Mid Autumn Moon Festival

Last night I went outside with my husband to find the moon.

This was a very important thing for us because
12 hours before our daughter was in China doing the exact same thing.

She was in China celebrating the Mid Autumn Moon Festival with her foster family.

This is a time of the year when people from all over the world go back home to China to celebrate with their families.

They are celebrating being a family.

For those who can not go home and for those at home with family far away, they look up to the moon.

This is their way of being connected to one another even when they are not able to be together.

They take comfort in the fact that they are able to connect with their family by looking at the same moon that their family has looked at.

I felt connected to Ashlyn and took comfort in the thought that we were looking at the same moon.

I was happy for her because she was in China celebrating.

We ended our time with a beautiful prayer for her.

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!

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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.

Looks Like October.....

....is when we will be going to Ch*na to get our baby girl. Our agency let me know that our TA was not in this package. October 29th is only 8 1/2 more weeks from now. That is not too bad. I am actually relieved to know WHEN we will actually be going. I feel like I just went to my OBGYN and they gave me my induction date!! I am actually very happy!

Keep praying for my little girl. We are going to Ch*na soon!

Today is the BIG Day!!!!!

Ok.....today is finally here! I feel like I have been waiting for this day forever!! Today we will find out if we leave on September 10th or on October 29th. We are perfectly ok with either one, we just want to know which it is going to be!

I am so glad that we have such an amazing God in control of this whole process. I know that I, personally, would have messed it up long ago. God knows what is best for our WHOLE family. I am very excited to see what He says to us today! What a great birthday present for me!!!!!

I'll keep you posted!

Got News...

...but not great. Our agency received the package today with the TAs and ours was not in there. They do have another package coming on Monday with TAs. This will be our last chance to go in September. We are praying that Monday is a very good day for us. Being that my birthday is on Wednesday next week, it would be an awfully great present from my dear Heavenly Father to receive our TA!!

Urgent Prayer for Friend

I have to let everyone know about an urgent prayer request from a bloggy friend of mine. You can visit her web site here to get all of the details. They have been through more than enough this year. It all started when their house burnt down this past winter, then it just seems they have been attacked with one thing after the other. They are currently right behind us in the process to adopt Jubilee from Ch*na. They have received their LSC and now are trying to go through all of the things required to get Travel Approval. Ch*na just contacted their agency yesterday and told them that it was taking too long and they are taking back the referral for their daughter. They will not be allowing them to adopt her! Again, please go to her site here to get a more detailed explanation. They are very godly people and I know that God will be glorified in this situation!!

Update:

The little girl that had to be left in Ch*na because of the TB issue is now safe at home in Am*rica!! Thank you ALL for praying for this beautiful little girl...God moved MOUNTAINS!!

A Doll For My Baby

Thanks to sweet Ann at Red Threads,

I just sent my baby this.....

Momma is coming soon!!

Latest News....

I follow a blog, Rum*r Que*n, to get an idea of where we stand with other families who are also waiting for TA at this point. On Monday Travel Approvals came in for the first time since August 3rd. Apparently the person that signs all of the approvals was on vacation for two weeks (yes, they only have one person to sign all approvals). I also know that Travel Approvals are coming in on Friday. Currently we are #11 on the chart of those who have waited the longest. We are almost there! I also want to tell you that Ch*na does not go in order when they issue Travel Approvals. I am expecting that most of the people above us will get Travel Approval this Friday, although I doubt that all of them will. We have a shot of being in this group. If we are not in this group we will have to wait and see if they are going to send out Travel Approvals for next week..they may not. We should know by next Monday if they are sending any. Since it takes three days to get here, our agency knows when they are getting a package. So that is where we are. We could be in the package for Friday, if not, our last shot would be a package coming at the beginning of next week.

Thank you all for praying for us and our little girl. We have never had so many people praying for us, so we know that if we do not get to travel in September God has a very good reason.

Started Packing....

In hopes of getting our Travel Approval in the next 10 days, I have pulled out one of our suitcases and started packing and checking things off the list. It is a very odd feeling to be packing and not knowing when you are going to be leaving. I don't even know what kinds of clothes to bring for her yet because if we leave in September she will need mostly shorts. If we leave at the end of October she will need pants. So I am trying to get everything together other than the clothes. I will definitely have to do some shifting of things if we are only taking two checked suitcases. Weight limits on the suitcases will be something to watch for, but I will deal with that after I have the clothes in them. So that is what I am up to today.

I did get Ashlyn's room finished this weekend ~ minus some accessories. Never the less, it is ready for her now. I can't believe that it is finally going to be our turn!!

Last Stop!!

This morning I received an email from the Am*rican Consul*te that our Article 5 has been approved and our paper work is being shipped off to Be*jing!!

We need our Travel Approval by September 3 to be able to travel on September 10th. That is only 16 days from now. Please pray with us for God's will on when we should travel to get our beautiful baby girl. My arms ache so much to hold her.

Thank you all for being such a blessing to us at this point in our journey. Your prayers and kind words keep us going even when, at times, it seems like we will never get there.

Paperwork Found!

All I have to say is that a lot of you must have been praying yesterday for our paperwork because we received an email this morning that it has been found and is being processed! They will let us know when our Article 5 has been approved. We are almost there!

With all my heart...THANK YOU!!!

Update on Status

We are still waiting to hear back from the Am*ric*n C*nsulate. Apparently they can not find half of our paperwork. We thought that we had everything taken care of. It appears that was not so. We know the paperwork is in their office somewhere. God just needs to show them where it is.

My soul, wait silently for God alone,

For my expectation is from Him.

He only is my rock and my salvation;

He is my defense;

I shall not be moved.

In God is my salvation and my glory;

The rock of my strength,

And my refuge, is in God.

Trust in Him at ALL times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us.

Psalm 62:5-8