I'm booking airfare!!

Woo hoo! We are going to China! We really really are! I cannot believe it! We have gotcha day AND consulate appointment set! If you want dates or details send me a private message. The boys are so excited about their baby sister and are looking forward to showing her around the house when she gets home. Little man is getting clingy-doesn't let me get too far away. Oh wait, he has always been clingy! I know he will have some adjusting to do with the "new baby", so I'm trying to give them both some extra love.

We are sooooo close to our final goal, so any amount you can give would be so helpful!

Here are the fees we are looking at during our journey to bring Maire home. I have listed the detailed cost for several items and would love you to "select an item to sponsor". For example; we will have 20 meals to pay for during our trip (breakfast is included at the hotel). Each meal will cost about $10.00 USD-you can sponsor one meal for $10.00 or a day of meals for $20.00 or an entire week...whatever you find comfortable for your budget! Select the "chip in" button on the right and type in your amount! Be sure to write what you'd like to sponsor in the memo field! That way we can thank you appropriately! We cannot believe that Maire is finally coming home!! Praise God!! The sooner we get the final funds raised, the sooner we can get to Maire! All contributions are greatly appreciated! We already have $190 raised toward meals and airfare! You are all so awesome!

28 Meals: $10.00 per meal
14 Nights lodging: $75 per night
3 train tickets from Changsha to Guangzhou: $100 per airline ticket
4 Government Official "fees": $25 each
2 Airline tickets from KC to China: $1250 each
1 Airline ticket from China to KC: $890

We cannot wait to share our final journey to bring Maire home with all of you! Thank you so much for all of your love and support!

"Mairey" Christmas!

We have our travel approval...it is a beautiful thing! Handel said it best... "Hallelujah"!

Details to come soon!

Promises...

For those who know the pain of waiting to hold someone...something. For those who long to kiss someone they've lost...or someone they've yet to meet. Hold on...

But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

Maire, we won't hold you in 2010. But my dear child, we will be there for you so very soon.



We will wait, another week or two...

How can I help...?

Since announcing that our travel approval is on its way, I've had lots of you step forward to ask how you can help! Since you asked...! Here are the fees we are looking at during our journey to bring Maire home. I have listed the approximate cost for several items and would love you to "select an item to sponsor". For example; we will have 20 meals to pay for during our trip (breakfast is included at the hotel). Each meal will cost about $10.00 USD-you can sponsor one meal for $10.00 or a day of meals for $20.00 or an entire week...whatever you find comfortable for your budget! Select the "chip in" button on the right and type in your amount! Be sure to write what you'd like to sponsor in the memo field! That way we can thank you appropriately! We cannot believe that Maire is finally coming home!! Praise God!! The sooner we get the final funds raised, the sooner we can get to Maire! All contributions are greatly appreciated!

20 Meals: $10.00 per meal
10 Nights lodging: $75 per night
3 Airline tickets from Loudi to Guangzhou: $100 per airline ticket
4 Government Official "fees": $25 each
2 Airline tickets from KC to China: $1500 each
1 Airline ticket from China to KC: $700

We cannot wait to share our final journey to bring Maire home with all of you! Thank you so much for all of your love and support!

Angie & family

Real Quick post

Can't blog...have to pack. Yes PACK!!!! TA is on it way!! I don't believe it--we have waited so long for TA and now it is actually almost here! I have about 100 gifts to wrap, bags to pack, house to clean, (forget any more Christmas decorating!) Money to exchange...yikes! I don't have to blog! Love you all and cannot tell you how amazing you have been! Enjoy this picture of our big girl!!!

For those who have been there/done that, you know that fund raising never ends. You can donate 2 ways: There is a chip in button or the 100 Good Wishes Quilt. Thank you!

Believe....

**disclaimer** a very long sappy emotional outpouring of my soul

Some of you may know that for my 34th birthday, I got a tattoo (this was 1.5 years ago). Simply the word "Believe" above my ankle. I had never had the urge to get "inked" prior to that, so this caught most everyone I know off guard. I know that "tattoos" can be seen as "trashy" or "inappropriate" by some. (And if you are in that category, I think you're wrong BUT that is for a different post-haha) But to me, it was a devotion of love for God, the blessings He has given me, the positive mental outlook He bestowed on me, and the general belief in all things good. There are days that I stray from my faith, moments in time where I forget that I am His--doing His work, not mine, my love for Him fading. But this permanent blue ink is always there-never faint. Constant...like my faith should be.

The adoption process has been the most challenging time of my life. We learned today, 5 weeks into our "2 week wait" for our travel dates, that we need to resend one more document that seems to have gotten misplaced. They should have it on Monday, then we should have our travel dates 2-3 weeks after that. I stared at the email in disbelief. The reality of this "minor paperwork hiccup" hit me like a lead weight. I would not get to hold my girl this year after all. No Christmas with Maire. I felt my heart break--it literally hurt.

Seven months ago, I saw my sweet girl. I never dreamed she would not be in my arms by Christmas. It was inconceivable to imagine. Never entered my mind. But here we are, 22 days away from her 3rd birthday and 24 from Christmas. Her Christmas dress hanging in her closet, new with tags. Her gifts, along with her brothers' gifts, tucked safely in a box in the bottom of the closet. Tomorrow, I will pull them out, wrap them, and ship them to her---thousands of miles away. I won't have her picture in our holiday family portrait this year. I won't see her face smiling at twinkling lights of the Christmas tree. I won't see her tear into a wrapped box, eyes wide as she prepares for what might be inside. No, not this year.

Believe... staring at me right now below the cuff of my stupid snowman pajamas! Believe--what does it mean right now to me? What is God telling me? Shall I believe in Christmas miracles? Or perhaps believe in "His timing"? Maybe "believe" is reminding me that God does not punish, even though there are days that feel like it? Shall I believe in the power of prayer? Or believe in His word? Tonight, Believe will simply mean this: I Believe that God is in control...because He is.