Giddy we are SO close!!!

Yay!!!!   Yay!!!!  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!!!  He is faithful!  He is able!!  He is worthy to be praised!!!!

Yes, I just had about 4 different praise songs going through my head :)

We got our Travel Approval on 1/24 - this says we are allowed to travel from the China Welfare Agency.  Then waiting again....

Now anxious for news about our CA (Consulate appointment)....have I said that this waiting is HARD?!?! 

In an effort to take my mind off the waiting my dear hubby used his free tickets to take us to Universal Studios!  Woohoo!!  None of us had ever been so it was an exciting time (and nice to live just one hour away)!

Well, first ride we rode was "Despicable Me."  If you haven't seen the movie - you should.  It may lead you to adopt. :)   The ride....well, definitely didn't take my mind off the wait!  The whole ride was about celebrating their one year "Gotcha Day" and wondering if their dad had forgotten.  Ughhh!!!  I must've been the only one on the ride crying.  LOL...good attempt by hubby, but I'm learning that my life is forever changed already.  Adoption will always be on my mind, my heart and my tongue....  We did have fun there - although Harry Potter caused me to lose my breakfast...yep, twirling doesn't do much for me. ;)

Normally I don't like Monday's, but Monday the 29th was the BEST Monday EVER!!  I am on a Facebook group that has been an amazing support and source of information on which I've made some wonderful new friends who are all adopting.  Those around me hear me frequently talk about my DTC FB friends... Well, Monday morning I got to wake up and see many of them with their newest members of their families.  See some gotcha day videos of them with their sweeties, see pics of first kisses and smiles with their new Mama and Baba (daddy).  Couldn't ask to wake to better thoughts and news!!

My Bible Study (the online one I am doing) was on Luke 3 that morning.  Luke 3:5 really stuck out to me when talking about the work God had planned for John.  "Every valley shall be filled in, Every Mountain will be made low, the crooked roads will become straight and the rough ways smooth."  Instantly my mind and heart went to prayer... Lord let this journey be as that.  It seems each new stage is a new valley of waiting/wanting, each mountain so hard to climb/exhausting, each bend in the road - such a challenge to my heart and trust, each day of waiting longer - rougher and more ache in my heart.  Please fill in all this longing, make the mountain easier to climb....Lord please make it possible for us to get our consulate appointment the week of the 26th.... Ask and you shall receive

That Monday got EVEN better!!  Brian calls to see what I was doing.  He said, "Guess you haven't checked your email."  I said, "Oh no, is it bad news??"  He says, "Other than they spelled your name wrong, no."

YAYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!    We got our Consulate Appointment for 2/27, will have gotcha day (the day we get Meisi - she will stay with us for forever after this)....hehe giddy and goosebumps just saying that!!!  Sorry, that wasn't a complete sentence...
Anyhow - "Gotcha Day" is on 2/18 and our sweet Princess's birthday is 2/19!  YAY!!!  She will never have a birthday without a family EVER again!!! Yay!!!!   This is where my songs of praise come!  I asked for this child and God has given her to us - even to the day of asking...

If you remember we have been praying since we received her file on August 22nd that we would be with her on her birthday.  Prayer Answered! :)  How awesome is our God!

We are leaving on 2/12!!!  That is just 2 weeks from today!!  SOOOO Much to do!!!!  BUT SOOOO excited to be doing it!! :)

Thank you Lord for your AMAZING, never stopping, never giving up, forever love and faithfulness. :)