Waiting

Monday, May 21, 2007 TRAVEL APPROVAL! Today we received our Travel Approval, which means that China has said "Come on and get your son!!" YEAHHHH!! I received the very long-awaited call (we've been waiting a total of 103 days since we were LID) while I was shopping at WalMart, of all places ;) I was hopeful that we would receive good news this week, but had just told my sister that I expected it would be much later in the week IF we did indeed receive TA. In fact, I was on the phone with her when I was at WalMart before 'the call' came. She needed to answer her other line but said she'd call me right back, so when my cell rang, I didn't even bother to check the caller ID. I took my phone out of my purse and my earpiece broke. I was fumbling to put it together and shouted into the mouthpiece "HELLO?!" When I realized it was the wonderful and very soft-spoken Sarah Wu at CHSFS, I was totally surprised and embarrassed at my poor manners! Even so, I couldn't help myself from coming straight out and asking, "Do you have our TA?" Needless to say, the rest of my time in WalMart was a blur, I wandered around the toy section, bought both of the girls a new Snap 'N Style doll (that neither of them need!) and proceeded to forget most of the things I needed to actually BUY! Oh well, I suppose the post-TA jelly brain has already descended on me :) Now we begin the wait for a confirmed Consulate Appointment. Our agency is requesting one on the 26th of June, which would mean we would leave sometime around the 12th of June and would meet our precious Jude on the 18th of June!! We are hoping to make a quick side trip to Xi'An before heading to the province for the big day. We have to wait to confirm our travel plans until we hear that our CA is set. Then we will start our official countdown to 'gotcha day'!!! In the time since our last update we have been quite busy! Even if it is with the mundane necessities of life, we HAVE been busy! Chris finally returned home (to stay for a while!!) on Saturday night and things have been much more relaxed since :) We made a quick trip down to the beach to visit him in Tampa on his last assignment. The girls loved their first visit to the ocean, our last trip with only six kids! We were all aware of the fact that someone special was missing, everyone is so excited for Jude to finally come home! The kids are almost finished with school now, one and a half more weeks and spring fever is running rampant for all of us! I admit to being very excited about the flexibility that is summer vacation. It IS a bit crazier around here during the day, but I wouldn't have it any other way ;) Tori has the most extreme case of spring fever, most commonly known as "Senioritis". She has her last final exam on May 28th and will graduate on June 2nd. Since Tori is once again accompanying me to China (as she did on the trip for Isabelle) I am so grateful that our travel plans will not conflict with her momentous event! As usual, God has taken care of all the details and proven Himself faithful, even though I must confess to quite a few moments of doubt. This wait for TA has been fraught with many moments of fear and incertitude, mainly due to Chris' extended absences (gone for 12 out of the last 22 months!) and Isabelle's ongoing neurodevelopmental issues. But I often fall back on all of God's confirmations of this sometimes difficult and scary adventure of adoption that God has called us to. As Chris said to me in a moment of anxiety, "We prayed about this and God confirmed it. Just because things are difficult right now shouldn't affect our decision. God doesn't change His mind." Indeed, God does NOT change His mind.

We love you, Jude! Our last trip as parents of (just) six The final visit to the FedEx drop box! Can't wait until Jude is HOME We have our visas, we're ready to go Just waiting for Jude :)

Thank You, Lord for being a rock to us during this time of occasional stormy waters. We are maneuvering our way thorough to help Isabelle settle into a schedule of therapies that will help her reach her full potential, whatever that may be. And with Chris finally home for good, it just feels like home again. A home that is READY to bring home our precious boy!!! I will bless the Lord forever And I will trust Him at all times He has delivered me from all fear And he has set my feet upon a rock And I will not be moved And I'll say of the Lord.... You are my shield My strength My portion Deliverer My shelter Strong tower My very present help in time of need Darlene Zschech - Made Me Glad

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