Six...Five

Luggage....UGH! Last night we decided we'd better figure out exactly which luggage we were going to take for checked bags & our carry-on's. Well, after measuring everything it looks like our bag is about 3" too big and empty it weighs 15 lbs thus only allowing us to pack 35 lbs. Yikes! On our first trip to China the bag started out at 83 lbs but I got it down to 74 lbs... there just doesn't seem like anyway possible to take our big bag. So...we'll have to borrow some luggage. Oh well....

Eight....Seven...

The countdown continues....yesterday we did our last minute shopping and now have everything we need for travel and Megan. Today we continue getting our long list of "to-do's" completed. It's surprising just how many tasks there are to complete before leaving for a long trip. We never realized how many "hats" we each "wear" until we started making a list of all the things we needed to do and all the responsibilities of each "hat". It can easily overwhelm me when I stop to think about each day and what needs to be done, but I can't allow myself to go there....it is what it is...and I know that it will all fall into place.

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness....the Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him..." Lamentations 3:22-23,25

NINE more days until we leave...

the count down has begun! Today I focused on Beacon of Hope tasks....worked on our insurance issues....enjoyed a field trip to go maple sugaring....visited a friend and her new baby (she's adorable)....took care of household stuff....actually made dinner & ate with my family....caught up on my favorite TV show....now, off to bed and get rested for day #8!

Prayers Answered!

I received the call a little while ago from our courrier service that our Visa's had been picked up - they are approved and we will have them tomorrow!

Praise the Lord!

Now...we wait for our final itinerary and we're on our way to Megan!

Minor Turbulence Today

We just received a phone call from the courrier agency that takes our Visa applications to the Chinese Embassy in Washington DC. The officials are inquiring what "Beacon of Hope" is and what our positions there entail. Yikes!

Without going into full detail here (ya never know who reads our blogs) please be in prayer that the officials at the Chinese Embassy will approve our request to go...without any problems!!

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

Travel Dates Set - Megan here we come!!

Today at noon, my phone rang. As I answered the gal on the other side said, "Hi, Kristin, it's Sarah." I replied but wasn't very excited. In my mind I was thinking it was my hairstylist who I had run into yesterday at the grocery store & had asked her to call me to set an appointment for Nat. But then....the "Sarah" on the phone responded with ..... "are you ready to go to China?" (or something like that - my mind immediately went into hyper-excited mode so I'm not 100% sure what she really did say).

God is so good and always just on time! This morning I was listening to Selah and my emotions just took over as I was pouring out my heart to God...my desire to hold my little girl....the fact that it's been 2 1/2 months since we've had her photo ..... wondering why we had not yet heard about our travel plans when another family got their's over a week ago....and I was really feeling sad. But...our God is good - all the time - all the time - God is good!

Okay....so now.... our travel plans...

We leave on Sunday, March 15 headed for Beijing. We will sight see and let our bodies adjust to the time difference. Then, we arrive in Guiyang, Guizhou on March 18 and that should be our "gotcha day". Our Consulate Appointment is March 30 with travel home on April 1. That's 18 days - yeah!!! We are so excited!! Praise God for he is faithful!

Waiting...waiting...still waiting....

Okay - we should be getting our travel information any day now! We've been waiting since Jan. 5th. Chinese New Year ended yesterday (after their 15 day celebration) so the government offices should be up and running. So....we just wait!

.....still waiting.....waiting some more....everytime the phone rings we eagerly anticipate that it's our SW giving us the news.

I was just re-reading the travel procedures from our agency and there was a comment that once we get travel approval it's like the last 12 minutes of delivering a baby - it all comes very quickly! I guess that means we better seriously get things ready to go. I think I actually work better under pressure. And, knowing I'm on my way to bring my daughter home - you better believe I'll get everything done fast.

Well...join us in praying for our travel information to come yet this week. There are other families that we've met on-line and through our agency also waiting. We all just want our children home.