Meet Qing Qing

Qing Qing's hosting profile -- hers was one of about 10 that I
received of kids who were still in need of host families when
I started thinking & praying about hosting in late March 2016.

This is a bit overdue, considering I'm already about a month and a half (give or take) into the adoption process, but for those of you who didn't have an opportunity to meet Qing Qing when she stayed with us this summer, I thought I would give a little introduction (though if you've followed my posts on social media over the last few months, you've already gotten to see a glimpse of how amazing and sweet she is)!

Qing Qing just turned 11 at the beginning of this month, and she loves coloring, reading books, Disney princesses, playing in the pool, dancing, popsicles and Goldfish crackers, and folding laundry (yes, really)! She also is an excellent car napper -- she usually fell asleep in the car within 10 minutes while she was here, no matter where we were going! Like Christina, Qing Qing is very good at "going with the flow" -- although so much of the three weeks she spent in the US was brand new to her, she pretty much took everything in stride, even the insane July Texas heat! She also is very smart & quick to catch on to things, even in a new culture and a new language! She loves to be a helper & was my little sidekick for everything from cooking meals & making beds to helping Christina with her shoes & putting groceries in the shopping cart. And best of all, she and Christina became fast friends; the bond that developed between the two of them even in such a short time was absolutely beautiful to see. I am so excited to see this relationship grow even more once they're officially SISTERS!

Medically speaking, Qing Qing has Down syndrome and also had surgery when she was seven to repair a hole in her heart. Currently, she is very healthy and isn't under any medical restrictions, though we'll follow up with a cardiologist when she comes back to the US to make sure her heart is still doing well! She is somewhat delayed developmentally, but as I already mentioned, I was very impressed while she was here at how quickly she caught on to things and her overall independence in doing tasks and "ADLs" (activities of daily living). 

Currently, it's looking like the adoption process will likely be complete sometime between the end of

next spring and maybe the middle of summer, if all goes well. I'm nearing the end of the first big stage of the process -- compiling everything for my dossier -- and after that my dossier will go to China for the CCCWA (China Center for Children's Welfare and Adoption) to process and decide whether or not they will officially approve me to adopt Qing Qing (I received "soft" approval at the beginning of August). So for now, it's lots of prayers, paperwork, fundraising, and more prayers & paperwork! :) I'm so grateful for all of the many people who have supported me time and time again through prayers, participating in fundraisers, and sending a note (or text or email) of encouragement along the way -- I could not do this alone! I wish there was a stronger way to say "thank you," but since that's the best I can do, how about I also throw in the Kreyol and Mandarin: Mesi & 谢谢 (Xièxiè)!!!