Goodbye Nanchang

Yesterday we packed our bags and began to get ready to leave Nanchang, China.  

We were more than ready to take our little brown eyed girl and board the plane for the next leg of our journey.  

We took pictures of Ellie with her new sweet friend Ryn. 

Ted, Betsy and Ryn have been a huge blessing to us in Nanchang.  We met the morning after getting our girls, they sat in our room with us the night we got home from the orphanage, we experienced first smiles and blossoming of our little girls together, we shared meals together and have a bond because of the journey we are on together.  We aren't staying at the same hotel in Guangzhou and are going to miss them but we will find a time to see each other before we journey home. 

We went shopping for a some porcelain. Nanchang is known for agriculture and porcelain.  I wanted to get a piece of Porcelain for Ellie. When I went into the porcelain shop and saw this plate I knew it was perfect for our little Ellie's room.  Little did I know was just how perfect it was.  Mary told me it was a plum tree.  Plum trees blossom in the winter so they represent endurance and strength. Those little swallows represent joy.  

"In the midst of winter, before snow melts and the swallow returns, plum trees blossom onto the barren landscape, bracing the harshness of winter and reminding people spring will come. Celebrated here is the vitality of life, endurance through hardship, and hope that comes."

In our little Ellie's weakness I see strength.  Strength of what she endured. Strength in her little soul.  I can't wait to see how our little sweetheart continues to bloom. 

This little girl has become quite the little jabber box!

Little Ellie continues to work hard at building those little muscles.  Sometimes hard work just isn't very fun! 

This is is the same place we stood just days ago just the two us waiting for our little girl.  We had no idea what God would do to our hearts through the gift of this little girl. 

We got Ellie's passport and made our way to the airport.

We said goodbye to our amazing guide Mary.  She was such a blessing to us and she walked with us through so many things the last 6 days.

We boarded the plane and took off for Guangzhou leaving Nanchang behind.  In the air I held our little girl in my arms  and tears began to flow yet again.  So many emotions and feelings as we left this city.  It is a city that we were given the most amazing gift but also the city where our hearts were shattered.  God promises he will make BEAUTIFUL THINGS OUT OF THE DUST.  He has shown us beauty even in the heartache.  He is faithful and we are ready to see what the next leg of the journey brings.