24 Days

As of today we only have 24 days left until we hop on a plane and start out on the most amazing miracle of our lives!! My mind has still not wrapped around the fact that we really are leaving in 24 days. I think that we have been in "wait" mode so long that my mind has gone numb to anything actually being a reality as far as this adoption is concerned. Also, with this being our first adoption, how can you honestly wrap your mind around something like this. The idea of going somewhere and bringing home a child is very foreign to my brain. It seems very surreal. I even had a dream last night that we went to go meet our daughter and they told us that she was no longer available and we could have this child (as a child I have never seen was pushed into my arms). What a horrible dream...and one where when you wake up you have to think, "Was that real?" "Did that just happen?" Needless to say, I could not sleep after that.

But the reality is that we ARE leaving in 24 days and I will finally get to touch my precious miracle that God has given us! I truly can not wait for that moment. I am looking forward to finding out who my daughter really is. God is so good and so amazing. I love that His plans are always so much better than anything that I could ever come up with on my own!

Want to Join a Baby Shower?

Want to join a baby shower for a great cause? Click here and see what it is all about!!

I'm Going to Miss My Kids!!

As expected we are busy counting down the days until we can fly to China!! I really can not believe that it is finally our turn to go. I have followed so many of your journeys and "walked" them with you...I really can not believe that I am the one leaving soon!! It is all so unbelievable and surreal.

I am also so in awe of the way God has had His hand in this entire adoption. Never in my life could I sit here knowing that I would be getting on a plane in 31 days and have no fear. I hate to fly!! Did I say hate?!? NO...I HATE to fly!! The fact that I can sit here and have absolutely no care in the world about getting on that plane just amazes me.

Maybe it is because I am going to be getting on the plane to go and get my baby girl? I'm sure that is part of it, because I know that I would do anything for my children. But I also know that without a doubt it is God.

From the moment I said "yes" in obedience to adoption there has been no fear of the flights. Well, besides a momentary thought, to which I quickly have gone onto something else. My fear has never been of dying. My fear is for my children I would be leaving behind...well, and honestly, that would not be the way I would pick to leave this earth.

I love my babies to pieces and I have seen to many of my friends loose their husbands and watch what their children have gone through. I would never want for my children to loose either of us, much less both of us at the same time. So my thinking (that which brings me peace) is that my children are not my own, they belong only to Him. He knows what is best for them and us as a family. I have complete peace about Him watching over them (with the help of my parents) while we are gone. I am praying now that God will give my children that peace as we prepare for our trip.

We have never been away from them for so long before. Seventeen days is a very LONG time for me!! I know that I am going to miss them terribly!

Here is Our Itinerary

Our Itinerary for Our Trip to China:

October 22, 2009: Leave Tampa

October 23, 2009: Arrive in Beijing at 1:50p

October 24, 2009: Sightseeing Tour - Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Tian An Men Square

October 25, 2009: Fly to Nanning

October 26, 2009: Gotcha Day at 3:00p - Finally meet Ashlyn!!

October 27, 2009: Civil Affairs for adoption paper work

October 28, 2009: Shopping

October 29, 2009: Sightseeing Tour - Qing Xiu Mountain

October 30, 2009: Sightseeing Tour - Renmin Park (People's Park), get Ashlyn's passport, fly to Guangzhou

October 31, 2009: Ashlyn's TB test

November 1, 2009: Sightseeing Tour - Chen Family Temple

November 2, 2009: Sightseeing Tour - Yun Tai Park

November 3, 2009: HAPPY BIRTHDAY DONNY!!! --- Ashlyn's Visa picture and medical exam - TB results

November 4, 2009: American Consulate appointment

November 5, 2009: American Consulate for oath taking ceremony

November 6, 2009: American Consulate to get Ashlyn's visa

November 7, 2009: Fly home!!

We are Going to China!!!!!!

I just received our email stating that we have been approved for our Consulate appointment!! We will be leaving on October 22nd! That is only 38 days from now!! I will be purchasing our airline tickets today. I am so excited!!! Doing the Happy dance!!

Here is our Itinerary so far:

10/22 - Depart U.S.

10/23 - Arrive in Beijing

10/24 - Beijing Tour

10/25 - Fly to your province

10/26 – Gotcha Day!

10/31- Fly to Guangzhou on the morning

11/4- American Consulate appointment

11/5 - Oath-taking ceremony

11/6 -Family goes to American Consulate to pick up passport with visa

11/7 – Depart from China

Still in Shock!

I must say that I am still in shock from yesterday's surprise news. I can honestly say that I did not expect that phone call. I thought for sure that I would have to get my agency to check on our paper work again...since that seems to be our theme for this adoption. I think the biggest part of the shock was being told that they are trying to get us out of here a week earlier than originally planned. I know it is only a week, but 6 weeks seems a LOT closer than 7 weeks. Or maybe it is just the reality that we are ACTUALLY going to China to meet Ashlyn. I think that is the biggest shocker. I knew it would be our turn, I just guess that I knew it wasn't for sure until we received our TA. So we did, and now it is very real!

I have been working on another blog site for our trip, since Ch*na has blocked Bl*gger. When we get ready to leave I will post a link to our travel site and you can all follow us on our trip to Ch*na. Six weeks...better make sure I start tying up our loose ends.

Our TA is Here!!

I just got the call that we have Travel Approval from Ch*na! Our agency is trying to get us out of here on October 22nd. We will know for sure at the beginning of next week. That is only 6 weeks from tomorrow!!!!! Ashlyn...here we come!!!!

There is Always a Reason

I am writing this post to let those of you out there know that God ALWAYS has a reason for the answers that He gives us, even when we don't understand. We knew with all of our hearts if we did not get TA yesterday it was for a very good reason, whether we knew what is was or not. Some things have been coming to our attention that completely explain why we did not get TA yesterday. Although the BIGGEST reason of all just came to my attention. I was reading some posts on RQ to see how many people received their TA yesterday, and on the list I follow 11 people received their TAs!! That is a LOT of TAs at once. It also bumped us to #5 on the list now (because like I said before in a previous post, they don't go in order). Anyways, today has been a devastating day for some of them because they are finding out that there are no more Consulate Appointment dates available. They will have to travel when we do. I am so glad that I did not get my TA yesterday (never thought that I would say that). I would have much rather been told we have to wait than to get it, think we were travelling in 10 days, and then been told we have to go on October 29th. You see, God has a reason for everything.....even when we do not understand.

My heart really does break for these poor families. I know that if I were them I would be devastated right now. Please pray for these families and all of us who have to wait 8 more weeks to go meet our sweet babies.