Highlight of the Day!

Our sleep was a bit better last night, thankfully. We got about 6 or 7 hours of sleep which was good considering the time change! hopefully by tomorrow night we'll be mostly caught up. We want to be rested by Monday : ).

 

Today was cold and foggy. Actually, one family from our group was flying in last night and got diverted to Shanghai and are still there. Hopefully they will make it by tomorrow! another family's suitcases were lost and still have not shown up : (. They are making the best of it. even with the cold and fog, we went to the Forbidden City, Tiannemen Square, Summer Palace( felt more like Winter Palace), and Pearl, Silk and Tea Factories. So foggy we couldn't even see the Olympic Bird's Nest or Cube from across the street! BUT the highlight of our day was spending time with Uncle Jerry! We had not seen him in almost ten years and he hasn't changed a bit!

 

Tomorrow we will be going to church and the Great Wall. Tomorrow night we'll have a famous Peking Duck dinner and then back to pack up for our trip to Yunnan!

 

Thanks Lauren for all of the updates on the home front ! Sounds exciting...keep up the good work holding down the fort and taking charge!

 

....and thank you, Simona, for Olivia's awesome day out on Friday! She talked non-stop about her adventures ;D.

 

Keep praying for our little guy as the hours draw closer to our meeting!

 

 

 

We are here!

After a very long 24 hours of travel, we made it to Beijing! We are currently with two other families(both from SC) and expect two more this weekend. Everyone checked in, exchanged the big bucks, and walked to Carrefour (Chinese Walmart equivalent) to get some water, etc. and have supper close by. Our first few minutes in Carrefour were exciting as a brawl broke out in the dairy section and glass bottles were smashing as a crowd gathered. I guess things are not necessarily that different in Walmart back home ;D. anyway we are settled for the night and have a big day of sightseeing and also visiting our sister-in-law's brother, Jerry! We are looking forward to that!
Love to all...we miss our kids back home!!

The Plan!

Our travel to China looks very busy! Please pray as we prepare to meet Shane! For his transition and ours, for our health and his healing! Thank you for following along! ADOPTION ITINERARY DATES March 15, 2012 – March 30, 2012 LOCATION Beijing THURSDAY, MARCH 15 Depart for Beijing 3/15/2012 FRIDAY, MARCH 16 Arrive in Beijing 3/16/2012 SATURDAY, MARCH 17 Beijing Sightseeing SUNDAY, MARCH 18 Beijing Sightseeing LOCATION YunNan MONDAY, MARCH 19 GOTCHA DAY! A.M. – Flight to Yunnan P.M. – Meet Shane Zhi Suo Walrond & Civil Affairs Appointment TUESDAY, MARCH 20 Adoption Appointments & Sightseeing WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21 Adoption Appointments & Sightseeing THURSDAY, MARCH 22 Adoption Appointments & Sightseeing FRIDAY, MARCH 23 Flight to Guangzhou for Consulate appointment & paperwork LOCATION Guangzhou SATURDAY, MARCH 24 Child’s Medical Exam Consulate Paperwork – “Paperwork Party!” SUNDAY, MARCH 25 Sightseeing & Shopping MONDAY, MARCH 26 Sightseeing & Shopping TUESDAY, MARCH 27 Sightseeing & Shopping WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28 Consulate Appointment at 3/28/2012 10:00 AM Consulate Oath-Taking Ceremony THURSDAY, MARCH 29 Pick-up Child’s visa Depart from Guangzhou* LOCATION Hong Kong FRIDAY, MARCH 30 Depart from Hong Kong 3/30/2012

A Place to Sleep

Their room is ready! Yes, while they are so small, Olivia and Shane will share a room---hence the red gingham curtains to tie a girlie-side of the room with choo-choo trains! I think it works for now... Of course, we have the travel bed in our room for when we get back home as Shane may be a bit confused---better for attachment, too.

***Disclaimer: Tom is making a closet organizer for their room so stuff is currently a bit chaotic in their room with a dresser in the middle of the floor, Nana is in Olivia's bed, Nomi is in in the guest room, Olivia's trundle is in our floor for Olivia since the "littles" room is occupied, Lauren and Josiah have decided that this weekend is perfect for cleaning out their rooms so the entire upstairs has their stuff all over it!!!!. Their rooms look amazing though : ). Our room is worse---trying to decide how to pack : /. This is life while we are China-bound!!! I said the "littles" room is ready but you need the whole story to get the accurate picture!

Consular Appointment!

March 28th we will be at the Consulate so we are officially going to China!!!!!

We leave 2 weeks from today!

WE HAVE TA!!!!!

The Walrond family received travel approval this morning!!

WE ARE COMING TO CHINA TO BRING YOU HOME, LITTLE ONE!!!

WOOHOO! Praying for a Consulate Appointment so we can leave March 15th!

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."

John 14:18

Man Up!!!!

Borderless Hearts!

I am so blessed to have children that are mission-minded! All of our children at some point have traveled to bring hope and help to the hurting. Haiti, Bolivia, Romania, Korea, New Orleans, West Virginia, Cherokee, and Tanzania. It is so refreshing to see the next generation displaying the heart of our Father!

Amazingly, this summer two of our daughters, Kayla and Lauren, will be going on their "dream" trip! July 13th-27th, they will be traveling in both Ethiopia and Uganda on the "Man Up" Tour-- a trip "packed full of adventure to Love and Protect the Fatherless".

Many of you are familiar with some of the ministries they will partner with:

Project 61

My Father's House

Return Ministries

Canaan Children's Home

60 Feet

The link at the top and below is to our daughters' website! They have worked and worked...on items to sell to raise the necessary $8000 for both of them to travel! They have done one craft fair and two more are scheduled! I am putting their info here as I know there are some of you that God will compel to come along side them---helping them to bring hope to the fatherless! As incentive, they are offering gifts for donations on their website! They have made some really cute things---Please check it out! Learn a bit more about them and their hearts for orphans.

Thank you!

Borderless Hearts!

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Matthew 25:40