Who could imagine on March 9th, 2012 that in less than one year we would be meeting our daughter for the first time? It sure wasn't on my radar! Amazing, despite our own plans and opinions, how God can orchestrate His perfect plan in our lives. I think He waits for an audience...and a step in His direction..but then watch out, and hang on. It can be a wild ride and so it has!
Justin and I leave on Wednesday, February 27th. It is hard to imagine that next week we will get on a plane that will lead us on a journey that unites us with our sweet Emma! We are nervous. Scared. Excited. We are well-read and feeling utterly unprepared. We have little information and big faith. We don't entirely know what to expect from Emma and she has no idea what is about to happen to her little world. And while we are thankful that she seems to have been cared for with kindness, we really don't know what her world has been like since her birth. We don't know but we trust in a plan that is far above what we could have thought of. Emma was loved long before we ever set eyes on her...loved by her Creator. The One who spoke the heavens and the earth into being...created her in His perfect wisdom. We are so ready to meet her and see how she so perfectly fits into the family, because we believe she was made just for us and us for her!
I almost feel like a 'new' mom, although there are four kids under this roof, adoption is so new and different. There are things a birth mom doesn't have to think about when having a baby, like she does when adopting an 18 month old child, especially one who only understands and babbles in Mandarin! :) That could prove difficult because..ahem...my Mandarin is a little sketchy. Okay...'my' and 'mandarin' only go together if you are talking about an orange! I bought a little language book from Barnes and Noble...but promptly took it back because it gave you the 'English' translation for Chinese words...but no pronunciation! I knew that would only prove to be a three pound luggage weight violation and nothing more! Thank God for living, breathing 'travel guides'. She will be earning every penny we pay her! :)
We are so thankful to have travel dates today and a firm Consulate appointment on the 11th of March. Now on to packing and getting ready to leave the other four behind...there is much to do and as every 'expectant' mother there is nesting to accomplish, too. Really important stuff...like clean the freezer, wash the shower curtain, purchase enough diapers for an army of Chinese babies! Thanks to all of you that are following our journey and praying for us and for Emma. We will *try* to blog while we are away...I know I can only blog text in one post and then pictures in the next post..so you may have to piece it together a little...but really, all you really care about it seeing Emma, right? Me too! If you think about it and see them...give a little extra love to Mark, Matt, Ash, & Beth! They will be in the loving and capable hands of their Grandma and Grandpa..so they won't be missing us too much...but two weeks is a long time and we have never left for that long before. It might be harder on me than them, I know.
Until later....in China!!!!!!
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