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, September 2, 2015

July 2015

I thought that once our traveling was done for the summer (Fl and Chicago), things would slow down.
I was wrong.
When we got back from Chicago, we went straight into Bible School.
It's only 2 hours an evening, but it absolutely wears me out.

Austin and Casey had their bridal shower in July.


We all worked like crazy on the house trying to get it ready in time for Austin and Casey to move into.
We've decided that although we've all learned a lot of valuable life lessons in home repair - this is not something we would like to do full-time.

Darrell went to registration and orientation for college.


We did manage to sneak in just a little bit of fun this month though.
Our Sunday School group went to a water park for the day.
We had a great time and can't wait for our next 'outing'.
0 comments

June 2015

Once graduation was out of the way, school was also winding down for Leila.

She had her ballet recital.
She does so good at this, and I love to watch her.
I really wish she would stay with ballet, but at this point, she doesn't plan to do it again next year.




After school was out, we went to the Tampa, FL area for a family vacation.
David didn't get to go this time due to work, but we managed to have a good time anyway.
We even stopped in Mayberry on the way down.

We went to several beaches.



We toured the Yuengling Brewery.

We went on an airboat into the Everglades and saw alligators.

It was a great week - except for the incredibly LONG drive to and from.

Once we got home, Darrell and I had one day to unpack and repack.
He and I were off again - this time to Chicago.
We went to the FBLA National Conference.
He was there to compete, and I was there to chaperone and judge.
Neither of us had ever been to Chicago.
We got to do a little bit of sightseeing while we were there.
We were with a great group of kids, and I really enjoyed myself with them.


0 comments

Graduation

May was Darrell's graduation and all the many events and things that entailed.
He had a very successful and busy high school career.

On Awards Day, he received 5 scholarships and various awards and recognitions, including graduating Summa Cum Laude.


During Class Knight, he was one of the speakers.
Darrell certainly does not mind getting up in front of a crowd of people and talking - in fact, I actually think he thrives on it.
He was voted by his classmates as 'Most Active' - no surprise there (he's never home).


Graduation was on May 30. The weather was perfect.
Darrell was one of the speakers for this as well.
He is such an awesome young man.
We're extremely proud of him and lucky to call him our son.





The week after graduation, we had a pool party to celebrate.
It was also Austin's 22nd birthday, so we made it into a double celebration.


0 comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)