I've posted about our little Luke since we've arrived home but somehow not connected to this blog so I've got to work on getting those posts connected, but I wanted to share our latest news officially on this blog....

THE YANG FAMILY IS EXPANDING ONCE AGAIN and we're going back to China to get him!
Well, Mom's going back....everyone else staying home this time.  After seeing how we could communicate through FaceTime twice a day with dad last time, I think the girls will be fine without mommy.
Yes, we're going back and this time to a new province and new orphanage.  Our son's name is Long Qian Ping.  Long is the name all the children are given that live at the orphanage.  Last names are given first in China. Then Qian Ping is the name he was given when he came.  Andy is the name that he was given by the adoption agency as a label to identify him.  He does not go by that name in China.  I know someone going to China next week and we plan to give her some American names and ask him to choose one.  Just thinking that this may give him a sense of control with this whole process and give him a say in what is happening.  He is 13 years old and will turn 14 on June 1st so I have to be there by that date to adopt him.  We haven't met him, but have seen pictures, read his file, seen a short video clip, and listened to an interview.  God has a plan and purpose for him and for some reason God put him in front of me and now I can't turn my back on him.  With lots of prayer, love, and strength from God I know all will be well.
Right now I sit in a hotel room in Fort Worth, Texas. I'm here to take a 2-day class training to adopt this older child.  It's great material about what to expect and about the differences in the ideal world and the world of an orphan.  I can reflect on Luke's adoption...the feelings, the emotions, the difficulties of it all, the unknowns.....and it turned out to be one of the best things, along with our 5 other children, that we've ever done! I'm so happy that we have Luke in our family and I thank God for picking us to be his parents! Some emotions you just can't put a word to...when our son, Michael, died, that was such an emotion that on the opposite end of the spectrum the joyous emotions of getting Luke...a feeling like no other and one that no one but an adoptive parent could understand.  To give a chance to a child, a child of God, and to be a part of that is indescribable. Something special has happened to our family since that day and we have all been filled with something wonderful that simple words would not do justice.
We talked a lot today in our class about what these orphans are coming to us with and all the risk factors that go along with their history.  I know this child has a history....but it is not this child.  I'm excited about the opportunity to watch him come into his own, and for our family to be a part of that!