This has been such a long month! It feels like we have been sick forever. I guess with 5 kids it is to be expected that the crud makes its way through each and every family member. Ella has been to the doctor at least once a week for the whole month. Either a well visit, sick visit, shots or a re-check. Today is the first day in such a long time that she actually has been happy. She has been happy and cheerful all day. This month has been so hard on her.

Life around here is starting to feel more and more normal. We have a good school routine going and Ella is doing well on her schedule too. As I was traveling to a meeting this morning I was thinking about my schedule and routine. I think the Lord has given me some direction on where I need to be as a wife and mommy too. There are a couple things I need to let go of at least for this season. It is hard because these are things that I love and believe in, but right now they are not God's best for our family. Maybe in a year or two, but not now. I have to admit that I struggle with being content with that. I like being involoved in so many good things. I also struggle with being quiet and resting. I think that may be where the lesson for this season lies.

Adding a baby has been harder than I thought it would be. Ella is wonderful and a gift I am so glad that we did not say 'no' to. But I way underestimated and forgot all the baby stuff. Today she started giving kisses without being prompted. What a sweet blessing. I love it when I pick her up and she clings on and pats my back. Thank you Lord for such a special, beautiful, wonderful blessing of Ella!

It is amazing to me that just a couple months ago I was checking the computer several times a day to check in with other families adopting and seeing what was going on in the world of adoption. Now just a month after returning from China I feel completly out of touch with all that. I am trying to stay up to date with what the CCAA is doing because we still have some dear friends of ours that are still in the waiting phase.

Ella is doing great! We are so blessed that she is such a happy baby. She is really enjoying everyone in the family including grandparents. We are blessed to have both sets living close by. Ella has decided that solid food is a good thing and is weaning herself from the bottle. Quite a difference from the little girl who when we first met would have nothing to do with anything but a bottle. She has started to mimic sounds and gestures which is so much fun to watch.

Life around here has gotten back to as normal as possible (whatever that means). Ron and the kids are back to full work, school and sports schedules. But mom here is trying to figure out what is realistic for me. I had forgotten how much time babies take just being babies. I have stepped back from a couple of my regular obligations and I think it might be good to stay that way at least for a season until Ella is a bit older.

We are enjoying her so much! She has been a wonderful addition to our family. Really, we will try to update some pictures soon! We have recieved several emails and phone calls about updating the pictures. The computer just has not been top priority lately. Sorry.

Thank you all again for your continued interest and prayers for our family. You are all such a blessing for us.

We have been back for over two weeks and it all seems like a blur. The family is adjusting amaingly well. Ella is enjoying her family and new found brother and sisters. She is blending right into the family and has certainly become a Shelby in all sense of the name. She has been such a joy and we are blessed to have her.

I think I may have had some wrong thoughts on how easy it would be to adjust to life with 5 kiddos. Although Ella is a very easy and happy baby, she is still a baby that takes a lot of time and energy. She sleeps great at night (12 hours) but does not nap at all during the day. She is mostly happy only getting fussy around dinner time. I remember with the childbirth classes with Emma they called it the 'Arsnic Hour'...its all coming back to me. Last week was hard trying to get the kids back in the groove of homeschooling. They did not do any school while we were away (even though I had left assignments for all of them) so they thought the education they had received to this point was enough for life and the rest of the years could be a big vacation...I don't think so. So we are working to find the new rythym of our family.

I know that the new rythym will come and we will get there I just really underestimated how long it would take. I know y'all are laughing at me thinking how crazy I must have been to ever think such a thing. I thought since I did not birth this child and she is a bit older than a newborn it would be easy...ha ha ha.

Before we left for China I spent a lot of time on the computer checking websites and yahoo group for updates on China adoption stuff. That has not happened since we got home, time does not allow for any of that. I wonder how our travel families are doing and the other families that we met while in China. I am sure their girls are blossoming just like Ella. Hopefully Ron will be able to update our photos soon.

Just a quick note to say goodbye from China. We leave in 10 minutes for the plane!! Yahoo!! Looking forward to seeing y'all real soon!

Today we had our consulate appointment. This was the final appointment to get her passport and visa so we are ready to come home! We had a celebration dinner with our other travel mates at the 'Cow and Bridge'. I am sure that name looses something in translation. We took it easy and had sweet and sour chicken for the third time there. It was strange saying goodbye to these families who we had come to know and have this amazing shared experience. All of us have traveled half was across the world to add to our families. None of our stories are exactly the same. Some of us becoming parents for the first time, some adopting for the first time, and some adopting for the third time. God is so creative and original in each family. It has been wonderful to see His hand on each family and hear their story. Most of these families are active in some sort of Christian ministry. We have met several families here at the hotel that are Christians and claim that God had called them to this adoption. It is so encouraging to see so many listening to God's call in James to take care of the orphan. The love in the parents and siblings that you see and the new life and excitement in the child has been amazing to see. Everyday at breakfast we see so many adoptive families interacting. And then all day on the streets of Guangzhou more and more families. I asked our guide what the Chinese people think about this and she said it is hard to say. It sounds like some are understanding and think it is a good thing, especially the young and those in cities like Guangzhou. But in the more rural areas like where Ella is from they do not like the idea. They think the government should be taking care of the children and it is shameful for them that we are coming to take these children.

This trip has been interesting for me. In some ways it is exactly what I thought it would be and then in other ways I was completly wrong. The congestion of people is exactly what I thought it would be. In some ways it is so modern and then in others ways it seems so backwards. It is such a different culture and they have a very different way of thinking in so many ways. It has been wonderful for me to look at each asian face and see how different they each are and realize that Jesus came for each one of them also. He loves each one of them as much as me. We have been able to get to know a few of the shop owners a little and they are lovely people. We will miss there willingness to help and their bright smiles.

We look forward to one more day in China. A final look around the city, and a sort of closure to the trip. This is the birthplace for our daughter and I want to be able to tell her all about it one day. It reminds me of Ruth when she told Naomi that Naomi's people would be Ruth's people; and Naomi's God her God. We are starting a new chapter for the Shelbys.

Today was a very light day. We had group and family pictures done and then shopping and temple touring. We decided to pass on the temple. Ron still wasn't 100% and Emma said she wanted to do more shopping. Later in the afternoon we went to the toy market which was a huge disappointment. I was expecting FAO Schwartz and it was more like the dollar store. I could not believe how many little shops with the same things. There had to be at least 20 stores that had only cell phone charms. One store was only plastic bags, another would be only headbands. It reminded me of a huge 4 story Claire's. None of us left with much. I hope you all know that when I say how much shopping we have done I really mean 'looking'. We love to go look at all the shops and see what they have but not much 'buying' going on. They all say 'I make you best deal, you my american friend'.

Tomorrow we have our consulate appointment, yea! Tomorrow night the group will have dinner at the Cow and Bridge Restraunt. That should be good. We have eaten there several times and they have wonderful sweet and sour chicken. I am sure that Rebecca will order us all kinds of authentic dishes. We will be sure not to eat any worms. After tomorrow we will be officially ready to go home. Too bad that we have to wait til Saturday to go. We couldn't get a plane out til then. I started packing our bags tonight to get ready. I can hardly wait to get on the plane and see the rest of our family!!

Ron is feeling better, probably back to about 90%. He took it pretty easy today not being too adventurous on his food. That is a good thing I am sure. Ella is still doing great. Last night was the first night she slept all the way through the night. She has had so many changes in the past week. 3 hotel rooms, 5 bus rides, strange new mom, dad and sister. I can't believe she has done as well as she has. She is such a delight! We are loving her more each day. I truly feel she is my daughter in every sense of the word. I am so thankful that God saw fit to do this wonderful thing in our family!

Ron posted pictures of the other families under the photos link. They are all wonderful people and we are blessed to have traveled with them. Jodi and Roger will always have a special place in our hearts. They have been wonderful travel mates and Maddie and Ella really enjoy eachother.

Having a hard time with Blogger tonight. I hope this goes through.