When we meet....

Only one week until I meet the little girl I've been waiting more than three years for, and one week until she meets the mom she knows nothing about. She's lived for two years in an orphanage, two years in the same place, with the same people, and it's all she knows. In a travel meeting today, they stressed the importance of having no preconceived expectations about "gotcha day". Each union with each child is so different they said. Some children cry for days, some become "almost catatonic" and some seem ok. But each one grieves. The only material things that will come with her on "gotcha day" are the clothes on her back. And they told us today to let them wear those clothes for awhile. "Even though your first instinct will be to put on those cute new clothes you brought, let them keep what they know for a little while". Even though in my heart I've been her mom from the moment I saw her sparkling eyes in those pictures, I'm going to look different, smell different, and sound different than anything she's ever seen or experienced before. She won't know at that moment we meet that I'm mom (or maybe she will....that's what I've been praying for anyway).

So dear family and friends, thank you for continuing to pray as our journey together as mom and daughter begins....in only one week. Please pray that all of us will stay safe and healthy as we travel. Please pray that they allow all of our luggage on each plane we board in china (we've tried to stay within restrictions but it's really hard!!). Please pray that all of my paperwork will be complete and that we won't run into any red tape. And most of all, please pray that I will know how to be mom and that Olivia and I will get to know each other on her terms, and in her timing in those first few days together. Please pray that even though we will all be so new to her, that she will feel safe and loved with us. Yes, safe and very much LOVED!

And thank you John and Christine for making this trip with me. And THANK YOU all my family and friends for following us in this adventure.....WHOOOOOWHEEEEEEEE, we're going to CHINA to bring Olivia HOME!!

p.s....I bought pink duct tape to hold her diapers together in case the size I bought are too big :)