We made it!!!

We are here in Beijing safe and sound.
The airline was nice enough to put us all up in a hotel last night, but unfortunately they were unable to give us any of our luggage..so we were dying to get to the Beijing hotel with our luggage so we could take a shower.
We were met by a lovely lady named Grace. She told us all about the beautiful airport and drove us into the city. Thought we were going to the hotel but found out that we were meeting the rest of our group that arrived here last night without us. So, no shower. Man!!! She took us to the Hutong area...which is really cool and very much old Beijing. It was nice to see that because the city is very modern and looks alot like New York City except with alot of Chinese language signs mixed with English signs. Very classy. We were biked around Hutong on a what our tour guide called our Chinese BMW, which was actually a Rickshaw....I am sure I did not spell that right. But that was cool, very authentic China.
After the tour of the inside of an actual private home in Hutong, and the tour of the Prince's palace we were brought to the hotel for a shower....that you Lord and boy was it a good one.
We are all so tired, so I think we are going to turn out the lights. Tomorrow we don't meet up until 1:00, so plenty of time to rest up. We are suppose to be touring the Forbidden City and Tenneman Square and watching a Chinese Acrobatic show. So, it should be a fun day. But still can't wait til Monday. I could skip all of this stuff just to get to Asher faster.
We are with three other couples. One from Kentucky adopting a six year old girl. One from Indiana adopting a four year old little girl, and a couple from Cincinnati adopting an 18 month old little girl in need of a cleft lip /palate surgery. All very nice and very eager to get to their children as well. The couple from Cincinnati are youth pastors and teachers....made me think of K.J. and Nate, could be them someday.....no pressure.
Will post again soon....good night and love to all of you.

Ain't No Mountain High Enough....

Hello All!!!
We have encountered just a couple of hiccups today. But, we keep singing that song that goes "Ain't no mountain high enough, Ain't no valley low enough, Ain't no river wide enough, to keep us from getting to you, babe!!"
We started off the day (Dec. 16) leaving the house at 4:30 am.
Jeep wouldn't start.....go figure, battery cable was loose from being at the shop yesterday.
Keith fixed the cable, Jeep started, and we are on the way down the road.....1/4 mile and the hood flew up on the Jeep.
I truly can not make this stuff up.
We all holler, "Get out you, Devil!! Nothing is stopping us."
So, then we are smooth sailing all the rest of the way to Columbus.
First connection to Minneapolis was fine.
Met up with a great couple that have a 5 year old little girl, Celia, and they are returning to pick up their 9 month old son. Sydney and Celia really like each other. Celia thinks she is really funny.
Also, met up with our travel partners, Paula and David.
We all boarded the plane to Tokyo.....1 hour to board that huge plane.
Then we all sat for 2 hours because there ended up being a part broke on the engine that needed fixed. This already 13 hour flight turned into a 15.5 hour flight......Holy Moly....this was painful!!
Anyway, we had the privilege of going through customs and getting a Japan sticker on our passports (we really did think that was cool) and are being put up in a hotel in Tokyo for the night and will now be leaving Tokyo at 9:00 am for Beijing.....GET THIS, TWO DAYS LATER!!!
But we are safe and together and not late for Asher just the touring stuff...but all is GOOD.
P.S. Sydney got to experience our first squat pot this evening, tee hee.

Big Sister's Turn

Hi, my name is Sydney, I am9 3/4. I get to go to China with my Mommy & Daddy. IT'S GOING TO BE AWESOME! We are leaving at 4:30 am. I have to admit I've never done this before, but it's awesome. I hope God will bless us along the way. We just got done making cookies for Santa, he comes in 10 days......WOW Christmas has gotten here so fast! As my daddy said, I saw the rainbow before I went to school today. Ever since I was 2 my mommy said that I've been praying for a sibling. And now, that dream has come true! GOOD-BYE


PRAY FOR US!!!!!

Day before we leave

So here we are less than 24 hours before we leave for our first leg of the journey. We have been working hard checking our lists. Then checking them again. Then checking them again. I think Shelley has packed at least 4 times to my one.
We had one of the best days at church yesterday. God's plan and grace have never been more evident than Sunday. Just when you get so caught up in the details of this amazing life journey, God reminds you that He is the one that created the journey. That He is the one that placed us here. He is the one that will carry us through. All glory and praise must go to Him. I have never seen so many people excited about our trip. We are blessed with an awesome church family. I can not wait to bring Asher home to them. We did not stop answering questions and getting hugs from the time we walked in till the time we left. People promising prayers,offering all types of support and well wishes. It is an amazing feeling when an entire congreation is praying over you at the same time. I was overwhelmed and thankful. I was at peace.
As I said, we have been working hard. Our daughter Sydney has probably been working the hardest. She is very active with dance, basketball and school. She had the goal of taking no schoolwork with us and coming home to no tests. We have been at it for over a week doing extra work along with the normal assignments. She had quizes to take and then tests leading up to semester exams. Everything was going as planned then snow hit and school was canceled on Friday. A day she was to take some of her tests to be ready to take her exams on Monday. Well, thanks to her commitment and also one of her teachers, Mrs. Frye, she took some of her testing on Saturday morning. I must say Sydney is amazing. She rises to all challenges and anything that is asked of her. I only hope I'm as good of a Dad to her as she is a daughter to me.
This all leads me to tell you about what inspired me to write this posting today. In the middle of all the hustle ( I failed to mention our car needing repaired last minute before we left) which caused all 3 of us to be leaving the house at the same time (7:30) in the morning. This never happens. So, we are leaving for school and to the repair shop. We step out the door headed to the car when Sydney shouts , "Look a rainbow!!". We look and there is the brightest, biggest, full rainbow I have ever seen at our house. We all just looked at it and cried. God's promise right there to assure us everything is going to His plan. A reminder to gorify Him in all we do.
Sydney did very well on all her testing. One teacher said she was a girl on a mission with all the work she was able to get done today. The car got fixed. Our list got checked off. And there is peace.
We are coming to get you little man. To bring you back to a family that has been looking forward to you, praying for you, and loving you before we ever saw that first picture. I cant wait to look into his eyes for the first time. I cant wait for him to meet his big sister. I can't wait for him to feel his mom hug him for the first time. I can't wait for him to feel God's love for him through our church family. We are coming to get you little man( Gus, Gus ).
Love,
Daddy

God's Season - Inspired by Grandma, My Mama

This evening it is snowing.....
it is quite a beautiful site from my kitchen window. I am having a quiet day with just myself in the solitude of our home wrapping Christmas gifts, admiring the tree, and having the occasional phone conversation with loved ones. We received a couple Christmas cards today from distant relatives. My hubby and daughter have been gone all day to the big city Christmas shopping for mommy. It is clear to me that Christmas is upon us.

As I finish my chores I decide to try to attempt a little packing for our journey to Asher. While I am packing I stop at the window once more to admire the fresh snow and start to reflect on this wonderful season we are approaching. The season in which we were given the most precious and amazing gift, "God's Son, Our Savior, Jesus Christ".

In this holy season it amazes me to realize that God has chosen to bless our family with such a gift as a son of our own.

Nine years ago on Christmas Eve, my husband and I received the grand news of our gift of a daughter, what an amazing blessing it is to know that in this same season we will be in China preparing to bring home our son nine years later. I have goosebumps and I am so humbled to know that through God's love He has chosen to lead us on this journey of a lifetime. And through God's love, we will not be taking this journey alone. We know that He will be there to hold us up when we need the support and to encourage us through the difficult times. We are also blessed that we will be taking the love and support of our family and friends.

Today, I found myself worrying about the things that may make this journey harder than expected (increased holiday travel expenses) but after some prayer and the conversations with my Mama and a dear friend, I have realized along with the one's that love us the most that no price can be put on the gift that is given to us this Christmas just like there is no price on salvation which was given to us by the same Father that has given us our son, Asher. Through this experience we will be reminded of the important things in life....our relationship with the Father, our family, friends, and love, "and the greatest of these is love" (1 Corn. 13:13). And we will leave the worries to God for He will provide.

Thank you Mama for your inspiring post today. You are so special to me. I love you so. Thank you for sharing the tears with me through every sad moment during the wait and every exciting moment through these last amazing 2 months. Those moments on the phone crying with you and daddy are beyond words to me. We are so blessed to have your unconditional love and support.

Care Package

We ordered a care package to be sent to Asher on Thursday from the most wonderful women named Ann at Red Thread China.

I am so hopeful that he gets it in plenty of time before we get there to give him time to warm up to the items.

The package includes a cute little stuffed panda bear with a gold satin Chinese shirt, a very soft looking blue blanket with satin trim, two packs of cookies for Asher and the foster parents/orphanage nannies, a letter from us to the foster parents to show our love and appreciation, and a disposable camera for them to take pictures of anything they want to help remind Asher of them.

We were told that the foster parents probably will not come to Gotcha Day because it is about a two hour drive, even if that had a car. So, I am hoping the letter that we sent (with some questions with a request for a response to send with Asher) and the camera to take pictures of themselves and Asher will help us to get a glimpse into his life with them.

We Got The Call

After the hustle and bustle of Black Friday and the holiday weekend......we were convinced that we would get the call to tell us we had been approved for travel on Monday morning (12/01/2008).

After a sheer let down of talking with our coordinator and her even seeming seriously convinced that we would get it......nothing.

That was going to make for a long day of pouting because everyone in our family was absolutely convinced it was coming. I went from cloud nine to nine below when she spoke the words to me, "Nope, I am so sorry but nothing. I thought surely it would be today Shelley. I am so sorry."

Then not five minutes later after a few tears and regrouping and prayer.....RING, RING....."Hello Shelley, I know I just told you nothing. But, it was just laid on my desk!!!!"

It is here. After 2 1/2 years, we finally are going to China. We will be traveling on December 17, 2008 and returning on January 1, 2009.

Little man, we are on our way.

Now the sheer nuttiness starts. What to pack, how to pack, how can we take more than one bag per person for ALL this stuff. Of by the way, we will be in China for Christmas......WOWZERS.

I am so excited. I am so nervous. I am so excited. I am a little scared. I pray dear Lord that you calm Asher's heart and prepare him and us for what is to come. I am thinking that maybe he won't like us and will be a bit mad and a whole lot sad. I promise to cry right along with him and hold him so tightly. Please, Lord put in us everything that he is looking for and lead us the right way. We love him so much already. I can't wait to touch him and hug him and kiss him. I can't wait to see his smile and hear his voice and hear him laugh.

We have a son!!! We have a son!!!