Our Itinerary in China

04/17~ Fly or drive to Denver in the afternoon.
04/18~ 8:07~Fly out of Denver to Sanfranciso, land there@ 9:55am.~  then on to Beijing@ 12:05pm.
04/19~ Land in Beijing @ 3:15pm. ( 2:15 am. Kansas time) Ralph will pick us up.  Then I think we are going to see an acrobat show at the Hotel we are staying in.   
04/20~ spend the day with Ralph,a friend,  touring Beijing area.
04/21~ 9:00 am. Sightseeing Tour to the Great Wall, Forbidden City and Tian An Men Square.
04/22~ 8:30 am. Families will fly to Guangzhou with group.
04/23~ 2:30~ Gotcha Day!  Families go to the Civil Affairs to pick up children @ 2:30pm. (1:30 am. Kansas time)
04/24~9:00am.  Families go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to do adoption registration, and then go to the Notary office to do the adoption paperwork.
04/25~ 9:30am.Shopping for anything we need for child.
04/26~ 9:30 am. Taking children's Visa picture and do medical exam, and TB test.
            1:00pm. ORPHANAGE VISIT (Please pray that this is a good experience, and brings closure for the girls! and that they don't get car sick on the 2hr. drive! ugh.
04/27~ 4:30 Get passport for child.
04/28~ 10:00 am. Get results for TB test.
04/29~ Sightseeing tour to CHen Family Temple.
04/30~ 9:30 am. Sightseeing tour to Yuexiu park.
05/01~9:00 am. Sightseeing tour to Yuntai park.
05/02~ 8:30 am. Guide will take family with their documents to American Consulate in GZ, then family will do oath taking ceremony.
05/03~ 3:00pm~Get visa for families.
            4:12pm~ Send Deaton Family to Hong Kong by train.
05/04~ Fly HOME!!! Land in San Francisco at 10:31  Land at Denver airport about 2:10pm.  We will stay here for the night and fly into Hays @ Noon ish on 05/05

We Have Updates:)

We Just got updates last night on the girls.  Measurements, answers to a few questions, and PICTURES:)

Iley XiaoKui with her foster family. Check out the pictures above the TV:)!!

 I think this was taken at a visit to the orphanage.

 Wren Da Yu, hamming it up for the camera.

 Wren and her favorite Nanny.

 Wren and her friends at the orphanage.

 Is this a model of her new house?

 Her teacher.

 Wren and a stuffed Pleasant Goat......this is a popular cartoon in China.

Now what they say about them.

They've grown! Wow!

Wren ~ Ht. 41.37"        XiaoKui~ Ht. 37.43"

Weight~ 40.79lbs.         Weight~ 30.36

Waist~ 19.7"            Waist~ 18.52"

Foot~ 6.3"               Foot~ 5.12"

They say that Wren doesn't have a favorite friend, she gets along well with all of the kids.  Her personality is described as active, outgoing, generous and clever.

They told though Dayu can’t hear, she is a clever and well-behaved little girl. Her imitation ability is excellent. She is a kind girl and likes to help others.  They also said they would honor our request to have the girls put next to each other for the short time Iley has to come back to the orphanage before adoption.

Trying to get information on Iley is MUCH more elusive! They describe her personality as active and outgoing.  Their concern for her would be her health, and hope she can have surgery in America.(Lord willing! she will:))  They have promised us the "special soup" recipe when we meet.  YES!  We get to meet her foster family!  That is very unusual, and we are excited but nervous about how this will effect Iley.  Please pray for her to understand, and for this to be a good thing, and give her some closure.

Thank you all who are praying for us!!! It means SO much!

CA

And no........that doesn't mean California:)  It means Consulate Appointment!!!!!!  We have our appointment confirmed!  That means we have a Travel Date:)  We are officially leaving for China on April 18th!!!!  Woo Hoo!  Help me Lord Jesus, and give me strength, wisdom, and YOUR love for these little souls. 

Oh my goodness people!!!!!  This is REAL!  We are going to be adding two complete strangers to our family in an instant. Their faces are oh so familiar, and loved,  but we really know nothing about them.  They will be ours.......FOREVER.......not just for a few days and then send them home to their parents, like when babysitting...but..FOREVER........and they come with a past that involves loss, and hurts, and unknowns.  Yes I have moments of doubt, Yes I have moments of sheer terror....Yes I know it will be HARD.....BUT.....I know that the Lord my God is with me, and will strengthen me.  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7  So I will NOT listen to satan's whispers of what if.....(and beleive you me....he has whispered them all!)  God does not call the perfectly equipped to carry out His work, He equips the called. (Although...sometimes I wonder if He realized the amount of equipment I was going to need? I may need a couple of camels for the journey.)

 But you know then I think about what must be going through the minds of my little daughters.....they will LEAVE the only place they've called home.....with COMPLETE strangers...who look strange, smell strange, talk in a strange language.....and who can't understand them when they talk....If I am afraid.....when i have everything that is familiar to go back home to.....how afraid must they be?  Oh my precious baby hearts.  And so I pray for the Holy Spirit to comfort them, and that they would recognize that comforting Spirit in us.  Give them a peace Lord, that passes all understanding, the peace that ONLY comes from You.  Please join us in praying that God will prepare their little hearts for the HUGE change that is coming.

Backyard Football

The Team.

 They're so cute:)

 Cooling off.......this looks like trouble......as in.....backyard brawl potential!

Then enter.........the PINK influence:)

 Ok ladies....what color would you paint the table and chair?  Black? cream? white? other?  Help me out here:)

 

 Cute dishes Auntie Gwen, and cousin Fran bought for them:)  Thanks guys:)  Now we need to find a microwave, and some other fun kitchen food and accessories.  What's everyones opinion on shopping carts? Yes? NO? did your girls play with them?  We had one when our boys were little, with a tipping basket ........ they used it for a dump truck.......who knew.

This is the living room right behind the play kitchen...to help your color decision:)

That's all of our random happenings around here:)  Thanks for watching.....

I'm Shrinking!

First of all......I never considered myself short!  I'm 5'7''......the one on the left is my 10yr. old, the other is almost 13.  This is not right!

 This is Kyndahl and me.....she is 5'3". I'm still feeling pretty tall here....

This is Sherman and me....he is a little taller than Kyn....shrinking....

 This is Thatcher...my second born.....who used to be so small, and scrawny we called him noodle!  Talk about wasted worry!

 This is Thatcher and Kyndahl.......they are engaged to be married next summer......maybe their kids will be average height?  Or giants...or gnomes:)

Love this guy! (even if he does hate to take pictures)

 

Love this girl:)

Fowl Play

....if you give Mr. Mess a marshmallow peep.......he's going to want a stove to go with it....

Caught at their favorite activities

Harrison......Reading!

Can't say it's the most edifying reading.....BUT....I used to like them too.

 Sherman is always happy if there is food involved!

 Just a cute picture of my baby boy........who is almost as tall as me now! and wears bigger shoes than his dad........and he's only 10!