Tickets and Timing

Yes, we have tickets and we have hotels.  It is beginning to be more real.  We really are going to China.  We leave on Tuesday, 5/22 and fly from here to Chicago to Hong Kong to GuangZhou, spend the night, then fly to GuiYang, GuiZhou where we will spend the first week and a half.  We will get there on Thursday (a few days early) so that Hannah can adjust to the time change and to being back in China.  We can also give her some one on one attention for a few days before we meet her brother (on Monday, 5/28).  We are really going to get to meet him!  Our schedule will be the same as it was for Hannah two years ago.  Amazingly, Andrew's gotcha day is almost 2 years to the day that we got Hannah (the same Memorial day weekend, but we got Hannah on the 30th).

We hope he is still expecting us to come and get him.  We sent him a package and a letter last week.  Hopefully he has it by now.  We hope to get updated measurements and a picture or two.  We haven't had any news since his birthday last August.  Has he grown as much as Hannah has over the past year?  What size does he wear now?  We did not get an update for her and had to guess on her size.  She was smaller than we expected, but she has grown really fast.  She has been asking when we are leaving to get her brother, so we have made a calendar for her to mark off the days, with special days highlighted with artwork and pictures :>)  As you can see, this picture was taken a week ago (what can I say, it's been a busy week :>)  Hannah has really enjoyed marking the days off and seems to understand (as much as a 4 year old can) that we are going to China to adopt her brother.

Thanks to all of you who prayed with us concerning the timing.  God always knows what is best.  The wait was hard, but we feel like the timing is right.  My knee has had plenty of time to heal since January's surgery and is doing great.  We were able to take part in Tammy's wedding, Hannah will get to finish all of her preschool activities, and we will get to celebrate her birthday before we leave.  This is also the best time for David to be away from work for so long.  As a family, this is a good time to travel.  Our family-life is very stable. Hannah has adjusted well.  She is attached and seems to feel very secure.  It is as good a time as any to upset the apple cart again :>)

Since we're on the subject of God's timing, we want to praise Him that we sold our old house just a few days before getting our travel approval.  It has been on the market since just before we traveled to get Hannah two years ago.  Because of the delay, we got to know Margaret, who has been living in the house for the past few months.  What a blessing.  We have also prayed that it would be a blessing to whomever bought it and feel that the house will be a blessing to the new owner, a veteran with two small girls.  We are so thankful to Mike Jones for all he did over four (or five?) years as he helped us find our present house and sell the old one - it was a long journey, and Mike was very patient with us :>)

We know that God is patient with us too, teaching us through all of the circumstances to trust Him and allow Him to do what He wants in His timing so that He gets the glory.  We have been learning much these past few years and have much more to learn ...