Our last post from China

Well this will probably be our last post from China as we head to the airport first thing in the morning. We have had a great last couple of days as a family. Most of our time has been spent shopping and exploring the area. We went out to dinner with our group last night for some very much welcomed Italian food. It was a great change from Chinese food. haha We bought an extra suitcase because we have had soooo much fun shopping. I can't wait to get home and see what I really ended up with. Annabel will have some great things to remind her of her culture and Joey and Amber, yes there are some great things for you as well. We have really enjoyed ourselves over the last 2 weeks. We have learned a great deal about Annabel's Province and Country that I hope we can pass on to her as she grows older. I know we will be back again someday and hopefully we will have done a great job in helping her to gain a respect and pride for where she came from. The Chinese people vary just as much as the Americans do in attitude and kindness. We have met some very wonderful people that I am sure Annabel would feel proud to call friends. The desire for these children to be adopted and loved by foreigners such as ourselves is very apparent. I am looking forward to getting home and putting together all the hours and hours of video clips we have on our camera. So be checking into the blog site periodically for those clips. It is just too hard to do it from over here because the connections are so much slower. While we have enjoyed ourselves so much here, I am so ready and excited to come home. Most of you know that I am a serious homebody. I love being home with my family and am so looking forward to watching how Annabel fits right into that. I am so proud of you Amber and Joey for sticking it out the last 2 weeks. You have been real troopers. I know it is very hard to go from having your parents there on a daily basis to all of a sudden not having them around. I promise once you meet Annabel it will have all been worth it. Please pray for our trip home tomorrow. From start to finish is 30 hours of airport and travel time for us. We have a lot of layover time in Beijing. I pray Annabel makes it through without too many meltdowns. I am sure we will be circling the plane many times on the long trip back to the states. Thank you for following our journey. It is not over yet. Now we head home and readjust again. I am sure we will see some set backs as we move into new routines. But I can tell you we could not have asked for a sweeter little girl then God gave us. She loves us so much as we do her. She loves to hug and kiss and you can tell she is just in heaven having a mommy and daddy. From day one God layed it upon our hearts to add two children to our home. I cannot wait to see who God has in store for us next. What's funny is that even the families who intended on only adopting once are talking about coming back again. There is something very contagious about seeing these kids grow and learn to love in such a short period of time. I wish there was a way to rescue each and every one of these lonely children. I know I don't have the power to do that. But I do ask you to pray for these children. Pray that men and women all over the world would open up their hearts and homes to a child who desperately needs a mommy and daddy. The blessing you will receive is greater then anything you could ever imagine. I have never seen God's love as much as I have in the past 7 days watching these children learn to trust and love their new parents. The miracle of love that God has for us and his orphan children is forever etched on my heart.