this is the hard

Since the moment we decided to journey down this path again, I have been dreading this very day.  I knew I would have to kiss my babies good-bye and fly around the world for two weeks.  That's hard.  Pit in your stomach, can't eat or sleep, gut wrenching hard.

But what's also "hard" is having a baby on the other side of the world that has never felt the warmth of mommy's hug or the safety in daddy's arms.  He has never known tickle wars with siblings or arguing over who gets which color cereal bowl.  

So because of this, we leave one 'hard' and run to the next.  All the while praying for God to reach down and "make beauty from ashes" in all these situations.

You may recall from the last adoption journey, one way we stayed connected with the girls while we were in Korea?? Bandaids!  Well...they've made their reappearance!  :)

This morning, each child opened their own special box of bandaids and they were given the "assignment" as to the location they are to wear them each day.  Lee and I also brought our own box too!  So each day, all 5 of us will be wearing a bandaid on the same finger.  For example - today is the right index finger.  This is just a small, simple but visible way for all of us to stay connected.  It reminds us to pray for each other and know that we are all thinking of each other every day!!

So what's next??  On to Beijing!  We depart from DC at 12:25 pm and will arrive in Beijing about 15 hours later (aaahhhh!!) !  It will be 3 pm on Thursday afternoon for them, but about 2 am Thursday morning for my loves back home!

Thank you so much for the love, support, prayers and encouragement so many of you have shown!  God uses every word to encourage us and spur us on!  May He receive the glory!