We made it.

What a journey!  We left Lake Charles early early Thursday morning and flew to Houston.  That was an uneventful flight.  Next came our connection from Houston to Washington DC.  This flight was delayed for about 1 hour.  We only had 45 minutes to make our connection to begin with - without a delay.  I prayed the entire way there that we would make up some time in the air and still allow us to catch the connection.  The stewardess was so helpful and found out the gate information that we were landing at as well as the gate of our outgoing connection to Beijing (which was the last flight of the day out of DC).  When the plane landed we had a limited time to get quite a long way across the airport.  I ran the entire way!  Needless to say, we made the connection (only by the grace of GOD).  The 14 hour flight to Beijing was uneventful - Maddie was soooo good during the entire flight.  Sleep was slim during the flight but we made it!

Today is Saturday and it was a beautiful day in Beijing.  We had orientation with our Adoption Agency where we received updated information on Mia and pictures.  She is quite the little chunky monkey.  She is absolutely beautiful.  The report says that she is a good eater and sleeper - She sleeps all night - yeah!  The report also says that she likes to play in the water at bath time and likes to be around lots of people rather than be alone - Well she is in the right family for that!

After orientation we took a day trip to the Great Wall.  What an amazing experience.  My trainer would be very proud - I got quite the workout climbing all those steps to the very top.  The steps on the wall vary in size in depth.  Some are 4 inches high, while others are as high as 2 feet.  As well as the steps are at about an 80 degree angle - feel the burn!  Amazing views from the top.  I have to brag on Maddie - she climbed the entire way all by herself.  She kept pushing us to go to the top of the mountain because she thought Panda lived there and she wanted to find him.  Unfortunately there was no Panda at the end of the journey, but she had a great time. 

Lilly and Lizzy are having an amazing time.  They are amazed at all the sights, sounds, smells and people.  What an education they are getting by just being here.

We have an early flight tomorrow to travel to Nanchang.  Once we get to our hotel, the orphanage will bring baby girl to us around 4:30pm.  I can't wait!  I am a little nervous.  Please pray for an easy transition for both us and of course Mia.

Internet service is spotty so I will try to post as often as I can.

Here we come Mia!!!

The wait is over!  Tomorrow is travel day.  We will head out from Lake Charles at 5:30 am and arrive in Beijing around 2:30 p.m. their time after 19 hours of total travel time.

We have had a busy week before getting to this moment.  Lizzy and Christopher have been at Camp Champions for 3+ weeks and we traveled to Marble Falls, Tx to get them and bring them home.  Monday and Tuesday, Christopher and I drove to Springhill College in Mobile, Alabama for Orientation and Registration for Classes.  Back today to wrap up loose ends at work.  whew...  I hope I have everything ready.

Unfortunately, Christopher will not be traveling with us to China.  I will definitely miss not having him with me but he has chosen to stay home and focus on practicing basketball and getting ready for college.  However, we do have a full crew traveling with us - a full gaggle of girls.  Lizzy, Maddie and Lilly (Lizzy's friend) will travel with us.  Mia will join this gaggle during the trip.  Keith is truly outnumbered!

Sunday, July 1st is GOTCHA DAY.  This is the day where we will see Mia's beautiful face, be able to hold her for the first time and kiss those chubby cheeks- I can't wait!!!!  Please pray for her as she prepares to makes this transition to her forever family.  Please pray that she is healthy and well and that she will have no issues with attachment to her new family.  Also say a prayer for our safe travel.

Please follow along with us in China.  I will be posting updates and pictures of our sweet girl.

Where you Lead Me.....

We have Travel Approval and confirmation that we will be traveling on the June 29th date (as we had hoped for).  We have booked our flights to Beijing and will be leaving Lake Charles in the early morning of June 28th.  This will allow us to arrive in Beijing the afternoon of the 29th.  Our "Gotcha Day" is July 1st.  Wow, I have waited for that date, that moment for many months now - and it is almost here.  We will be returning on July 12th to Lake Charles on the last flight of the evening - we will arrive in Lake Charles at 10:39pm for anyone that would like to come and welcome Mia home - we would love to see everyone.

We are all preparing as our travel date quickly approaches.  Mia's suitcase is packed and ready to go.  Highchair - check, documents copied for travel - check, ordering new luggage - check.  I am going down a long laundry list of things we must do before we leave.

After we received travel approval, I was driving to work and listening to my local christian radio station and heard a song by Rusty & Jessica (they are a Louisiana duo from Houma).  They have a single out now entitled Take the Lead.  The song is a cry out to GOD to take the lead in our lives and that we will trust HIM.  At one point in the song the lyrics say "Where you lead me, I will follow.  Where you lead me, I will go."  Those lyrics resonated with me as I think about this journey that I am on.  The desire to adopt was not one that I made on my own.  It's not like I woke up one day and decided to buy a new car or eat peanut butter for breakfast.  Those decisions are made from a humanistic/materialistic side of our nature.  No - the decision to adopt is different.  When I consider this journey and the journey to Maddie, I see GOD's name all over it.  It is a divinely inspired decision, I divinely inspired desire of my heart to have Maddie and Mia with me and our family.  It makes me realize that GOD does have a plan for MY Life and he is using me as his humble and faithful servant.  And yes where he leads me I will follow - this time he is leading me to a distant land, far away from my home and comfort zone to embrace a little girl whom I have only seen pictures of, to love her as he loves us, to care for her for the rest of my days - Where you lead me I will go.....

I have been blessed with such an amazing life!  A life of service to a wonderful and loving GOD!  I couldn't ask for anything more.  I love my family, I love my friends and I LOVE my GOD who never leaves me!

A by-product of adoption is that the LORD also uses this journey to expand your territory.  To connect you with others that have been touched by adoption and their inspiring stories.  The group of families from our Adoption agency that will be traveling with us are from all over the United States and have amazing stories.  Some have reached out in email and shared their blogs.  I can't wait to meet them, their families and their new children.  I am very excited to share this unique aspect of adoption with Lizzy.  To open her eyes to many different stories, journeys, people, etc.  I know that it will impact her and change her forever.

Please be praying for us as we prepare for this special journey.  Please pray for Mia that she is healthy and prepared for this monumental transition in her life.

Cheers and Tears

Lizzy has again made the St. Louis High School Cheer Team.  The JV squad attends cheer camp at McNeese State University the first weekend in June.  It is so fun to go and watch Lizzy and her team perform.  They work so hard in the preceeding weeks to get ready for this weekend competition.  AND.... it definitely showed - they won 1st place all-around plus many other accolades.  They are pretty amazing.

As soon as Cheer Camp was over it was off to Camp Champions (summer camp) for 3 weeks.  This is where the tears come.  Lizzy has grown into such a beautiful young lady and we have a very special relationship.  I so enjoy being with her and have come to depend on her alot over the last few years.  When she is gone it is like being without my best friend.  She loves summer camp and I want her to experience it every summer.  It is just so hard to be without her - without any communication other than snail mail.  I can't wait til she comes home.  I am definitely looking forward to sharing this amazing journey to China to get Mia with her.  She is sooooo special!

Travel Approval

We have TRAVEL APPROVAL!!!!!!  We are waiting on confirmation today of when we will travel, but it looks like we will be leaving on June 29th!  I'm getting teary-eyed typing this post just thinking about holding my sweet baby girl for the first time on Gotcha Day.  I'll keep everyone posted on specific travel arrangements once we get them confirmed.

God is so Good! and his timing IS PERFECT!

Transportation Week

I am still a little behind on my posts, but I am working to catch up.  During the last couple of weeks of school, Maddie's class has Transportation Week.  This week is all about different types of transportation.  To enhance the lessons in the classroom the teachers arrange for an Ambulance, Police Car, Fire Truck and School bus to come to the school.  The kids get to learn all about those methods of transportation.  On Friday is the big finale - as Maddie's Daddy brings the helicopter to the school.  He lands on the playground and the kids love watching him land and take off.  While on the ground, the kids get to sit in the helicopter and put on the head sets.  What a treat for all the kids.  Maddie had a big smile on her face and was beaming that her daddy brought the helicopter!  I guess some of Keith's toys come in handy - lol.