We Are Not In Tennessee Anymore!!!

HOLY MACKERAL!!! (that's redneck for oh my goodness). The journey that God has taken us on the past few days is filled with all kinds of emotions and right now Crystal, Maggie and myself are drained. After 3 days of traveling, missing flights, bad weather, 9600 miles,19 hours in the air and 3 days without my kids we finally meet Miss Maggie Mei-Ling Dye. We rushed from Beijing to Guiyang province got off the plane, meet our guide, got on 2 buses and headed to town to meet our princess. When we meet our guide he told us that our children were waiting on us and we were going to get them, right then, in just 15 minutes. My heart done a double back summersault and my stomach drew up in knots. At this point I could tell Crystal was getting emotional. We got off the bus and rushed up stairs and when we got off the elevator and walked through that door my eyes meet hers and we were overwhelmed. One of the most (5 my wife and kids) beautiful sites I had ever laid eyes on was looking back at me. She was a little upset at first but know she won't even let Crystal out her sight. She's not sure about Dad yet but she did let me feed her.
All I can say is God is AWSOME!!! My favorite verses in the bible are in Psalms 62:1-12, in verse 5 the psalmist says "find rest in God alone, my hope comes from Him. (6) He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. (7) My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge. (8) Trust in Him at all times , O people pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge. We are a blessed people and we in America take that for granted Some of the things that we have saw over here is mind-blowing. WE ARE BLESSED!!! As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.
Please pray for Crystal, she is so exhausted and emotionally drained that she is not feeling good. Pray for us cause we really miss our children. God Bless from China!!!

We have arrived and survived!

We made it to Beijing around 11:00 pm and finally made it to our hotel and checked in around 2:00 am. It's daylight hours at home, so I'm tired, but really feeling like it's time for bed yet. We left Detroit at night and arrived here at night, so we really haven't seen anything yet. And by the way, it's snowing here! Around 3 inches are on the ground. Oh yeah, very glad I missed the Great Wall and the outdoor sight seeing that was planned. Our hotel is very nice and somehow we're in an executive suite. Yay us! Tomorrow (well really today I guess) our flight leaves at 12:05 pm for Guizhou. Soon after, we meet Maggie for the first time. It will be quite emotional I'm sure. Pray for us as we deal with this time change. I will post pictures soon!

Ni Hao from Detroit!!!

Off to a bit of a rocky start....our plane was scheduled to leave Nashville at 6:12 last night, but due to storms it was delayed for 2 hours. Our flight from Detroit to Beijing was also delayed, but not enough for us to make the flight. We landed here in Detroit about 15 minutes after our Beijing flight took off. Oh yes, and I was in tears. The next flight to Beijing is tonight. After looking at different flight options and with different airlines, this flight is the most practical. There were no other flights to get us there significantly earlier. So.....we've missed out on a day of sight seeing with our travel group in Beijing. Not the end of the world or anything....just frustrating to not be there as planned. Now, let's look at the glass as half full. We got some sleep last night in a hotel, we're already here at the airport today, there's a Starbucks around every corner and this airport has places to shop! Yay!!! Today is Kevin's birthday and I have to say I'm glad I have him all to myself. We've walked around, shopped, drank Starbucks, people watched and he played a virtual game of golf at Pebble Beach. We're still one day closer to getting our girl and thankfully this bump in the road hasn't altered any plans other than a day of sight seeing. We are scheduled to arrive in Beijing at 11:40 pm (China time) and the very next morning we are scheduled to fly out of Beijing to go to Guizhou and get Maggie! No room to adjust to China time. Just pick up our daughter and keep going. Oh well, I'm used to life being that way with children :-) For whatever reason our plans got changed here in the beginning, I am thankful. Not so much last night when it was all taking place, but after some rest and a lot of prayer I know that God knew all this and planned all of this himself. I have to trust his reason. There was a lot of rough weather around Nashville as well as Detroit last night and I'm thankful we are safe. Now, let's try this again!

For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. Psalm 91:11

Operation: Bring Maggie Home!

The countdown is on! One week from today is "Gotcha Day" and Maggie will officially be a part of our family. We leave Nashville airport this Thursday evening headed for China. Much is still to be done and I think I'm about to suffer from exhaustion! This last week was already planned out for me as is this next week. The one thing our Dr. told us to do before going is to get plenty of rest, exercise and fluids. Well.....I got the fluid part down. Pray for my health if I cross your mind. All the busyness combined with the stress of leaving kids behind and traveling is beginning to take its toll. I nearly passed out this morning trying to get ready for church! On the up side of things, I hope to get some rest while traveling (got some meds to help that) and we'll meet our beautiful daughter soon after arriving. Also, I found out that I should be able to blog and facebook (after downloading VPN) while we're there.  Four more days until travel and seven more days until gotcha. I know the Lord has ordered our steps in this journey and I ask all of you to help pray for physical strength to see us through. Hopefully my next post will be from Beijing. So for now, Ni Hao (hello pronounced nee-how) and Zaijian (good-bye pronounced zi-jee-ahn)from Hohenwald, Tennessee.


 A man's steps are directed by the Lord.                                  Proverbs 20:24a


Do not be afraid for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west.                                                                                       Isaiah 43:5

Travel Plans: Some Babies arrive by plane!

The call we've waited on finally came!  On Friday, February 24, I received a call from our travel coordinator that we had our travel approval and we would be traveling in 3 weeks!  Sydney and I were in Wal-Mart when the call came.  She got so excited that she wanted to call everyone right then.  So we did.  She was so proud to share the news. 

We leave Thursday evening March 15 from Nashville and land in Detroit.  From Detroit we have a long flight to Beijing.  Our total time in the air is going to be around 17 hours.  I plan to take books, music and medication.  We are scheduled to land in Beijing around midnight (China time) on Friday the 16th.  We're practically losing a day on the way over.  Funny thing is, the 16th is Kevin's birthday.  I told him I shouldn't have to get him anything this year since we're literally flying right past it :-)  Since our flight is at night and it'll be bedtime when we get to China, maybe I can catch up some years of sleep deprivation! 

We will be in a travel group with some other families from our agency as well.  Including us, I believe it's 4 or 5 families.  All of us will fly into Beijing and then most everyone is going to a different province for their children.  Then everyone from our group will reunite in Guangzhou where everything will be made final.  It'll be interesting to get to know a few people in the China adoption world.  A sweet little surprise awaited us as I read thru our travel itinerary.  Typically, families are in Beijing for 2 days to sightsee before traveling to their child's province.  Guess what?  We are only in Beijing for one day of sightseeing and then on to Maggie's province.  We will have her in our arms a day earlier than we expected!  That is really a big deal to me!  Isn't that just like God to give you those sweet little gifts?  I just taught our Sunday night kids a lesson on patience a couple of weeks ago.  One of the things I told them is that God in never late, he's rarely early and he's always on time!  Now I'm gonna have to tell those kids he did something early for me!

I also found out that Facebook and Blogger are blocked in China.  Doesn't that figure?!  I will most likely ask someone to keep my blog going for me.  Hopefully I can email them our posts and photos and they can "blog it" for me.  There's a lot of travel in-country once we get there as well.  Our itinerary is as follows:

Thursday, March 15- Depart Nashville for Detroit, then depart Detroit for Beijing

Friday, March 16- Arrive in Beijing at approx midnight

Saturday, March 17- Beijing Sightseeing

Sunday, March 18- GOTCHA DAY!  A.M.- Flight to Guizhou

P.M.- Meet Maggie Mei-Ling Dye!!!

Monday, March 19---Thursday, March 22- Civial affairs appt and LOTS of other appointments as well as some sightseeing and shopping in her home province.

Friday, March 23- Flight to Guangzhou (where adoption will be made final) for Consulate appt and paperwork 

Saturday, March 24---Tuesday, March 27- Maggie's medical exam, more paperwork and sightseeing/shopping

Wednesday, March 28- Consulate appt at 10:00 am and Consulate Oath-Taking Ceremony

Thursday, March 29- Pick-up Maggie's visa and depart Guangzhou for Hong Kong

Friday, March 30- Depart Hong Kong for the USA!!!

Arrive in Detroit (Maggie will officially become a US citizen as soon as our plane touches down)

Depart Detroit for Nashville!!!

My brain is overwhelmed at this point at what needs to be packed, getting all the arrangements in place for our kids while we're gone, paying some bills ahead, etc.  I have to say little Miss Maggie is mostly packed!  I did most of hers today.  So much fun!  On the other end of things, my 3 kiddos are getting nervous now that the time for mom and dad to leave is this close.  They're a little worried for our safety, but mostly worried just because we've never been away from one another for this length of time.  I'll admit I almost tear up when I think about leaving them behind.  I'm afraid if I start crying I won't be able to stop.  I'm praying and I ask you all to be praying that these 15 days will pass quickly for all of us.  We will be able to see/talk to the kids thru skype and they will be able to see some of the things Maggie is doing, so hopefully that will help.

I can't believe we're almost there....just a year ago in March we were attending a seminar from our agency to find out what adoption is all about.  I honestly felt God was going to move quick for us, but I never imagined it like this.  I'm so thankful for all we've learned.  We continue to ask each of you to pray.  Right now, specifically for our children and our safety.  Secondly, for our health and the health of our children during these days.  And most of all for the transition that's before all of us.  A whole new world for Maggie as well as transitioning for my family.  I pray Maggie will attach and bond to us quicker than we imagine and that our children will love and welcome her into their hearts and our home as soon as they meet.  Exciting days ahead!  Thank you to all of you for following us, encouraging us and praying for us.

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.   Proverbs 25:25

.....He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion.....Phillipians 1:6

The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.    1Thessalonians 5:24

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you.   Isaiah 26:3

Happy Birthday!

Our baby is 2 years old today. I was so hoping we would have her and be back home by now, but it's obviously not time yet.  Any day now we are expecting the call from our agency that we have travel approval and can begin making all the arrangements.  I've wondered all day what she might be doing.  I'm wondering if her foster family may have had a celebration for her.  I'm wishing we were with her to sing "Happy Birthday".


 But more than that, my mind has been wondering a lot lately about her birth mother.  On this day, 2 years ago, she gave birth to this precious girl.  She has to remember that.  How could this date not go by without her wondering about the sweet baby girl she chose to give up?  People have often asked me, "What kind of mother would leave her child for someone to find?", or "Is there something wrong with her that the mother didn't want her?".  I've stopped and thought a lot about who this woman must be.....maybe she is young and unmarried, maybe she is older and not well, maybe she already has other children and simply did not have the means to raise another child or very possibly she was forced into giving her up simply because she's a girl.  China has been under a one child law since 1970.  Naturally, families want boys for work and a means of social security for the parents since they are so poor.  Because of that reason alone, tons of baby girls have been given up over the years.

For me, giving up my children would absolutely be the last resort.  I would have to have tried every way possible to make it work.  I would do without for myself or possibly kill someone first if I thought I had to leave them for someone else to find and hope that they would care for them.  Unlike America, China has few options for mothers when it comes to their children's welfare.  There aren't Chinese families lined up on a waiting list to adopt them at birth, there is no government welfare and most families do not have the resources to pay the hefty fine they are charged if they have more than one child.  The irony is, you are not allowed more than one child or there are consequences and it's illegal to abandon children although the orphanages are full and no one is in jail for abandonment.  Boys are revered and girls are considered "no good".  I could go on and on about China's history and the terrible things that go on. I believe abandonment is a woman's "birth plan" in China.  Sure, there are terrible things that go on in America and other countries as well.  But I know without a doubt God led us to China, not anywhere else.

I wonder if her birth mother is a Christian.  Maybe she prayed for a godly family to raise her daughter.  Maybe she's a prostitute.  We will never know.  But I believe with all my heart she has stopped and thought about her baby girl on this day and wonders about her.  Could she ever forget her sweet face?  Could she ever forget the sound of her cry when she was born?  Did it take all the courage she could muster to leave her?  Did she stand close by to make sure she was taken to safety?  When I take myself through these emotions I realize the kind of mother who would abandon her child.  That kind of mother would be me.  That kind of mother would most likely be you.  If it was absolutely impossible to raise a baby, would you want a better life for her?  I feel abandonment is probably the most courageous thing this mother could do for this child.  God had a plan for Maggie long before her birth mother did.  Kevin said in an earlier post that she was created to be our daughter.  Although she was created in the womb of a different woman, she was created for our family.  If I ever had the opportunity to say anything to her birth mother it would be to thank her for giving her life.  To thank her for being brave enough to leave her in order that Maggie may have a better life.  I would want her to know how very much she will be loved and she will be afforded all the opportunities that children deserve.  I would tell her our story of how God put all of this together for such a time is this.

 Happy Birthday my Asian angel. Your family loves you and is waiting for you!

"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?  Though she may forget, I will not forget you!"                                Isaiah 49:15

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.                                                                     Psalm 139:13-16

"....I tell you the truth, whatever you have done for the least of these, you have done for me."
                                                                                            Matthew 25:40

Update...yay!!!

I saw the face of Jesus in a little orphan girl,

she was standing in a corner on the other side of the world.

And I heard the voice of Jesus whisper something to my heart,

"Didn't you say you wanted to find me? Well, here I am,

Here you are".

So what now? What will you do, now that you found me?

What now? What will you do with this treasure you found?

I know I may not look like what you expected,

but if you'll remember, this is right where I said I would be,

You found me.  So what now?

-What Now?  By Steven Curtis Chapman

(This has been my theme song thru this adoption journey)

Here she is!  Two weeks from turning 2 years old.  She's grown and changed right before our eyes in every photo since we've been on this journey.  Isn't she beautiful?!  From the looks of her surroundings, I believe she is still with her foster family.  At some point she will return to the orphanage before we travel.  I am so thankful for this family that has been taking care of her.  God put them in her life (and ours) for such a time as this.  I know letting go of her will be difficult for them.  They've had her since she was 5 days old.  How could they not be attached?  In this update, her foster mother let us know that taking her outside to play or letting her listen to music will cheer her up when she becomes upset or sad.  My heart grieves for Maggie and this family as I think about the bond that is about to be broken between them. 

She is described as a clever and obedient child.  She enjoys hugs and attention (no problem there) and she has an older foster sister in her home that she enjoys playing with.  She is also described as an extrovert.  She likes to laugh, play and listen to music.  She can run everywhere, climb up and down stairs and knows how to open boxes and rummage through them (oh boy! I'd forgotten what toddlers are all about!). 

Check out the sleeve around her wrist.  Look at the number of layers she has on my baby!  At least they're not letting her get cold!  She looks pretty chubby in all that garb.  Actually, her current weight and height are 19.8 lbs. and 31.5 inches tall.  She has 16 teeth and is in good physical health.  She speaks Mandarin and can carry on a simple conversation (please Lord, let her English catch on quick!).  She's not a picky eater and eats almost everything (that's my girl!).  She has started using the potty, but still needs a little help.  She sleeps in her own crib and takes a 2 hour nap each day. 

I can't wait to squeeze and smooch this little face!  So, when is still the big question on everyone's mind.  It's on ours too.  We should have our travel dates within the next 2 weeks!  Most definitely it will be March when we go.  I hoped and prayed for February, but the Lord has something different in mind it seems.  Her forever family is getting awfully impatient on this side of the globe!  For those of you reading, keep praying as we come to your mind.  There's so much to prepare for in traveling and her transition.  Our journey of adoption is soon to end, but our lifetime journey to love and raise her as part of our family is about to begin.  Words cannot describe the closeness I feel to the Lord these recent days.  There's no way I can even describe it or explain how grateful I am for all that we've learned and seen at the hand of God in this place of our lives.  Our day to meet Maggie is near.  I feel her in my heart.

.....we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons.......     Romans 8:23

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.  He sets the lonely in families....
                                                                                                             Psalm 68:5-6a