Linn catches Jubilee unpacking and repacking suitcase! Yes, honey it’s all yours!Jubilee is doing fantastic and Emmy and I are SMITTEN!! She is teeny, tiny. Tinier than I had even imagined. She takes about a size 4T (and she’ll be 8 in 10 days!!) We are thinking she is probably the same height as Isaiah (maybe an inch taller)….she has much difficulty talking, poor baby girl – even the Chinese have no clue what she is saying. So I feel pretty on-par with communication. But really, we do our own version of sign language….after all, what else do we need to know right now?? Are you hungry? Are you thirsty? Do you need to go potty? We figured universal motions for all those – so we’re rockin!!!!
Jubilee repeats everything we say:
Mom: Say Emma
Jubilee: Say Emma
Mom: Say Isaiah
Jubilee: Say Isaiah
Mom: Say Neow-Neow (potty)
Jubilee: Say Neow-Neow
Makes us totally laugh!!
Yesterday she had her first (so far!) meltdown. I wouldn’t let her keep her Dora suitcase on her lap when we road in the car (there was no room!) and she screamed and cried and finally was wailing for “her mama” (must mean her foster mom)…I just held her as she wrenched in my arms, pushing with all her might against the door/window to get out while we were riding. It was lots of fun! (NOT!)
We ended up at McDonald’s to eat at the end of the grieving and screaming and she wandered around, clearly looking (I’m guessing) for her foster mom. She didn’t want to be near me and stared at me as though I was the meanest creature in the world. Made me so sad. After she ate she warmed up again. It’s all good. Grieving and bonding is a process and we are in it for the long haul. Her grieving makes me know that she was attached, which is a good thing! She will be able to love us with a deep love – which we all need.
Today she grew rather quiet when the director of the orphanage rode with us to the Civil Affairs office. Not sure what she was thinking, but maybe guessing that she is grieving and not sure what to make of it all. Lots of transitions for such a little treasure – and so much in a language that she has no clue how to understand. Keep praying for her – and wisdom for us.
She’s had her first shower, her hair braided, nails polished, shopped, drank from Starbucks and slept with mommy (her choice).
When we went to the bank I was ushered into another room while she waited with Emma. She got very anxious and started squawking very LOUDLY in her very nasal sound – MAAAAA! while determinedly wandering trying to find me. She found me and plopped on my lap till we were done. Made my heart feel soooo good.
She and Emma are currently looking at the photo album and going over everyone’s name….poor gal has alot of names to remember!!
We are totally having a blast and her delight is precious. Oh, almost forgot. Guessing she hasn’t been carried much. If I pick her up she just giggles and grins. LOVES being carried – all 32 pounds of her….sweet baby girl – I absolutely love carrying you!!!
Nite nite from Tianjin China….where this mama is thrilled to pieces to have her Jubilee Promise – to love forever!! Just can’t wait for everyone to meet her – such a treasure!! Keep praying though!!
Jubilee loves to color!!
Room service anyone? Now that’s what I’m talking about — that’s not Dominoes!We went to a shopping mall that the three of us hailed a cab to get to….on our own!! No translator…
so that we could find a Starbucks!! =)
Then shopped till it was dark (by accident) – and NO we didn’t buy anything (except the Starbucks)…Jubilee carried her orange juice from Starbucks around like she’d never had her own bottle before…and would take tiny sips every few minutes…she giggled thru the stores…no doubt she is going to love shopping like the rest of us girls!
Was there ever a question – if one existed Linny & Emma would find it?
Shopping anyone? Oh, no – another girl who loves shopping. It’s not the adoption that’s expensive… it’s the shopping!!!
Emma does Jubilee’s braids! Lookin good girl, lookin good!!!
Keep praying, bring my Christmas present home from China!! dw
Thank you so much for sharing your life with me! i have been waiting all day for an update :)! Praise the Lord!
Still praying! Soon you will be home and all together!
In Jesus,
Lori
This post just made my day!
Woohoo! Can't wait to meet this precious, spunky wonder! She will fit in beautifully.
WOW! I have been out of the blog world for several days due to surgery, but was so happy to see pics of Jubilee with momma and sis today! Congrats to your family! What a blessing!
I'm so glad that everything is going so well. What an absolute doll she is! And she IS tiny. Our Grace is not even on the Chinese growth chart, but she is 5 and not that much smaller than Jubilee.
Blessings,
Sarah
I'm glad they are doing well. Jubilee looks so exxcited! Can the grab my son from TianJin while they are there? Keeping all of you in our prayers. Janet
oh linn and DW — this makes my heart just sing!!! congrats on your newest little daughter. she is completely adorable!!!
love in Christ, jan (with another one waiting in china, age 11 🙂
Linny and DW,
I was awakened last night by someone (I believe an angel) laying their hands on me and gently shaking me awake. I woke up immediately and began to pray for Linny, Emma, and Jubilee. We will continue to pray for you! Yeah Jesus!
My heart is BURSTING for your family. With tears in my eyes I celebrate with you…. living in God's greatness!
Oh My Goodness! The pictures are terrific! She does look teeny tiny! I love the braids. It's amazing to see an orphan transform into a daughter. It's like watching a little butterfly break out of her cacoon.
Congrats again!
brings tears to my eyes! This is such a wonderful Christmas present for all of you!
I'm so glad to hear the girls are having so much fun!! I love seeing the pictures. 🙂 Jubilee is so beautiful- I had no idea her hair was so long! I can't believe she is so tiny- she's even about 10lbs lighter than my 5 year old. But I'm sure with all the fast food options we have over here (and the holidays approaching here lol) she'll have no problem bulking up! 😉 Love you guys!! ((hugs))
She is just precious. I can only imagine how much she treasures her girl time with her peeps. Oh to be a fly on the wall. And girl, I could tell you some stories about some meltdowns Anxi had in China. Woo Doggy.
Thanks for sharing! Cant wait to see what that sweet little thing is up to tomorrow.
Love to you!
🙂
Amie
I love seeing her with her mommy and sister! Praying they are home soon!
Thanks for the update! What a wonderful sight to see Jubilee with her mama and sister.
Hugs,
Janet, Kevin, Ted, Philip, and waiting for Eli (got word yesterday we should be in China in 5 – 7 weeks!) Whoo-hoo!!!
What a doll! Praying that she's home for Christmas and that the adjusting goes well!
Thank you for sharing. We continue to pray for all at home and away overseas. God is so good and faithful. Jesus continue to hold her and she attaches to her forever family. Amen. woohoo!
The most beautiful present!!! Praising God for her and her homecoming soon!!! Praying for the transition which is sometimes wonderful and at other times- soooo HARD!!! Praying!
Thank you for showing us more pics!! It looks like they are doing well! Jubilee is a little one at only 32 lbs! Good things come in small packages!! Praying for you in MN!
I just love reading through your updates.. So very happy for all of you! What a precious miracle to bring Jubilee home just in time for Christmas.. Exciting!
I can't believe how long her hair is. Simply beautiful. It's great to see her looking so happy.
I am so glad for another update! I check about 50 times a day just looking for any news! I feel like I am witnessing another Saunder Christmas miracle in the making! We are praying them home!
Linny, I'm so glad you found a Starbucks! We didn't find one until we got to Guangzhou and it was a welcome site!
Hugs,
Robin
I love the importance of Starbucks Linny! It's my one addiction and I actually have an album with pictures of different ones that I've gone to in different states/cities!
J.P looks so happy! I just know she's going to fit right in with the rest of the Saunders fam!
It's hard to believe that you finally have her. I am so glad she is in her mommy and sisters arms now and soon daddy and the rest of the gang.
I thought she looked very tiny but that is good for bonding because you can carry her and pick her up easy.
So did Emma get a suitcase too or did she have to go to Ch*na with a trash bag? =)
DW…a perfect Christmas present, indeed!! God is SO good, and oh-so FAITHFUL!!! <><
Love seeing these photos. Emma braiding her hair, just too precious! The updates are great and help give us specifics to be in prayer for. Linny looks so happy to have her girl in her arms… what a true blessing!!
Thanks for sharing your journey with all of us. It helps to pass the time while we, too, wait for those travels!!
Blessings,
~Tanya
Awww, what a sweet post! Jubilee is one loved little girl. Thank your for sharing your journey with us. I can't wait to hear more stories and see more pictures! Everyone looks so happy! Praying for all of you!
~Amy
Oh Dw and Linny, my heart is overflowing with thankfulness to Him who makes ALL things beautiful in His time. Your angel is just perfect. Wow–she reminds me so much of my Haven. So much. The tinyness, the inability to speak. So very similar.
I am totally rejoicing with you tonight. So thankful to our Father who has brought this sweet little treasure to your family.
Great things He has done!!!
Hugs
Adeye
DW, you are doing a wonderful job! Linny and Emma!! We are loving the pictures! Jubilee is so cute and loving all the attention from the two of you. Bless her heart…all the changes. We will pray that she will bond quickly and know you are hers forever. I can't hardly believe you are there. I'm so happy for you. God is good! Hugs.
I've not been by in quite awhile! Our family is adjusting to many changes… busy times. SO thrilled to see that you're in China getting your Ju-ju-be! Congratulations!
I'm working nights right now, and I'll be praying for you, Emma, and Jubilee during the night… while your up and about, taking care of business in China! Godspeed to get that little sweetie home!!!!
DW you are adapting so well to this whole blogging thing…
I think the hardest part for you is going to be when linny gets back home and you are relegated back to that cold and dingy crawl space….LOL
great post and great pic's of three of your lovely lady's
P.S.I do know that you have a blog of your own, that would be happy to see you back????
Just saying…
Still praying here. What a delight to see these pictures and to hear how she is doing. Can't wait to read more.
Oh what sweetness from China!! Jubilee loooks like a different child already–I guess that's because she is. No longer an orphan, but a daughter, and a sister. She belongs! Thank you Jesus!!
Lovin' the update!!
Love to China, and to Colorado ~
Tina
P.S. Dw, I so wish the Mac would drag and drop. You can drag them to the desktop, and them upload from there (maybe you already are). Speeds it up a bit . . . still a time consuming process for a slooow blogger like me! 🙂 Thanks for making the time to keep us informed!
Oh I so remember Bryson doing the same thing in China when you would say "Say mama" he would say "say mama". It was so cute!!! That is gone now as well as referring to his cute little self in 3rd person.
Loving you and your new daughter!!! you look so happy!!!
Oh, she is such a precious girl, God Bless you all on your trip and as you come home. We will continue to pray for all of you.
We met you probably about two years ago at a class at CCAI. How wonderful to see Jubilee finally in your arms. What a long, long twisty road. But what a faithful Savior to bring about His plan in His time. Praying for all of you!
Oh my word, she's beautiful!
Praying, praying, praying for you like mad! All of you! And not being able to text you during this is killing me!
Congratulations, family! She seems just wonderful!
Oh my goodness, she is precious! I can't believe how TINY she is!! My three year olds weigh more than her. 🙂 So glad to hear that things are going well and that you are having fun. Starbucks…ahhhhh…. all is well with the world. God is GOOD!!!
Tears of joy just start to fall every time I log on and see Jubilee with her FAMILY!!!!!!
Praying your time alone with her is as precious she is!!
Keep up the good work Dwight–I'm praying for you and the ones left behind too!
The pictures say it all…GOD IS SO GOOD!!! His Promises Come To Be!!! These pictures have made my day! Thank you for sharing, DW. What JOY!!!
With Love and Prayers Unending…
WHAT A JOY THAT GIRL IS!
can't wait to squeeze her!
xx
Your so awesome! The prayers are unending! Blessings
jill http://www.campfunk@blogspot.com
Thanks, Dw, for your creative cutting and pasting. Such a blessing to hear about Linny and Emma's first days with Jubilee. It breaks my heart to hear about her grieving for her foster mom but I know she'll figure out pretty fast that she's been given the best mom on the planet. (We are also adopting an older child–9 years old–and are going through some of the same things.) So hard but so worth it.
Tell her we're still praying them home soon.
Much Love,
Kathie
I have never commented before but I just had to say what an inspiration and amazing family you all are. Thanks for inspiring me with your story.
I am soooo glad you have her in your arms finally and are bringing her home!
Sounds like everything is going just as it should. Eight years and she now has a forever family. That is quite a lot for a little girl to understand. What a wonderful life she is going to have. So many around her to love her. She will never be lonely!
Keri
I'm sooo logging into this blog everyday!
I'm sooo loving the updates!
I'm sooo praying about bonding, traveling, health, immigration…anything else?
I sooo love when children come home!
Yeah, "YIPPEE JESUS!" I heard it not only in Durango, but also in China!
And oh the smiles…that child is always smiling!!! And now she will have so much more to smile about!!!
Hugs
Kathie
And oh the smiles…that child is always smiling!!! And now she will have so much more to smile about!!!
Hugs
Kathie
What pure delight and joy these pictures bring! Jubilee Promise is a doll! What a sweet sister Emma is and of course – Linny the awesome Mom. Praying for the bonding process and all that is to come. Can't wait to see you guys. Sending huge hugs.
Oh, such precious pictures! I love it!! Praying with you all…
Holly : )
The posts from China are just amazingly wonderful and soooo heartwarming – thanks for sharing Linn and Dw. Will continue to pray you all home!
Our son came home at age 5 with severe speech issues. No one in China understood him except his best buddy. Now 3+ years later his speech has jumped by leaps and bounds. (Far from perfect, but the majority of people understand him and he has alot to say! ; )
Your beautiful girl will do wonderfully! The signs were hard to get away from because Jacob was so good at them! We would have to say, "Use your words,", all the time but we don't say it much anymore.
I am so happy for all of you! It's the year of Jubilee!
What beautiful pictures! How awesome to see the answer to so many months of prayers. She is just beautiful…and even more beautiful to see her with her forever mommy and sister!! I will continue praying, as I know she will have some major adjustments coming up. Even though living in an orphange, it sounds as though she has some deep love for her foster mom. Attachment is good, but will still be so very hard for her to leave everyone and everything she has ever know her whole life. Will be praying, praying….
I already wanted to go back for another precious girl but now I REEEEEALLLY want to go back!
When I was there I said I would never ever go back, but I think it's like labor, you forget the painful part and only remember the JOY! I would go back in a second…….
I already wanted to go back for another precious girl but now I REEEEEALLLY want to go back!
When I was there I said I would never ever go back, but I think it's like labor, you forget the painful part and only remember the JOY! I would go back in a second…….