Attention To Detail

I figure this is the practice run to the exhaustion I will feel in 20 days.  Everything happened at one time just like I had suspected and I can only praise & thank my Lord these days through the haze of complete exhaustion!  I have averaged about 3 hours of sleep a night for over a week now.  Between preparation for the yard sale to raise money & my brain just not shutting off it has been ugly.  I want to thank everyone who emailed, called or posted last week.  Last week hurt but oh, the healing of time is so amazing.  2nd year was nothing in comparison to that first year AND the most moving thing happened......the Lord in all His Magnificent Glory decided to have us receive TA within the hour of little Anna's heart stopping 2 years ago.  The moment that time stopped.  I know without hesitation He wanted us to see August 25th not only through pain but with exuberant JOY!  Now, we will never think of August 25th the same.  The pain & joy intertwined just like Anna & Gabriel's little lives.....forever intertwined by His Hand.  What humbling attention to detail my God has shown in my life.  So many walk this life and think....oh, just a mere coincidence.  No coincidences here baby........only His beautiful fingerprint of our earthly lives.  I pray for those who do not know Him personally.  How bleak this life would be!

So you can imagine I have been rocking and a rolling.  Long story short without all the gory details, we are ready to go.  All flights arranged, all hotels and even the Beijing tour we are taking pre-adoption.  Thanks to the wonderful Mr. Tung at Delightful Travel(DT International, Inc) we are set.  This sweet man was the Lord's hands on earth helping me arrange all the necessary itineraries.  Also he completed our travel buddies from Murfreesboro, TN arrangements too.  Another little detail that I see God all over is how we have been blessed to meet and connect with a dear, sweet family just 30 minutes away from us who is with the same agency.  Their 2 1/2 daughter is right with Gabriel in Bao Tou, SWI.  We get to share this amazing journey to our babies and live only minutes away from each other......how cool is that?  So we are on the same flights, tours and almost everything.  We only did one thing different and that was our hotel in Guangzhou.  Sandy, her friend traveling with her(dh staying home with their other 2 yoa daughter Kaleigh...also from China), and
Courtney will be at the White Swan and we chose the Victory Hotel.  The money we saved with Victory we used for Economy Plus tickets for more leg room for Tony and I.  By doing that we fly to/from China with all of us sitting together.....big plus when Grace has said she is a little nervous about flying and DID NOT like the idea that either Tony or I would be separated from her.  God bless my almost 7 year old....she wants us all together!  I did too but oh, these flights are packed.  Again, God took care of that just this morning.  The yard sale was just a HUGE blessing with making shy of $1200.  That pays for Gabriel's ticket home and the Economy Plus upgrade heading over.  Thank you sweet Jesus!  There is so many other things that have taken place in the last 4 days it is hard to even type and I promise to write again soon with each message that has come down from heaven to us.....oh, the attention to detail.  Now, the packing starts.  I pray to sleep more so I am not so foggy to start the serious packing!

Tony & I were talking yesterday and saying there has not been one moment in the last two years that we have not felt the presence of the Lord surrounding us.  From August 25, 2008 to around mid Sept. 2008 the Holy Spirit literally carried us with His presence.  Never once during that few weeks of extreme pain did we feel alone or forgotten.  That presence is still alongside us today and we suspect He will remain through every step to bringing Gabriel home.  The Lord is showing our family so much love & I feel so childlike basking in His attention.  I feel Him smiling at me.....I feel Him holding Anna and saying, "look how Momma & Poppa are smiling.....I told you I would make them smile again."  Thank you sweet Father of mine for loving me so.....I do not deserve it but oh, how faithful You are!"  Join us in praising God for all He has done in the last two years of our lives......so full of detail are His fingerprints on our family!

Hugs & Big Sleepy Smiles,
Jo

Psalm 23:4
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, them comfort me."