We made it! We are in Beijing!

We have arrived at our hotel after the longest plane ride we've ever imagined... I didn't know a plane could run that long without running out of fuel. Amazing! We were disappointed prior to boarding our flight in Chicago as we were not able to get seats next to each other for the Beijing flight. Thankfully when we boarded the plane a very nice Chinese gentleman switched seats with me. Even better, the seats we were assigned to were economy plus just a row behind first class. The leg room was phenomenal! I'm very thankful for that! We flew over 6,500 miles today, over 15 hours, over the upper northern hemisphere including Canada, Alaska, Siberia, the Arctic Ocean an a whole bunch of mountains. It was alot of tv, reading, gaming, standing up, walking to the other end of the plane, sitting, stretching, yawning, talking, eating, sleeping, eating, sleeping, eating and so on...

After we successfully landed the airport was amazing! I didn't realize that it is the largest airport terminal in the world. It is something else...

After a long bus ride to the hotel (the driver got lost) we are finally here. Although very tired we found ourselves very hungry so we tried to go downstairs to order some food. Seems that we aren't quite ready to be on our own as we had trouble figuring out prices and menu items. We ended up coming back to our room for Wheat Thins and a snack bar. mmmmmm goood! Guess will have to figure out that stuff in the morning.

Much more to share but very, very tired. Take care and we hope to hear from you while we are here. Please post a note or drop us an email. Just a little bit closer to our little girl. We saw so many littler reminders of her on the plane all around us. Families adopting for the first and second time along with other chinese families traveling home. We're coming Bethany!

More tomorrow as we are going to the Summer Palace (in the winter), the Jade factory and the Great Wall (just a part of it). Hopefully I can learn some more of the language and how to handle my Yuan Renminbi.

Amen! (that wasn't a prayer exactly but it feels like I should say that after today!)

Dan

6 more days...gotta get packing!

Well, I am procrastinating the packing ordeal. I have a collection of "stuff" spread out across Bethany's room, but there is no sense of order or completeness to it yet. The hard part is having everything we need/want with us, but "packing light" as is recommended at the same time. Fifteen days is a long time to be gone!! Monday is our travel conference call, so hopefully we will get a lot of direction and inspiration then.

I am struggling with the emotional issue of leaving my 3 boys behind as our departure date draws close. "Aren't you so excited?!" is the common question I get these days, and I am, but I am also very anxious and a little sad that I will be away from my 3 little princes at the same time. I think the anticipation of this whole overwhelming experience is messing with my mind and my emotions. I keep meditating on Joshua 1:9, Philippians 4:6-7, and 1 Peter 5:8 when the worrisome thoughts take over. Hopefully those thoughts will all melt away when our plane leaves the ground next Thursday.

Oh yeah...Happy New Year!

Becky

We're headed for China!!

Hello! We got our T.A. (travel approval) call today! Of course the agency had trouble getting a hold of us...just like the day we got the referral! Dan was out running errands with Toby and Becky was helping at Trent's Snowman Party (you can't say Christmas you know!) at school. Anyway, it looks like we are leaving January 8th and returning sometime around the 22nd. We were hoping for a few days sooner, since the kids go back to school on the 20th, and we wanted them to have a few days home with us when we returned, but we might just pull them out for a few days anyway. So, now we have a few weeks to get packed and geared up for an amazing couple of weeks! More later...thanks for your prayers and encouragement along this journey! The end is in sight!!

One more quick note...please pray for our safe travels to and from China and for the emotional separation for us and our 3 boys while we are apart. I (Becky) have never been away from the boys for more than 1-2 nights, and even with all the excitement of getting Bethany, am dreading being away from my boys that long. Of the boys, I am most concerned about Matthew, who will probably have the hardest time having mom and dad gone. Thanks.

Have a great day! We are!! :)

Dan, Becky, Matthew, Trent and Toby