1 day and We're off!

WOW!  After years of yearning,  praying,  paperwork,  waiting,  pursuing, paperwork,  and packing, it is almost time to go!  I finished packing all except our backpacks at 3 this am,  woke up a 9,  and should be in bed now,  but I wanted to finally post a bit.  Because our bags can only weigh 44 pounds in China, our 2 duffels have all five of our clothes in it--and we have to take 2 more smaller bags for toiletries,  snacks,  AG's toys and stuff,  etc.  Then we have  a 3rd duffel full of clothes to donate to AG's foster home.  We are glad we can give that away in Beijing.  Wish I could've packed less stuff,  but you can't just run to Walgreens and read the label on medications!  Pa and I actually had time to go to our boys' 1st volleyball game of the season!  Yea!  I was giddy with excitement (and lack of sleep) today.  It was like when I was in college,  finished with the long hours of studying for a test --the morning of the test,  I was giddy and happy,  as I didn't have to study anymore,  just take the test.  So other than paperwork and a little packing tomorrow, the bulk of the years of studying is done.  By God's grace,  what we haven't done,  and what we don't know,  we'll have to wing it when we begin taking the test--when we get our daughter on Monday March 29th.  i feel ready.  I know intellectually my life will change--big time,  and that my time won't be my own as it was with 2 teenagers--a little 4 year old will be with me all the time at first.  I know this test may be very hard.  But i also know,  when we step out in faith,  as we did,  into the uncertainty and the unknown,  the God who led us and guided us unmistakeably to this point,  will help us and be with us every step of the way.  He promises NEVER to leave us or forsake us. For some reason he chose us to be the parents of AG,  and AG to be our daughter.  So i'm resting on His promises,  and hope i can remember,  when things get hard or challenging,  if AG is grieving or attaching to one parent over the other,  when I have no time to call my own,  to seek HIS strength and help first,  before trying to do it on my own,  my way.  Through this process I've found God's way is best.