Go Time

"Please Jesus, just bring her home by Christmas."  This was my prayer for months and months, long before we laid eyes on our beautiful girl.  Once we were given our referral, I started doing the math of how the next steps would need to work out so that this would actually become a reality.  It was close.  Really close.  But it was possible. Our China Team called last week and said that if our travel invitation was issued by Wednesday the 3rd, we would likely be able to travel with our agency's travel group leaving in December.  I was hopeful and doubtful all at the same time but The Lord gave us such a peace about things. Whether we traveled in December or January, Emma would be coming home soon and that is all that really mattered.  So, today I was in my mom's bible study group at church and they were asking for a status update.  I was literally in the middle of explaining things and my phone rang.  It was our travel agent saying he was about to send us our flight options! Say what?!!?!  We were issued our travel invitation! We leave NEXT WEEK and we will be home right before Christmas!  All 5 of us!!! Under one roof!!!  For Christmas!!! The Lord is so good and we are thrilled, overwhelmed, overjoyed, anxious, and pretty much feeling every other emotion out there as we are so close to bringing Emma home.  Please say a prayer for our family if you don't mind for traveling mercies, for Emma's little heart (we love her dearly but we are taking her from the only home she has ever known), for EK and W as we are away from them for so long and as they deal with gaining another sibling, for the grandparents who are so awesome and willing to hold down the fort with the kids while we are away, and for our transition to a family of 5.  We have many challenges ahead as find our new normal but we are trusting The Lord with the details. He has been so gracious and faithful to our family and we are trusting in Him as we move forward.  Thank you for walking down this road with us.  We are thankful.