Join the prayer team

Here is an update on the prayer team. We have asked that you pick a day to pray for the Christopher's Journey to China. We appreciate daily prayer but wouldlove to see people focus on a day for us. I will be posting specific prayer requests soon. To get on her prayer list, email me at lovinglynnmarie@hotmail.com If you see a day that someone has signed up, go ahead and sign up. We want to be covered in prayer as we bring LynnMarie home as its one of the first gifts we can give her!!!

Thanks friends!!!!
March
11- Michelle, Jay and Angela Mary L
12- Amy
13- Mandy Leah
14- Mandy Amy
15- Christine
16- Kacy and family
17- Jenny and family Awaiting Miss Emily
18- Alyson Kim
19-Lovell
20-Laura The Oatsvall Team
21-Pam
22- Lynn
23 - Aunt Kelly, Neal, Janie, Seth, Owen, and Joe
24 - Don, Be, & Joannmei
25 - Jaymie
26-Monica, Melanie
27- Lisa Kat Kim
28 - Tammy
Our Daily prayers
RMJ
Team Radicci
Team Ladman

question and prayer

In less than 2 weeks, we will be in China with about 7 other families. Some of us are getting our first child, a few of them will be a bit more experienced.Wow, I cant believe this is happening. Am I freaking out? Well, I am not sure. I just know that a little girls life is going change forever and we are blessed to be a part of it.

1) Don't forget the post below asking for prayers

2) need help. Click on this site. this is something I want on one of the walls in LynnMarie's room. So I need your help in deciding what I should have on it. Her walls are yellow if that helps. Click on baby rooms on the site for suggestions.Let me clarify. I dont need any of the ones with decorations, I just want a saying or a few words or lyrics above her crib. Her room is yellow and will have pandas and a few other animals sprinkled around!!!!

praying her home

Michael spent time on the phone today and got our tickets booked and I got it approved with our agency. We are going to China!!!

So here is the plan

Leaving on March 11th very early in morning flying into Newark
Leaving Newark and heading to Beijing

March 27th we leave Guangzhou and head to Los Angelas. We will stay overnight and head straight to Atlanta that evening. We have most of the day to hang out in LA!!!

So, we are going to need some prayer and we are asking not only that you pray for us during our entire trip but will you pick a day from the 11th -27 and just really pray for us??? From safety to silly issues that may come up to attachment with lynnMarie, we will need your prayer!!!!

Just leave the day you want to claim in the comment section and I will post them. We can totally use as many people to lift us up daily so its okay if more than 1 sigh up!!

Pray today and CA

Ok, I have to go to work and don't have a lot of time but will you guys pray for LynnMarie and her mom and today!! CA arrived today and now we get to buy tickets!!
Ok, Pray its easy to use the frequent flier miles that Michael's mom gave us and the person who organizes the travel will just be kind.
Pray for travel mercies
Pray for LynnMarie to have a really smooth adjustment and for her parents to have a good adjustment too!
Pray for health of all
Pray for the rest of our travel group that we may be able to encourage one another! Oh my gosh, its really happening!!!

Oh there is a lot more to pray for but I have to go to work, to get on her prayer list, email me at lovinglynnmarie@hotmail.com

Guess what

Guess which one of my favorite blogging friends recently found her daughter???


RMJ from The Seventh Diamond has found her Sophia Jane!!! Go see how God showed her that this was her daughter...How cool!!!!

TA

So, I totally forgot to post that we got TA yesterday and will probably be travelling March 11!!!! Yeah for TA!!!
We really are going to China!! That rocks!!!

New Stuff For LynnMarie

This is an afghan made for LynnMarie by our trivia team member Charlie's mom. She joined us tonight as we also celebrated Charlie's 37th birthday!

Amy registered for and we received a rocking Panda. It is, literally, a rocking horse with a panda head!

Today Amy found a dresser that we can put a changing pad on along with a chest of drawers at Goodwill for $85. Her friend Elizabeth brought out her 5 and 1 year olds in their truck to help bring it home for us!

this Saturday

this Saturday, Miss RMJ from Seventh Diamond is holding an online shower for me..She wanted to me to post this info and the invite..Check her blog out for more info or to contact her!!! She love to celebrate new babies!!

Travel Update

This afternoon we received a call from CCAI to ask us a few questions they needed to check off and to give us an update on our travel.

They anticipate receiving our TA early next week (Feb 23/24). Our travel group is a large one, so they have decided to break it into two trips, separated by a week. We have been placed in the second group based on our LOA and our anticipated date to depart is March 11.

While this is two days before LynnMarie's first birthday, it is not good news for us to have/hold her by or on that special day. We asked if they could consider this element and place us in the first group, but it appears they have already done some element of procedure that cannot be undone, or at least that's what they told us.

But at least we have a bit clearer picture as to when we will be on our way.

We're coming baby girl!

-Mike

Monday Meditations

Praises

People are still called towards adoption

Prayer

-There are millions of orphans around the world, some that will never have a home. I pray that God comforts those need comforting. That He will be the Father to the fatherless

-I pray for the caregivers in the different countries who do their best to love our children as they wait for their families. Some of these caregivers have made it their mission to love and serve.

-Travel for those who will soon see their families-

-those who are waiting

-for those who have felt adoption tug at their heart but are still fearfull

Join me today, won't you??

It would be soo cool to see many today pray specifically pray for the orphans around the world!!! God loves prayer!

Cause to Celebrate

Miss LynnMarie is 11 months old today!

the wait is almost over

Wow, the rest of the paperwork has been mailed. we are done with paperwork until we get to China. We are now waiting for our Travel Approval and our Visa's to get back and have started getting the nursery ready!

Michaels been painting and we have a crib. Now I am looking for a dresser with a changing table on top. I'm still searching Craigslist. Its such a fun site!!!

we are getting excited about trip! There is so much to do. I have been making lists, praying and looking at flight information.

Did you see the shower pics below?? I did do a Monday Meditations but I have no idea where it went. I think blogger ate the post..
God is so good, and has really been opening the doors during this whole adventure. We cant wait to see what else He has planned!!!!

Remember, if you want to be on the prayer update list, email me at lovinglynnmarie@hotmail.com

What a weekend

What a great, fun, busy weekend we had and its funny because I started and ended my weekend with my friend Donna! Friday night, we headed to Dan and Liz's house for this month's Adoption Option. She served an awesome BBQ and then we talked about attachment. We are hoping this is our last AO before China but you never know. We got plenty of information and advice and it was wonderful to spend time with this incredible community!!

Saturday was our couples baby shower put on my by the adoption community. Kim, Christy and Donna you rocked it out!!! Seriously though we had the best shower food I have ever had. I had brie for the first time and it was awesome. On another note, I had 2 Weight Watcher friends there and we decided to skip some points. We even had chocolate covered strawberries. So we had awesome food, fun games and we were showered with amazing gifts. Let me just tell you, this adventure wouldn't be the same without this community. I love them all and I know they love us. We have been giving clothes, advice, prayers and promises of help. Adoption friends, you really are our second family. Thanks for being so kind to us. You mean more to me than you will ever know and you have this soo much fun for us! We spent several hours afterwards with Kim and Michael, getting advice and wisdom for our upcoming trip to China. We both got lots of info!!!!!

Sunday, we slept late and missed the service but Michael joined me for nursery duty. We only had one child, but he was 13 months old and it was. I hope Michael will join me again for some baby time and practice. After church, we had lunch at a sit down Chinese restaurant with some friends and had a really good time. To finish the weekend, we headed out to WinterJam and got to hear Brandon Heath, Newsong, Hawk Nelson, Toby Mac and Tony Nolan!! Good times but a very full weekend. Bring on LynnMarie!!!

Yellow

This is the work in progress and will allow you to see what we mean by yellow.

-Mike

Another Item Off The Checklist

This morning Amy and I went to meet a potential pediatrician for Princess LynnMarie. This doctor was recommended by friends who also have children adopted from China and his office is minutes from our house.

He is very confident that her health is good based on the pictures, video, and reports we have received. He compared the data on her weight, height and head measurements over the time we have reports and she is perfectly on course for physical development.

We are going to give him first shot at her care despite his name. Jokingly, I noticed his first and middle names are William and Robert, and he told us he grew up in south Georgia. Based on that, he's Dr. Billy Bob!

On a more serious note, please join me in prayer. I am spending time tonight painting LynnMarie's room. I am praying that it provides the warmth and the shelter and protection she will need as she grows up. Also, I wrote a post about my day and how positive it was in other ways over at http://www.valtool.blogspot.com Please visit and comment if you like.

-Mike

So you get to China and...

Ok, so the plan is to fly to China, tour, rest and the meet LynnMarie! Then what? Seriously? What do you do once you have met her?? I'm being serious. I know we will be busy with things like paperwork and stuff but . I'm looking for your experiences. Lets say she has a cold and we stay in room, what do we do all day??

I warned you that I had a lot of questions.My mind is racing. I love it!

More questions

Tomorrow, we are meeting with LynnMarie's pediatrician. For those of you who have been there done that, what questions should I ask? What should I bring besides pictures and her medical info that I have?

Thanks!!

Amy

(did you see the cute gifts she got at her first shower below?)

Disney and BabyShower pics

Starfish Needs YOUR help!!

Amanda at Starfish needs your help. Many of you have helped before. Kim at the Seventh Diamond collected so much last year and the First Friday community collected 2 large boxes this past fall. Kim was ready to collect again but Amanda has asked for a different type of help. She needs sponsors for her new 12 cleft babies. You guys know I love the cleft babies. I have worked with them for over 7 years and I know how much love they need. Some of you have adopted kids who are cleft effected. What a wonderful way to give back. What a way to do this as a family!! here are more details!!

Amanda was contacted a couple of days ago by the Director of the orphanage in her area. There has been a large group of infants left, many with cleft palate issues and the orphanage has no room to take them in. There are 12 who are due to be released from the local hospital in the next couple of days with nowhere to go. Amanda has been planning to open a Cleft Palate Home in the distant future when funds were in place, but because of these 12 little ones, she is converting the volunteer quarters into a the Cleft Palate Home and will take in these 12 babies. She only has funds to support them for 3 months, so this is where we come in. We need approximately 72 families to come forward who are willing to sponsor a child for $25.00 a month. It costs approx. $150.00 a month for Amanda to feed and care for each child, so it it will take 6 families to step forward for each child. Or if a family is willing to contribute more, that would lessen the number of families needed. This would be a year commitment. Amanda will send out updates to the families and photos of the sponsored babies. The amount is totally tax deductible and the donations will go through the STARFISH CHILDREN'S SERVICES and the tax number is 20-4682816 If you are willing to come forward as a sponsor family or group, please leave a comment below or e-mail Kim at timnkim@gmail.com If you have ever sat in your living room and wondered how you could make an impact, this is it. Amanda is moving forward not knowing where the money will come from. These 12 children need a place to heal and grow. I need help finding approx. 72 families who are willing to contribute $25.00 monthly to support these children. I don't know that many people, so if you all could help spread the word about this project, it would be wonderful.

Monday Meditations

I think I have forgotten to post my MM, sooo sorry. But I have been praying and I hope you join me today !!

Praises
Families will be united with their babies soon!!!
People are still adopting
The friendships that have been made and the differences those friendships make

Prayers
the families who are waiting
the babies who are waiting
the caregivers who love on these babies until they get their families. I know their hearts and minds must get sooo attached. I am so thankful for these wonderful people
safety for those who are about to travel
those families making some pretty big decisions and those who are thinking about adoption

For specifics on how you can pray for us and LynnMarie, send me an email over at lovinglynnmarie@hotmail.com