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, November 26, 2013

Fall 2013

Another whole season has come and gone.

Darrell has finished another cross country season.


He took a weekend off to go to Colorado and go hiking in the Rocky Mountains with my cousin, Donna and her friend Matt.
I'm so very thankful she gave him such an amazing opportunity. He had the best time.


Our town did something new this year. We had Dragon Boat races.
David and Austin got to compete on one of the teams.
It was so much fun.
Weather was perfect.
They came in 3rd, but already have big plans for next year.


Leila finished up her cheerleading in Oct. She absolutely loved it. I think she liked it better than anything she's tried so far - including ballet or gymnastics.


The end of October brought birthdays - Darrell turned 17 and Leila turned 6.

We went to Chuck-e-Cheese to celebrate. I really think the 'big' kids had as more (or more) fun than Leila did.

Leila dressed up as a '50's girl' for Halloween this year.


November brought a mini trip to NYC for a weekend.
We did the 'normal' stuff - the 'Today' show, Times Square, China Town, etc., but we found a new place to eat - Ellen's Stardust Diner. It was VERY cool. Definitely a 'must see' from now on.
We also saw the Rockette's Christmas show this time, which was pretty spectacular.
It was fun, but there's just never enough time or money when we go.


Now, we're already at Thanksgiving and the Christmas season is gearing up. Oh my - how time does fly!
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