Sarah is doing wonderfully well. If anyone had told me all that we would be experiencing I never would have believed them. Sarah is bright and happy with a ready smile and musical laugh. She has been very loved during her 2 1/2 years.

Dave and I had the opportunity to meet with her foster Mother today and also a wonderful couple who have been sponsoring her health care and schooling. I would equate them to God parents in the United States. It was a totally surreal experience. The sponsor family brought us gifts and a wonderful photo album of Sarah over the past 1 1/2 years or so. Incredibly they have a niece who attends Rice University in Houston Texas!!!! We have exchanged emails and plan to keep in touch.

The sponsor parents met Sarah because they are friends with the President of the orphanage and were visiting there one day and fell in love with her. They also brought us a beautiful painting by a local artist. I think the meeting was priceless, we were able to share with them about our family and we both expressed our sincere gratitude for the roles we will each play in Sarah's life. Our guide told us he had never seen anything like it in the 2 years that he has worked with the adoption agency. He told us Sarah is the most loved little girl he has met. I am sorry if I ramble, it is so much to take in for all of us here.

Thank you all for your prayers and love. We can't wait for you to meet Sarah. I know she will melt your heart.

"Live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 5:2

Blessings,

Resting this morning

Our official Meeting place waiting area

"Today is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

There are three other families in our group who are adopting. We are all adopting little girls between the ages of 2 and 4. All of the children have some kind of special need. Everyone is very nice, we have enjoyed getting to know them.

We leave early tomorrow morning to fly to Sarah's province, Guangxi. We will be meeting Sarah on Monday. I did learn today that Sarah's Chinese name Xia Jing Ya means Quiet Beautiful (Elegant) Summer. We can't wait to introduce her to you on the blog! Thank you for all of your prayers and support.

Isaiah 1:7 Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.

Blessings,

Oh my goodness, the time is fast approaching. Everything I do I think next time I do this Sarah will be home.

I am really enjoying these last few days before we leave for China with my awesome boys. I know they are feeling a bit anxious about this big transition. Truth be told I feel a bit anxious as well:)

God continues to offer comfort and peace through out this process. My neighbors have a little girl who has had multiple organ transplant. This condition requires them to visit Cincinnati Children's Hospital periodically. They are there right now. As they were sitting in the waiting room for their appointment a father and daughter walked in and sat down. The daughter was obviously Chinese and adopted, about 2 1/2 years old. As they watched them interact they realized she is deaf....Haelie my neighbor's daughter struck up conversation with the dad. Come to find out they have just returned from China with their daughter (Grace). They shared contact information and I have been in touch with them often as we get ready for our trip. Amazing, they have 2 sons who are 10 and 6 and we have really hit it off over the phone and email. Them sharing their experience is priceless. Haelie said, "In all my six years visiting Cincinnati I had never met a deaf little Chinese girl before!" God is so good!

Look for posts coming your way from China!!! Can't wait to share our experience with all of you.

Matthew 6: 26 Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Blessings!

Okay, nothing deep or meaningful here today. I just fed Joseph and David's snake!!! I can't believe it I am still shaking and grossed out. This is proof that I love them unconditionally, and maybe should be awarded "Mother of the Year" (just kidding about the award). Why you ask yourself would I do this?? Well, my awesome sister and brother in law have taken the boys to church camp for the weekend. However, as I was feeding "Jawsy" (defrosting the mouse etc) I was thinking was the quite respite worth it??? In the future we will plan our trips around the feeding schedule:) Or maybe since my Dad bought them the snake he should have to come feed it.......

Psalm 121:2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth

Blessings,

Well it has been awhile since I last posted. Finally we have some answers to every one's questions...We will be leaving in 2 weeks to go to China to bring our daughter home. It seems like it has taken forever.

I felt stressed, wanted to leave earlier, frustrated about the finger prints, angry I was not in control....

Low and behold it has worked out to be in God's time and it actually couldn't be more perfect. Dave gets to go for the entire trip!! Yeah! Meg gets to be with us the entire time as well. Yippee!! The boys are staying with an incredible friend the first week and then my awesome cousin is coming to be with them the second week. A friend can be at our house with the dogs. My Dad can be with the boys a lot of the time too. God is so good.

All of the many blessings that we have as a family are being magnified through this adoption experience. Primarily the incredible friends and family members who are willing to step up and help us out. In the business of everyday life we sometimes forget to count our blessings, I know I do. I just want to tell you all how much I love and appreciate you. I thank God for you. Can't wait to introduce Sarah May to you:)

Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I Am God

Blessings,