Two Days 'til China!!!

I can't believe that we are leaving in two short days!  I should really be packing instead of on the computer, but I wanted to record the vents of the last few days so I don't forget and also to update everyone on a few things.  God is SO amazing and SO good!  Just a few days  ago we connected with someone through Stan's work (and a homeschool forum that I am on for our curriculum) that has adopted several children from China, two from Lucy's province.  She connected us to a Facebook group for Hefei Adoptions, and we have been able to connect with several families that are in the process of adopting from the same orphanage where our little girl lives!  We have seen her multiple times in pictures that people have shared of their adoptions/orphanage tours from several months ago as well as from a family that is there now!  Wow!!!  To see her in all these pictures is so amazing, and it always brings tears to my eyes!  She is such a sweetie and has such a wistful look on her face  looking on...is she dreaming of her own family?  We sent her a photo album recently and pray that she has been looking through it and is getting excited about going home to her forever family soon.  I  can't describe how incredible it is to love someone so much that we've never met, but we know in our hearts is our little girl!

As our trip approaches so quickly, I would ask that you pray for peace for all of us and that Christ's love would show through in all that we do and say.  We have had some hurdles come up that have left us feeling somewhat stressed and frazzled.  One of the biggest was deciding who of us would travel as we began to try to make reservations with only about a week's notice to date of departure, and we realized very quickly it would just be too cost-prohibitive to take everyone again.  After much agonizing we decided that Peter (who is 15 now and will be our photographer/videographer/general handy guy), and Catherine (6, who would not be left behind to go get her new sister) will go with me (I'm not telling how old I am!) while Stan stays home with Patrick and Christopher.  Much thought and prayer went into this decision, and we truly feel the Lord leading us ; but it is hard to let go of our original dream and plan to experience this huge family event together.  It is a huge stretch for both Stan and I as we are pushed into unfamiliar, daunting territory...Stan trusting God to protect his family and for myself to travel without him (I really am a huge homebody) and leave my other kiddos behind (which I have never done before)!  BUT...God is with us, leading us, holding our hand every step of the way!   (Jeremiah 29:11, Matthew 28:20b)

See you soon, little "Lucy" Rui Yuan!  We love you so, so much!

Lucy playing with a friend

 

 



 

Lucy

 

 



 

Lucy enjoying cake  from a birthday party!

 

A New Little Sister

As many of you know already, the Krol family is adding another little Chinese princess to our clan!  Lucy Rui Yuan Krol will come home very soon from Heifei City, China...we anticipate travel within a couple of weeks as we just received TA (Travel Approval for those of you unfamiliar with the adoption lingo!).  Unfortunately, the US Consulate has been closed down for a couple of weeks while they relocate offices in Guanzhou so we are unable to make our embassy appointment yet which means we don't know our exact dates of travel.  So close but not quite there yet!  Seems like that is the way this whole adoption has gone, but praise God, it also seems that we have flown ahead of the curve despite all the frequent setbacks. 

Our new daughter is almost five years old (in October) and another adorable sweetheart!  She is described as very sensitive and loving to all the other children in the orphanage.  Although she has spina bifida and hydrocephalus, she appears to be quite healthy and happy.  We are all going to travel to bring her home and can't wait to meet her!!!  We are praying she likes purple like her big sis because the girls now have a VERY purple room :)  We covet your prayers as we prepare to leave the country and embark on another amazing journey as a family to adopt!  We are so grateful to the Lord for His abundant blessings!  Hope to post here often in the days to come to share this wonderful experience with our family and friends...(in all my spare time! LOL)

                                               "Lucy" Rui Yuan

                                               The "purplicious"  room!

 

Big Sis hugging little sis

(sent this picture to her in the orphanage)