The Countdown

It is Friday night and the house is quiet.  The boys (husband and son) are slowly drifting to sleep and I writing a short post before settling in for some much needed quiet time.

For almost a month Zeke has been counting down the days and crossing off boxes until the day we get on the "big airplane."  As he crossed off tonight's box I started thinking about what is coming. This time next Friday we will be halfway through a flight to Shanghai, China where we will get on another plane that will take us to Guiyang, Guizhou, the city where Isaiah currently lives. It is surreal to think about and there are some big realities staring me in the face. 

1.  I'm going to be the Mommy of TWO little boys (Lord, help me!).  
2.  I need to check and recheck to make sure I have all of the required paperwork (a folder about an inch thick) ready to pack.
3.  Begin the packing extravaganza for a crazy two weeks in China. 
4.  Get through my last four days of teaching (SO thankful for an amazing job share partner who is going to pick up where I am leaving off with 20 first graders).
5.  Remember to breathe.
6.  Get as much sleep pre-China as possible. Sleep will be sketchy at best while there.
7.  And whatever else I am forgetting because nothing is sticking in my brain right now unless I write it down. HA!

We will see and experience some amazing cultural things while we are in China, but it is NOT a vacation.  It is an utterly exhausting emotional roller coaster ride in a foreign country.  We will be taking care of a (most likely) clingy five year old who doesn't want to share his Mommy and Daddy with a sibling, a two year old who has no clue what is going on, who we are, and won't be able to communicate with us, and if we have the time and energy left, taking care of ourselves.  It makes me tired just thinking about it.  It also makes me wonder if we are crazy! Thankfully we know beyond a doubt that God is bringing our family of four together and we can trust that in the midst of the chaos He will be there to lean on.

This journey has been a nine month "paper pregnancy" and we are thankful it is close to completion (although this is one tiny step in the grand scheme of things).  SO MANY people have been instrumental in our process.  Prayers, donations, encouraging words, sharing in our excitement . . . it has meant the world to us!  I will do my best to keep the blog updated as much as possible while we are in China so you can meet and get to know Isaiah.

Thank you for your continued prayers!