Its time.

March 11-12th, 2013
As I sit down to write this, Im not sure where to start...
Another day closer to leaving- can you say ANT-ICI-PATION?
Our friends and family have been so kind to us. They have brought cards by with gifts for orphanage luggage fees, "extra cost" on the trip, etc... very sincere and generous gifts. Its overwhelming. Thankyou to each of you for your blessings, your encouragement, your cards, and gifts, you have BLESSED us! One of my dear friends came and prayed with me last week over AnnaBelles room for her transition, for peace and restoration. I know many others have been praying for this trip for some time and for the details of it. Thankyou. I can see the body of Christ in front of me in so many ways.

                                          AnnaBelles bag is packed, full!!

China- the keyword around here! Someone should be collecting a dollar each time we say the key words, China and AnnaBelle. Paid all the bills today and working on getting things settled down to be gone. A big thanks to family and friends who are helping do so many things for us! And my family for taking care of my spunky, energetic, question asking, snuggle bunny- Joy Ann. I am going to miss her terribly. We have made contact with our travel group and its been so fun to hear their stories, see their kids faces and know their names. We are praying for them each day and the big trip! I believe they will be some of our long life friends. Each mom with anticipation of leaving her children at home and going to rescue another.

It was a week from Sunday, that we will be holding our sweet girl! The "stork" will have delivered her! I wander about her transition, her demeanor, her fears and expressions. I pray she will know quickly we love her and she can trust us. That she will somehow know deep within that our relationship will not end. We will not leave her just as Christ doesnt leave us. He is constant. I cannot wait to see AnnaBelle smile, hear her laughter :), watch her and Joy play together. Joy told me she was going to tickle AnnaBelle in the mornings. We will see how that turns out. Joy likes to be tickled in the mornings after she wakes, isnt that silly?

I need to keep moving. Im packing, laundering, paying bills and processing what this adventure looks like! Praying our sweet girl feels loved and cared for today. Also be praying we get to go to her orphanage next week. Next week Tuesday, we will be holding AnnaBelle and entertaining her on the bus ride back to her providence to the court house for the adoption registration and possibly visit the orphanage. Im trying to imagine the chaos and noise, the bumpy bus ride, the thick smog, what the land looks like- what that adds up to be? Adventure. Im not the most adventurous person..at all. And we are going to China? God has been so good to bring confidence, certainty and show me that he has written this story. He is the author. And He is good and He is trustworthy. I see the faces of the children in the beds lined up in the orphanage and I can almost hear the words of the woman who blogged after coming back from China, with two daughters. She said "the orphans are voiceless, powerless" if a family does not come for them. And "the guilt" of taking two girls but leaving the other children behind. As she did, I will also do, encourage people to pray about adoption. If a family does not come for the child- nothing changes for them! Can you imagine 600 children in one orphanage? 6 floors tall full of kids who need a home, love, a family.  Some have never played outside.  They are waiting to be called a "son" or a "daughter".

I have loved packing AnnaBelles bag. Stacking her clean clothes, matching her hairbows, packing Joys first babydoll for her. Joy and I went to the store and bought her a hairbrush, all the while thinking this is probably her first "very own" hair brush. Which she may not like at all!! :) I have been daydreaming about how she is going to learn and grow and thrive as children do when they are loved and cared for. One night I dreamt I was hearing her giggling in Joys room. I am so thankful the Lord has made a way in every detail for us to bring home our daughter, AnnaBelle. I pray she will grow up knowing she is our daughter, she was planned and she is loved.

Prayer request:
Pray for safe travels for all of us.
Pray for Joys health and well being while we are gone.
Pray for wellness and health over our travel group, each child.
(7 couples going from all over the US)
Pray for AnnaBelles transition. Pray she wont be afraid but will feel safe and peaceful.
Pray for the LONG trip home.

                                           April 2013

                                    Nov 2013  First package sent to Louyang China to AnnaBelle!