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, August 22, 2011

China Reunion

We've been very fortunate in that we've been able to stay in contact with some of the families we traveled with back in Sept 08.
Even nicer is the fact that 4 of our families live within range of a day trip.
The summer after we came home, we started the tradition of getting together for an annual 'China Reunion'.
Last Sat, was our 3rd one.

It's such a blessing to get together and catch up.
To see how the kids have grown and changed and are developing.
Some families have since gone back to China and increased in numbers - so we get to meet new faces as well.

Food was great.

The kids played on the swingset and the trampoline.

They played with a various assortment of other toys.





Kids and grown-ups alike played a fun, non-competitive game of volleyball.





This year seemed to be especially good, in that all the kids played together really well.

Austin didn't get to go of course - he's already at school.
David didn't make it again this year either.
Back when the date was originally set, he was fine. BUT,... he had to switch his on-call schedule around because I went to New York City 2 weeks ago. SO,... it was my fault, he was on-call and didn't get to go (as he has so often reminded me the last few days).
My mom went with me in his place. It was nice for her to finally be able to put faces with the names she's heard so much about the last 3 years.

Our beautiful '2008 China Dolls' this year.


Look at how they've grown!

2010


2009


Our thanks go out to our wonderful hosts - Susan and Thad.
We had a great time and can't wait for the next one.
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Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Busy Summer

Gosh, it's been awhile since I've 'blogged'.
Summer has been busy - but isn't life always?

The last few years, David's brothers have come to visit for the 4th of July. Neither one was able to make it in this year.
We still celebrated though.
We had a cookout with my family and went to the parade.
We normally take the boat out watch fireworks from the river, BUT since we don't have that anymore - that wasn't really an option.
David and Darrell went to watch go-cart races. Leila and I went to one regatta for a music concert. Austin and his girlfriend went to another regatta and are the only ones that actually stayed out long enough to see fireworks.

We've had a couple cookouts this summer with food, cornhole and swimming.
You would think that after so many, I would be getting better - but nope.
Unless my partner carries me - I lose every time. At least I'm a good sport. And I still enjoy it!

Leila went fishing for the 1st time this summer.
Mama and Papa got her a Barbie pole for Christmas, and we finally got around to using it.
Seems she likes the IDEA of fishing better than the actual sitting and waiting for a fish. (Just like her Mommy.)



Darrell went to Camp Electric. It's a Christian music camp run by Toby Mac.
This was his 2nd year. As before, he LOVED it.
Last year he went to the one in Nashville. This year, they opened one in Cedarville, OH. That was so much easier for us.
And he talked us into signing him up for next year too.

Austin left for college this week.
His classes haven't started yet. But football has.
We took him down on Mon.
His coach said - here's your room key, get your stuff carried in and unpacked, we have a run at 4:00.
Wow - what a welcome!
He said last night that it wasn't bad so far (wrestling was worse). It's just exhausting. They only have a one hour free a day, and the heat is terrible.
I told him this is the 'initiation period' - it will get better.
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