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.

Friday, June 17, 2022

Girls Trip 2022

 Ft Myers, FL

After some harrowing last minute changes, (delayed flights, cancelled flights, car rental changes, smaller car rental, date change, hotel change to accomodate the revised dates, etc), we made it!  

One of the best ones yet.  

Not as many 'excursions' as normal, but beach time every single day!

We went on a Murder Mystery Dinner Train, did a scavenger hunt in the historic River District of Ft Myers, visited the Edison & Ford Winter Estates, and (of course) went shopping.











 


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Spring 2022


Easter 2022 


Jr National Honor Society 

A trip to PA for a family wedding.



 I do realize that 'travel ball' is called travel for a reason.

But I don't think I realized just how much travel.

We've been to 9 tournaments in 6 different states from Feb - May.

She's improved so much,and made some really good friends.

I don't regret letting her do it - I'm just ready for a break.


And as an added bonus - we got to see family that we don't always see.



Finished Jr High with straight A's - while playing school and travel volleyball and cheering.





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Cancun 2022

 We enjoyed Cancun so much last year, that we wanted to go back with all our kids.

We flew down (Caleb's 1st plane ride) to an all-inclusive resort. 

Water was just a tad bit chilly, but the weather was perfect.  

(WV had a huge snowstorm while we were gone.)

It was Caleb's 1st time at the beach (and such a pretty one), 

and his first big vacation.



We went to a nature preserve called X-Caret.


We swam with sharks.

We had Mayan ruins beside our hotel.

We took lots of pictures.

We went scuba diving and snorkeling.

We went parasailing.



We saw all of our kids every single day.
Wish we could have stayed forever.  




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Christmas 2021

 A relatively 'normal' Christmas finally!

We finally got to visit the Christmas Cave in Minford, OH.

Instead of Christmas cookies, we decorated cookie stockings.


Trees, Trees, Trees (class tree, church tree, our tree):


Craig Cousins Christmas Party with Chinese Auction Gift Exchange

Gallipolis in Lights with Wendy and Scott


Christmas Sunday

Christmas Eve - Santa duck races, antler toss, sock exchange, and lots of food.

Christmas Day




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