The Amazing Race...

THat's kind of what our trip seemed like!  Just kidding - it did cross our mind at one point though:)
 
We left Pasco with no problems - a little late though, Our layover in Seattle was filled with calls to Taylor.  He called and said that he was sick, so we had Lance's parents go get him a week early - he's home now. Our flight to Korea was really nice - Korean Air was very nice and comfortable!  We watched 3-4 movies each and took some naps when we could.  This was when the "race" began - we landed late in Korea.  As it was we only had 1 hr. to change planes. We quickly got off the plane (as quick as you can when you're in the back of the plane...) then everyone had to stop and get our temps. taken - thank goodness we were good.  We found some other people that were catching the same flight, so we kinda followed them and tried to figure out where the gate was together.  The airport in Korea is HUGE - HUGE- HUGE!  Very nice but HUGE! We new our gate # but couldn't figure out how to get there - we had to aske serveral people.  It was funny (now) we'd ask someone where - they'd point to a direction, so we'd run to that spot and then ask someone else and then RUN to that spot!   It was at least 1 mile - no kidding or exagerating!  We were running as fast as we could - we only had 15 min. until the flight was supposed to leave!  I was worried -b/c at several locations inthe airport we went through temp. taking machines - i was hoping that it wasn't up b/c of the running. We never were questioned on our temp at all anywhere! Praise to Him! By the time we got to the gate - i had an asthma attack and was crying etc... it was ridiculous!  They got me some water and i was able to calm down - then they let me get on the flight:) This flight was very nice too - same carrier and plane to Beijing.  We were worried about not making this connection in Beijing.  But everything went great - immigration, our luggage made it etc!! We found the domestic connection for Southern Airlines to Nanning - we had to ask people where to check in - it's funny - i thought the lady said to go to I4 to check in but there were not "I's" aisles only up to G - so, since we were in the right area - i asked someone else and she said - yes - I 4 and then pointed to the "F' area - i guess F must sound like I in English - too funny:) Anyway, we got checked in was all set.  We got to our gate just in time only to find out that it would be delayed 2 hrs!  So, we sat around and i started some conversations with some girls - from what they were wearing, it looked like a group of kids from a school.  so, in our conversation i asked where they were from - they said Guilin!  I started to cry.  i showed them a pic of my kids and of Maylynn - they seemed to understand a little bit... anyway, our flight made it here at 3am - 12pm your time, which means that we traveled about 30 hours!  I am a bit jet lagged today and could use prayers that i feel better. 
 
Our guide is very nice - his name is David.  We were so excited to see him at 3am! He took us to our hotel at the "Nanning Wharton International Hotel" - not The Majestic.  He said this one was better - and it is really nice!  I'd like the ac to be a bit more powerful but oh well.  We are not doing much today - good thing b.c i feel like staying in bed... we might try the pool.  David is coming back for us aroun 3:30 to take us to Walmart and dinner. We will be seeing the countryside tomorrow - looking forward to that! We get Maylynn on Monday afternoon!  He is going to change our plans too - we will be flying to Guilin on Wed. to visit her orphanage, finding spot etc... and then will fly out to Guangzhou on Friday.
 
We will try to post more later... Many blessings to you all - we miss the kids terribly - please pr-y for us.

Bags are packed...

Our bags are packed and kids are taken care of. I think that we are ready to go!

We have so many mixed emotions... excitement, worry, anxious, happy, sad - too many to list... We've ended the day with church and it's just what we needed - it really gave us a sense of peace knowing that everyone is praying for us and God is with us. He has gotten us this far in less than 1 year and He will be with us to the end. We can't wait to meet Maylynn - all day, we'd say "this is the last time we'll be sitting at this table as a family of 5..." this is the last time we'll be at church as a family of five" etc... it's so amazing to imagine our family being 6 people. If you would have asked me 8-10 years ago - i'd say that you're crazy! But, God has put adoption in our hearts and Hayleigh has been such a blessing to our family - we are sure that Maylynn will be too!

That's all for now from the US - not sure when we'll be able to post again - possible the 25th... (which might be your 24th)

Oh - please pray that no one on our plane (specifically anyone in the rows around us) has the swine flu - we do not want to be quarantined! We will be wearing masks! :) The people at the store thought i was nuts buying them - oh well, maybe we are but we don't want to get sick on the way there...

Our Itinerary

Here's the scoop:

• July 23rd: 9am leave Pasco to Seattle to Korea to Beijing (on Alaska and Korean air) we arrive in Beijing at 8pm and catch a flight to Nanning at 10pm - please pray that we make this connection!
• July 25th: 1am arrive in Nanning & check into The Majestic Hotel (5 star)
• July 27th: Gotcha day!
• We are hoping and praying that sometime between the 27th & 30th that we will be able to go to Maylynn' orphanage in Guilin.
• July 31: Fly to Guangzhou & check into The White Swan.
• Aug. 1: Maylynn's medical exam :(
• Aug. 4: Consulate appointment
• Aug. 5: Take our oath & get Maylynn's visa!
• Aug. 6: 12pm fly to Korea and Seattle (on Korean Air) then Alaska Air home - we are scheduled to arrive at 5pm but will do our best to catch an earlier flight if we can!:)

In between all of these appointments there will be lots of time for playing and sightseeing.

Busy, busy, busy

This is kind of a test post from our laptop that we will be bringing - i want to be sure that it works!
 
We are just busy with preparations for the trip today.  Lance is home finishing up a big disciples cross order - what a huge blessing!  It will help with the additional expenses that seem to creep up... He's also taking care of car and house issues as well as, getting some daddy time with the kids - he's such a wonderful dad:)
 
I am busy running errands today (so glad L. is home so i can do this) bank, shopping for gifts for our precious gems at home, last minute stuff etc...
 
Some unexpecting blessings too: someone from church missed out on donating some cleft palate nipples for our mission trip last NOv. - so, she is dropping them off for us to take to Maylynn's orphanage!  What a blessing - i can't wait to give it to them - i also have some clothes and medicince that i will give them.  Also, some dear friends have unexpectedly donated some $$ to us too - Huge blessing! Thank you to everyone!
 
I am super emotional these days - cry at anything - crying right now as i am typing - blah!!  i don't remember being this emotional with Hayleigh - i guess i already know what a blessing that she'll be to our family:)
 
Later - i'll post our itinerary...
 
Many blessings
Kirsten<>< 

He CAN move mountains!!

I was in shock this morning when my agency emailed me this email:

Hey Kirsten…

We have confirmed your consulate appointment in
GZ for August 4, 2009.

Based on this date, you will need to
be in Nanning on July 25, 2009. You will be responsible for making your flight
arrangements all the way to Nanning.

Based on your consulate
appointment date, you may leave Guangzhou after 6:00 pm on August
6th.

Please know that based on all of the current changes in the
consular process (additional shots, TB testing, etc…) we are encouraging
Lifeline families to seek out airline tickets with liberal ticket-change
policies.

Please e-mail me your itinerary as quickly as you can.
Once I have your itinerary, I will be preparing your cost list for your
wiring.

As always Kirsten, I am here if you need me or if you have
any questions! I will be fedexing your paperwork to you this afternoon.

So - this is a quick post! but i wanted to share our awesome and amazing news!!! We have so much to do - finish packing and then arrangements for our other 3 precious gems here at home - we are so thankful to have wonderful family and friends that will be helping us out!

Please pray for peace for me this week:) and protection for our trip, God's hands to be at work in EVERYTHING (at home and away).

I can't believe that in 1 week she will be in our arms!

A Might God!

Wow! I was going to wait until 3:00 today before posting my previous post but I guess I just needed to get all of that out. Maybe I should have waited but I guess it also give everyone an idea of how emotionally taxing it is to adopt. What a rollercoaster it’s been today!  I just gave up all hope that we could travel anytime soon and Guess what happens!  Our agency called me about 30 minutes ago to let me know that “It’s here!” our TA showed up!!  I could not believe it!!! I still can’t!  We are still hoping that He can move some mountains though… We won’t know until Monday (or Tues.) of our consulate appt.  We’ve requested Aug. 4^th – with the hopes that we will leave next week.  Or, Aug. 18^th – so we can see our boys for a week before we are gone for 2 weeks…  Crazy – Crazy – Crazy!

 

So – WE NEED OUR PRAYER WARRIORS TO PRAY FOR AN AUG. 4^TH DATE AND AIRFARE/FLIGHTS TO GET US THERE AND BACK.  Well, that’s what I want and hopefully, that’s what He wants – So, I guess a better prayer would be to pray for His will to be done above all else but if you’d like to pray specifically for the Aug. 4th date that would be good tooJ!!!

I'm done...

Emotionally – I can’t take this waiting anymore.  It is very discouraging.  I’m am at the point that I need to put this whole adoption out of my mind right now or I am going to go crazy.  But, I don’t’ want to put it out of my mind though b/c a part of me feels that I’ll be putting Maylynn out of my mind too and I don’t want that – I just want her home. 

 

My agency hasn’t been able to find anything out from the TA lady.  Lily (our china liaison) said that the TA lady was out sick all week – well, since we didn’t receive our TA yet –that must mean that our papers are probably sitting on her desk waiting to be signed.  And if the papers are on her desk waiting to be signed, then we will not be leaving for China next week.  This is super upsetting to us.  We were so hoping to be leaving tomorrow – I guess He has something else planned for us.  We don’t know what and it will only be revealed when He wants it to be.  Right now we can only see the bad – the earliest that we will be able to go now is Aug. 8^th (due to the fact that my parents will be gone the 1^st two weeks in Aug and we need their help and the fact that the boys will be away at camp and we don’t want to be away from Taylor for 4 straight weeks) – also, airfare is higher in August (we thought the airfare was high in July – I guess we were wrong – not sure how we will make up the difference??) and return flights from China are also difficult to find (so, who know if we will be able to come back right when we need to??)

 

I am having a real hard time finding the good in all of this – I sure hope He reveals His plan soon.

 

So – I’m done posting until I have something good to report… and I don’t expect anything good until who knows??? Maybe next Friday????  In the meantime, I am going to try to have fun with my kids for the next few weeks of summer – I just wish that Maylynn was here too!   

 

BTW – if we weren’t a new Hague family, we would be home with Maylynn right now – many that got their LOA the same day we did and are under the old process i-600 are there and back with their childL

 

A friend posted this on FB today – I think it was for meJ

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6-7)