Day 1 Part 2

I had to add a part 2 to day one.  When we arrived in Beijing our guide picked us up from the airport.  On our way to the hotel we had time to talk about David and Joshua.  This is where our adventure took a drastic turn.  It was then that the magnitude of our "rescue mission" really hit me.


I was told the orphanage had been in the process of taking David off the available list and deeming him "unadoptable" when we requested to adopt him.  Our guide said she had to convince the orphanage that a family really wanted to adopt him.  God's timing is perfect.  If we had waited even a day more to say YES David's life may have been on a different path right now.  UNADOPTABLE.  I am so thankful that God prompted our hearts and we did not hesitate. 


We started talking about Joshua and she handed me a piece of paper giving results from a recent blood test.  She stated that the doctor was concerned by the results and the orphanage wanted me to have the information before we met Joshua.  She asked me to please consult with my doctor back home as soon as possible.  I really didn't think much of it.  I knew Joshua had been severely malnourished so I expected some abnormal test results.  Our guide went on to explain that when Joshua arrived at the orphanage they didn't think he was going to live.  The orphanage decided to not waste any more resources/nanny's time on him and moved him up to the second floor.  That was a gut check right there. 

I think my emotions were all over the place at this point.  .

Grateful 

 

Angry

 

Disbelief

How is it possible that a life no longer has value?  How it is possible that a child is no longer worthy of a family?

China Day 1

Well it was a rollercoaster ride and the internet was unreliable.  We are home.  I am going to post our daily adventures now.

DAY  1

 

 

The ransom has been paid.  We are headed out on a rescue mission.  We are breaking our boys out of the hell they have been living for the last few years. 

We left Lexington around 6:30 a.m.  Flew to Detriot and then to Beijing.  The flight to Beijing was 14 hours long.   I have to say it was the smoothest flight I have ever been on.  Miranda did great!  The view from the sky was beautiful that morning.  We arrive in Beijing in the evening.  Got some dinner and headed to bed. 

China Bound

I can't believe we leave in the morning!!!  Lots going through my mind right now.  Leaving my husband and children is one of the hardest things I have to do.

Here is our schedule!

Jan 24th  TOURING

Jan 26th  GOTCHA for Joshua

Jan 28th  GOTCHA for David

Feb 7th   HOME!!


If internet works well I will try to post daily about our travels!!

Happy Family Day

One of my favorite parts of adoption is our "Family Day".  I know everyone celebrates "Gotcha Day" but I LOVE "Family Day".  So you are probably thinking, what is family day then?

Family Day is the day a new family is born at the airport.  The day when mom, dad, newly adopted children, and siblings are finally all together for the first time.  It's probably one of the most beautiful things you will see this side of Heaven.  So many raw emotions, fears, and excitement all rolled up together. 

Today is our 5 year Family Day with Grace and Sera!

 

We love you Grace and Sera! 

We are so blessed that you are a part of our family.

 

 

 

My Word for 2015 is HOPE

When you tell someone they have value an amazing thing starts happening.  HOPE infiltrates every part of their life. 

God placed the word HOPE in my heart yesterday.  Immediately after a picture popped into my head.  This is my sweet Jacob when we accepted his referral 6 years ago.

This is a picture of Jacob they day we first met, four quick months after we decided to make him our son.

Do you see it?  Someone invested in Jacob.  Someone told him he had value.  He was wanted.  Jacob was given HOPE and he started to thrive. 


Now fast forward to 2014.  We saw a picture of a little boy who broke our hearts in ways we never thought possible.  A little boy who was told he had no worth. 

 

Then someone invested in him.  Someone told him he had value.  He was wanted.  He was given HOPE and he started to thrive.

In just 15 days I will travel to meet our two newest sons.  The first thing I will tell them is "They are wanted and they are loved". 

My word for 2015 is "HOPE".  I don't know what that is going to look like but I do know that God has placed it on my heart this year to #behope and #showhope to others.

Won't you join me? 

Reflecting on the Highlights of 2014

It's New Year's Eve and I am taking a nice long bath, thinking about 2014 and dreaming for 2015.

God has truly blessed our family this past year.

In January 2014 I made the decision that I needed to start taking better care of myself.  I started out with a goal to loose a few pounds.  I got so much more than I expected, 12 pounds lost, gained energy, and healthier skin.  Now I am doing something I haven't done since college.  This spring I started working out and lifting weights.

We were blessed with the opportunity to vacation with 50 of the best families you will ever meet. We attended our first ever Reece's Rainbow Reunion. 

This summer with the help our church, Southland Christian Church, and Carpenter Bus we were able to purchase a 15 passenger wheelchair bus.

Twice this summer I was given the opportunity to share how adoption has blessed our family.

 

This fall we fell in love with two little boys across the ocean.  Both have some unknown medical issues and severe malnourishment.  Due to their fragile health we were able to expedite their adoption.  They will be coming home January 2015.  What a great start to our New Year!

The first pictures we saw of the boys

 

 

CyberMonday Shopping

I will have lots of updates to share this week so keep watch on our blog. 

We have set up an Amazon Associate account to help us raise the money we need for some items for our boys coming home in January.  If you plan to do some shopping online please consider using our Amazon link.

http://www.amazon.com/?_encoding=UTF8&tag=thisidofete0f-20


Thank you!!