"Gotcha Day"!!!!!

A year ago we met and held Ingrid for the first time.  It was our "Gotcha Day" and we all remember every second of that day.    Here is the video we made for her to remember and celebrate a day that to us is beautiful!

(hopefully you can click on this link and see it)

http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4d7a63354e6a49314d444d3d0d0a&blogview=true

Notes to Ingrid from her brothers (unedited):

"We were about to go to CA when my mom screamed that we we're getting you.  When I saw you you we're the cutest thing ever and you still are"

Oskar

Dear Ingrid,

About a year ago today, September 16th, we received you.  I will never forget the day when you came in to the hotel lobby all frightened and shocked.  You had small pears in each of your hands.  You didn't want to leave the caretakers arms but now you don't want to leave moms arms.  When we went back to our room we gave you your first toy, plastic circles that you connect, you didn't want  to play with them so you threw them away!  Than we gave them back to you and you threw them away!   And then you started to laugh and it became a game.  You are super cute and everyone that see you say's the same thing.  Girls ask me about you in school because you are so cute and funny.  You've changed a lot since we got you.  For example you used to only eat healthy food now all you eat is any meat or anything in the snack drawer.  You have a great way to make us all laugh like saying "one more time" at the park when you want to stay which you repeat until we force you to leave.  Right now you are playing tickle monster with Dad  and you can't stop laughing.  I can't wait to see you grow up in this family and I want you to know even though you might not have the same skin as us you are part of our family and Mom and Dad will treat you just as well as they treat all

of us boys.

Love,

Isaac

One Year Ago Today......

The first five Anderson's depart for China.  We are coming for you Ingrid!!!!!!

Ingrid's Baptism

What a celebration of God's grace! We had thought a church baptism last spring would be appropriate, but decided to wait as she would at times seem still so fragile and we did not want to scare her.  We tried to coordinate with the church and grandparents and godparents and our schedules, and finally just had to pick a date .... the end result was not everyone could attend, but it was beautiful, unique, and really a special day.  She came to us in an unconventional way, and she was baptized that way as well.

Matt's dad could not attend and officiate as he had with our other children, but we were able to have Kris' godfather officiate the baptism.  Paul Berge was a blessing to us that day- full of the Spirit!  We were amazed as we looked around and were surrounded by family and friends who have all been praying for little Ingrid since before we met her.  It was truly a "congregation" who knew her and loved her and will help her grow in her faith for years to come!

This was the invitation for her baptism.  We gathered at Kris' parents dock on Christmas Lake.  We all began singing the "First Song of Isaiah".  It was chosen because it is a song our kids have sung since they were children and it talks about trusting God and letting Him be our Savior.  As we prayed that morning we knew there was such joy and sorrow and all kinds of things that our children will face.  There is NOTHING more important than their faith and knowing their Savior.  Here are the words we sang:

Isaiah 12:2-6

"Surely it is God who saves me

I will trust in Him and not be afraid

For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense

And He will be my Savior.

 "Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing

From the springs of salvation

And on that day you shall say, Give thanks to the Lord

And call upon His Name."

After singing we moved closer to the lake. Ingrid was active, but not afraid.  There were kids  all around her- in the lake, in the boats, on the deck and in the grass.  

The godmothers decided to go in the water with our boys and other kids and the next thing we knew, 

Paul, Matt, Kris, and Ingrid were in too!

 The godparents read two scripture verses, 

Mathew 28: 19-20 and 1 Corinthians 12:13,

and held the baptismal candle.

Ingrid Xinling, child of God,  was baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
She was sealed with the sign of the cross as a way of expressing that she has been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever!  Amen.

When Pastor Berge asked those gathered if they would pray for Ingrid and in their own way nurture and support her in her faith, all who were at Christmas Lake said "I do".

It was quiet for a second and as clear and loud as she could, Ingrid yelled out by herself,  "I do!!".  

Joy!

We are praying Ingrid continues to say "I do" to her faith and her Lord!

We concluded the service with everyone singing the doxology.  Tears of joy and thanksgiving for this day and this child and for God's grace.  We sang the words as we have sung so many times,

"Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Praise Him all creatures here below.

Praise him above all heavenly hosts.

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Amen."

Then we dismissed the kids to swim and start the cannon ball contest.  It was only 62 degrees outside and the kids still jumped and swam and the winner was to get the first Special K Bar.

We celebrated the rest of the morning with food and fun!

The sun came out later that day and here are Ingrid's pictures with her flowers.

What a celebration of God's grace!  Thank you to all who have been praying for Ingrid!

xoxoxo

Ingrid and family

                                 

Happy July!

Ingrid's first Fourth of July in the United States!  We were in Florida for the celebration and she loved the flags, the sparklers and was fascinated by the fireworks.  We laughed about how scared we were of the firecrackers they set off at the orphanage to welcome us back in September. 

 

We are so thankful for the freedom we have in this country. Our boys experienced it just a bit in China in understanding that not everyone in this world lives in a free country like we do.  (And if anyone is wondering, Noah has not grown 6 inches.  He likes to stand on his toes for photos)  :)

 

We took a 5 hour drive to pick up Bjorn in Key West and enjoy a new area we had not been to.  By this point Ingrid seemed a little agitated... She was at "Grammie's house" in Florida, but where were Grammie and Bapa?  New bed, new car, and now we were going somewhere different again.  This is where we see that she still is fragile with lots of changes.  That combined with the fact that she has been spoiled and now we need to pull back a bit, and that she is two years old lends to a screaming, crying 5 hour drive.  We could quiet her with ice cream, but that's about it!

 Guessing we hit every-other McDonalds for some ice cream until finally.....

We decided when we got back to MN we would have to parent differently- no giving in to crying or bribing with ice cream.  Now that we are back we decided we would never be able to write a parenting book because we really have no idea what we are doing!!!

 Key West... Ingrid and her brothers.... they absolutely adore her!!!

This next picture is an example of a little girl who has gone from scared and traumatized with our family to having normal sibling competition.... every time the boys made a sand castle she thought she should wreck it.

 She looks sweet and innocent but really knows what she wants!

 

 Ingrid loves to be outside swimming and going to the park. She has no fears of climbing to the top of the highest park slide, yet is a little timid by the water.  That is a relief as none of her brothers had any fear of the water which made for many times jumping in after them fully clothed.

Isaac likes to do her hair... really!

 She can talk for hours on the phone to her grandma's, although most of the time we have no idea what she is saying besides "car ride, car ride"...

She likes her dolls and Legos and the trampoline!

 This summer her hair is wild and she loves to be in just a swim diaper.  Her skin is turning a beautiful darker shade and she looks just like the boy from Jungle Book- Mogley! 

Our last picture shows a little sweetie who is coming alive!  Ingrid lives on pistachios, Cheetos, ice cream, and roast beef.  She now loves to go to her grandparents and other relatives and friends.  She's talking up a storm and says "hug" and squeezes us so tight.  What joy for us!  Yesterday she was heading to the trampoline and I said, "I love you pumpkin" and she turned and smiled and said "Wuv you!"  More full, pure joy!  We continue to thank God for this sweetie!

School is out- summer begins!!!

First day at the pool!!!

Brothers are home so Ingrid is so happy!!!
Now it's time to open the cabin for the summer!

She is not sure of her first pontoon ride!!!



Uncle Mike is one of her favorites too!!!

 Cousins Lydia and Lily take Ingrid for a wagon ride.  She falls asleep so we pulled the whole wagon right into the cabin where Ingrid slept (with a lifejacket still on) for an hour.  What we didn't realize is that the wagon had goose droppings all over the wheels which then left the cabin with a powerful aroma!!!

Hot Tub!



Everytime the hot tub is open... Ingrid wants in!

What a delightful 2 year old to have in our family.  The boys are all so good with her and their friends are as well.  It's very sweet to see all kinds of big, growing, athletic, slightly-smelly teenage boys turn into sweet, gentle boys around Ingrid!

The trampoline is one of Ingrid's favorites.... she is usually on it without a shirt on, surrounded by lots of boys!

Some more favorites of Ingrid's.... dancing and bubbles!

It is a joy to watch Ingrid grow and change and become more and more comfortable around everyone.  We were able to leave her for a night with grandparents while we attended a reunion. Knowing that she is OK with us gone for an overnight is major growth!  We know she is attaching and we know she feels loved.  She just started letting us cradle her like a baby. This is new.  She calls herself "Ingrid, baby", and I can take her in my arms and she looks into my eyes.  For 18 months she did not have that baby-mother connection. It makes my heart sing when she gazes up into my eyes- and she knows it's her mom. 

There was some confusion in our adoption agency in thinking that Ingrid's little friend , Xinqiang had died suddenly from his heart condition, just days before a family was flying over to China to bring him home.  It turns out it wasn't him but another little boy from the same province.  There is no "relief" that it wasn't Xinqiang,  the boy we had met.  There is only sadness that a child had to die without ever being held by their family.  It's not dying with dignity, it's dying without love.  That's a heartbreaking thought and reality.  We know God did not intend us to bring little Ingrid home from China and slip into our typical suburban life- forgetting what we saw and experienced in China.  Our eyes were opened for a reason.  I think it digs deep into the hearts of both Matt and I and the four boys.  Perhaps this will sit deep with the boys for a while as they go through school, their sports, their girlfriends, their lives. We do pray that somehow each of us will make a difference in people's lives because of what we've seen. 

 One last early summer video... Ingrid is officially "spoiled" as she has spent more time on top of the table than all four boys combined have ever done!