Sunday, April 30, 2006

More Pictures for Luke

This your big cousin Ryan. He will teach you lots of great things about
race cars, classic cars, music, and loving Jesus.
This is your cousin Bethany. She is
a big kid and goes to college. You
are guaranteed to laugh when she's
around. You will LOVE her!










Watch out when this group of girls
gets together! Your cousin Kris
lives in Michigan but she'll come meet
you this summer. It's always a
party when Kris is here!


















Linsey on Easter Sunday being silly. Posted by Picasa

Your daddy can't wait to meet you!

Your sisters Amy and Linsey "just hangin' out".
















Aunt Jill and I really do have eyes......it was just BRIGHT!









This is your cousin Katie. I'm warning you....Linsey probably won't want to share her with you. She's a blast to hang out with. Posted by Picasa

Just Practicing

Linsey's bed

We're ready for you Luke!







Here is your room that you share with your sister Linsey.

Meet your brother Nick. He is a rockstar! Posted by Picasa

Book for Luke


My mom is letting me take her new laptop to China! Thanks mom!! I'm practicing "blogging" and posting photos.

Here are some pictures we're putting in a photo album to share with Luke when we meet him. Posted by Picasa

Let the packing begin!

We officially have begun the packing (notice the Lysol wipes. ;) Posted by Picasa

Saturday, April 29, 2006


Haikou City, Hainan Posted by Picasa

Friday, April 28, 2006

Hainan



Hainan Island, at the southern tip of China, was known in ancient times as "The End of the Earth," and was used a as place of exile. Today, as a busy Special Economic Zone, one of China's most unspoiled natural regions and the center of a fast-growing tourist trade, it's better known as the Chinese Riviera. Haikou has been a strategic port of call since time immemorial , and is now once again a major trading center. Much of the old city remains unchanged. Hainan is one of China's least crowded places and the country's warmest area, with a climate like Hawaii. There are miles of sandy beaches, verdant mountains, agricultural land and even unspoiled wilderness. Despite development, Hainan remains a languid tropical island where the pace of life is relatively slow and easy, and visitors are encouraged to relax
www.travelchina.com


Haikou at night

Adoption Itinerary

May 11th – May 27th

Thursday, May 11 Depart for China


Friday, May 12 Arrive in Beijing

Saturday, May 13 Beijing Sight-Seeing: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden
City, & Summer Palace (Lunch & Dinner Included)

Sunday, May 14 Church service & Great Wall (Lunch & Beijing Duck
Dinner Included)

Monday, May 15 Morning flight to Haikou
Meet Lucas David !!


Tuesday, May 16 Civil Affairs Appointment

May 17 - 18 Paperwork, Sight-seeing, Shopping & Downtime

Friday, May 19 Flight to Guangzhou

Saturday, May 20 Lucas David ’s Medical Exam

Sunday, May 21 Filling out Consulate Forms

May 22 – May 24 Paperwork, Sightseeing & Shopping

Thursday, May 25 Consulate Appointment at 11:30am

Friday, May 26 Pick up Lucas David ’s Visa

Saturday, May 27 Morning Flight to Guangzhou
Depart from Hong Kong

8:47 AM Arrive SF Int'l Airport

12:23 PM Depart SF

1:32 PM ARRIVE IN BURBANK!!!!

1:33 pm KISS MY FAMILY!!!!! ;)


Wednesday, April 26, 2006

An Email From Stephanie (Haikou Guide)

Luke knows we're coming!!

Here's an email from Stephanie. She will most likely be our guide while we are in Haikou, Hainan getting Luke.

Dear Elizabeth,
I am very glad to hear from you and congratulations that you will meet you son-Fu Zhixiong here in Haikou soon.
My company have got your plans in Haikou and the orphanage as well.And I think Fu Zhixiong has known that you will come to bring him home.He must be very happy.There will be another couple come here for the adoption at the same time as yours.Maybe you know them or maybe the agent will tell you about that.By the way,since your husband cant come together with you ,then you'd better have a letter entrusted by your husband.We need it here when you meet the officer of the administration.I think your agent will tell you about that.
Looking forward to meet you in Haikou.You must start to count the day now. Take care.

Stephanie

We received our Adoption Itinerary today. I'll post it soon.

Love,
Elizabeth

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Just Thinking........


Fu Zhixiong
之雄
We began the paper chase last summer to adopt another "healthy infant girl" Well, God had other plans. In the process of the paperchase, we fell in love with a little boy on the Waiting Child List (which is made up of children with special needs). As you know, we have named this special little boy Luke. Luke has a repaired cleft lip and unrepaired cleft palate. I tried to tell myself this made no sense. Luke was not the healthy little girl we set out to adopt. Through much prayer it became clear to our entire family however, that this was the child the Lord intended us to have. He is our son and we can't wait to bring him home.

I had his name translated to give us a little more insight as to who this little guy is. I learned that Fu is the name given to all the children in the orphanage. It's kind of like their last name. Zhi was the name given to every child that entered the orphanage in 2003. Here is where it gets personal. Xiong means HERO! I want Luke to always feel like a hero.

The following is a report the we received from the orphanage.

Fu Zhi Xiong, (soon to be Lucas David Gividen) was born on May 3rd, 2003. His birth parents abandoned him due to his congenital cleft lips and palate. On July 3, 2003 he was taken to the Haiku Social Welfare Institute in Hainan, China.
On June 2004 he received the cleft lip surgery at Haikou City Peoples Hospital.

Luke is described by his nannies as being an open and active boy. He is easy content and does not cry often. He laughs a lot, likes music, and enjoys playing with toys and games. He is full of energy. He cooperates when you dress him. He is happy when being adored by adults. He adjusts to new environments easily. Luke meets his age development level.

The nannies tell us that Luke has a very good living pattern. He goes to bed on time and eats on time. (what choice does he have) :) He eats noodles and porridge, plus milk and rice formula. He has good appetite. He loves fruit juice. He sleeps well.

Throughout this adoption process God has reminded us of our own adoption. This little Chinese boy was abandoned due to his imperfections. Aren't we blessed that God never abandons us because we are not perfect? We all were born into this world lost, alone, full of imperfections, and needing a Savior. If we do not have Jesus we are orphans without much life. He who has the Son has life. He who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:12

Little Luke doesn't know that he lives in a sinful world. He does not realize he was abandoned and left alone. He is unaware of the time, work, money, sacrifice, tears, prayers, paperwork, more paperwork, "seemingless never-ending" red tape that occurred so that we could bring him home. Yet, God had a plan in mind to give this little boy a family. Luke will have a mother and a father here on earth that promise to love him. He will also have a loving heavenly Father that he is able to spend eternity with.

God did the same thing for us. We have a much greater insight into our relationship with God as His adopted child through the amazing grace of Jesus. What a privilege!!

As our departure date fast approaches I find myself overflowing with love for this little guy. Thank you Father for choosing us to bring home our little hero!

"Shengdi shi hao! God is good!

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

TRAVEL APPROVAL!!


Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

Now glory be to God! By His mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.

It's official!! America World called and we have approval to bring home Luke!!! My dad and I leave out of Burbank on May 11th. We fly into Beijing and meet up with our travel group. We'll travel to Hainan on Sunday or Monday for "Gotcha Day". I'll receive an itinerary soon and I'll give you more details. We fly home out of Hong Kong on May 27th. Wow........I'm sure going to miss my family!!

We will be in China on Mother's Day!!

God is so good!

More to come!

Love,
Elizabeth

Monday, April 03, 2006

A Letter from Stephanie!

Okay, so it's not a travel approval......but it's exciting nonetheless. My friend Robin forwarded this message to me. It's from Stephanie who is a guide in Hainan. Robin asked her to check on Luke for me. We were most curious as to whether or not he got our package and did he still believe we were coming. He must wonder what is taking his parents soooo long!!!

Stephanie wrote........
I called the SWI just now and the vice-director(the old lady you met
the first day when you see Ella Grace),and she told me Fu Zhixiong have got the package.It has a video camero inside,right?and she asked me when his parents come to meet him. I said they will come as soon as they get everything ready.
Fu zhixiong is smart and he is fine ,he is ready for meeting his dear parents.Tell his parents about that,and let me know what I can do for them.I will be very please to do that if I can. Looking forward to meet them soon here in Hainan.

Talk to you next time,

Stephanie


That's exciting don't you think?? He knows we're coming!! The "video cameras" she's referring to are the 4 disposables we sent. Hopefully they're taking pictures of our boy.

Still praying for the call to leave 4/20.

Love,
Elizabeth

Today's Verse:
Habbukuk 2:3
This vision-message is a witness
pointing to what's coming.
It aches for the coming--it can hardly wait!
And it doesn't lie.
If it seems slow in coming, wait.
It's on its way. It will come right on time.