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.