Hours Before Takeoff!!!

It is hard to believe that it is just 6 hours before we take off for Hong Kong.  But it is not hard to believe that it appears we will not make it to bed tonight (or should I already say, this morning).  One of the information sheets we received a few weeks ago in regards to controlling jet lag was to get plenty of rest a few nights before you leave to minimize the change in the time from home to China (13 hours ahead Central Daylight Time).  Yeah…..right….  We had dreamed that would be the case (a few weeks ago), but not with us.  We seem to be infamous about taking the plans to these types of trips to the end.  However, I do not think we could have done much different otherwise.

After Devin’s football game, Jenn was at school planning for the next two weeks until 11:00 tonight.  Then I headed to Kinko’s at 1:30 to copy pages from the boys’ textbooks for homework and much needed adoption paperwork……then off to the 24-hour “notorious supercenter” for last-minute items for the trip.  I figured I had time for one last blog (to keep me awake) before I started to pack.  I give it a little movement in the house, and the kids will be up in a flash.  They are so excited!!!

We know that once we get on the plane, all the planning is done, and there is not much else we can do to get our daughter.  As I have said before, this is our only goal.  All the required documents are bound in a folder, ready to pack.  Clothes and other items may be missing or short, but that is ok.  (They have these same type of “24-hour” stores in China too……and probably cheaper.)

We do have some specific prayer requests that we covet from you, our family and friends:

-          We continue that our Father places seeds of favor in Mary Beth’s heart for us as we get closer to her.  We know that bonding and shared love is something that is earned and will take time.  Jenn and I can understand that, and we hope to prepare our children that Mary Beth may not accept us right off.  But – love wins every time.  That is all we really have to offer to her that she does not have now. 

-          Jenn has been battling nasty stuff in her throat and chest for almost a week.  She has not slept soundly since last Thursday.  It has the opportunity to take its toll on her if we do not get her some rest on these 19 hours of plane-riding these next two days.  Please pray that she will re-coup some rest before we arrive.

-          Please pray that we do not overstep our Father and His plans these next 15 days.  He has led us – in front of us – all the way so far.  There is no need to think we know best now.  Let us rest in His plans and only move when He moves.

-          Please pray for our health as we move into a different culture and “dietary realm”.  Not only the time difference, but the foods will be much different than we are used to, and Mary Beth will also have to adjust once she leaves the orphanage.    If we also do not get enough rest, one of the 7 of us could get sick easily.

-          Pray that our hearts (like the siblings) will be geared towards our Father and towards others – not ourselves.  That is difficult to handle at home.  But it can be even harder in a different culture, since you are exposed to so much more.  Pray that we will guide and parent them as we are commanded to while away from home.

-          Please pray for safe travels and the pilots guiding our planes.

Thanks for following us this far.  We anticipate lots of pictures to share once we arrive…..as long as I can figure out how to load them.

On my last note before starting to pack, I am so glad that one of my best friends, Chris T, gave me the verse in Isaiah 42:16, which is so prominent at this time, and we will use this as our banner as we enter this unknown world for our family:

“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them.  I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.  These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”

There are lots of promises in scripture where our Father offers us a (an unconditional) covenant that He will guide us and never leave us.  Right now, we feel pretty blind to what we are getting into.  But whose eyes would I rather have in front of us that my Father’s?  We know that this trip is in His hands……and we will make this trip about Him!

We pray that as we prepare to get on the plane, we keep our focus on being more pleasing to our Father, focusing on the process of sanctification each step of the way.

Thanks for your excitement for us!