We are home one month.....

"Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour and my hope is in you all day long" Psalm 25: 4-5

In some ways it is hard to believe that we are now home one month yet in other ways it is like she has been apart of our family forever. Miss Gabriella is truly thriving in her new life - she is growing in her own self confidence and although she will not be left with anyone without one of us being present she is more comfortable with people being around her and interacting with her. Her personality is one of humour and quiet wit....she internalises all things new and then integrates her new learning appropriately into her daily routine. Relationships with grandparents and close family members continues to grow and develop as she begins to trust and show love. Gabriella continues to sleep all night and that in itself is a real blessing since we are able to keep up with her boundless energy during the day. She has wonderful dexterity and loves to utilise her fine motor skills to the maximum...which means that many things go missing during the day and more often than not we find them hidden in her linen basket!

Last week she had her physical measurements taken and to our shock she has grown 8cm in height over the last 12 weeks. Although this significant growth spurt was evident in her clothes and her sitting position within her car seat and high chair, to actually quantify the height change was remarkable and testament to her new nutritious diet and nurture within her new home environment.

Over the last four weeks there have been so many wonderful memories....all of which have embraced the simple things in life:

• A walk in the park with Oscar
• Time with nature - looking at the blackberries as their ripen in the hedgerows, crunching the autumn leaves underfoot, feeling the raindrops on the roses, experiencing the feeling of soft grass. Gabriella loves to be held in her daddy's arms as he runs to the nearest tree and then lifts her high so that she can feel the leaves touch her skin, which itself is like peaches and cream!!
• Blowing out the candles at a recent milestone birthday party (won't let on who's!!)
• Enjoying lunch out at the local Faith Mission...this has become a Saturday regular
• A weekly whiz around M&S....sitting tall in the trolley as mummy browses (honest!)
• Gabriella has also commenced a 'Domestic Goddess' course that is tutored by her mummy....the photos posted below will demonstrate her new skills. The course objectives have been set and it is hoped that core competencies in cleaning, ironing and cooking will be achieved by the end of year one :)!

Next week the dreaded but required vaccines are to be given so we both hope she will cope well with this experience and it will not unsettle her too much. However as a family we are now getting into a good routine and growing in confidence ourselves in our new role as parents. We too are developing our competencies in putting a pram up and down (especially at speed when it is raining), working out different strap systems on high chairs in public places, nappy changing and many more!! Gabriella has transformed our lives and we give God thanks for the miracle of this wonderful little girl.

Will post more photos soon
Caroline, Stephen & Gabriella

Message to Auntie Muriel.....

Hello to you and hope that you are well as you enjoy your time in Ghana. We hope that you enjoy these new photographs. We just love the book that you gave Gabriella before you left and think of you often as we read it and learn all about Kinki's ventures. Take care and will send more photos to you soon. XX

Photographs:

In my last post I indicated that in life I might consider some jobs to suit my developing skills and abilities but one that I forgot to mention was becoming a Jack(ie) in the Box!



Squealing with delight!

Enjoying the feel of grass underfoot - a new experienceEnjoying some bonding time with my Grandpa

The Domestic Goddess course begins......first semester is the operationalization of the washing machine

1. Putting the clothes into the machine




2. Making sure all the clothes are in the machine
 

Ensure the door is firmly closed before starting the wash program....this one is a 40 degree cotton wash

 

 

 

Next course objective was to perfect the cookery skills....I think some more time is required to pass the course!!

Leaf blowing with mummy.....

Concentrating very hard on threading the shapes

C'est La Vie

"There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God" (1 Samuel 2:2)

Well as they say 'All good things must come to an end!' Last Tuesday Stephen returned to work after enjoying one month off and 'us' girls decided to head to M&S to lift our spirits. Miss Gabriella loved the experience and she sat so well in the shopping trolley. I have to say one significant benefit of being a parent is the parent/child car parking spaces - just marvellous! I did take my phone out to capture the moment of heading into the Sprucefield store but the new disorganised mummy had not remembered to charge her phone and there was not sufficient charge to take a photograph :(! Anyway it was just wonderful to have her out shopping but we did miss daddy (....although we are not sure if he would have relished the M&S visit just as much as we did! Daddy will also be glad to know that we did not hit the credit card to compensate for his absence!)

Last week was once again a busy one and we have been overwhelmed by the number of cards, presents and best wishes from everyone. It has been truly remarkable - thank you to you all. Gabriella thankfully continues to make steady progress in her new home life and every day we get to see some more of her witty and impish personality. Gabriella asked if she could post her own wee message to you all.

Gabriella's Post

"Thank you to everyone who has welcomed me home into my new family. I love my mummy and daddy - I love to keep them on their toes and every day I try to discover new things in all the different cupboards and drawers and nooks and crannies. Mummy has introduced all these peculiar looking locks - not sure why but they certainly do not make life as much fun!!!!

However I have to say the dog, and especially the cat are quite antisocial beings. The cat just leaves the room (and rather quickly at that) when I enter it and every time I shriek with excitement the dog heads to his bed and puts his paw over his ears. Oh well, I will just keep trying to make friends with them and hope that one day I will get the chance to stroke their lovely fur.

Everyday is packed with new things to do - eating new foods, bathing, playing especially musical instruments, out for walks in the park, shopping and going and meeting people. I love to visit my grandparents - they really spoil me and when I arrive they have lovely toys for me to play with. In return I give them one of my cute smiles and already I have them around my wee finger. Night time is my best time - I do not know what gets into me but I just come to life and put on 'a show' for my mummy and daddy....however when it gets to bedtime I just get really tired and conk out as soon as my head hits the pillow. I sleep the night through and when it gets to 08:15 I wake up ready to embrace the new day. My mummy and daddy think that this is great since they get a good nights sleep as well. I do like to please!

I love the new world that I live in - there is no much to enjoy and experience, especially nature. I am not familiar with the autumn season and love to watch the leaves rustle on the trees and pick them up when they fall down on the ground. The different leaf textures feel funny on my skin - some leaves are smooth and some are crispy. I also love to smell the flowers and only yesterday I smelt the sweet aroma of an English rose - beautiful.

With all the these new life experiences I really do not know what I will do when I grow up but already I am having a go at all of these new skills so maybe I will become.......

A Piano Maestro!!



A Locksmith!!



An Artist



A Model....Its a 'hat' day



The shoulder bag pose

 

 

A Doctor!! "Can you please take a deep breath for me?"






Anyway it is now my nap time so it is time for me to sign off. I promise I will post soon to update you on all of my new ventures.

Love Gabriella xx

We are home one week......

We are now home one week and it has been just wonderful...we feel that Gabriella Wenyuan has been with us forever. It has been a week of significant transitions for all of us, but Gabriella has taken it in her stride. She has been such a blessing to us; we have to keep pinching ourselves to believe she is finally here. The first night she slept in her cot I just stood at the end of it and wept...tears of joy and disbelief that after all of the 'waiting years' she was finally home and sleeping safe and comfortable in her own room. The first week of being home with Gabriella has just flown by. We have tried to instil some sense of schedule to each day...bath times, playtime, daily walk in her pushchair, daily nap (during which we run around by headless chickens trying to get some chores down lol). It has also been a week of more firsts and some of them are noted below:

First time in a plane (we thought we would start with a short flight to see how she liked it!!!)
First nights sleep in her own room
First meeting with Oscar & Mulberry....they are still adjusting to their new family member :)
First meeting with the grandparents and close family & friends
First outing to Church
First ride in her own car seat (with lots of tears during the first outing but which are now non existent as she has got used to it)
First tricycle thanks to her Auntie Andrea, and cousins Jill, Philip & Roslyn
First movie!
First new car - a mini cooper courtesy of Country Garages!!
First meeting with her Social Worker, GP & Health Visitor
First foot measuring for new trainers
First try of potatoes, gingerbread men, strawberries & yoghurt (to name but a few)

As each day passes our daughter is showing so much of her hidden personality. Her frequent tears that were so evident in the early days are now being replaced with smiles and laughter as she grows in self confidence and relishes her new life. Obviously there are so many more simple life experiences to enjoy with her but in one week Gabriella has truly embraced things in such a wonderful way....God is so good and we thank Him every day for her.

 

My new Mini Cooper...just watch me go!

Wonder if Nana is in??

First outing to Church as a family of 3

 

 

Auntie Andrea and Me...enjoying my new tricycle

 

Taking Panda Monium for a ride

 

Getting closer!

 

Gabriella's Great Wall

 

 

 

Getting my new trainers...lovely girl

 

 My second car journey....much happier today!

Wonder if mum would miss these??

Home Sweet Home.....Counting our blessings.

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" Joshua 24.15

Hello Everyone...sorry for the late post but due to time zone changes, jet lag, broken down washing machine :( and adjusting to life back home with our bundle of joy we are only getting a chance to post now. So just letting you know we have arrived home safe and well - PTL.

What a long 24 hours but thankfully we arrived home yesterday to a wonderful welcoming committee...cheers from immediate family members and a few close friends echoed around the arrivals hall at George Best City Airport!! It was just a lovely experience (flash photography, balloons - we felt like celebrities lol) and we all had to keep pinching ourselves to actually believe Gabriella was now safe in her new homeland. Nana & Grandpa Haddock had organised a welcome home buffet lunch at their home and it was obvious that the effort they had made was a real labour of love - thank you to you both! Miss Gabriella is a great eater and enjoyed the specially made sweet and sour pork with rice. Granny Beattie had thoughtfully brought a welcome home cake - just delicious.

As the afternoon progressed, the lack of sleep and change in time zone started to take their toll on us and so the new Beattie family of three left for the last leg of their journey - to Apple Vale, Portadown! Daddy drove home with Miss Gabriella strapped safely in her car seat....she is not too keen on the car seat at the minute but hopefully with time this negative response will change. It was just good to finally be home with our bundle of joy. By 5pm both Stephen and Gabriella had travelled to their last destination for the day - to the land of nod, and despite my own best efforts to stay awake until later in the evening (in order to adjust better to the new time) I succumbed at 7pm. Apart from being wakened at 4:30am with a cry from Gabriella we all slept until nearly 8am (for some that was nearly 15 hours sleep!!) The good nights sleep has done us all good, especially Stephen who is still recovering from a terrible throat infection.

Bath time, breakfast and Gabriella's trip out in her new stroller were the itinerary for this morning....although Stephen thinks the stroller is too comfortable since she fell asleep 15 minutes into their first outing around the block and that sleep lasted for 2 hours!! She totally missed her personal tour! Nana & Grandpa Haddock then called at the house and we spent some lovely quality time together...good bonding time.

Well Gabriella is now fast asleep in her new cot and what a beautiful day we have experienced with her, on her first day in her new permanent home. Once we get this blog posted we plan to closely follow suit! However we have posted some photos of Gabriella's first day in her new home - enjoy!

Speak soon
Caroline, Stephen & Gabriella

 

Beattie Travel Rule - If you want to bring it, you carry it :)!

 

All snug and ready for my walk. Dolly coming too

 

 

Raring to go!

 

 

 

 

Some last minute tuition at London Heathrow!

 

Mummy, Gabriella and my first dolly

 

Give us a kiss

 

My new doggy...the real one comes tomorrow!

 



Rejoice and give thanks

What a day! We have been on stressful tenderhooks all day waiting for Beijing to sign off Gabriella's visa that will allow her to permanently enter the UK. By 3pm there was still no confirmation so our guide drove us to the the British Consulate in Guangzhou so that we could plead the urgency of our case. What an experience...at one point I lent over to say to Stephen "I would not like to have done anything I should not have!!" We really had to plead to get speaking to a British official and then once this was granted over the speaker phone, we had to go through security clearance and be escorted to Interview Room 3 where we waited - my heart was thumping so hard I thought everyone in the building could palpate the vibration!! Then at nearly 4pm (and only one hour till the office closed for the weekend) the door opened and Dave (an English speaking British consulate official who had just arrived in Gaungzhou little over 3 weeks ago) spoke to us........confirming that Gabriella's visa was near ready since Beijing had just given final approval. He was very pleasant. In not very 'British stiff upper lip style' my tears started and flowed and flowed!! I think it was just the relief to know we were finally on our way home. All the other documents really meant nothing without her visa and to finally have it in our hands was an overwhelming moment. God really went before us today and we are so thankful that the plans all fell into place. We are all coming home!!

We then headed back to the hotel for some rest and a cuppa of tea. Gabriella then had her bath and we got her ready for going out for a meal - our last night in Guangzhou. On return to the hotel she fell asleep while getting her bottle of milk and is now sleeping peacefully. Stephen and I then tackled the packing :( I hate this part - trying to strategically put everything back into the cases so that it fits well (why does it never fit as well as it did on departure) and also ensure the case is within the allocated weight limit - now that is the hard part, well it is for me anyway!!!

Tomorrow we leave the hotel at 2pm and get a taxi to Hong Kong - yes to read that bit correctly. After our expereince of the train journey on our arrival and given that Stephen is still under the weather, and given that we have a little girl, a buggy and all her 'stuff!' we just could not physically face it. So we got our guide to organise a taxi van to take us to the airport - no doubt many of you are laughing at this!! Ah well can't teach an old dog new tricks.

So we now sign off and next time we post we will be on Northern Irish soil dv

In closing we would just like to thank our good friend Dawn for all her hard work in keeping our blog maintained over the last 2 weeks - she has done a marvellous job and one that did take some time to complete each night. However the blog was our way to firstly keep a daily journal of our trip, a powerful memory tool for Gabriella in years to come; and secondly a way of communicating to all our family and friends during our time in China. Thank you to you all for being such a source of love, support and powerful prayer warriors not only during the last number of weeks but, for some being wonderful prayer warriers for many years as we plodded our way through this long and challenging journey - but hasn't it all been worth it! So thank you from the bottom of our hearts and we now look forward to bringing Gabriella Wenyuan home to you all.

With our love and gratitude
Caroline, Stephen & Gabriella xxx

 

what today's stress was all about - Gabriella's UK entry visa

  

 

the 'Queen' on her throne

 

 

helping daddy count out mummy's spending allowance!!

 

last family picture before we leave Guagzhou

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." Proverbs 13:12

We had planned to do more today but poor Mr Beattie is not too well today - sore throat and flu like symptoms. He tried to perserve with our planned visit to the local market but unfortunately he just was not well enough so we got a taxi back early to the hotel - Miss Gabriella however was oblivious to her daddy's plight and was focused on looking cool in the back of the taxi!!
Given that there are 30 million people living in this city, coupled with the extreme noise and heat / humidity, the city centre market place is not the place to be if you do not feel great. Thankfully I had antibiotics with me and now that that the course is commenced I pray that by tomorrow he will be feeling a bit better - not pleasant being under the weather and having to prepare for a long haul journey home :(

The rest of the day was quiet to allow Stephen to sleep. Gabriella and I went on our own to our regular haunt to eat - Lucy's Diner. We missed daddy so much but since the staff have got to know us over the last two weeks they were so kind to send me back to the hotel with heated noodle soup for Stephen. Miss Gabriella behaved like a little lady in the restaurant. She ate all of her rice dish, soup and as a treat she enjoyed a strawberry milkshake. On return to the hotel Stephen was feeling a wee bit better so we bathed Gabriella and following a short time of play, they are both off to the land of nod....allowing me some time to write up today's blog.

Off to the British Consulate tomorrow to (hopefully) pick up Gabriella's visa that will allow us to fly home with her on Saturday - only one day's holiday left and then HOME TIME!

Speak soon
Caroline, Stephen & Gabriella XXX

A Quiet Day..........

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight" Proverbs 3:5&6

We really do not have too much to post this evening since our day was a quiet one, that was based around the hotel complex. We were all tired after yesterday's safari excitement. In fact Gabriella slept for 2.5hours this afternoon and is away to bed early this evening as well.

We went to the park late this morning but returned early...a mixture of experiencing a tearful and tired Gabriella and the extreme heat / humdity. We had an early tea in Lucy's diner and then returned to the hotel so that Gabriella could have her daily bath (which she now loves) and some play time in the play room. That was a giggle since Gabriella has progressed in one week from a little girl who refused to put her feet on the ground to a little girl who is now growing in her walking confidence - tonight she even tried to run the toy hoover over the carpet....training her up early lol!!!

What a difference a week has made!

On a personal note, whilst we are not able to actually see our blog we are getting the personal messages sent to us by email - thank you so much. We just love waking in the morning and reading those posts and we are so appreciative of the ongoing prayers, love and support especially since we are so far away from you all.

Much love
Caroline, Stephen & Gabriella

 

We have to go all the way down there!!

 

An uncertain 'wheeeeee'

 

I like to wave (alot!)

 

Toys on loan

 (a little boy kindly gave Gabriella his toy fish and a parasol to protect her from the sun!!)