We’re David and Lois McBeath. We live in Point Pleasant, WV – a small town along the Ohio River on the western side of the state. We have 2 sons. Austin is 15. He’s a sophomore at Pt. Pleasant High School. Darrell is almost 12. He’s in the 6th grade at Roosevelt Elementary.
We actually began our adoption journey more than 10 years ago. I saw an ad in the newspaper about Chinese babies. We called about it, but it just wasn’t even feasible at that time in our life. All these years, it was always there, stuck somewhere in the back of our minds. I don't know why exactly – it just was. The thought never completely went away.
We also talked off and on about having another child. Our house was only 3 bedrooms, and we know the boys could have been in a room together, but we didn't want to do that if we didn't have to. In the spring of 2006, for some reason (I don't recall exactly what) - it came up again. We started thinking and talking - why not? So we started checking into it more. We did a lot of research online. The more we found out, the more we felt a calling, a desire and even a need to do this.
We started the adoption and added onto the house all at the same time. It took about 6 months to get the paperwork together. Then about another month after we sent it to China for them to translate it and 'log us in' (11/6/06). That's when we started to officially wait.
We finally got "THE CALL" on 7/13/08. It was a Sunday afternoon! After 2 ½ years, we are finally going to get our baby!


Leila Ann McBeath, formally known as Shun Xi Yi, was born on Oct 29, 2007. She had a cleft lip and cleft palate. The lip has been repaired, but not the palate. (We'll have to do that when we get her home.) She's in the Children's Welfare Institute of Shunde District of Foshan City, which is located in the Guangdong Province, in the southern part of China.

Shunde, the hometown of flowers, is one of four cities under the jurisdiction of Foshan City. Covering an area of 806 sq meters and with a population of 1.05 million, Shunde City is situated in the middle of the fertile Pearl River Delta, between Guangzhou and Hong Kong. It was set up as a county in the 3rd year (1452 AD) of the Jintai reign of the Ming Dynasy (1368-1644), and conferred with the administrative status of a city in 1992 by the State Council.

Foshan City is also where the actor Bruce Lee was from.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Lots of News

It's been awhile since I've posted anything.
It's not that nothing has happened around here - it's just that I never seem to get around to it.

Austin's wrestling is now over for the year.
Point Pleasant is the new WV State Wrestling Champions!
They took the coveted title from the previous champions that had held it for the last 13 years.
It's the first time in PP's history to achieve this honor.
What a great way to end the season!

Wrestling ended on a Sat night, and Darrell's track season started the following Mon.
He has his first track meet this coming Thurs.
He can't wait - he absolutely loves it.

Leila started with a new speech teacher.
Before she alternated with speech one week and developmental the next week.
Now, she's going to be having speech every week, which I think will be better for her.
Although we miss the old ones, I think this new teacher is going to do well with her.

I cut my thumb last week while giving the dog a bath.
Yeah, I know that sounds a little strange.
We have one of those adjustable showerheads in the shower downstairs.
There's a lever to push to change the water pressure.
When I pushed it, it snapped off and sliced my thumb open.
Thank goodness everyone was home at the time.
David took me to the ER, Austin finished up the dog, and Darrell watched Leila.
They stitched up my thumb, but yes, I got more than a few odd looks when my explanation to everyone was - 'I cut it on the showerhead'.
My stitches come out this week.

Leila went back to Children's Hospital in Columbus on the 17th.
Since she had to be there so early, we went out the night before and spent the night.
The hospital has a program with some of the area hotels where if you live more than a certain distance away (we do) and have an appt - then they let you stay a night for free.
This was the first time, we took advantage of that program.
Mom went with me, and boy - our room was nice!

I definitely think we'll do that again.
Leila had gained the required 1/2 lb, so they sedated her and worked on her messed up tooth.
They were able to cap it rather than pull it, which was a good thing.
They do such a good job with her too. That's probably why she was able to handle it all as well as she did.

A Happy (late) Birthday to Mom on Sat.

Austin went to a Skills USA competition in Beckley last weekend.
He competed in Architectural Drafting division.
This is his first year in that class, and his teacher thought it would be good experience for him.
BUT he won 1st place in the state!!!
(Mason County hasn't had any winner at all in over 8 years, and has never had a winner in his division.)
Wow! I have to say we were a little surprised, especially since he had said he'd finished like an hour before everyone else.
Maybe he has some natural ability here and there's a future in it for him.
He won some drafting software.
We're so excited and so proud.
Now he gets to go to Kansas City to compete at the National level in June.
And since he's only a junior, he can go back and do this all over again next year.
Now, if he could just get his English grade up....

2 comments:

Kimberly said...

Way to go, Austin!!! I enjoyed the update on all of you! Leila looked so comfy in her big hotel bed, too. Glad the visit went so well for her. I hear ya on the "not posting because you don't get around to it..." -- if my posts could magically appear on my blog that would be great!

Happy Spring!

The Walrond Family said...

Glad the family is doing well! Wonderful news about Leila and the trip to the hospital! Hope your thumb heals quickly, too. Amazing how we miss our fingers when we can't use them : )