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.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

I'm Tired

I'm tired ... of lots of things.

I'm tired of being tired. I take vitamins, so I don't understand why I always feel exhausted, but I do.
I'm tired of the never ending list of chores and the never paid list of bills.
I'm tired of being nice to people that don't always deserve it.
I'm tired of never feeling like enough is good enough.

I've always thought that Fall was my least favorite time of year (colder weather, hunting season, etc). And Spring was my favorite (warm weather, no jackets, pastels, no school, etc).
Now, I'm starting to wonder.

And along that same line of thinking - Easter is rapidly losing favor with me as a 'happy' holiday.
Now before anyone gets all irate and 'religous' on me - I know WHY we have Easter and I know it's one of (if not THE) most important holidays.
I get that, and I'm thankful for it. I am.
I also still love the warm weather, the pretty clothes, the best candy of any time of year, and all that stuff.
But, over the years, Easter has also come to symbolize hospitals and sadness to me.

Let's go back.
1997 - Darrell's first Easter - he spent Easter Eve night and morning in the hospital with an unexplained high fever. They finally sent him home on Easter afternoon - never any answer as to why.
1999 - My grandpa passed away just after Easter.
2002 - Darrell had the chicken pox at Easter.
2003 - I had eye surgery.
2004 - Darrell had his tonsils out.
2008 - Leila had cleft lip surgery.
2009 - Leila had cleft palate surgery.
2011 - The worst. My Dad passed away the Friday after Easter.
2012 - My uncle passed away the week after Easter.
See ... Not a great history going on here.

Another thing I'm tired of - people dying.
In the past year, I think there have been 13 people pass away - family members, cousins, my kid's friends, my kid's friend's parents, church members, friends.
I just lost 3 family members the last 2 weeks of April.

Maybe it's all getting to be just a little too much.
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Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Beach Trip

Last week was our 3rd annual 'Girl's Trip'.
We went to Myrtle Beach this year.
There were 6 of us this time - me, Leila, Mom, my aunt Marcia, my cousin Jessica, and my cousin Mandy.
We had a great time.
I think this was the best place we've stayed yet. 
Right on the beach, 6 pools, 10 hot tubs, 2 lazy rivers, and close to everything. 
The weather couldn't have cooperated better or been more perfect. 
Although, yes, I did take Leila out of school for a week - it is only pre-school right now, and the time of year was fantastic - no crowds ANYWHERE. 







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Spring

Time gets away from me so quickly.

Feb was our 20th anniversary!
Wow, who would have thunk it?
Look how young and sweet we were way back when.
I've started taking a knitting class.
And to my surprise - I'm doing pretty well.

Along with some ladies from church, Mom and I made and sent 76 baby bibs to 'Love Without Boundaries' to take on their recent 'cleft trip'.
There was even a picture and a very small notice in the paper about it.

Easter was sort of low-key this year.

Although Darrell doesn't get his 'real' license until fall, he has his permit.
We went ahead and sold the truck and got him a little car - SO much better on gas.
Better to plan ahead now.

Austin finished his freshman year at college yesterday.
He's staying up there for the summer though, because of his job.
Since he's going to be there anyway, he's going to go ahead and take a few summer classes.

Darrell's track season ends tonight.

The school year is winding down early this year.
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