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.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Carving Pumpkins

We carved pumpkins on Sunday.
We always say we're going to do it early, but never do.
We actually managed to do it before Halloween this year!

Leila thought she wanted to help - until time to do it.
There was NO way she was putting her hand down in that 'yucky' thing.
David tried and tried to get her to help him, but each and every time, he got a definite and resounding - 'NNNOOOOOOO'.


David and Leila did one, and Darrell did one.
(Austin came home about the time they were finishing up.)



Austin had senior pictures taken last week.
If anyone wants to see them, go to www.putneyphotography.com
Click on HS Senior Gallery and then his name.
I've been eliminating some, but I still have a ways to go.

I have friends that home school their kids.
I know some are very good at it.
They put lots of time and work into it.
Their kids are smart, well-adjusted, and polite.
It's not for me though.
I do fear that we would all go crazy and end up in jail.
HOWEVER - we still learn LOTS of things from each other.

For instance:
The boys taught Leila how to do the 'Loser' sign during church a few weeks ago.
And just last night, Leila taught them that sticking a pretzel up your nose will make your nose bleed.
See - we're educational too!

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