March 15--views in the air

Views from the window.
I moved to the back of the plane and John moved from the middle to the window. This is what he saw out the window of the plane on the way to LAX.

Beautiful clouds, and look at the ground photos.
--pretty!

March 15--in the air

Here's the view from the plane.
The one with me sitting way in the back is because I felt crammed in the window seat and asked if I could move. I NEEDED an aisle. I have a bad knee and no way could I keep it bet for 4 hours on a flight. Nothwest coach is cramped.

So if you never flew coach--this is what it looks like.

March 15--goodbye Wisconsin

This is the scene when we left the airport in Milwaukee to head to Los Angeles, Ca.

Take a good look at the beautiful sunset, we will not see the sun again until we leave China. There are no sunsets in China as the smog/clouds always cover the blue sky.

LEAVIN on a Jet Plane

Well, I thought I would share our most recent picture which is over 2 years old. Sad our agency didn't bother to even try to get us new pictures.

Oh sweetie, what do you look like now? I can't wait to see you. If you only knew how stressed your Mama was. Daddy has been packing and weighing our luggage most of the day.

I have all kinds of goodies packed for you. Raggedy Ann is coming with us to China to see you smile, so is your Ling doll who speaks both English and Chinese. I have a book with pictures so we can try to talk to each other. I have a blow up ball, a swimsuit for you, lots of toys, your own backpack, nail polish, some cute clothes, even a winter coat if you get cold. I made a picture book so you can learn some of our faces so when you return you know your 2 best friends who stayed behind---Alex and Dolly.

This will be the farthest I have ever been away from home. If God wasn't behind this, I wouldn't even go. I've had terrible dreams that I won't even be coming back. Against all the odds---we're coming to bring you home.

I bought you the prettiest Easter dress, I am hoping it fits. If not, we'll return it and actually have you along to try things on. Soon you and I will both have ruby slippers.

I hope those that are reading along can know that it's by God's grace that we have Rachel Qin. Without him, doors were closed that no one could open. God made this all easy and provided us with the funds to pay for this adoption. Praise God--money is not an option....it's all freely provided and available to us.

We leave tonight for the airport.
I need prayers and strength.

**s**

rosebuds and waiting

Are we packed yet? no, but we've started. Are we ready yet? I don't know if I will ever be ready. I think it's sort of a pre-baby experience, to ask yourself all these questions.

The dumbest question is: "Will she like me?"

The most asked question is: "Does she know we are coming?" I wish I knew the answer to that one. Everyone asks this one. If she only knew how many people awaited her arrival. If she only knew how many people can't wait to hug her. Everything is here waiting for her. There are clothes in her dresser, and hung on hangers in her room. New sheets on her bed to sleep upon. New toys and stuffed animals sitting in her room. I await her arrival with anticipation.

I printed a bunch of pictures of Alexander, Dolly, and what our house looks like so she can look at them. Also pictures of Will, and Gramma n Grampas. So many people waiting to see her.

I picked this beautiful rose picture as a sign that I have spring fever and then as a reminder about how beautiful a rose can be among a bush full of thorns.

3 days to go before we leave.
**s**

Amazing all around us are people that want to be led. Then there are those that say we can't lead without approval. How can you lead without knowing where you are going? How can you stop people from following your lead?

When do you need to step out of the boat and do your own thing compared to knowing when to stay in the boat where it is safe?

Those are my ponderings for today....although they probably won't make a bit of sense to anyone else.

Funny---ever heard of the slowboat to China? I think they should have flown...18 hours on an airplane! Are they insane? I'm not going to know what time it is anywhere as even the day is different.

Since our intl agency got paid, we haven't heard a word from them. They said they cared and this wasn't just a business. Guess again. I do love our travel agency. If anyone reading this is going to China --you must you Lawrence/Delight travel. (http://www.delightravel.com) I've had nothing but awesome service and he reads his emails and responds right away. Not many places do that. WOW!

I think overall as long as we can stay well, we are going to be ready to go to China on Wed.
**s**

Monday again --dogbutts

Sigh, so today was Monday. Funny we went to the Chinese restaurant and we are so not able to speak the language.
Qin sounds like dropping a metal key onto the floor. Sort of a "ching" sound but quicker.
The word "yuan" which is the money in China....is a word that's almost impossible to say. First you have to take your mouth and make an oooh face. Then say oh-an...in 1 syllable.
The city we are going to is one of the hardest words to say. Xi'an sounds like Shawn or Jwan...or something like that.

So speaking Chinese is going to be a BIG challenge!

Oh, you will love this, at the end of our meal at the Chinese restaurant they always give you a fortune cookie. This is John's fortune: "Life is like a dogsled team, if you aren't the lead dog, the scenery never changes." [This picture is dedicated to all the dog butts we have to look at in life.]

**s**

ponderings

Today was an interesting day. A day of reflection...we gave our introduction in the Sunday School class today. Funny how most people don't know anything about us. It's not like we live a deep secret life or anything, but most people are just too busy to make friends or even act like friends. If I am lucky I have 5 friends in this church, although going to that location to have "church" is really the only common ground we have in common.

It's sad at times, some of the crazy things people say to me. I was asked if we plan on bringing Rachel Qin with us to church. Yeah, I'd assume she'll come to church with us sometime, most 5 yr olds follow their parents lead.

Someone shared that they would like to adopt locally but they don't want a birthparent to be involved in their life. I am amazed everytime I hear this, first the bmom picks the family to place her child and then without her you wouldn't even have the child. So sending a picture or letting someone see the child 1-2 times a year isn't too much of a burden. How can people be so selfish?

I was thinking today in church that I am going to cry when I see her. I am going to want to hold her in my arms and twirl in circles. It's like a dream that's ending, since I haven't gotten any new pictures or an update, I look at my 2 pictures of our little girl and wonder what she looks like. Does she even know we exist? Does she know we are coming? What will she understand? Does she speak English? Will she like us?

Since it's LENT, I've heard "you should be thankful" --do you know how thankful we are? Imagine not having a family, or anyone who really loved you. Imagine feeling like a caged bird. You own nothing, have nothing, are treated like nothing......and then you become my daughter.
IT's like winning the lottery--one minute you have nothing and the next minute you are smothered with everything. OVERLOAD!

I can't wait to go to China, but then again...I am afraid. So many people fill my head with the "what ifs" and then I wonder. God is in control and he knows our limiations. I put Rachel Qin in God's hands and pray that we can be worthy parents.

I pray that we can safely fly to China and home. I would hate to die in a planecrash and have Alexander not have us to care for him anymore. That's the biggest fear. I would want to live to see 100 so that I can see Alexander graduate, go to college, walk down the aisle with a bride, and give me grandbabies to love. I don't want to cheat him or me out of life. I just have to believe that God would not be so cruel as to have John and I die and leave Alexander to fend for himself.

Lots to think about in this blog today.
**s**

gimme a break

Hello, I guess I haven't thought about counting down yet. We were working on figuring out why our outlook express doesn't work on our laptop. Of course, it can't be fixed without reloading Xp --and you have to have the startup disc, who knows where that is. So I guess it stays broken for now.

Since I am typing....the church is having a foreign foods Sunday which is 2 days before we leave. We told them NO, we're too busy to make food for this event. I would think the secretary could get it but I got a recipe in the mail today. It's annoying to think people are so stuck in their own zone that they think no doesn't really mean no. I think we will give the letter to the pastor and tell him "our no---means no."

We have a box that we've been putting items in that are going with us to China. If Dolly knew about this box, she'd sit in it. I hope that by Wed I can have most things packed up. My Avon order should be in this week and I need to get it all delivered this week too. Plus I have a Am Legion Aux meeting that I might be running.....the verdict is still out on that yet.

So, I think with packing for China, getting our businesses ready to be on their own for 15 days, and everything else I have to get done.....I don't need to be hassled.

**s**

checking our list

Soon we will stop ladybug looking and will actually collect our ladybug out of China. Our tickets arrived while we were in Chicago. They seem to be done correctly.

John picked up our Chinese money today at the bank...so we're mostly ready.

Now to mail out my family newsletters to let everyone know we are finally going. I also made an insert for our church bulletin (glad I have lots of secretary skills.) And I called to get some things organized for next week.

Next giant thing to finish is packing. We're going to pack to bags to check and pray that they arrive, or at least one of them since we will co-mingle our clothes so if either one is lost forever we can manage.

Next week is going to feel like a blur. Funny among everything I have to do, I have to deliver some Avon orders IF they arrive before Wednesday or I have to hope that my helper or sister can get them delivered for me. Oh, don't forget not to stress....it's bad for your skin. :)

I used this verse at the bottom of my bulletin:

"And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me."
Matthew 18:5

Happy Weekend!
**s**

Chinese consulate in Chicago

Greetings from Chicago. We are here to get our Chinese Consulate Visa :) so that we can go to China. Glad it was warm out, they moved the location it's not at 100W anymore but 1E ---so we had to walk a bit farther.

It was pretty easy, we walked in and took the elevator. The hardest part was that there wasn't a sign when we got off the elevator. You go left :) and then to the end of the hall and stand in line. We had everything ready, so we walked in and everyone starts smiling at Alexander. He's such a flirt.

You don't pay upfront which I thought was funny. They were very nice. So John will walk over tomorrow and pick them up.

It's been a nice day.
**s**


"Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good." (Psalm 85:12a)

Why Adopt?

I was shocked that the local Evangical Magazine had an article in it about adoption with Steven Chapman. He did say some wonderful things. I like that he said "Adoption is a visible gospel --we were once without a name, without a hope and a future, but God took us in and called us His children." So if we're all adopted by God, then why are so many people almost anti-adoption in today's Churches?

He said that not everyone should adopt, but there are other ways to help out. It's nice to see that even he mentions that those that won't ever adopt should help those that are willing to do an adoption. Adoption is a ministry. I would hope that children are loved in all the homes that adopt. Jesus loved kids. I believe that if money were no object we'd have a bunch more.

We spoke up in church and told the whole church that we are really going to China. Everyone was like "it's about time." Yeah, it sure is. Although I have no new pictures or updates to share with anyone, we will have pictures once we go to get her!

Have a good week, I'm sure ours will be busy.
Pray for our finances and our travel arrangements.
May God open doors financially to help us pay for all our adoption expenses.

**s**

Happy Birthday Alexander!

Happy Birthday Alexander!

I am blessed to be your mommy.

Or as you say "the Ma Ma"

We love you!

**s**

Bloom where you are planted

I'll have to find this poem and share it. It's written by a nun, and it basically says: "God put you here for a reason in the spot that you are in." I was thinking about this today when John and I were talking and asked what he thought about that with Rachel Qin.

Very interesting topic....and John's right. She isn't planted anywhere. She's sitting in an orphanage waiting as life passes her by. She's a seedling sitting on a hot rock waiting for help. She hasn't bloomed and she hasn't been planted. We're not uprooting her---she's never been planted, sprouted, watered, loved, adored, admired, etc. She needs me.

Look at the opportunities that we're giving her. Beyond the fact that she'll feel like Pollyanna...winning the shopping lottery.... She'll have her own room. Her own clothes. She'll be a part of a big family with a mother, father, little brother, grammas, grampas, and lots of aunties and uncles who already love her. Not to mention all my friends and online friends who can't wait to meet her or see her picture. She already is being loved. Prayers are already prayed for her.

Someday soon we will go and scoop her up, bring her home and plant her right in the middle of Wisconsin soil. She will not only be a US citizen, but she will become an American woman. Yes, she will be MY DAUGHTER! I will water her, groom her, love her, and teach her to blossom.

Her "bloom where you are planted" story might start in China....but it detours to USA (Wisconsin) and where will she end up?

Amazing!

***s***

China chatter

Hello Kitty Dolls picture "borrowed" from ebay :)

We have no new travel info about China yet. Maybe early next week.

We did get Rachel Qin insurance today. Hurray! We called around and didn't think we'd find any, after about 4 phone calls we got some. WOW!

John ordered Chinese money from the bank, so we'll have some to spend in the airport. $1 of ours will buy 8 of their money. We'll need a bag to carry our money around there :)

I need to find my travel/packing list. I had one, if I can't find it I guess I'll have to ask someone online to give me a new one.

**s**

TA --Travel Approval for China

Okay---TA (our Travel Approval) has arrived!

We're officially going to China! HURRAY!
Rachel Qin, pack your bags--your coming home to America.

Everything is not officially confirmed yet but we are going about March 15th and will be back about March 28th. Already called the travel agency to get things rolling.

DANCE WITH US!

Alexander--is almost 2

Hello,
Here is a picture of Alexander. He will be 2 on February 26th. What a blessing! I can't explain to those that don't know me, how important he is to me. They will never understand the prayers, the tears or the joy of bringing him home to our house. We have been blessed to share our lives with Alexander.

His happiness and outgoing personality is such a gift to us and those around us. He could easily become a Walmart greeter. He loves to say hello to everyone he sees. He loves to smile and he loves music.

Sometimes we say "DollyAlex" and "AlexDolly" several times a day. It's nice that they can play so nice together. :)

Valentine's day

Sad to celebrate Valentine's day in bed sick. John went to visit his brother and family and we booked the fancy room at the hotel.....well I had such a terrible pain in my jaw that I just couldn't go. I was in bed with the heating pad on my face praying the pain went away.

Finally the pain went away, and John and Alexander came home from Ma's at the end of Valentine's Day. He bought me some cookies and a DVD--The Corpse Bride.

It came and went. I loved it no more or less than other V-days.

**s**

Olympic games have started

Do you even care? So much going on how could I possibly add watching the Olympics into my day? This was a cool site someone sent me about the Knitting Olympics....here's the website: http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/olympics2006.html

So Valentine's day is fastly approaching...do you plan something special to your sweetie's day or don't you even bother? Is V-day only for young couples and those that have been married a while don't even bother? How do you make holidays exciting (and V-day is a BIGGIE for me)?

Anyways, I am going to try to post more often, I need to make this a priority.
TGIF!
**s**

February --the month of love?