Hudson MengQiu Beddingfield

     So much has happened since that last post...   The big question is "how did you get a boy?"  I guess I have to go back to January 29.  This was our log in date, and at this point in the process we officially began waiting for our match.  Our agency matches families when they are next on the list and a child that matches their profile becomes available.  Everyone's profile is different...some put down "boy," some "girl," some put "boy or girl."  Then you mark different medical conditions you would consider.  We had marked "girl."  When we started this, it just always seemed natural that we would get a girl.  Not that we wouldn't want a boy, but I think we were scared to stretch our comfort zone...all the other families we knew that had adopted from China had girls, and it was just what we thought we should do, too.  Now, I will admit that I learned a secret over time...there ARE many, many boys available through this program.  And once I knew this, it actually became a little hard for me to admit to people that we had marked "girl."  When asked, I would say "we marked girl, but if God really puts a boy on our hearts we would consider a boy."  Did I believe what I said?  Not really - I convinced myself that it was totally ok for us to choose that we wanted a girl.  And I still think it is ok for adoptive families to pick the gender of their child...you have to go with your heart.  Everyone's situation is completely unique and special. 
     Well, after we received our LID we noticed something happening on our agency's Waiting Child photo listing website.  The first week, about five young boys with very minor medical needs showed up on the site.  The next week, about five more.  And by the end of the month, there were close to twenty little boys waiting for families.  What was happening was that every family waiting in line for a match was apparently like us...waiting for a girl.  Since these baby boys did not match anyone's profile, they were being advocated for on CCAI's waiting child page because they needed a family.
     As more and more boys became available, I started having a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.  Was it right that we were waiting for a girl when all of these baby boys needed families?  I argued back and forth with myself, saying that it was totally fine.  I think I was really arguing back and forth with God!  He was really putting this heavily on my heart, but I was not sure I wanted to listen.  Then I just "happened" to come across this verse...

 

 

    

     I actually cried a little when I read this...because I knew what we were supposed to do, but giving up the idea of "Anna Li" was hard!  Will I let Hudson read all of this one day...I DON'T KNOW :-)

Nathan had a really good point...God put adoption on our hearts when it was never in our plans...even after we decided "no, we just can't."  If HE could so amazingly change the course of our lives (and a child's), then why should we be surprised that he was leading us right to the child that was meant to ours all along?

     We finally agreed to check out one of these sweet boys' files.  Little "Qiu" had captured us from the first time we saw his picture, so we decided to review his file over the weekend.  Here are a few of the surprises we found inside...

 

 

 

This is the picture that first captured us on the photo listing...

 

 



The youngest picture we have of sweet An Meng Qiu

 

 

Beautiful eyes!!!

 

 

taken about a month ago...

 

sweetness!!!

 

     Needless to say, we decided way before the weekend was over that we would say "yes" to our little Meng Qiu (pronounced Mung Chew).  We also found out that he arrived at the social welfare institute in Anyang City on July 5, the day the police presumed  he was born.  He was premature, weighing only 4lbs!  He was moved at 12 days old to Beijing, where he resides still (possibly foster group home).  He is HEALTHY, quiet, and likes to laugh :-)  He is now eight months old. 

     Each part of this process has had a wait time.  It will likely be about a five month wait until we can bring baby Hudson home.  Please pray...

-that Hudson will remain healthy

-for his nannies that are taking care of him until we can

-that God will prepare him for us, and us for him

-that he will attach quickly to us and KNOW that we are his family

-for Henley and Griffin (getting a new sibling can be HARD)  :-)

-for peace as we WAIT

-for the children still waiting

Thank you for all of the sweet messages and prayers sent our way...

Aimee, Nathan, Henley, Griffin