Pre travel reflections

As the days approach...yes in 7 days I will be holding our youngest son, God willing. At times it's hard to wrap your mind around it at times.   The adoptions chats range from mothers high on excitement to petrified with doubt and fear from what will their new child think of them, what will they eat, will they even come to me?

This is not our first rodeo, and maybe that is why I am a bit guarded this time around.  I know what and can go wrong. I am only trying to be realistic about adoption- yes is it glorious- but we know it stems from loss trauma, grief and brokenness.  It will not go smoothly, my baby will be handed to me sick and broken and I can't fix him.  Children do not always run to their parents and if they do it is only an act because the fear imposed in them. (things we now know)  Adoption IS beautiful but it does not unfold into beauty the moment we take custody.  It takes years and years of peeling back the layers of hurt, pain of emotional loss.  Yes, our adopted children MAY look "normal" but they come with a suitcase of brokenness we can never heal.  And maybe the first adoption, I was blissfully blind to this.  We were saving a child from certain physical death.  The second time, it was an extraordinary experience with our entire family --minus a few major melt downs, vomiting on the plane- but the work is still being done.

Now reality has sunk in, and these little broken lives continue to mean the world to us ---but we cannot save them---only Jesus can truly heal their brokenness--just like mine.  And with that thought I submit each step of this travel process to the Lord for his sovereign hand and protection for Justin, Jacob Wen Xiang and I.  For only the Lord can prepare us for what will happen...Wen Xiang we love you dearly and we welcome you into our hearts and family exactly who you are!  Brokenness and ALL.

For all of you who pray for us and walk beside us financially...we have been so blessed.  We enter this third international trip (fourth adoption) knowing God worked through you and your selfless giving. Thank you for being part of our adoption story.  


TRAVEL Details
   Sept 16  Flights starting at  10:30am Madison to Chicago
                              Chicago to Beijing
                              Beijing to Guangzhou
Arrive Sept 17  Overnight in Guangzhou (GZ)
Sept 18 Flight GZ to Nanning
Sept 19  Pick up Wen Xiang!!!!!
              We spend the week in Nanning doing paperwork and sightseeing till his passport is ready.
Sept 23   Flight back to GZ
              Medical appointment (Sept 24), Consulate appointment (sept 26)(issue visa)
Sept 29 Flight home  Arrive home Sept 29  with time changes.  Madison 6:30 pm.