First stop~St Louis!

   
     Our first stop was St. Louis. Josh's Mom and Dad drove us and we of course had to go out for dinner!  What would be a good road trip without a good dinner!   We ate at Crackel Barrel and it was yum!

    Then it was time to go to the hotel. It was a cheap nice hotel that definitely did the trick!  I should tell you that I am a germ freak and I ALWAYS bring my own bedding....well not to China!!  So I have really had to overcome my "fear" and sleep on theirs..yikes, with some help from God, I did just fine!
     I immediately dug into luggage and started re-packing .  I have had quite a time packing for so many, but after, ummm, 2-3 hours I decided that before my head would explode and my back would break, that it was time to just go to bed.  Well, of course, I didn't sleep much!  But, really, that was ok because i had to get up at 3:45am anyway!  The kids and josh all woke up so  well!  We had a very uneventful morning in our hotel! Praise God!
                                                        
   

     We went to the lobby and waited for our shuttle! It was great, me, of all people, on time!!
    It was a blessing, we got in our shuttle, and the driver was playing our Christian radio station!  It was
again, God letting us know that He is with us!!!

                                                     

    Josh and my kids have NEVER flown before!  So why not, just jump in with both feet and have a 14 hour flight, right?!?  They, this morning, were pretty nervous and rightfully so!   I will be back to write about our St Louis airport and flight experience when we land!  God bless and please pray:)
Mindy

Getting Ready and Excited!!!!

     Wow, its been crazy around here!!!  Since I have been off of work, I have been busily organizing and cleaning and packing and packing!!! 

     Packing has been quite a chore.  Its wild packing for 6 people in two different climates for two weeks without knowing if we can utilize the laundry service.  

     My 12 yr daughter says "Mom, this isnt very many clothes, what are we going to do?"  So, I told her that we would have to take enough underwear and socks to last us our 12 days and re-use our other outfits!  Fun fun!

    We just finished packing up the van with all of the luggage and holy cow, it looks like we will be gone for 2 weeks!  Its crazy how much stuff you need to take care of a 2 yr old who comes with nothing.  Now, I am sure that I over packed because I always do.  But I look at it this way, as long as we pass through customs and immigration and airlines, we are doing pretty good!!!
 

    I have finally gotten a minute to sit down and blog some.  Right now, my husband is playing his "game" he is a gamer...LOVE IT...NO I DONT!!!!!  LOL   Anyway, I have a free minute to just sit down and relax..I am not sure I even know what that word means anymore!  But, guess what, I am going to learn it real  quick on our 14 hr flight to Beijing!!!  CANT WAIT!

  We are flying out of St Louis tomorrow, Thursday morning, bright and early!!  We are flying into Beijing and we are doing some sight seeing/touring!  That will be so much fun!  We are going to The Great Wall of China and all it looks like to me is " a whole lot of stairs!"  My friend Kelly, whom I workout with every morning and sometimes again in the afternoon, told me that while I think she is trying to kill me, that she is just getting me ready for "all of those stairs!!"  I dont think so Kelly, but thanks!!!! 

     Just to let you all know that I will be blogging everyday that we will be there and posting pictures!!!!!!!!  We have lots of friends and family that have told us that they will be stalking us!!!  I know how that is, we had friends go in November to get their little girl in China and we refreshed our computer all day long, hoping for an update and/or a picture!!!!! 
     Again, thank you everyone for all of your prayers and support!  We will need it!!!!

Mindy

Hello ALL!!!!

     WHEW!!!!!!!  I am exhausted!!  I have been non-stop planning, planning and more planning for this trip of a lifetime that we are getting ready to go on!!!  It is so exciting and overwhelming!  We have been in contact with an agent for flights and also our contact in China and he is taking care of all of our arrangements for "in-country" travel.  That consists of touring, plane tickets, our meeting "GOTCHA DAY" with Mya and ALL of our appointments!!!  I cant even wait for all of our appts, because that means that Mya is in my arms and is mine FOREVER!      

     In the mean time, I have been "nesting".   I have been through all of our cabinets and bathrooms and have re-organized everything!!!!!!!  Thanks to Pinterest, I have had all kinds of ideas!  This has felt so good getting rid of CLUTTER!!!!  I LOVE IT!  

    We are leaving on February 23rd!!  We are so excited!!  Josh asked the boys if they were ready and excited and they yelled..YES!!  I looked at Josh and at the same time, we said.."They have no idea!!!!!"  You see, Josh and the kids have NEVER flown before and its been years since I have flown and that was only  in the US...It will be very interesting!  God is in control and to Him give the Glory!

    As far as packing, I am doing so-so.   That is definitely overwhelming!  I keep reading about less is more, but I am scared..I Always over pack.  I am really trying not to do that but I am struggling:)  

    I will be blogging every day with updates and pictures so stay tuned!!!  

    Please keep us in your prayers as we are 5 days away!!!!!!!!  YAY!!!

Mindy

Thank you Sissy~Mama

My aunt called me this morning and told me about about a program on the Today Show that had been on and that it was online to watch...Well, of course, I went straight to the computer and it was on Half the Sky!!  This program is an amazing program and I feel blessed to say that Mya's orphanage has Half the Sky within it!!  Please take a minute to watch the program!! http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/46380849#46380849

Also...HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!  We are about 9 days from departure to get our baby girl!!!!!!!
 
                               

Travel plans~

     Trying to accommodate 6 people for a trip to China is pretty time consuming!  Our "go to" guy in China has been working hard getting all the information to help get our itinerary finalized!  I really truly appreciate him and the guy that is making our flight arrangements.  I have no idea where to even begin when we are flying into one city with 5 people and leaving from another city with 6 people so I am going to let him figure all of that out!  A lot of adoptive families use him and he gets really good deals!!!!  So, I am praying for God's will for the price of all our flights and hotels and I trust that God will give us a trip of a LIFETIME!!!!!!!!!  I am so ecstatic to get our baby girl!!!  We are getting her on 2/27!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

     I will update as soon as I get info!!  Please continue your prayers for our family!  

God Bless all of you!!!!!!

Mindy

I dont even have words~

                   



TA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We got TA (Travel Approval) today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Can you tell I am excited?!?  This is so huge!  We are on day 29 for our TA wait.  I have to be honest, it was the worst wait of the whole process.
     Let me tell you how it all came down!!!
     I was suppose to be home today cleaning out closets and cabinets due to me being in my 3rd trimester of my paper pregnancy, I have to start nesting!!!! Anyway,  Josh thought we should go grocery shopping...Ok, and I just had a feeling that we would get our call today!  We went and while we were driving down the road and mid-sentence, my phone rings and it says Madison Adoption Associates....YAYYY, I was so excited and Josh was so excited that, bless  his heart, he was trying to turn down the radio except it wasnt on!  Of course, I had to play it cool and answer the phone!!!!  I am not sure how calm I really was, but I tried!!
    We were actually by our bank at the time so we just went on in and discussed our money situation for the trip!  Very Exciting!  Everything seems to be coming together!
    I have a very good friend of mine, Kelly, that I asked to be by my side while I purchase our tickets because I am not sure how much of a level head I will have during this time...so thats where Kelly comes in!  I also have a very good friend, Janene on speed dial..Janene is a been there done that friend so she has told me that she is here for me to answer any questions I may have...hmmmm I wonder if I will have any questions...Only a ton!!!!!   
     Right now we were given some potential dates for our consulate date and according to that date, we will know our Gotcha date  (when we meet Mya for the 1st time!!!)   We possibly will get to meet Mya on February 26th, my BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!   What an incredible bday gift!!  I have had that incredible bday gift before, Mason came the day before and it is so awesome to share that with him as well.  Mason is so stoked that we could be in China for his birthday..I really dont think I will ever be able to top this bday for the rest of his lifetime..I mean really, in China for your 9th birthday!!  How cool!!
      I will update tomorrow when I know more and know our dates..hopefully we will know tomorrow!!!!
     Thank  you all for reading and praying and for all of your support!!  God bless!
Mindy

Thank you Daddy~

     Daddy bought us a "new to us" van yesterday!!  We had said that when we bought our Nissan Quest, that we would drive it until it was on its last leg...guess what, it was on its last leg!  I kept stressing how we or I would break down with the children and not know what to do.
     Last weekend, on our way to a friends adoption fundraiser, our van started vibrating while in idle.  YIKES, then it sounded weird when you accelerated and THEN the Service Engine Soon light came on...Never a good thing!  We took it to an Auto Zone and they hooked up the van to their machine and the gentleman said, let me go print off your list.  HOLY COW a LIST???  So I turned to the kids and said lets pray!!  So we did and we decided that if God wanted us to have another van, he would provide!!!
     So....this weekend, I went looking!!  I absolutely love car shopping!!!  While in the parking lot at the dealership, a friend of mine (with a Quest just like mine, same year) pulled up and she was also car shopping because her van was doing the SAME THING!!  How ironic!  My friend then proceeded to tell me that she had a friend at a dealership and I should go look there...OK!!!!!!!  I went and fell in love with my "New to me" 2006 Honda Odyssey!!!!  I have always loved this van and  now I get to have one!!!!!!!!  See, the Lord always provides a way, He is always there for us, and its our job to look upon Him!!!!!!!!!
     Thank you Jesus!!!!

     Mindy