Hold on Baby Girl, Mommy and Daddy are Coming!

We have received our Travel Approval from China, confirmed all of our various government appointments in China, and will be flying out on Wednesday, February 27th. This is two weeks later than we had hoped to leave, but we are at peace. At peace, while fully consumed with excitement, delirious with anticipation, and a little nervous for the many ways (both known and unknown) that our life is about to change. It's a strange mixture of emotions.

I have spent the weeks of the new year organizing everything from my freezer to the kids' clothing, purchasing adorable frilly little necessities for Rosalie, knitting wee treasures, and returning Charlie's room to it's previous girlie splendor. (Thankfully I have procrastinated painting for the past three years and the room is still a precious green and pink. Poor little boy :-)

I guess I will spend the next three weeks making detailed instructions for the grandparents, arranging playdates, activities, and meals for while we're gone, and praying that all goes well, both at home and for us in China. Would you pray for these things too? I would never choose to leave my children for two weeks for anything less than this. Of course, it is beyond worth it and completely necessary, but I am still grieving the reality. I am very thankful for two sets of grandparents who are so willing to give of themselves by caring for our kids in our absence. I know the time they spend together will be special and valuable for strengthening their relationships, and this will surely ease the pain of our missing each other.    

Several years ago, John Piper preached a sermon called "Adoption: The Heart of the Gospel". I have listened to it twice now and it is simply the best thing I have ever heard about our spiritual adoption and the correlation between that and our adopting of children.  Adoption truly was God's idea and it was NOT plan B. It was His perfect plan from the foundation of the world. This sermon is powerful, inspiring, and makes me want to fall on my knees and thank God for including me in His family and for allowing Caleb and I to be a part of such a glorious plan for Rosalie and her life. You can listen for yourself at:
www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/conference-messages/adoption-the-heart-of-the-gospel

“But when the fullness of time had come, 

God sent forth his Son, 

born of woman, born under the law, 

to redeem those who were under the law, 

so that we might receive adoption as sons.

 And because you are sons, 

God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, 

crying, 'Abba! Father!' So you are no longer a slave, 

but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.”

Galatians 4:4-7