it so clear to Eric. There were financial roadblocks aplenty, the boys were all getting big enough so that the physical parenting was not so taxing. We were at a good place in our lives. But at times, for me, the desire to have this child was almost more than I could stand. But I was really powerless to change anything. So I prayed. I prayed for God to take away my desire if it was not to be. I prayed for him to reveal His will to Eric. The only response I ever heard was, "Just wait. Let Me handle it. Don't give up."

So many times I almost did give up; I would almost convince myself that I must be making up these feelings, that it wasn't from God, but just me wanting it to be. Every time I would get to the end of my rope, though, God was there, telling me calmly and gently, "Tie a knot and hang on."

Then, seemingly out of the blue, in April 2007, Eric asked the boys one night, "What would you guys think if we adopted a child?" The boys were enthusiastic, and I was almost speechless. "Where did that come from?" I asked. "I don't know. Just something I've been thinking about lately," he answered.

Two weeks later, we sat in an adoption seminar, getting a glimpse of our new world.

First day of school

2008-08-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

Well, the backpacks have been selected and filled with supplies, wardrobes have been updated, paradigms have shifted. Another year has fallen and a new one taken flight. The first day of the new school year is a weird mixture of excitement and fear (and that's just counting me!). Jacob is in the sixth grade . . . middle school. Really, already?

Just seems like yesterday he was reading the word "FORD" off the tailgate of a truck we followed on our way home from Mississippi. He was just three then, and now, going on twelve. Luke is nine and barreling into fourth grade. Shouldn't he still be in Mrs. Davis's first grade class? And Eli, so soon one of the "big kids" at his school (second grade), did he graduate from day school already? Oh, yes, I remember. He said of his graduation day: "I've been waiting for this day all my life!"

I have, too. Knowing these milestone days are coming don't make them any easier to take when you realize you're actually living them, when your babies are growing up like sunflowers, tall, strong, and happy. But strangely, these are not just reflective days, but exciting days. No longer so sad because of who my boys used to be, but exciting because they are growing strong and proud, and because they are steadily growing into the men God has created them to be. I'm excited for them, and for me, too. What adventures lie ahead!

On many first days of school, I have pondered and mourned the days of babyhood so swiftly ended. This year, I'm not going to lament the moments that have passed. No "Oh where have my little babies gone?". This year, I will revel in the life God has placed in our boys and in our family and seize the grace we have been given to live and love together.

Hmmm . . . I guess you don't have to go to school to learn something from it.

Welcome to our world

2008-08-11T08:46:00.001-07:00

Welcome to World Istre--all about our crazy clan of 5-soon-to-be-6. Since we are notoriously horrible about sending cards, making phone calls, and generally keeping in touch with friends and family, our hope is that this blog will help us keep everyone updated on all the things happening in our little corner of the world.