T - 34 hours

It has been hard to concentrate on anything today, but I did manager to tie up some loose ends before Wednesday when David and I leave the US for China. Did I really just say that? Yes, we are leaving. Over the last fourteen months I have read blogs, prayed for and followed other families as they made the journey to China and I have followed them since they made it home. I've looked at the pictures of those families and dreamed of the day that it would be our turn. Well next Monday, China time (late Sunday night US eastern time), we will be taking pictures with our new daughter.
As I have prepared for this trip, one thing that I was not expecting is how I am feeling about leaving my other children behind. I guess I had not allowed myself to spend much time thinking about that part. They will be well taken care of, I know. Katie, Matt, and Abby will spend Thanksgiving the same way they do every year, at my sisters house with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and friends. I am so thankful for my family who has been consistently supportive to us on this journey. Thank you all for loving our children and watching out for them while we are away. When my family found out we would be gone for Thanksgiving they were a little upset, they wanted to know who would pray before they ate dinner, that has always been David's job (they weren't really upset). One of the benefits of being the preacher in the family. I'll see if I can wake David up in the middle of the night, maybe he could still pray if we used facetime.
If I remember correctly this will be the first Thanksgiving I have ever spent away from family, but it is also the first time I've gone to China to get a new daughter. I am very happy that I will be spending Thanksgiving with Jaelynn. We definitely have so much to be thankful for.
Please pray for us while we are away and pray for Jaelynn's little heart, that we would be able to help her as she grieves over the only life she has ever known. God has chosen us to be her parents and my desire is to do that job well. I am so very thankful for the people who have taken care of her over the last several years. It is obvious that she has been loved well.
We will post pictures on our blog and Facebook as the Internet allows. I am looking forward to sharing "gotcha day" pictures with everyone.
See you all in China!
"God sets the lonely in families" Psalm 68:6