Counting the Days

We have been preparing. For an entire year, we have went through so much paperwork and so many emotions and now we are so close that we both have child-like enthusiasm. We think about Gracie every second of the day. We imagine her being in our home as we have all along, but now it's so close and so real that we can feel it.

In just 5 days, we will board a plane to bring her home forever. Gracie will finally know what it's like to live in a home with a family.

We will leave on Friday 1/18. Gotcha Day will be Monday 1/21. We will be home Saturday 1/26.

Many people have asked me why we have to be gone for a week. Why can't we just go pick her up, get on a plane and come home?

Well, you see I have learned that adoption is just not that simple. First of all we have to account for an entire day to travel there and travel home. We were lucky to get a 13 hour flight over there, but not so lucky with a 20 hour flight home. After we pick Gracie up we have to apply for her passport. This takes 3 days to get. We then have to take her for a medical appointment and apply for her VISA which accounts for another 2 days. Once we have all of that in order we will be on our way back.

We really enjoyed our time in her country when we visited her in August. We lived every moment, enjoyed the city, enjoyed the food and just soaked it all in. It is now cold and snowing there (and we are a Texas family who never sees snow). We want to enjoy the country just as much, or even more, now that we will have her with us. 

We are also taking our 12 year old daughter with us this time. She is completely over the moon about going to pick up her baby sister. Her heart has been so into the adoption and it really is a beautiful thing. She is going to miss school, it will cost us extra money, she will return with jet-lag and have to go back to school, she won't be here to help with her baby brother. There were many reasons that we thought we should not bring her. Giving her this experience is more important. She has a true, loving heart for the least of these. She always has. I can see her continuing in orphan ministry and even adopting someday. I am so proud of her and how big her heart is. She will never forget this journey.

Thank you so much for following us throughout this journey to grow our family. I have learned that I am not living according to my own plans. This is God's story, His plans, His journey. I am so thankful that we listened and followed His way. I can't wait to see what God has in store for our family going forward.

I plan to update daily on my blog while we are traveling. Last time I was not able to share pictures of our beautiful girl, but this time...well, just be prepared. There will be pictures.

Please pray for us while we travel. I know this will not be the easiest thing we've done. Please pray for Gracie. Pray that she is comforted by us. I know she will likely be confused and scared. Pray for our oldest and youngest children that are being left in very good hands while we are gone. Pray for our friend, Caryn who will have our little one. She has her hands full already, yet she never questions helping us in any way she can. Speaking of friends, pray for Gracie's friends who she spends her days with. Pray that they will not be confused by her absence and that they too have a family come for them soon.

I felt your prayers lifting me up over the past year (especially on our first trip). I will be praying thanksgiving and blessings upon all of you who lift us up during this time. I appreciate you so much.