One week

We have been in China for one week now and so many emotions. We met Willow on Monday, adopted her on Tuesday, visited orphanage on Wednesday, sightseeing on Thursday, spent day in airport trying to leave Shanghai on Friday and finally medical appointment in Guangzhou on Saturday.
 Willow is doing well physically. She has a strong will and fiesty spirit. She spits on us one minute and hugs us the next. Making progress in all areas.
  Dan and I value your continued prayers.

What a week

A week ago we had just received travel approval and were madly trying to find plane tickets. Since then I have taught at co-op, given out 3 grants through our non profit talked with doctors, driven boys to Toledo, had carpeting installed and watched Sarah go to prom. Life is busy but beautiful. The joy of the Lord is my strength.

Here we go.

Sitting in Chicago airport waiting for plane ride to meet our daughter and start the process of love. Hope I can update in China so running a test.

TA, CA and Tickets.

    We had waited for our Travel Approval for 2 weeks, the normal time for most adoptive families and though we knew it could take longer, we were anxious. Dan had taken all his time off the last 2 weeks of April and that is when we planned to go. But with each passing day (there were 3 of them) our plan for leaving on the 15th looked less and less possible. Then on Thursday April 7th came the news we had TA!
     Good news, yet the agency wanted us to travel the last week in April and first week of May. Dan didn't have the time in May so it was travel in a week or wait till June.  We pushed ahead hoping to get our Consulate Appointment that last week which would allow us to Travel on our planned days.  We found out that same night that we were granted a Consulate Appointment on April 26th.  We could make plans to travel the 15th and meet our daughter on the 18th.
    Now, we had to find plane tickets. We did not plan on this being difficult; it hadn't been last go round. But with only 7 days, prices were steep and we spent 3 days searching for flights that were fairly direct in the right dates and didn't cost $3,000. Saturday night, I finally gave up trying to leave from Detroit and looked back at Cincinnati which was what we needed. Sunday morning Dan and I's tickets are bought and all seemed good. Now at almost 11pm at night I am still waiting to see if Willow's ticket purchase has gone through.

Can't wait to see what God has planned.

Preparations

I have made some purchases these past two weeks; time is getting short and we will soon have another child to love and care for. So I have bought a car seat, a small potty chair, a trundle bed and mattress among others. I have ace bandages, splinting supplies, diapers, medications, a waffle cushion and a wheelchair.

For some reason I feel less prepared than the last time we traveled to China in 2011. It may be because the last one happened in June and I am now still in our homeschool year, still teaching co-op, still running a non-profit and planning a senior graduation. I look at the pile of accumulating supplies in a box in my bedroom and I wonder how it will all fit. I look at our family: chaotic and going in many directions and wonder how our new daughter will fit.

God knows how it will all turn out and for that I am thankful.

Birthday Thoughts

    Here I sit staring at the picture of my eight year old daughter that I have never met. It does my heart good to see her smile because I often wonder if she is happy. I stare into her eyes and I think I have a glimpse into her personality; she is smart and kind, she is strong and she has hope. But these may be my wishes for her, because they will make the transition to our family easier.
  
     I look at the cake we sent over and I wonder what she thought as she ate it. Was she told it was from her family? Does that thought overwhelm her?  Somehow I imagine that she loved both the cake and the idea so much that she ate two pieces. (I hope they let her eat as much as she wanted)
   
     I look at the children around her, clearly all developmentally disabled, some severely so, and wonder why she is not around other children with whom she could converse with and learn from since she is not allowed to go to school. But then I remember how much love children with down's syndrome have and I am thankful that she is not being bullied; they will teach her to be kind.
  
      I see the Ayis in the background and wonder why they are not sharing in her special moment. Does she have a special bond with any of them? I sincerely hope so. Maybe the person taking this picture has told her happy birthday and let her know how special she is.    

    Mostly, when I see this picture, I am thankful to our God who watches over her always. He is a loving Father and has cared for her since the day she was born eight years ago. 

  

Happy Birthday Willow!

March 7th is our new daughter's birthday.  This will be the last year she will have to pass this day without a family. We can't wait till we can see her smile, hear her laugh and find out what interests her. May God bless her this year with good health and a knowledge of who He is.