It's final....She's officially ours!

Well, it's final.  Jiu Ying Zhang is now officially Alli Ying Ashworth, and is OUR baby girl!!!
I feel like I have so much to say, so bare with me as this may be scattered and bounce back and forth.
Today we went to the adoption office, which is where we got Alli yesterday.  We had 24 hours with her to make sure this is what we wanted before finalizing the adoption.  When we got there her orphanage director was there.  He came straight over and wanted to hold her.  I thought that was sweet.  We passed her off, and I think she started reaching for Brian, which is a first.  She still doesn't understand the "reach" thing yet.  Before long two nannies that cared for her came in and wanted to hold her.  Alli started crying when they took her from us.  I thought that was a very good sign and so sweet.  She wanted her Mama and Baba (daddy in chinese).  We got her back and then they got her again.  I was excited to have an opportunity to take some pictures with Alli and her caregivers.  When I got Alli back, one nannie tried to get her to come back and she turned away really fast, wanting to stay in my arms.  That made me feel good.  I think it's a good sign of her bonding.  Brian and I have an opportunity to  visit her orphanage, but we are going to pass that up. I think seeing her nannies and them making a big deal over her was traumatizing enough. We don't want to do that to her again.
We got the chance to ask the director lots of questions today.  I think that was neat. He was the one who gave her her name.  We asked why he chose it.  Jiu, which means 9 was picked because she was born in 2009.  Ying was picked because it means Flower or Hero.  I like that. :)  He gave us a gift for Alli.  A beautiful Jade pendant and necklace that is her zodiac sign.  Jade is to the Chinese, what diamonds are to us Americans.  This will be a very special gift for her when she gets older.  He also told us they are having a very nice photo scrap book put together, it just wasn't finished yet.  He got our address and is mailing that to us when it's done.  I'm really excited about that.  He has asked us to keep them updated with pictures of her.  Her nannie said she is very sad Jiu Ying is leaving, but she's  very glad she will have a good home. :)
We got to skype with my babies at home and they were able to see thier sister for the first time.  It was a very sweet moment.  Alli kept reaching for the screen and looking at them.  Can't wait to have them all together...and I can't wait to get my hands on my 3 back home.  I miss those babies so much!!
Alli is sleeping away right now.  She's the most precious little thing.  Here are the answers to a few questions you all may have.....
She's not walking yet.  I think her leg muscles need to get a bit stronger.  She likes to hold my fingers and walk around like that...lots of that will surely help.
She has 6 teeth! Her lip repair looks great.  She has a little scar where it was fixed, but they did a great job.  Her palate is open.  I don't know enough about that to say if it's bad or not.
Hairbows...YES! She's had a hairbow in since we got back from getting her! lol  She does not mind them, but does not like hats.
She tries to do what ever we try to get her too.  She has started waving her hand when we say Hi.
She responds to her Chinese name Jiu Ying, but is starting to pick up on Alli. I"ve found myself calling her both. 
Her nick name at the orphanage was "Ying-ze", is what the director told us.
I can't think of anything else right off the bat.  My mind works slow on litlte sleep I guess.  Brian and I have been waking up at 3am China time everymorning and still have to get up on China time. :)  We are doing great and enjoying this Country.  It's really a great place.  Maybe, just maybe I will master chopsticks before we get home.  If not, I may just be really skinny when I get home! lol
I miss COKE AND TEA! :) lol  they have coke here, but it's not the same, and it's with no ice.  it's not bad, just not the same.  Sweet tea, negative.  they drink hot tea flowery tea, which is not my cup of tea. ;)
I better go rest while she's alseep. Love you all!
OH yea, the nannie in the picture we have of her with the cake we sent is the same Nannie we got to meet.  I thought that was very neat.  We got a lot of pictures of them together. :)

We have our GIRL!!!!!

Oh my goodness...what a basket of emotions I have been today!  We got to the office to recieve our children.  We were all sitting on the couch and our translator looked out the window and said "There is Jiu Ying"  Brian and I jumped up and when I looked out the window and saw my baby girl, I lost it.  Tears started flowing and I was a basket case.  Her Nannie and the Orphanage director came in and straight to us.  She handed Alli to me.  I can't describe that very moment.  I was in tears.  Brian tried to talk to her, then she started to cry, sort of.  Not a loud cry, but a scared cry.  He got a rattle out and when he made noise she got quiet and watched him.  After about 15 minutes of us talking to her she started smiling.  She LOVES her Daddy!!!  He held her and started playing with her and Alli was laughing so hard.  It was amazing!!!  I have tons of pictures of Alli and her Daddy!! (will upload them once I get something to download them with!!!)  Alli is the absolute sweetest baby!  We got to ask the Nannie and Director questions and he said "She's very active!" lol  He said she can not say anywords, but that was because of her cleft lip.  We left the office and went to the grocery store to get diapers and formula.  Alli was a champ.  Smiled and laughed and played with us the whole time.  We got back to the room, played with her for about an hour, then took off the 4 layers of clothes she came to us in.  Brian and I gave her her very first bath.  She loved it.  Splashed and played in the water for awhile.  Got her out, and dressed her in her new clothes, threw in a hairbow and she looks like a whole different baby! Smells like one too!  She has played and played and played some more.  I went to the bathroom and she started crying....I layed on the bed playing with her and was saying "Mama"  Alli started moving her lips as she watched mine carefully and finally she moved those lips with some noise and said "MAMA"  Brian was sitting at the computer, jumped up and said "You've got to be kidding me!!!"  Now she keeps saying it over and over!  She is so happy. We were playing on the floor and I could tell she was SO sleepy.  she laid beside me, sucked on part of her fingers and fell asleep.  She's in her crib now, and we keep going over there just to stare at her.  We still can't believe we finally have her.  As Brian said earlier, "Our family is complete."
Thank you all for the many prayers that you have been saying for us, Alli and our 3 other babies.  We can surely feel them, and I really think Alli can too.  She is an amazing little girl with a beautiful smile, laugh and personality.  We can't wait for you all to meet her and see this little girl who is bringing us so much joy.  I can't wait to get her home to her big brohters and big sister.  They are going to have so much fun with her!
I'm hoping I will be able to download the pictures from my camera soon from someone elses'.  I forgot my cord at the house.  A friend (another family here) did take pics when we recieved Alli, so I am going to add those for now.  Hopefully more soon.  She doesn't even look like that little girl now.  Amazing....God is amazing.
Oh yea, the rattle Alli is holding is the one Brian played with to get her quiet and she loves that thing.  She didn't put it down until we got back to the hotel. :)
Much Love,
Amanda & Brian

                                            Brian, Alli, Mr. Danny and DannyLynn (sweettest couple!!)

Getting Alli in the morning...

Well, we flew out of Beijing today and into Nanjing. First off let me say that our guide in Beijing was amazing.  He has an amazing testimony and he made the first part of our journey here in China a great one.
The flight to Nanjing was great.  God amazes me at how He works little details of our daily lives out that we sometimes over look as being God.  Brian and I sat in our seats and waited to see who would fill the empty seat beside me. ( I gave Brian the window seat b/c he's never flown before this trip, and the whole way here we didn't have the opportunity to be by a window)  So, this beautiful Chinese girl sat next to me.  I gave her a few minutes to settle in and before our plane was even moving Brian and I had already started conversation with her.  We asked if she spoke any English and her response was "Very little."  Well, if you know Brian and I then you know that is all it takes for us to talk to you! :)  We talked the entire trip.  We got out some of Alli's adoption papers and she read some of the Chinese to us.  She helped with pronunciations and told us about Alli's city.  This girl who can hardly speak my language, and myself had an instant connection.  Our entire plane was quiet, with the exception of the two of us laughing.  When we couldn't understand each other we shared in amazing laughs.  Her name translated in English means "Snow", which is SOOO much easier to say than her Chinese name!!  She gave Brian and I her name, email and phone number and asked us to please call her if we need help with ANYTHING while we are in her city.  She made sure we had someone meeting us at the airport and everything.  After we got our luggage we exchanged a brief hug and she said she really wanted to see us again before we leave.  So, Brian and I are going to have dinner with our new friend before we leave Nanjing.  It just floors me how God works and puts little things like this together.

On a different note, most of you know i'm not really an emotional person, but today has been different.  As we started to land in the Capital of Alli's province my emotions started to rise.  I tried to take everything I could in.  I've about lost it and cried a few times, just thinking about how our life is all about to change.  I'm about to have a new daughter.  A daughter who was hand picked for our family, thousands and thousands of miles away on the other side of the world.  Again, God amazes me!  We met our guide, Min and she brought us to our hotel here in Nanjing ( a very nice 5 star hotel!)  It's beautiful here.  As Brian and I are getting settled our doorbell rang and it was housekeeping.  They came to set up the baby crib in our room.  Wow, it's really hitting home.  We went to have dinner with our guide and the other 2 families here in the province with us and she went over the things we will need in the morning.  We will be getting Alli at 10:30 am.  I still can't believe this day is really, really here.  My emotions are going wild and crazy. I'm nervous, anxious, frazzled, but most of all, ready to see this beautiful little girl that I've loved for so long, yet never even met.  It's so hard to explain how I already have such a love for her.  I picture us with her all the time.  I day dream about us sitting in church together as a family or in a restaurant eating dinner.  I picture her on Graci's hip as she tries to mother her, or BaiLee as he carries her into the restaurants. (this is what he's been saying he wants to do for months now) or Ethan as he lays in the floor and plays with her.  It's all about to be a reality, and no longer a daydream.....my heart is full tonight as I anticipate the arrival of my daughter in the morning.  Alli Ying Ashworth.....
Love you all.....goodnight.  This mommy had a diaper bag to prepare. :)

Our last day in Beijing

We visited the Great Wall of China today.  Wow is all I can say.  The place is absolutly beautiful.  I can understand why it is one of the 7 wonders of the world.  However, what a stinking workout!!! I couldn't make it to the top! It was still an amazing view from where I got. The steps are all uneven, which makes it very difficult!
We also got to visit the Olympic center.  That was pretty cool, too.  Brian and I are having a great time, and really enjoying getting to meet all these great new people! Everything is so different, and we are taking it all in.  It's still so surreal that we are really in another country! It's funny because they like to take our picture.  I guess we are just as different to them.  They like to have their picture made with Brian, because he is so tall.  That's strange and funny....lol The driving here is so different then in the states.  It's very crazy, but they reallyn drive better than us Americans!!  The traffic is crazy, but we have not seen the first accident.  I can't wait to share our experience with all our friends.  We miss you guys so much! 
We leave Beijing in the morning and will go to Nanjing.  We will get our sweet Alli on Monday morning!!  Ahhh, we can hardly wait!!!
I have SO many awesome pictures to post.....enjoy.  We are still in awe at the fact that we are in a different country!  Which has been an amazing experience, and the people are all so friendly. :)
Love you guys,
                                               This is at the Great Wall...and it's FREEZING

                                                            BEAUTIFUL view!!

                                                              The Great Wall of China

                                 The view from where we got, I'm in this picture, struggling to get up! LOL

                                                Where the Olympics 2008 were held

                                                               Great picture of Beijing

                                          This was part of our lunch, and YES, I tried the fish!!

Day One in China

Today was cool.  We got to go to the old part of Beijing, the way they used to live.  We visited one families house.  We were able to go inside and ask her questions.  That was pretty cool. It's awesome to experience another culture.  Everything is so different.  The resteraunt we had lunch in was good.  our guide had all of our food ordered so when we got there they brought it all out.
We visited the forbidden city today.  The place was huge!  It was really neat hearing our guide tell us the history behind it all.  Makes me wish I would have paid better attention in history class. :)
The traffic here is crazy.  I think the motto should be "Move, or be moved!!!!" Our bus driver could whip that bus around like it was nothing.
Brian and I are having a good time. He's crashed on the bed right now! He said today "All of this is cool, and I'm enjoying getting to see it, but I'm ready to get my little girl!"  I couldn't agree more! 
Tomorrow we get to tour the great wall of China!  How awesome!!
I hope to figure out a way to post pictures.  I'm SO smart....I didn't bring the cable that connects my camera to the computer... :(  UGH!  I pray someone has one I can use, so I can empty my disk and take tons more pictures!
Love you guys!!

                                              The Forbidden city...

In Beijing

Well, our goodbye at the airport was a very emotional one for Brian and myself. Leaving our babies was way too hard. I bet the security people thought we had lost our minds! lol Graci grabbed my neck and wouldn't let go. She broke my heart when she said "Mama, please don't ever put me down!!!" We did skype them from the Chicago airport and Graci said "Mama, how much longer until you come home!!!!" Pray for my babies. BaiLee told me he was sad, too. I could see it on his face. Ethan, well, he told me he wanted corn..then took off to go find some!
The flight to Chicago was great. We did hit some turbulance, but other than that it was great. The flight to China was LOOOONNNNGGGGG! Oh my gosh! I sat by a very nice Older Asian lady. She tried to teach me how to use chop sticks. I am getting better, and she gave me a thumbs up! :)
It felt so good to get to our room and take a shower. It's now 1 am here and we are awake! You guys are eating Turkey and we are watching chinese television. :)
We are touring the forbidden city today and are really looking forward to learning a lot of new things!!!
Updates and pictures soon.
Love you guys!
Amanda & Brian

China Bound...

Well,  January will be two years that we started this journey to Alli.  Some days it seems like it's been forever, and some days it seems as if we just started.  As I sit at my computer printing up air tickets, itineraries, important phone numbers to leave behind and a map marked of all the places Brian and I will visit (for our babies to see), my heart is overjoyed that I'm really, seriously, finally about to see, smell, hold, kiss and touch the little girl that I've dreamed about for awhile now.  Then there is the part of my heart that is breaking into a million different pieces at the thought of leaving my BaiLee, Ethan and Graci behind.  I've never been away from my children this long and the thought of it is killing me.  I keep telling myself "Begin with the end in mind...."  The end of this journey is really the beginning.  The end of our trip starts the beginning of the life of the Ashworth family finally being complete with the missing piece to our puzzle, Alli Ying Ashworth.
Please keep us in your prayers.  Our safety in air, land...everywhere.  And please pray for our children, BaiLee, Ethan and Graci as they have never been away from us like this before.  Pray that God wrap His arms around each of us and we feel His peace each and every step of the way.  Please pray for our sweet Alli girl.  Her little life is about to change in every single way.  All she will know in the beginning is these two strange smelling, looking and talking people are taking her away from everything she has ever known.  Pray that the transition for her go as smooth as possible and the bond between us all is instant.
Thank you everyone for being with us on this journey.
His Children,
Amanda & Brian Ashworth

Travel plans are underway!

All of our travel plans have been approved, booked, paid for and we are heading to China!
So many emotions running through this thick little head of mine.  I'm super excited about seeing that precious angel of ours for the first time, but my heart briefly breaks for her and how scared she will be when we take her away from everything and everyone she has ever knows.  I mean, we don't look like anything she's ever seen, we smell different, talk different and we are bringing her to a place that is asleep when she's supposed to be awake and awake when she's supposed to sleep, and we expect her to adjust to that.  I know she will, and her life is going to forever be changed, for the better, but I can't help but feel bad for how scared she must feel in that moment.
I'm nervous about the long flight, being in a different country, but most of all, I hate leaving my 3 babies behind for 16 days!!!  That breaks my heart every single time I think about it, or look at them.  I know they will be well cared for and loved, but oh how Brian and I are going to miss them.  We can't hardly look at our airline tickets with out almost breaking out into tears! We are going to miss Ethan's allstar football game and Graci's Christmas Musical at Church.  God, give us strenght, Peace and Comfort, and please, please take care of our babies!  I made all 3 of them "Countdown Calendars".  From the day we leave there is a piece of candy on each day.  Everyday they take a piece off until the day we come home.  Hopefully this will help them get a visual of when we will be home.  I have full confidence in my neice and nephew, who will be living in our house, taking care of the kids, dogs (all 3!), bearded dragon...etc! lol  They can do it!  Of course my parent's are just across the highway, so that helps.

Our flight leaves at 6 AM (geez...i'm so not a morning person...but seriously doubt i"ll do much sleeping that night anyway!) on Wednesday morning.  No American Thanksgiving feast for us, but the blessings that make this Holiday a reason to celebrate are overwhelming and countless.  My God has Blessed this family in oh so many ways! (and my mama is cooking us a Thanksgiving lunch on Sunday, so we won't completly miss out.  We'll just miss the 70 family members that are going to be at Mama and Daddy's!)  Love you guys!

Continue to keep us in your prayers as we travel to and from China, and while in China.  Pray for my children as they stay home and are away from us for the first time.  Pray for precious Alli, as her life is about to be changed in ways we could never imagine, only time will show her it's all for the better.  Pray she bond with both Brian and I and that the transistion be smooth and with as little stress as possible.  In a whole, keep us covered in prayer, and close to your hearts.
I hope to update as much as Alli will allow while we are in China.  Brian and I will tour Beijing for a few days before we head to Nanjing and get Alli. 
Thank you all for following along.....leave us messages, and make us smile.  It wil be good to hear from our people back home!
Love,
Brian and Amanda Ashworth