China 1

I’m sitting in the Beijing airport. It’s shocking even to hear myself say that…in spite of the fact that my weary body is well aware that it left home roughly 36 hours ago…I’m sure it’s even more shocking for you to read!

As always, I’m a bit behind on things I’d want to share with you…another shocker.  Right?!? You are shocked by that, right? Crud. I’ve not been fooling any of you all these years?!?! Ah well…ya got me.  Regardless, I wanted to share with you what’s been happening these last couple of weeks since we last left our heroes. 

This is totally not what I’d plan to share, but it’s just too awesome.  Once again, our children provide us with unmatchable entertainment. Several times over this past week, we’ve had some gut-laughing moments.  We needed that. Maybe you do too…so here are just a few…

An angel gave us what I like to call “a little slice of heaven”…better known as a Red Lobster gift card.  Oh my…can you say,  “love language”? We hadn’t intentionally been saving it, but I’m so glad our schedules have been way too busy to put it to good use until now!  Between our awesome bball team returning to the State Tourney once again in Des Moines (even wearing my Danville shirt as we speak…IN CHINA…everybody knows the BEARS!) and stinkin’ snowstorms, (you heard me…no love loss there) the school schedule was significantly altered.  This was both irritating and welcoming the week leading up to our departure for China.  Irritating, because I felt like I couldn’t get anything done in between entertaining the kids and breaking up fights between them…and me…and the dog.  Welcoming, because we got unexpected time with our 4 kiddos before hitting the air to bring back 2 more! 

1) Anyway, as I said, we didn’t plan any of these things but were grateful for them in the end.  Names are once again withheld to protect the guilty. J  As we ordered at Red Lobster, one child asked, “Are the orange wedges just like potato wedges?” Silence. Then the waiter said, “They’re just like…orange wedges.” Listen…no one has ever accused our family of ooey-gooey-ness, but the sarcasm and mockery that began was pretty heavy even for our family!!! WE DIED LAUGHING! It was in a word…awesome. C’mon…ya gotta admit…funny stuff.  The waiter then took extra liberty in adding to the mockery…again…more awesomeness. When another child ordered a baked potato, he replied, “Is that like…a potato?” Terrible, awful man…how dare he? J

2) Our kids have all wanted to come to China with us to get their siblings but were told it just wasn’t going to be possible. In his disgust, Ty said, “Well then, can you get me one of those shirts that says, ‘My parents went to China, and all I got was this stupid shirt’!” I promised to do my best.

3) As independent as our children are, I found them to be quite clingy and questioning several days before we left.  When Chris was explaining the flight plan, which included flying over Canada and  “…flying over the north pole…” one of the kids burst out, “Oh my word!!! You have to take lots of pictures!!!”  More sarcasm…more mockery.

Like I said, we’ve done some good memory-making these past few days…very grateful for that.

I thought I’d take you through the last several weeks in order to better explain at least my frame of mind as I enter this next phase of the journey.  Although we had been hoping for quite some time that mountains would be moved, and this process would speed up in unexplainable ways, we were taken completely by surprise how that actually went down.  We’ve been working diligently to get paperwork, remodeling, and planning completed so we would be “ready” to bring the kids home.  I had even spent the day before in Iowa City with my wonderful friend, Michelle…shopping and doctor visiting. I had finally gotten into a specialist concerning some “unfinished business” concerning my former health issues from Indiana.  It wasn’t anything serious…just something I needed to take care of before I was caring for 2 toddlers! SO…after 4 months of waiting, I met with the doctor, scheduled what needed to be done, and informed them that the clock was ticking on my freedom…especially considering the exercise and traveling restrictions they would impose.  I even flippantly said, “Unless they call me tomorrow, we will be fine!!!” Figures.

You guessed it…bright and early the following morning, I got the phone call.  The voice on the other end said, “Mrs. Carr, I have your travel approval!” I sat there in initial shock. Obviously, this was fantastic news, but what came next was even more shocking. “You leave in 2 weeks!!!  They are expediting your case, and it’s happening very quickly!!”  BEST case scenario was traveling within 3-4 weeks…never 2! As I hung up the phone, my heart started pounding. I began to think about all the obstacles and wondered how in the world we could pull this off. I thought of my procedure that would now have to be put off for 3 months at best. My eyes scanned the rubble and chaos that was once my home but had now become a remodel disaster zone. Our kids’ schedules had to be organized. I even had to cancel a procedure for our DOG! Good grief.

I called Chris to share the good news but sounded like somebody had shot my dog and beat up my grandmother! (Have the first…he’s completely fine…don’t have the second…so calm it down.) It was obviously so incredible…yet given the issues I mentioned above, it was unbelievably overwhelming. I couldn’t keep the tears at bay…something I’ve prided myself in on many other occasions.  You name the emotion, it hit me that morning. We. Were. Not. Ready…It. Was. Not. Time.

Terrified. That pretty much sums it up…and quite frankly, the same word still applies. I couldn’t even put two words together, let alone get my act together.  Once again, Michelle the Mighty swoops in to save the day! Have I mentioned how I think she’s Super Woman?!? Well, have no fear…MM is here! (that’s not to be confused with M&M’s…which are a personal favorite…but stay focused here) She sent me a text that said, “I’m on my way.” Short and sweet. That’s all I could process anyway…and that’s what she did…just kept coming over…along with some other wonderful friends who helped in some way…work or kids or both…all Super Women to me…Nichole, Shelli, Jodi, Liz, Wendy, Carrie P., Brandy, Debbie, Chris, and Donna. Should also mention Carrie Y. and Megan, who also tried to help but my schedule just didn’t line up with theirs. Sooo unbelievably grateful for their clear-headed and generous spirit that they gave so willingly in our time of need.

At the same time, I received word that yet again, our sweet Zoe had been admitted to the hospital.  The next day, we were told that was a mistake. It was a different girl. Of course, we’d already been told that Zoe was the only girl in the orphanage. Confused yet?  It went back and forth for several days…loads of uncertainty, heaps of fear, mountains of questions…finally arriving to the point at which we began…her weakness and time being a major issue.

During the same 2 weeks…are you feeling me yet…I had a dear friend from Indiana diagnosed with acute leukemia.  She was hospitalized almost immediately and given the first dosage of chemo treatments. I knew that if I didn’t go now, I wouldn’t have any opportunity to visit and encourage her once the kiddos were with us. So, in the midst of mayhem, Peyton and I (we were the only ones with a clear-ish schedule) traveled to Indiana where we spent time with family, visited Denise in the hospital (where we once again proved that laughter truly is the best medicine J), went to another dear friend’s baby shower and celebrated another beautiful life, saw wonderful friends at Bethel, and rushed back home.

These past 2 weeks have been insane…most nights I finally laid my head on my pillow around 3 am…ate junk…drank DP round the clock…skipped my much-loved workouts…painted…organized…refereed and navigated through the high levels of emotion…and leapt tall buildings in a single bound.  I realized how out of control I was when Chris was concerned about the fact that our visas hadn’t come 2 days before departure and things of that critical nature…I was scouring the city to find the right shower curtain for the kids’ bathroom.  Yea. When MM (J) saw I was losing my grip…whatever feeble one I had to begin with…she forced me to make a list to leave with her of things left undone and gave me the gift of  “walking away.”  At this point, I have no idea what will be done when we return…and it really doesn’t matter…anything will be a bonus…so I’m resting in that.  For reals. 

Now almost exactly one year since this journey began, we sit here…in China…one short flight…just a breath of 15 hours away from holding our sweet babies. We have been chosen for a time such as this…we may never understand why…we just choose to humbly follow as we’ve been led…and will be forever grateful to have traveled this amazing journey.