Fly Away in Seven Days!!

So I'm REALLY having a hard time concentrating at work...so I decided I better start figuring out WHAT Enyi is going to call us. So I referred back to the pictures we had sent to him in the orphanage and noticed that our "names" were translated on the front of the pictures. So here is some education for all of us.
哥哥 gege (pronounced 'goh-goh') or older brother
母亲 mama or mother
父亲 baba or father
祖母 zumu or grandmother (or geese, bon bon, grandma, etc)
爷爷 yeye or grandfather (or pop, papa, grandpa)
姑妈 yima or aunt
叔叔 shushu or uncle
表妹 biaoge or cousin
狗 gou or dog
Like any language, there are some variation based on female/male side of the family, older/younger cousin, etc...but you get the idea.
Please keep us in your prayers as we prepare to meet our little one...and that we can get everything we need in THREE suitcases!
Kim

A Quick Hello

Good morning! We just wanted to let you know that we are finalizing plans for our intra-China travel and are working to to try to get get everything at the house squared away before we leave: Jay finished the taxes (check). Picked up a few gift items for orphanage staff, CCAA, etc (check). Made a list for packing to include medications, clothes, paperwork (check)...made another list of the lists we need to check off (check).

But we did get a bright spot last week when Kim's parent flew down to New Braunfels for a quick lunch visit. With them was our beautiful niece who was spending her Spring Break with "Geese and Pop". We drove over to The Gristmill in Greune, TX. It overlooks the Guadalupe river, which has more water in it than I have seen in the last few drought-ridden years...it was beautiful and we had a great time!.

We'll try to keep you up to date as plans progress. We leave in 14 DAYS!!!

Busy Schedule

OK,

So now we have a rough schedule and have officially purchased tickets to go!

April 2: Tucker (the dog) goes to Geese and Pop's

April 5: Pop has surgery

April 7: Depart US

April 8: Arrive Beijing-tour for a couple of days

April 9: EnYi's Birthday (so close and yet so far!)

April 11: Fly to Guangzhou

April 12: ENYI-GETS-A-FULL-TIME-FAMILY-DAY!!!

April 17: Medical exam- I think he gets ALOT of immunizations

April 20: American Consulate appointment

April 21: Oath-taking ceremony (we promise to love him and never abandon him)

April 22: EnYi gets his passport and we fly back to Beijing

April 23: Fly HOME!!!

So the packing rush now begins! We will post when and if we get any more news, but will be busy getting ready. Keep those prayers coming so that everything else goes smoothly. Also, please pray for Kim's father as he prepares to undergo surgery April 5th.

More to come!

Travel dates!

All,
Tentative travel dates:
Fly out: April 8
EnYi's Birthday: April 9 :-(
Gotcha day: April 12 :-)
Consulate Appointment: April 20
Fly home: April 22

We are considering a couple of days in Hong Kong at the end of the trip...will keep you posted! Yeah!!!!

Last Care Package to China

OK...so this will be the final care package that we will send to China. As mentioned earlier, today, Ann at Red Thread has put together a set of "Joe Boxer" jammies, a blanket, some goodies for EnYi and his foster family, a camera (so that he will always be able to remember them) and a letter that Ann has translated for his foster family to read to him. We had sent her a couple more pictures of the Ferland family to send along with the package, but am not sure what happened to them.

I still can't believe that this time next month, we could actually be home with him!!

We hope to share actual travel dates with you al tomorrow!

TA!!!!!

I just hung up the phone with our adoption agency and our TA has FINALLY arrived. We should know by tomorrow what our exact dates of travel will be!!!

THANK YOU LORD!!!!

Tiny Tidbit of Info

I received an email early this morning from Ann at "Red Thread China". She is a wonderful woman who provides a service to adopting families by communicating directly with the orphanages in China...something that the adoption agencies can't do.

Anyway, we arranged to have another care package delivered to EnYi and to see if we could get another set of pictures. Unfortunately, she wrote this morning to say that the orphanage will not be able to send updated pictures because he is still with his foster family and it is too far from the orphanage. While I am disappointed that we most likely will not receive any more pictures before we leave, I am comforted that he is still with a family that I hope he loves and takes good care of him! She was also able to confirm that he did receive the package we sent in January, that has a photo album of our family, some clothes and a train...Hang on Buddy! We're coming, soon!

Ni Hao and Happy Sunday!

Last Sunday after church, the family had lunch with our new friends, Theresa and John and one of their beautiful daughters. When we first met them, I noticed these really cool bracelets that they each had on. John made them, himself, to represent the "red thread" that binds them to their waiting son in China. So when we met last week for lunch, John had made each of us a red thread bracelet. If you are not familiar with the Chinese legend, it goes something like this: "An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break." While we know that God is in charge of our destiny, we like the idea of the symbol that connects us to our child, and we think of him each time we see our bracelets. Thank you, John and Theresa!!

Well, we sure hope to hear something this week. I'm trying to remain cautiously optimistic that our travel date will arrive at some point by Friday. We'll be sure to let you all know as soon as we get word! Keep those prayers coming! Have a great week.

Still Waiting...So Catching Up

Greetings and Happy Spring...practically. It has been so beautiful here in San Antonio the last couple of days!! Since we aren't in China and things at work are settling down a bit, I decided to take a couple of days off. Jay had to obtain a new ID card for his Captain's license and the closest facility is right down the road in Corpus Christie. You may recall an earlier post regarding a recent visit with our friend's from California, the Reckers. Since their son, Matthew, is awaiting flight training at NAS Corpus, we decided to see if he was available for lunch. As luck would have it, he was, and after lunch he took us to one of the best beaches on Padre Island. While it was a little too cool for the sissy parents, Campbell had a great time with the boogie board in the surf!

Matthew helps Campbell attach his "leash"

Surf's Up....

Watch those Jellies!

Many of you know that we bought some land out in Bandera, TX last year, so we decided that on Friday, we would head out to the property to celebrate our "One Year Anniversary". Jay has been working feverishly to get our storage building built before we transfer to Washington, DC...so here are a few pictures of our mini-celebration.

Happy Sunday! I was reading this morning and came across this verse in Isaiah 29:23 and it reminded me of how much our family has been blessed: "When they see among them their children, the work of my hands; they will keep my name holy; they will acknowledge the holiness of the Holy One of Jacob, and will stand in awe of the God of Israel."
So as I pondered this verse and remembered how impatient I have been with this adoption process, I read on to the next verse (v. 24) which says: "Those who are wayward in spirit will gain understanding; those who complain will accept instruction."
OK, God...I get it...
Have a great day, everyone.
Love,
Kim

Article 5 Update

Our agency confirmed today that our Article 5 was delivered on 1 March. We are now told that we should get our Travel Authorization (TA) in "about 2 weeks"...and that seems to be the standard answer for every question..."You should know in about 2 weeks"...so 3 months later, here we are...stuck in the new I800 world! So, the newest predictions are for us to potentially travel in the first couple of weeks of April...if we don't receive authorization to travel by then, then we won't go until May. As a reminder, we are supposed to transfer to Washington DC in May!
Anyway, we know that God's timing is perfect and we'll get there just in time!
Sorry, no pictures, today. Campbell and Jay will be out with the Cub Scouts on their last Camp Out here in Texas for a while, so maybe some pictures next week! I will be stuck here working on a Naval War College project...Heaven help us if the OT/MSC officer is in charge of the next war!! Have a great weekend, everyone.
Kim

Cam's Message to Cael

Dear Cael,
My name is Cam and I will be your new brother. I am excited to go to China and meet you and bring you home with us. Mom and Dad have built our bunk beds...I have the top bunk so you can have the bottom...it's easier to get in and out of that one. I'm learning how to play baseball this week...I'm not too good, yet, but I will show you how to play and we can learn together. We also have a bike ready for you. Mom and Dad like to run everyday and I ride my bike with them. We'll teach you how to ride the red bike so we can all go together.
We say a prayer for you every night for God to make the time go by fast and to keep you safe.
I hope we get there, soon!
Love,
Campbell

Article 5 Update!

O.K., we were notified Friday that our Article 5 was picked up by a staff member of Great Wall and is in route to be hand delivered to the CCAA. Next stop...Travel Approval! We're coming Cael!