yup she is AWESOME

Yup she is just AWESOME, AMAZING, BEAUTIFUL, VERY SASSY and PERFECT in every way. I promise I have a long blog coming just cant ever sit down to type it all out. Libby is doing great - beyond great! THe boys think she is such a fun little sister - except when she is telling them what to do or telling on them (*which I just love).

She is started to get much more at ease with strangers around (no more crying when someone new enters our home but still alittle unsure). Thank you all who have dropped delicious meals, gifts for Libby and all the texts. I promise I will return emails and calls one day ....maybe 2 years from now when all my kids are in school. Love you all!

Happy, Busy and tired

we are doing great! Libby and her brothers are just having a ball. Joshua wakes up asking "wheres libby" comes home from school running into the house looking her to give her kisses. Ty loves her because she feeds him without asking or stopping :) and Drew has a new best friends (we actually refer to them as "the twins" because they are never apart).
We are still fighting jet lag - we wake up around 1am and now JOshua is waking up too because he hears Libby and we all go back to sleep around 4am GOOD TIMES! Libby is still extremely afraid of females but is LOVING me. We are only introducing immediate family females right now to try to build trust with them first. She really goes into total panic shock mode when she is around females - so sorry to all my friends out there dying to meet Libby we are going to be pretty strict with this especially due to all issues I had with her in China I dont want to her to lose trust with me. If I havent text, return emails or calls - sorry I am never around my phone (4 kids under 5 years old are keeping me beyond busy).

Home Sweet Home and fun jet lagged....

we made it home after a long 37 hrs (2 hr sitting in bus waiting on visas, 2 hr sitting at train station, 2 hr train ride to Hong kong, 1 hr bus ride to airport hotel then 19.5 flight home) Libby did awesome until the last 30mins of the flight to nashville. we arrived to a HUGE group of family and friends - i think now more than ever joe and i appreciate and value our families and friends more than ever. seeing our boys finally was so emotional they have grown so much!
libby is doing AWESOME! just jumped right in with the boys - seriously like she has never spent a day apart. our boys LOVE her!!! this is the most relaxed she has been and she truly cant stop smiling. i will post pics soon. love each of you

Coming Home

I am making another guest post, but just want to encourage you all to specifically pray for the Mabry's as they fly home. I just called the airline to get specific flight information for Brooke's parents.

They "should" have flown out of Hong Kong an hour ago, but that flight has been delayed. So far, that delay will not affect their connecting flight once they arrive in the states. Please pray for calm for the 3 of them as they wait for the flight to leave Hong Kong, and pray for a sense of peace once they begin the 15 hour flight home.

Looking forward to seeing Joe, Libby, & Brooke in Nashville tomorrow afternoon.

Brooke's Granddad

Just wanted to let everyone know that Brooke's grandfather (Joanie's Dad) passed away this afternoon. Please be praying for their family as they mourn and make arrangements. Joe & Brooke will be getting Libby's visa this afternoon and taking the train to Hong Kong tonight. Please pray for a sense of calm for Brooke as she has to make this long journey with a very heavy heart.

The Countdown

We are packing right now!!! we have our red couch picture in the morning, Holt is getting Libby's visa for us between 2-4 and we will be taking the train at 6pm to Hong Kong and FLYING OUT FRIDAY at 9:15am. As of right now the typhoon looks like it is not going to hit Hong Kong directly - thank the Lord. Libby is just really taking off and we are loving it. She is a stinker - its awesome. She HATES bows as you can tell from her pictures. We did the Zoo and Safari today which was absolutely wonderful - perfect weather, cool animals and took up the whole day so the day went fast.

We can't believe we are about to finally head home. This journey I can't even begin to process it or put into words. To think about what we have been through in a week and where we are now is truly amazing. It has been the hard and greatest 16 days of my life and i am forever grateful that God allowed me to go down this road. This afternoon I was holding Libby and didn't even realize that I was humming the children's song "Our God is so good" - that could pretty much sum up our journey here in China...while rocking my girl at the zoo I sang and cried
"Our God is good, so strong and so mighty there is nothing my God could not do"
It really is that simple - and I am thankful. See ya soooooooooooonnn!!

Papa Johns & River Cruise

We went on a river cruise tonight with our travel group (25 families) and it was so much fun. We have all gotten so close during our travel time together. it is just truly amazing watching these little chinese babies and toddlers just bloom into such happy kids with their forever moms and dads. Libby is doing so great with me now even letting me carry her in public and she wanted me mostly on the river cruise. she loves her little friend, Lucy from Knoxville, TN. Holt order everyone in our group papa johns - we are so homesick but that hit the spot tonight. I am pretty sure this was libby first time on a boat and she loved every minute of it. When the wind would blow she would hold her hand out to touch it and want me to do the same and smile the most pure smile i have ever seen. She would then try to catch the wind and eat it which made us both laugh so hard. I truly love this little girl with all my soul - exactly the same way i feel about josua, ty and drew. its like she has been in my heart and soul forever.