Almost to China

This is it, the week we leave for China.  Amazing!  In the midst of the hectic work of international adoption, it seems like this day will never arrive.  Each step along the way is a mountain of paperwork, frustration, waiting and stress but finally we are almost on our way.  Unbelievable!  God is so good and has stretched us and grown us along the way.

I've had several people ask me if we are excited.  I'm never really sure how to answer that question. In some ways, it feels like we are planning for an awesome vacation. (I have always wanted to go to China.)  But then when I look at the big picture it can be overwhelming.  We will not come home the same family as we have been for the last eight years.  Life as we know it, will never be the same.  The thought of being parents to Brooke is exciting, overwhelming and downright horrifying at times.  What if we are awful at it?  What if she hates us?  All of you who are parents can understand those feeling I am sure.  Overall, my answer to this question is I am calm. I have a deep peace that God is in this.

One of my favorite Bible verses is a filter I try to use to keep my thoughts and actions focused in the right directions.  It is Phil 4:8 - Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  So, as I think about all that is coming for us in the next weeks, months and years, I think about these things:

• God has lead us down this journey to Brooke and made His plan for her to be part of our family very clear.
• God has called His people to care for the orphans of the world.
• God has always cared for us and Brooke and will continue to do so as we go through the adjustments of being a family.
• We have been blessed with friends and family who have supported us and encouraged us along the way.
• We have an incredible prayer team that is committed to praying for us as we make this journey and the adjustments to a new family.

So, we are using the weekend to wrap-up a few odds and ends and then we are on the way to China.  We plan to blog as many days as we can along the way.  Hope you will join us in prayer and in following along here as we see God's plan for our lives unwrap in the days ahead.