Getting Ready to Go Thoughts

Well, we finally got every last little thing done before the biggest trip of our lives. We went to bed feeling very satisfied that a HUMONGOUS job of packing was complete, but sleep was still hard to come by. We are now sitting in the Detroit airport. The internet isn’t free, so I am just putting my thoughts down in Word. I feel like I am in a happy daze, and it still is not real that we are getting on a plane to go around the world in an hour or so.

We found out Tuesday that we are going to be able to visit Emma’s orphanage this week. The agency said that the guide worked really hard to make it happen for us. I had to run out yesterday and get a big box of fruit snacks from Sam’s Clubbio to take to the orphanage. Of course there were a couple of other last minute things I needed as well. We are going to see if they will let us buy all the kids some ice cream or if the orphanage needs something that we could purchase for them. I know that is going to be a super emotional day for all of us, but I think it will be good for Emma to possibly have some closure as well.

Before we get into the busyness of the trip, I just want to say thank you to all of our friends and family who helped to make our adoption of Emma possible. Sometimes it truly takes a village! Without all of your support, we would not be about to begin our new journey as a family of four. We are truly humbled and grateful for the love and prayers and financial support that we have received. Our hearts are full of anticipation and joy.

Josh and I were talking about when we first started thinking about adoption. We went to our very first meeting in January of 2005. Adoption had been on my heart for quite a few years, but I had to wait for Josh to want it as well. He saw a newspaper ad about an adoption fair in November 2004 and saw the agency advertisement for their informational adoption meeting. We were both leaning towards domestic adoption, but after the meeting we both knew we wanted to adopt from China. It was by far the biggest thing we had ever attempted together, but God was with us every step of the way. Now, we have a beautiful daughter waiting for us, just a short plane ride away!

The Schedule of Events:

We should arrive in Beijing at 9:20 pm on Friday evening.

We will spend Saturday and Sunday touring Beijing.

Sunday evening, June 24th we will fly to Nanjing.

We won’t find out until later whether we get Emma on the 24^th or the 25^th.

We fly to Guangzhou on June 30^th and then back home on the 4^th of July!!

Comment posted by Ray and Rita Sanchez

at 6/23/2007 10:22:45 AM

I just cannot wait until you have that little girl in your arms, what a joy and answer to prayer that will be. You will literally be holding a blessing straight from heaven care of GOD:).

Rita