When There Is Room in Your Heart, There Is Always Room in Your Home!: Last 2 days in Chengdu!

Hi Everyone!!!

I am so sorry that I didn't post last night... We had a very full day and we were all really tired when we finally got back to our hotel room, so I thought that I would just do one post for the past two days in Chengdu:)

Yesterday was Benjamin's Official Adoption Day!!!!!

In a Chinese adoption you actually meet your child on a specific day ( Usually Gotcha Day!!! ), and then you have them for 24 hours and return back to The Civil Affairs office to finalize all of the paperwork:):):)

After eating breakfast at our hotel yesterday, we met our guide Jason in the lobby and headed to the Civil Affairs office to complete Ben's paperwork , making his adoption official ( YAY!!!!! ), and to exchange gifts with Ben's Orphanage Director and Nanny that traveled with him:):):)

( Many Big Hugs and a Big Giant Thank You to my Amazing Husband, Mark, for completing and organizing all of Benjamin's Adoption Paperwork and all of our other four children's Adoption Paperwork!!!! You ROCK HONEY!!!! and I am Grateful for your ability to complete the task at hand and to Focus and Finish Strong and Well:):):)

I Love You So Much❤❤❤❤❤

Back to The Civil Affairs Office.....

I was a little worried because Benjamin had only been with us for 24 hrs.... Would he be upset seeing the two women who accompanied him??? How would he respond?

Would he want to go back with them???

Nope!!!

He was happy to see them and hugged them but clearly told them that he was happy and wanted to stay with us:):):) YAY!!!!

Thank You all So Much for praying... We just know that your prayers have made such a difference in how Ben is responding to us as his new family:):):)

He is bonding well with us and with his new big sisters so that is GREAT!!!

The paperwork and pictures and goodbye's with the Orphanage Workers went really well and we left the Civil Affairs Office with one Happy Little Boy!!!! Thank You Jesus:):):)

We then went back to our hotel just long enough to freshen up and meet up with Jason and another sweet couple who are in our hotel and are adopting a little boy who is 2 1/2yrs old:)

Jason took us to a place known as The Wide and Narrow Alley for lunch and a little shopping:) At least I think that's what he called it!!! We enjoyed our afternoon there and our time with the other family:):):)

Actually, we liked the area so much that we later took a taxi back to eat dinner at a restaurant there and just look around a little more:):):)

There were many different shops, restaurants and food vendors of course selling Chinese snackey type foods:)

Two of the more popular ones we learned right now are Rabbit Head and Pig Snout!!!!

Again.... Some interesting things as far as Meat goes!!!!! :):):) ( check the pics:) The girls were like Eewwwwww!!!! :):):)

Totally different Snackey foods than we are used to:):):)

There were many more families when we went back at night and several people dancing and exercising in one area that is like a big town square...., there were even some little girls jumping on Pogo Sticks and dancing to the music that the ladies were exercising to:):):)

It was really FUN and I'm glad that we made the choice to venture out on our own and go back for a little more time there:)

Becca was worried that we wouldn't make it back to our hotel alive... But, Yes we did and we made a great family memory as well!!!

Ben just held onto both girls hands and took everything in stride.... With a Big Huge Smile on his face the whole time:):):):)

How thankful we are for this Sweet Boy that God has given us:):):)

( Oh, and by the way... Most of the clothes that we brought for him are fitting him perfectly... He is 2 inches taller than Stellan, and so probably 4 to 5 inches taller than Sam!!! )

We will have little boys in every size.... YAY!!!! ) Thank You Lord for all of our precious little Boys..... And all of our little Girls too:):):) We are Truly Blessed and Grateful for each one of them:):):)

After coming back to our Hotel Room, we all got ready for bed, had a little quiet/down time, prayed with Ben and went to sleep:):):)

It really was a Long Day for the kids because as with any Adoption Trip in China.... There's a pluthera of bus rides, lots of waiting for different documents and various events, and people!!!!

Today we started the day with a very quick breakfast in our hotel, met Jason and the other family in the lobby, and then headed to The Panda Base here in Chengdu :):):):) YAY!!!

The kids all Loved visiting the Panda Base and it was just Exciting and Fun seeing so many Pandas interacting and so many at one place:):):) We spent about 3 hours there....which was just the perfect amount of time for all of the kids:)

We took lots of pics!!!!!

Hopefully they will come through and Brie can post them for you to see:):):)

One Baby Panda fell asleep in a tree and was just Completely Adorable hanging out asleep in the tree!!!! Honestly, we could have stayed and watched them all day, but we had to stick to Our Guide, Jason's Agenda:(

After the Panda Base, we ate lunch at a Chinese Restaurant close by, visited a Silk Museum, and then spent the next several hours traveling all over the city getting documents notarized and WAITING!!!

Now that was a long time on the bus for all of the kids.... Especially little 2 1/2 yr. Ethan and his new mom:(

Our kids were all so good and Abbie and Becca did a great job entertaining Ben in the back of the bus for 2 to 3 hours while we waited:):):)

I have been giving ( filling up ) a Buzz Lightyear Pez candy dispenser whenever I feel that Ben has been especially good and obedient:):):)

It usually surprises him and makes him Happy.... And he always says Thank You... So that makes me happy:):):) Just a little bonding thing between the two of us.... ( maybe a little bribery too:):):)

I am pretty sure that most of the paperwork has been completed and actually it has to be in order for us to leave for Guangzhou tomorrow night!!! A big part of an Adoption from China is traveling to your Child's Home Province and getting the required paperwork completed before you can move on to the next step in Guangzhou:):):)

Because we are leaving Chengdu tomorrow, Mark wanted to spend tonight packing and organizing our things..... So, no stepping out and exploring more of Chengdu for us tonight:(:(:( SAD!!!

We took the kids to McDonalds and came back to our Hotel to start trying to pack up and figure out what to do with all of the heavy souvenirs that we bought!!!!! :)

Well, another full day for us and for the kids.... We are Just So Thankful for God's Faithful Hand being upon us and so thankful for everyone who is holding us up in prayer......Thank You So Much and Thanks for following along.... Sometimes I am writing these posts at night when I am really tired so I am hoping that they make sense and that they aren't super-boring!!!!

I, of course haven't included every moment of this Adoption Journey.... Some things we will just have to share with you in person!!!! :):):):)

We Love you all and seriously can't wait for all of you to meet Benjamin and help us be the hands and feet of JESUS to him:):):):):)

If you are on the fence regarding Adoption.... We encourage you to JUST DO SOMETHING.... Step out in Faith and watch GOD move Mighty Mountains for His little Treasures!!!!! Oh How He Loves them so.... And He Loves YOU so as well:):):)

God Bless and Good night:):):)

Love and Big Hugs to all:):):)

Patti, Mark, Abbie, Becca and Benjamin David Ming DiBlasi