For Kaylee

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you"

1 Peter 5:7

24 HOURS

Good morning to all,

Yes I am facing the reality that I have less than 24 hours left. I still fell like I have packed more for a trip to Falls Creek than a 3 week trip to China. I know, Falls Creek doesn't have a bag and weight limit. I keep looking at my list and trying to add more to it, so I can fell like my list is even remotely close to Connie's. Then I laugh because why would I want to have so many more things to do today.

Yesterday was a very stressful day, even more stressful for Connie, so I am very glad that it is behind her and me. I did get everything done in Enid that I needed to get done, and I made a special trip to Fairview for a very special item (Thanks Erica, it will be a lifesaver). So all in all I was able to mark off alot from the "to do list". I think today will go very well, and my goal is to be able to go to church and enjoy the evening.

Please pray for me and my sinus infection. This morning I seem to feel worse than I have since Saturday. The medicine doesn't seem to be doing the job and I really just want to feel better in the morning. Please also continue to pray for Kaylee, we have had 3 breakdowns, and she keeps telling me she is trying to be strong for me. I have told her that we are being strong for each other, and trying to be strong for ourselves. I pray that God will give her the same peace He has given me.

We leave in the morning at 4:00 am to head to the airport. Because it is an international flight we must be there 2 hours ahead of our departure time. Much to Kaylee's disappointment she will be back in the early hours of school, darn it, she wanted to miss much more than that. So this time tomorrow they will be headed back, and the Johnson's and I will be facing the beginning of our 24 hour journey to China. Bring it on........ I am so ready

Next blog from me:
Coming to you from Beijing China!!!!!!!!!!

I am trying to be productive......

Wow, I can’t seem to slow down to think about what I need to do next. My mind is racing, and I am pretty sure that I am not winning the race. I am trying to do laundry, pack, clean my house and check items off of my "to do list". I contacted Connie and told her that my luggage really doesn't look full enough. I told her that I really feel like I am forgetting something really important. (Yes I do have my passport packed) I look at my luggage, and check the list and I am right on target, so why do I feel like I am lacking something, I know what it could be...... sanity!

Tomorrow will take me back to Enid once again. Hopefully it will be my last one before we leave. I really don't want to go back to Wal Mart, because every time I do, I seem to spend more money than the last time I was there. I am sure that it is not my abilities to spend money or anything like that... Well only 3 days left, I must go and get busy.

Praise The Lord

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.

1 Chronicles 16:34

I can't imagine my life without my Lord, my family and my church. I want to thank everyone who has supported me, prayed for me, and encouraged me. My heart is filled with joy, and a unmistakable peace. This feeling has been present since this morning when so many of you prayed over us at church on Sunday. You have no idea how that made me feel. To see and feel the love from all of you, along with the love and support from my family also has been so comforting and helping me face my fears. Like I said I feel a peace, and can't say enough "Thank You". To all those who said they would pray for The Johnson's and I is overwhelming and comforting, but yet I can't imagine starting this journey without prayer. Thanks Mom, Erica, Rita, Amanda, Tracy, Ladena, Church family, and all those who I don't know about, for the encouragement, prayers and love

Good News

Its official, I do not have the flu. I have been diagnosed with a sinus infection. Ten days of antibiotics and I will be back to normal, so the way I see it after Gotcha Day I will be better...... ha ha. I am not sure how that is going to help with the flight. No really I am glad that it started before we left. I must not be up to par though because I went to Enid and was completely unorganized; I even decided to get my medicine from Wal-Mart and leave. I did not even want to shop, can you believe that. More updates later, thanks for checking in with me.

Gotcha Day!!!!!

We have a "Gotcha Day"! Gotcha day is the day the Johnson's will receive Kaeleb. They are told from the adoption agency when the day will be, and they, as well as I, will be holding Kaeleb on Monday March 3rd. Connie even said she thinks it will be in the morning. This precious moment will be on Sunday evening March 2nd (Oklahoma time). Connie is surprised, she figured it would be on March 4th (China). So a week from Sunday (Oklahoma) she well meet face to face with her son.

Well today brings me to another decision. I am not feeling the best and must decide if I should go to the doctors or hope maybe it is an outcome from the past basketball games. I really don't know why I am trying to fool myself, because I am sure that these symptoms are not from screaming "Defense". So I am headed to Urgent Care to either give me another dreaded shot or strong antibiotics. I feel like my head at times is going to explode, and I know that flying with a sinus infection is not pleasant. So I must take care of it now so I have time for the medicine to kick in. I praise the Lord that it has come today instead of Thursday morning.

If you want to see someone who can multitask, I ask you to peak in on Connie, and all that is happening around her. I give Connie a round of applause for all the hard work that happen yesterday and today. All the phone calls, emails, questions, asking my opinion (which was not necessary), and stress she endured yesterday would give anyone a migraine, yet she did it and we are officially booked on a plane, and a sight seeing trip in Beijing. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you......

Now let me tell you a little bit of the details. We are leaving on Thursday morning (February 28th) at 7:45. We will fly to Dallas, then to Tokyo, and on to Beijing. Including lay overs, and flights we will arrive in Beijing on Friday (China time) the 29th at 9:20 p.m. (7:20 am on Friday, Oklahoma time). As most of you know, I am afraid of flying, and I am pleased to announce that out of all the flights (coming and going) the longest flight is 13.5 hours. I think I can do this, but in reality do I have a choice. Once I get on that plane, I really don't think the pilot is going to stop for me. I have embraced the challenge, and I really do think (knowing the Lord will be with me) that I am ready to do this. Without overwhelming you I can tell you that we will return to the states on March 19th around 9:50 p.m. I am sure that we will be very tired, so we will get home just in time to go to bed. Can't beat a deal like that.

Just a side note, my heart goes out to our Boys Basketball team. I am very proud of you all, even though it was not the outcome you wanted you still had a great season and you should be very proud of your accomplishments, sportsmanship and heart for the game. WTG Ringwood, you had a great year.

Yeah we have CA!!!!!!!!! Their consultant appointment is March 17th....... This is at the end of our trip, and we have to be in China on March 2nd. We are planning a sight seeing trip in Beijing, before we arrive in Guangzhou. With this adventure beginning our trip, we would be leaving on February 28th - yes 6 days away. So as I write this my friend is checking on flights and booking everything that’s needed to be taken care before we leave. This makes me feel I should be doing something besides sitting at the computer. I don't think that it has set in that we are leaving in 6 days, and that we will be gone for 3 weeks. Wow the journey is here and I am so excited, that I am able to be a part of this once in a lifetime opportunity. Can you imagine that I (the one that is always up for an adventure) will be in that wild and crazy, fast paced, packed with over 1 million people, birthplace to precious little Kaeleb in a week?
So I must gather my thoughts, gather my stuff, and even for me this is overwhelming, yet I can hardly wait for our journey to begin.

"Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he does for his people."

Psalms 66:5

It's Here, TA is here!!!!!

My God is Faithful. In our prayers we were asking for a Wednesday TA, God has given us that. TA is here and now we are waiting for definite travel dates. The processes of the next steps are waiting for a consultant date, which they are asking for March 17th or 18th. If that is granted and confirmed we will be leaving a week from tomorrow. Oh my gosh, the emotions that are running through me are in mistakable and strong. So many thoughts, like will Kaylee do alright, ?how long is the plane trip?, we have only 7 days to prepare (not really since I have known that I was going for at least 5 months), do I have everything packed, and the emotions that I am feeling, like scared, excited, overwhelmed, filled with Joy, panic, and love for a little boy I can't wait to meet. Well as you can tell my mind is racing, my stomach is in knots, and my feet don't know which way to go. But in all of this, my heart and my arms long to hold and kiss a precious little boy.

It's Shot Time

Today is one of the days that I dread. I have to head off to the Garfield County Health Department to get those dreaded shots that are recommended to travel outside the country. I have to have 3 today, fortunately I only have to pay for 1 of them. I will be glad to get this behind me, that is for sure. Just a small price to pay to experience adoption process as close as I can. (without adopting myself......)

I packed some more yesterday, and feel I was some what productive. I can see why they say I will pack and repack many times before we leave. With the suitcase sitting where I see it everytime I walk into my bedroom, I will add and remove many items probably many times. Anyways I am learning how to pack light..... which is new for me.

There Is Good News

The LORD is wonderfully good to those who wait for Him and seek Him

Lamentations 3:25

Hello Everyone,

As the adoption process began many months ago, I have come to realize there is many more emotions I have yet to experience. Even though I have had my ups and downs myself what it comes down to is this "you have no idea what the day will bring." Let me share the good news for today. "TA" has left China and is scheduled to arrive in the states on Wednesday or Thursday. We are praying for Wednesday. With a Wednesday arrival, we would not possibly have to wait through the weekend for a confirmed date of departure. My friends have experienced the weekend wait all too many times. As I type all of this information for you I panic, because I have so much stuff to do before we leave.

So I will sign off for now, with more updates later.

My first post

Welcome to my journey to China, I am so excited to share my excitement, thoughts, and experiences with you. I look forward to telling you everything from preparing for departure, the flight (14 hour flight), the adoption process through my eyes, and all the emotions that will come with this wonderful experience. Thank you for visiting and I look forward to starting this trip of a lifetime.