Someone Get Me Off This Teeter-Totter Please!

It has been a whopper of a few months but we finally feel at peace with a decision that we had to make this evening. As of last night and no travel approval, we had decided to go with plan B. We would take all children and our parents with us to China. It would be the trip of a lifetime! James and I have both been diligently praying about our travel. We thought that since we did not get to leave ASAP, that we must need to all go together in March. This evening we went from having 11 tickets on hold in March, to canceling all our March travel plans.

While at the grocery store we divided into two different directions and while I was on my own I began to think that it may be too iffy for James to travel between deployments. When we cam back together I said, "you know it just hit me again
that maybe I should go with everyone else early." He said "ya, I was just thinking the same thing, I mean what if my deployment gets extended or messed up with the dates?" It was so strange that we both had the same feeling, the same reason and at the same time. We believe that the Lord was speaking to us.

So, we have decided that the best time to travel is with the group that is waiting with us for TA. Once it comes we will make the appropriate reservations with the rest of them with or without James. My dad is available to go with me and Tacia will be going along also. I am going to be lost without Claire. Of course I will miss James, Jace, Jordon and Tori but Claire is just so little and I feel like I am the only one that can take care of her :) I know of course that this is not true. My mom will come to stay with all the kids and Jenny will come down to take care of Claire and her special needs with my mom during the day. I am hoping that James' mom, sister and brother in law will be able to come up to meet Cade after I get home.

I am so grateful for my faith, family and friends. I cannot believe that we are getting so close to holding Cade in our arms. There is a woman in China now whose daughter is at Maanshan. She is going to try and visit the orphanage and is going to ask to take some more photos of Cade. I am SO excited! We were able to have photos and footage of Claire a few weeks before traveling to her also. It was such a gift. I am grateful that the Lord is making a way for that opportunity again.

Thank you for all your prayers and support!