Heading East for Christmas....

We got a call today letting us know that we are Heading East for Christmas!

We were at Staples looking for a printer. Taylor was talking to the sales person and Thad was talking to someone in the store when my phone rang. The number looked funny 703 who lives in 703 area code? It was our travel coordinator Kristen. She said "I have good news Becky; your TA (travel approval) came today". It seemed that the 10 people next to me were all watching to hear what was going on. She explained that we needed to decide about whether to leave on the 6th or the 13th.

So Thad and I came home after getting travelers checks and talked it over. We decided to leave on the 13th. It will be 2000-3000$ cheaper to go on the 13th. I, of course, would love to leave on the 6th but I know that the 13th is close too. Thad really has peace about leaving the 13th and has already thought of 5-10 reasons that the 13th seems to be the better date. I'm surprised since I know that being in China for Christmas was not the 1st thing on his wish list.

So yep that's right we will leave on the 13th and get back on the 28th. There are allot of things to tie up around here and yep more paperwork to get together.

Side note please pray that Sarah gets her package soon. I don't think we will know if she has gotten the package until we get her. I pray that she will be ready to meet us. Please pray for Taylor as he has a cold and needed a few neb treatments last night for his asthma. He looks allot better today.

We got some pictures from the orphanage that Sarah will be returned to. From our understanding she will be returned there to "transition". We were told that it is better than transitioning from her foster care situation; not sure what is "better" really. Foster care is not the same as it is here but I'm not sure exactly what it is there either. So if she hasn't been placed back there already it should be soon. It realy looks like a clean place with toys and cute beds all lined up (about 15 beds in the room) and a play sturcture outside. The kids looked tired but smiled. I sure hope her little heart isn't crushed by transitioning back. We pray that the Lord will help her spirit know that He is with her.

Got to run. Thanks for keeping up with us. Her room is ready and we are getting ready to travel. Thank you Lord for this little one.

will she recognize us?

We sent a care package to Sarah yesterday and we hope she gets it before we get her! We hope she recognizes us when we see her. We sent a small soft blanket, a camera for them to take pictures of her so that later when she wonders what it was like we can show her, a stuffed panda bear, and a photo book with pictures of us and a picture of her in it. We were told that the caretakers will help her look at the book and that they will call us mom and dad so that she can associate with us by sight.

We hope to find out next week our travel dates. We are still in shock that we could be leaving so soon. We need to paint and set up her bed (my mom gave us a twin bed thank you mom, Lionel, and Ida).

We heard that the weather in ShenZhen, where she is, is like Florida. When we leave we will have a 12hr flight to Beijing and stay there for 3 days. We will visit the great wall and the Forbidden City (I think that's it's name). Then we will fly 3-4hrs south to ShenZhen. We will pick her up the next day. We will have several days that will be just being a new family and several days to do paperwork to make it official. Will the paperwork ever end!? We will be in China for 2 weeks total. My brain can't decided to be excited, nervous, or just crazy. Thank you Lord that you know what is ahead of us and that you promise that we can handle it with Your help. We just need to rely on Him more and more.

Have a great day got to run. -Becky

We are going to China!

Hi there everyone,
We got our RA today! That means that China has officially said yes Sarah will be ours and that they will be working on scheduling when we will pick her up. Our agency told us that we will probably be traveling the last week in Nov. or the 1st week in Dec. This could change but that is what they are shooting for. We are so excited and thankful that this time has come. We have been talking allot about attachment needs for Sarah and that she has a huge transition to be with us. Please pray for her heart to be ready and that we will be able to see what she needs. We have learned a little of the Chinese language and plan to get some language aids (board books with pictures and names in English and Chinese) in China. We have allot to get done (visas sent and approved, only packing 44lbs a person, etc.)

Again thank you Lord for this blessing. It will be challenging, exciting, exhausting, and beautiful.

Just as a side note Sarah will have an adjustment period where we will be "staying low". Every child reacts differently so we will be taking it as it comes. We are trying to apply the wisdom of the people who have shared their adoption stories and wisdom with us. It light of that we will need your help to be sensitive to our ability or inability to share her with you all. We would love to see people at the airport when we get back (I'm sure we will be exhausted) but I'm not sure how social we will be able to be after that. Please please if you are in the area let us know. We want to share the joy of having her here it's just that the adoptive parents we know suggest that she shows signs of attaching to us before really getting to know other people. Also we have learned that quite a few of these kids will have some sensory integration issues to work through. This means that she may get "overloaded" easy and that she may not show that in "normal ways".
Have a great day! -Becky

nothing but the facts...

Hi there everyone. I have to keep this short. (some of you may be glad to hear that!)

We may or may not be hearing more info on getting Sarah soon. It is unexprected but it could be that the 2-5 month wait just got alot shorter than we expected. There I go having expectations again. I will know more tomorrow I hope. Thank you for your support right now. I feel like my head is spinning. I have felt sick to my stomach for 2 weeks now. (I'm not preganant believe me I've been so sick to my stomach that I did take a test and only 1 blue line, no not preganant).

Thanks again for your support and prayers. One day at a time. Tomorrow is written already. We just need to walk in the steps prepared for us; trusting, hoping, and thanking the Lord for them whatever they may be. -Becky