A miracle that we got our tickets!

This past Tuesday, June 24, we received our confirmed travel dates and were told that we needed to buy our international airline tickets now. Well, we didn't know that and had some money on reserve, but not enough. There were only four tickets left for the dates we needed and they were about 5,000 dollars. We called around other airlines, like Delta was wanting about $7,000 (who can afford that). So, we were going to try get the airline with the $5.000 (airline tickets for the 3 of us) tickets. They told us if we could pay some on them now that they could hold them until Thursday and we could pay the rest until then. But, we don't get paid until Friday. They said they couldn't hold them that long and plus the price could go up on Friday IF the tickets were still available (remember only 4 tickets left). We still needed half the difference. We prayed for a miracle. And come Thursday, a miracle came. We both got paid on Thursday instead of Friday. We have never received our paychecks a day early, but this month we did! So, now we have our travel dates and our plane tickets, so it is finally happening. We are finally getting our baby girl after 16 months! Our travelling agency in China is taking care of all the travel "in China," so that is one less stressful thing we have to worry about. Soon, they will send us our iterinary and invoice (hopefully, we can get another miracle on that one too, since they will probably want their money instantly also) for the travel within China. I do know that we will get to tour the Great Wall of China, get Sophie on July 22 (Gotcha Day!), and have a lot of free time in Guangzhou while we wait on her Visa. With that said, I do have some prayer requests; pray for travel safety, Sophie's acceptance of her new family, Sophie's  foster mother (who has had her since this past September), Sophie's parents (I know it must of have been hard for them to give up their child), David Ryan and the rest of the family's safety and health while we are gone (I will be half around the world without my son and I will be at better ease if he was well and safe while we are gone), Sophie's transition to her new home, David Ryan's acceptance of his new sister, and the 14 hour plane ride (especially on the way back with a two year old).

We did send a photo album to Sophie with pictures of us, but I know it is still going to be hard for a two year old to understand what is going on. I do expect it to be hard at first. But, I pray that she will soon learn that she can trust us and accept us. I do want her to grieve, it is only natural that this happens. But, I also want her to know that we love her and she doesn't have to be afraid. So again, please pray that Sophie transitions well.

The next blog post will be with us in China! I am going to try to post everyday, but I don't know how the internet connections will be there and how Sophie will act everyday. Until then, I have a lot to do before we leave. See you in China!

Travel Approved!

Today started off with us taking our son to a muesum. Mainly, I wanted to keep busy because today we could receive our travel approval from China which it would make it two weeks since we received our Article 5. However, they told us it could take up to 3 weeks, so I didn't want to get my hopes up today. Then, we came home and had lunch. I went grocery shopping. Called my sister talked to her for a while. Then, I decided to practice packing for our China trip which they suggest doing. I am glad I did this, because I have some rearranging to do or we need an extra suitcase. Also, over the past week I have been cleaning the house from top to bottom because I know I won't be able to do this once Sophie comes home. Anyway, I had about given up on getting our travel approval when sat down for supper tonight. Then, my phone's email alert sounded and I looked at my email. It was from our adoption agency! It was  an email telling us that they have received our travel approval from China and that in a few days they will be sending our confirmed traveling dates to us. But, we should be traveling in about a month. We were praying that we would travel before school starts (another answered prayer)!

We have our travel approval, Sophie's room is ready, and her family is ready for her arrival including her big brother who says Sophie will be his best friend. Also, the other day just out of the blue, he said "I am just ready for Sophie to come here." So, I am hoping David Ryan will be a great big brother!

We are still short the travel expenses to bring Sophie home. We have a website that takes donations securly, which is  https://www.youcaring.com/adoption-fundraiser/help-bring-home-sophie-wei/63317.
Please feel free to share this link!

Hopefully, soon you will be following our journey in China. I plan to update this blog daily when we are in China getting Sophie! Please continue to pray for us!

Somewhere out there is a little girl who doesn't know us, but will soon have a forever family who loves her so much!

One Step Closer....

We received our Article 5 (a letter from the U.S to China giving us the "okay" to adopt Sophie) today! That means we are one more step closer to Sophie. We are waiting on the travel approval from China and our actual travel to China. They said from getting the Article 5 to travelling to China is usually a six week time span. I was praying that we would get Sophie this summer before we had to go back to school and it looks like it just may happen!!! So, we would basically get the whole summer to spend with our son (while he is still the only child) and then the last two weeks of our summer break, we will travel to China! We have been waiting for this for a very long time and now it is almost here. Our son is understanding more and more. I hope Sophie is being prepared in meeting us. A few months ago, we sent her a photo album of us, the extended family, and our house. I hope her foster family has been showing her this photo album.

Also, I received a great Mother's Day's gift. Not only did my son make me some wonderful gifts from school, but I received an email from our adoption agency with an update on Sophie just two days before Mother's Day. In this update, we received updated measurements and things that she likes. Also, we received new pictures!!! Feel free to scroll down to see our beautiful daughter.

Yes, we are closer in travelling to China, but we still have a long way to get there financially. So, this coming Tuesday, June 11 from 5 pm to 9pm, we are having a fundraiser at Lost Pizza Co. in Southaven to help us raise the travel expenses. Also, at our church, Gracewood Baptist, we are having a basketball tournament on  Saturday, June 22. If anyone would like to participate, let us know or Gracewood Baptist. Gracewood is located in Southaven on Getwell Road south of Stateline and north of Goodman. We also have a website set up that takes donations securely. This website is https://www.youcaring.com/adoption-fundraiser/help-bring-home-sophie-wei/63317.

Continue to pray for us; pray for safe travels, pray that Sophie grieves naturally, but learns quickly to accept us as her new family!