We made it home very late last night - to lots of love from a small group of family and friends! 
The girls both did great with the nearly 24 hours of travel!  YaYa did not fuss even once on the plane!  A MIRACLE :)  She slept great during the normal hours of sleep, enjoyed the food and people, sang to everyone, and had fun with Lily:)
She fell asleep on the way home from the airport last night so went straight to bed and awoke to her new home bright and early around 3:30 am!  I had fun introducing her to her kitty and new home.  We have played and had breakfast and she is back in bed:)  I imagine it will take a while to get used to her new day/night schedule.  We are soaking it all in today - having all 4 of our children in the same home!!!  SO SO FUN!
So thankful for all of your prayers and support during our adoption - words cannot convey my overflowing heart right now.  We have such an amazing community - it is good to be HOME!

I will be recording our family stories on the family blog page from now on --

Joy +Peace,
lori - for all of us at home:)
[Noel, Lori, Louis, Lily, Silas + Esther Joy]

we are starting our journey home in just a few hours!  praying for smooth travels - 23 hours of travel with a toddler...hmmmmm.
we are so excited to get home and have all our family together!
thanks for the prayers and for following our journey:))
love to all

Wow! What a difference a week makes...at times I have felt like I was undergoing some sort of test in the last week. By the way - let me just start by saying it is really crazy how little faith I have when the going gets tough.  Really really wimpy.  I think I have the mustard seed size covered though, so I clinged to that and watched God work.   I have discovered that dealing with rejection is not really something I do well.....but, I survived. And more importantly Esther survived - and I believe I have passed her test. I think I am able to resume my position in the family as Momma. Sorry Noel - no more Mr. Mom, but thanks for doing such a great job:)
Esther has let me in her little heart more each day.  Today I got to be the one to give her a bottle before bed and kiss her goodnight as her sweet eyes were closing. What a change from just a few days ago when she would scream loudly if I came near her - especially at bedtime.
It is truly a gift to fulfill my calling as a Mother. When the days get long with my kids after we get home - I will look back and remember to celebrate this gift.

We had our consulate appointment today. All paperwork was in order and our VISA for Esther will be ready tomorrow afternoon. We fly out of Guangzhou Thursday at noon.  We are so excited to see the boys!!! So thankful for my sister, Noel's parents, and friends and family that have entertained them!

God has once again shown up big.  This is our last night in China.  We have all learned and loved much here.  Think I will rest well tonight and fall asleep with praise on my lips for the way the Lord has provided!

This is something I wrote the other day - it sums up my experience with my daughter. I hope the realness of the last 2 weeks will in someway shed light for another Momma -do not lose hope - the day is coming.

You turned away
Too much to bear
Too painful to seek comfort
Where you had lost
All so different
Longing for familiar

But with time, healing comes
Your heart softens
Prayers are lifted...many
And our God is BIG
It is as though He has whispered to you
The winds of peace pass over us

You awaken like the sunrise with a smile
Your mourning turns into dancing
Your JOY exudes in song
And when I am out of your sight I hear your voice
You call me...
Momma

we went to Shamian island for the Visa medical appointment this morning.   shamian island is the home of the White Swan Hotel - where most adoptive parents have previously stayed in Guangzhou - us included when we adopted Lily in 2003. the hotel is closing soon for up to 2 years for renovation.  the island is still abuzz with lots of adoptive families at this time - so sweet to observe these little ones (and older children too) being set in families!  we really love it here in Guangzhou - lots of more western food choices, english speaking people, starbucks next to hotel, etc.  :)) makes it easier for us to be out and about.  esther passed her medical exam after nearly knocking the Dr out with a head butt for taking her doggy purse!  hilarious - should have had the video camera out. 
thank you all for the prayers and encouraging words.  keenly aware of the importance and blessing of community when we are halfway around the world!
i uploaded some new photos:)  love to all!
link for photos on the China page

we have arrived in Guangzhou and we are all glad for a change from a tiny hotel room to a very nice suite :) we are all feeling like we have been gone a long time and missing Louis and Silas!  tomorrow we go to esther's medical exam for her VISA.  it was great to see Lily (our guide from last time) when we arrived at the airport here.  we are excited to see the city tomorrow !  esther's first airplane ride was a little hard at first, but she slept through the landing.  we are gearing up for the big day of travel soon!
will post more photos tomorrow.  love to all,

We are hanging out in the playroom of our hotel - enjoying these moments of
watching our girls bond through playing and laughter. It is music to my ears!
The walls of Esther's sweet heart toward her new Mother are getting shorter
all the time - though she still prefers Noel to do most things for her. We keep referring to him as Mr. Mom and I just have to laugh and enjoy the free time I have had here...today I worked out while lily went swimming and Esther napped with her daddy next to her :) Noel keeps comparing Esther to me - thinks she is just like me...haha. She has a strong opinion about most things, really enjoys sleeping and eating, doesn't like to be told what to do, loves to have her toe nails painted and locks her knees out when standing - oh and her "cankles" are pretty impressive. Ok - I have to agree most of those similarities are true:)
Today, God has been reminding me of all the ways I am like Esther in the spiritual
sense. In this new parenting experience, He is revealing His love and patience with me - His child.  I am reminded of the time in my life when I rejected Him - He was everything I needed, would fill the exact void I had in my heart, would love me unconditionally - yet I didn't accept His love, didn't trust that He really had what was best for me, didn't let my walls down to allow Him in. Esther will likely spend a few more days or even weeks saying NO to me - but I spent YEARS saying NO to God - my Heavenly Father. And what did He do? He was patient and His love did not end even when I did not return it. He pursued me with His everlasting love and never gave up on me -
 [The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 1Peter 3:9]
Today - I am so thankful that God saved me and thank God for showing me
the truth of how much He loves all of us. Hope you are feeling that LOVE
today!
Will write more soon - HI to Louis and Silas - miss you, love you. XOXOXO

To Ya-ya's foster mother and grandmother,
I know you have been keeping up with this website to know how your precious Ya-ya is doing. She is such a delight. We are really getting to know all the fun and funny things about her! She is feeling very comfortable with us now - laughing and singing a lot, eating and sleeping great!
I know you must miss her very much - my heart hurts with yours. I hope it brings you comfort that though we do not share the same faith - I am praying continually
for you both and I will always thank God for you. Thank you for the way you have loved Esther JOY!

today has  been wonderful.  we spent most of the day at Maria's Big House of Hope - Steven Curtis Chapman's healing home for orphans / the highlight - watching
lily pour out her compassionate heart to children - mostly through singing:)  

on the return bus ride Esther played with me and then fell asleep in
my arms:)  i want to write more about that but my internet connection is
sporadic and i am sleepy   So i have posted more photos and video on the link
below  love to all!

WOW!  The last 24 hours have been amazingly wonderful and amazingly  heart
wrenching and everything in between. Esther Joy is just the  sweetest and in
this short time - we have loved learning her...what she  likes and doesn't (this
is pretty simple to figure out - no problems  figuring out what this 2 year old
doesn't like:) She loves to sing and  color and is enjoying playing with her
tia-tia (big sister). I won't  spend a lot of time here because I know you can
imagine, but please pray  for all of us - especially Esther Joy as she grieves
her known world.   She so loves her foster mother and grandmother. We are
forever thankful  for them and they way they have loved her as their own.  I am 
petitioning you to pray also for them - they have cared for her for over  a year
and although they are happy for Ya-ya to have a forever home -  it leaves an
empty space in theirs.

Already, Esther is becoming
comfortable with us and we see more of her  JOYFUL personality each hour.  She
is a daddy's girl:) and really  insists that he do everything for her.  I
recognize this is normal as  she associates me with what she is missing and I am
in constant prayer  for her little heart. I anticipate with great excitement the
day I will  be able to comfort her and trust that our ultimate Comforter will 
provide all we need.  Watching her grab for Noel every time she needs  something
- food, hand to hold, bathroom help, etc can really be  entertaining at times.
:) The walls are already coming down as she  enjoys playing peek a boo and wants
me to imitate her gestures. After  she saw Lily give me a kiss earlier she
wanted one of her own. So sweet.

What a gift to be her
family!  She is truly a JOY!

We are having a great time in
China!  There are several other adoptive  families at our hotel that we are
getting to know and we are making the  most of this cultural
experience!

Love to all!
Louis and Silas - we miss you
so much!  It was wonderful to see you on Skype this morning! 
XOXOXO!

esther's  foster family came to our hotel last night to meet us and bring gifts
and tell us ALL about ya-ya (her nickname).  it was a beautiful time and a gift
from God!  more soon -going to get our sweet girl now!
love to all!

Dear Esther Joy,
i find myself constantly smiling at the thought of
holding you in my arms in less than one week.  i hope you already know in your
heart how much you are loved.  i want to take a minute to tell your story [this
is the short version] about how you have been born in my heart.  i desire to be
a good steward of all the gifts God has given our family - you are certainly one
of those wonderful gifts!  I believe God is calling me to be a good steward of
our story - He has given us our children and done amazing things to bring all of
you into our family and I know the story isn't just for us....it is for others
as well.  I pray your story, Esther Joy, brings hope and joy to those who hear
it. 
One year ago - at my first "home church" experience - God
dramatically restored my JOY and began bringing me out of a dark place that I
had been in for a while - I will save these details for when you get older and I
am praying about how God may want me to share some of this with others believing
that the healing I experienced is what He has in mind for many! 

Shortly after that night of prayer I had a dream.  I don't
often remember my dreams, but when I do they are usually profound and leave me
wondering if there is some deeper meaning behind them.  In this dream - God gave
me a name - Esther Joy.  i believe i knew on some level that He was telling me
about our daughter, but we thought our family was
complete....
From that moment - i prayed for you daily and the
question of who Esther Joy would be replayed in my mind over and over. 

The new school year started with our 3 children at home.  I got
busy and though your name stayed with me - I really thought I would be CRAZY to
even think about adding another child to our household.  God was working on me
in so many ways.  A couple months before this, in a conversation with the local
agency that helped us adopt your brothers from Haiti, we realized that the
Chinese coordinator that placed Lily in my arms in 2003 was now working with our
local agency.  I emailed the China coordinator, also named Lily, to see if in
fact she was the same person.  She emailed back right away and remembered us -
she wrote, "let me know when you are ready for your next daughter from China" --
I laughed. 
In early October, our adoption agency called us -
they told me about several children on the special needs list that they were
trying to place in families.  I committed to praying for those children - one of
which was you!  On November 8, 2010 - the Titus Task sponsored an Orphan
Awareness event at the Community Building here in Siloam Springs.  We played a
video that spoke of China's special needs program and the need for more
families.  I looked at your Daddy and knew - after all that praying we had been
doing for other families hearts to be moved to pursue adoption - it was our
hearts that were once again being opened for a sweet baby girl. 

The next morning our adoption agency called -- they told us
they were calling again about the children they were trying to place.  They said
that Lily in China specifically thought of our family for you.  They were giving
us one more chance to make you our own.  God had been so patiently guiding us
toward you, Esther Joy.  You are Esther
Joy - the sweet baby girl in my dream - the symbolic gift of
God's restoration of my joy in Him for such a time as this!  That day Daddy and
I went to a global prayer meeting and in the car when we made our decision to
bring you into our family as our very own we saw a break in the clouds shaped as
a circle with a rainbow of colors in the middle.  God does keep His promises. 

There will be much to tell you when you are older,
Esther...about the reasons for my heavy heart and the hard times waiting on your
brothers...and someday I will tell you about your brother Titus and our 6 other
babies that went to Heaven before we met them.  But for now - I am watching
God's redemption...His plan to reveal the fullness of JOY in our lives.  It is
sweet.
He is in ALL THE DETAILS -
Exactly one
year to the day from that home church meeting will be the day we first hold
you!
I believe God has given us such a gift with your adoption - from the
date we decided to adopt you -- if this were a pregnancy -- my due date would be
the date we were given for your Consulate Appointment in China - when your
adoption will be final!  Isn't God awesome?!
Our community of
family and wonderful friends has been so generous and God provided for half of
our adoption through their generosity in the last month! 
Our
God - He is good, He is GREAT, HE IS LOVE!
Daddy and I pray -
that like your name you will be FULL of JOY - that it will be OVERFLOWING to
others and result in praise, honor, and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ. 
In
less than a week - we will hold you.  We all love you so
much!
You are a gift to our
family!
Love,
Mommy