Only one more night in our own beds...

...for a long while! I shouldn't probably even be posting, but needed to take a breather from cleaning and packing :)  We recently moved to the South, so I know it is crucial to have the house as spotless as possible before going on a long trip: new, old, brick, or wood, you always have to be alert for the insects that thrive in this climate, and no way am I leaving a "happy place" for them! Thankfully we have never had any problems in this home, but I am not taking any risks! :)
The last few days have been fun, crazy and I can't seem to keep my mind functioning at all.  I walk somewhere, and wonder why? I tell, Daniel "Oh yes, we packed that .... I think...but I have no idea where" 
I have tried to minimize our luggage. For our family of 4 becoming 6 for 21 days we are down to two medium suitcases around 35lbs each, two small to medium dufflebags, two very small to small backpacks and my oldest's beloved "Trunki"  (a tiny Melissa and Doug child's travel case that doubles as a ride on toy) 
It doesn't sound terrible, but I am still trying to pare down...the train trip from Beijing to Zhengzhou is entirely on our own and I know as much as I need those two suitcases, I am probably going to hate them! :)  I am no fan of lots of luggage, especially when I know we will be pushing through large crowds going up and down staircases and having to jam them in overhead luggage racks and then repeat. So, I am going to try to attack the luggage one more time.
Yesterday, the boys and I had the fun of setting up "beds" for the two newest little ones.  Yes, we plan to have them sleep in our room as we want to be quickly available for comfort and security, so that is two pack and plays we have crammed in there, plus a chair for mommy or daddy to sit in at 2AM... real furniture just wasn't going to fit!

We know that in the care home where our little Jian has been living a Nanny has always stayed in the sleeping room with all the children, and it appears that our little Xiu has shared a common room with his foster family in their village.  To us, even though they are two years old, they are our "new babies" and like "new babies" we want them to learn that they can trust their parents, that their parents are there for them and ready to comfort them.  My mother always said, "when you comfort your child and hurry to care for them, you are teaching them what God our father is like--He is tender and kind to us in our weakness, and loving."

Like as a father pitieth [his] children, [so] the LORD pitieth them that fear him.--Ps 103:13

As we head out on this life-changing journey, I am so thankful for our tender, kind, loving Father!  He knows we cannot do this on our own, He knows and understands our fears, and cares about our griefs and joys.  "I have not given you the spirit of fear," He says, "but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind"
We are so grateful to all those who have prayed for us, taught us and given to help us be here today.  You are all loved.  We feel your support and thank God for you.  We are so grateful for the amazing, very human, very real adoptive families we have been privileged to meet (some only online), thank you for your encouragement and all you have taught us.  It is hard to comprehend that in less than a week, our so very beloved Xiu and Jian will become part of our family forever.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father!

There is no shadow of turning with Thee!

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not!

As Thou has been, Thou forever wilt be.

You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

[Chorus]
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore

[Chorus x2]
Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

M. Redman

Tentative Timeline for China :)

June 1--Leave for Atlanta
June 2--Fly from ATL to INC (Seoul, South Korea)

June 3--Arrive in Beijing (we "lose a day" going and "gain one" returning, due to the 12 hour time difference :)

June 4-- Likely do a little touring to help the little guys reset their body clocks

June 5--Take the High speed train from Beijing to Zhengzhou

AND THEN....GET READY FOR IT!!!

JUNE 6--GOTCHA DAY!!!! (BOTH BOYS!)

June 7--Adoption Registration Day, try to get Jian's passport--This is the day the adoption becomes official!
June 8--Travel to Nanyang, Henan to get Xiu's passport

June 17--Consulate appointment in Guangzhou, Guangdong

June 18--US Visa's

June 20--Leave Guangzhou, fly to Seoul and then to Atlanta

June 21--HOME AGAIN, GOD WILLING :)

Now, I need to get back to packing, pronto, pronto!!

TA!

For those of you on Facebook, you know our good news already! We got our TA on Wednesday...a record setting wait of 4 weeks and 1 day by our count, but technically we found out 4 weeks and 2 days...
The last week has been difficult.  Our agency, CCAI, told us that they had never had a family go past 4 weeks, and in fact we later found out that apparently no one has ever gotten past 27 days.  For non-adopters, this may sound like no big deal. But when you know there have been over 10,000 adoptions with this agency before you, same government, same system, same rules, and the average wait for TA is normallyl 10-14 days the anguish starts to set in.  "Are we losing the adoption? Has something happened here at the very, very end?" 
I made myself wait past 4 weeks and finally called our agency, trying not to cry.  "Do any families not ever get the TA? Do adoptions fall through at this point? Do we need to refile paperwork?"  The rep was super kind.  She told me that we had set a record for waiting and they were very sorry but it appeared to be due to the incredible changes happening at the CCWA as they switch from paper to electronic records.  She said "I know this isn't much, but our reps in China think that there is a packet of TAs coming soon...and we hope yours in there!"  Most of all she assured me that no one doesn't get a TA.  That was so comforting.  Even if the wait was long, if there is hope of completing the adoption at the end, we can endure, but as I was losing hope it was so hard to press on.  I hung up full of hope and very encouraged.  In fact, I stopped my obsessive 2 minute refreshing of my phone's email app that I had been doing for the past 3 weeks.  I played and snuggled with my littlest who had woken early from his nap, and it wasn't till an hour or two later that I noted that there was a new email--WE HAD A TA!!! I stopped and had a cry and thanked God.  Since then we have been madly working to find flights for 6 going and 8 coming.  More about that later, we still don't have tickets...white knuckled suspense on this end.  Oh! Yes, we got our confirmed CA Thursday AM and I will post those dates as soon as we have confirmed flights, God willing!  Pray we get the flights today, please.

No TA yet, but LOOK!!!

This morning I woke to find emails from a precious lady. (more about that another time) A Dutch family had visited the children at the foster care center where our little Jian lives--AND THEY TOOK PICTURES!!! HOORAY!! Thank you, thank you dear Dutch family!(Dank Je! Dank Je! Hartelijk Bedankt!) Our last two updates from the SWI had no pictures...so pictures of our son that are less than a week old! Oh my!
So without further ado:
One of our absolutely adorable and precious sons

 

He looks so well! So thankful to see this!

I have more pictures, but blogger absolutely refuses to upload them currently, so I will try to post them later :)
Maybe I'll have a TA by then ;) 

Hope Deferred...

...maketh the heart sick... (the Proverbs of Solomon)
I told my husband that all I wanted for mother's day was a TA :) (Travel approval), but that was not to be.
I know that God's time is perfect in this all, but these last nearly 3 weeks of waiting are seeming to grow longer by the minute! I jump every time my phone beeps--"maybe its here!"  But again and again, "No, not yet."
So, we work and try to focus on what must be done now and rejoice.  I still have plenty to keep me busy, and perhaps; it may still come today. I'll update if it does! In the meantime, "let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire lacking nothing"  after all, "But when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life" :)

Mother's Day

This sweet Rockwell reminds me of many Sunday mornings with my mother in our pew. How she managed to keep her many children attentive and well behaved through a beautifully rich liturgical service, singlehandedly while my father preached, I will never know.   This little girl only lacks the tiny white gloves that were my pride and joy on Sunday mornings.

This post is too difficult to write correctly, but I wish I could express a tiny portion of my gratitude for my mother, my grandmothers, my mother in law, and certain examples (Thank you, Edith Schaeffer) who also taught me so much about being a mother.
To my mother: You are passionate about learning, books, people, travel, and most of all Christ. Your enthusiasm for learning is unquenchable.  You showed me that a woman could enjoy the thrill of quantum mechanics, theoretical physics, languages, music, history, and that there was no subject in the world that couldn't be interesting! You positively glowed when teaching us the beauty and intricacy of Greek, the richness of theology, the power of Hebrew, the music of Spanish. You taught us that etiquette was truly important, and then broadened our understanding to learn how to graciously and humbly approach very different manners and cultures from Middle Eastern to Asian to European. You love meeting all people, because you genuinely want to know about them.  You are brave.  You did everything differently, and even though I know you are shy, you were still the best speaker at any conference, the most engaging teacher, and by far one of the most broad-minded and enlightened women I know.  You are an intellectual, an academic yes, but you also taught me to sew, to knit, to can, to bake, to care for little ones and to be a living example of love. You never presented me with an "either-or" dichotomy of professional versus homemaker.  Instead, you live fully, richly, individually, and even when I see you worry about others opinions a little bit, you refuse to let their views dictate to you how you live. Yet, you are humble, kind, willing to forgive and to ask forgiveness. You want to live Christ.
To my paternal Grandmother:   Like my mother, you are strong, intelligent, world-traveled, and immensely talented. You showed me that to be a lady in the fullest sense of the word was a beautiful thing for which to strive. You inspired me to not only seek beauty, but also to create it around me. You introduced me to the best artists, and made them old friends. You always encouraged the art to blossom in me. You opened my world to the treasure of great music, the finest musicians. You are truly an example of polish and poise, graceful steel, serene dignity. Thank you for your love for me, your encouragement, your example.
To my maternal Grandmother:  You never would accept anything other than excellence. Excellence in grammar, excellence in spelling, excellence in mathematics, excellence in life. You could not and do not tolerate mediocrity. God has used you to teach me many lessons. Indeed, they are lessons I am still learning.
To my Mother-in-law:  Surely, our cultures are different, our worlds before so disparate, and yet  now so entwined. Yet, you have always shown me such grace, such beauty of spirit.  You are tender-hearted, and determined in your love toward me. I am acutely aware of how far you surpass me. I see your diligence and your humility toward your family. Every day, you put them above yourself. I wonder at your patience. I see you reflected in your son, the best husband a woman could ever wish for. Thank you for teaching him and raising him to be someone who loves to learn, and cares for people so truly. You truly exemplify the treasure of a meek and quiet spirit--the jewel of Christ-likeness.  It is my prayer to raise my sons as well as you raised your son.  Thank you for loving me. I love you too.
Dear Edith Schaeffer: I know you are enjoying your first Mother's day in Heaven. Thank you for your example. Thank you for everything you taught me about homemaking, living, loving, learning. Your granddaughter said that walking into your home was "like walking into the sunshine."  Thank you for sharing that Sonshine with the world. Your life to me is the epitome of the words:  "Love never fails."
To the Adoptive Moms who have stepped up to help me through this journey:  Thank you! Your willingness to share with me in joy or sorrow, your honesty in weakness and struggles, your fierce love for your children; all these and much more strengthen me on this path.