Hi- It is 4 am here. We are all awake and STARVING! lol! We slept through dinner last night so are ready and waiting for a nice big breakfast this morning...
I probably sound like a broken record, but we are so excited. The orphanage we are going to actually has about 700 children! We thought we did great by packing 4 FULL suitcases (using the space bags!) of all clothes, shoes and toys for the kids. Now Im thinking we will need 40 more! I will have to take pics later of all the stuff. It looked like Macy's blew up when we were packing. Sara told us we were crazy before we left. When you buy it a little at a time, you don't realize how fast it adds up. For our families that will be travelling in the near future... Please carry donations for us!!!! (May as well get that request in now!!!) My hubby is freaking that I am going to shop so much to refill the suitcases. (Don't worry, hunny! I promise I wont bring back too much. Maybe just a child or two.... hee hee)
So, today will be our first full day in China... Here's what we are doing!!!
7:30 Breakfast (come on 7:30!!!!)
8 am- Visit with Chinese Dr.- We are going to see what we can do naturally to take better care of ourselves. There has been WAY to much stress in our office the last few years... I am thinking we are on an upswing now though! ;)
9:30 Shop for MORE stuff for the Camp- we need to buy paint for arts and crafts, more clothes for the older girls (we have a ton of little stuff and older boy stuff), try to find a pinata (couldnt fit in my suitcase-dag gone it!), and whatever else we find for our angels.
Afternoon tour of Great Wall
Chinese Holiday dinner with CTS (China Travel Service)- This is the last night of the lunar new year and we are attending a special dinner celebration with traditional sweet dumplings. (YUM!) We are going to meet with the officials who arrange our travel for our families. We are going to talk about our ongoing relationship and how our clients can be better satisfied!!!
Coming up tomorrow... Our first day with CCAA and Bridge of Love. =)
We will post tonight as I have told everyone we are NOT going to bed before 9 pm as we need to get on a schedule. Thanks everyone for following along! Enjoy some videos of our trip! (We have pics too but took them on Ali's camera and we don't have her USB cable to upload them. So we will take lots of pics today with my camera!)
Lots of love,
Diana, Aleda and Ali
PS I read the book "Fireproof" on the plane. (THANKS KIM!) It is a good read if anyone is looking for a Christian, inspirational, appreciate your spouse more novel. I am now reading "The Shack". These are the first books I have read in almost a year! I REALLY miss my kids, but I have to tell you, it was great to actually get to read a bit. I also have "China Ghosts" and "Silent Tears" to get through as well before I come home. Anyway, anyone read any of these and have any comments?
I gave Ali "Wanting a Daughter, Needing a Son" and have to buy her "The Lost Daughters of China" to read too. These were probably the first China adoption books I ever read and LOVED them. It is great to see the same wonder and excitement on Ali's face. She is wide eyed and taking it all in, just like I was when I started.... Pretty cool!
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Diana, I've seen the movie Fireproof and actually did the Love Dare recently. It's an amazing journey!! I highly reccommend, every marriage needs that education. HA! I have also recently read The Shack. It is another awesome book. It will have you crying, laughing and thinking....enjoy that emotional ride. Hope this finds you all well and enjoy a very beautiful...China!! Happy and Safe Travels!!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I read Fireproof before we saw the movie. As always, the book was better. Good read!! I have The Shack but haven't read it yet. And I'm saving Silent Tears for this summer. I heard it's very emotional for adoptive parents, especially when you know that your child spent time in an orphanage. I've been warned that it will tear me up.
ReplyDeleteFireproof is fantastic. And not just fantastic, but really important as well, as there are sadly many marriages that need the Biblical message of this great film. I posted a review of it at: http://www.sohmer.net/fireproof_review.php
ReplyDeleteAs for The Shack, please please reconsider reading it and/or recommending it. I know it has made a lot of people feel good and given them warm feelings, but the Theology is problematic at best, and more likely heretical.
Here's some links for those so interested in learning more about the heresy in The Shack...
Tim Challies wrote a long review:
http://www.challies.com/archives/book-reviews/the-shack-by-william-p-young.php
Dr. Al Mohler, from Southern Baptist Seminary, said that the Shack "includes undiluted heresy."
This is a serious charge from a highly-respected scholar.
Dr. Mohler talked about the shack on his radio show and you can download an mp3 of that show at: http://www.albertmohler.com/radio_show.php?cdate=2008-04-11
Mark Driscoll, hardly an ultra-conservative, had strong criticism for it as well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK65Jfny70Y
"The Shack: Helpful or Heretical? A Critical Review by Norman L. Geisler and Bill Roach" can be found at: http://www.worldviewtimes.com/article.php/articleid-4169
"The Seductive and Subversive 'Shack'" can be found at: http://www.christianworldviewnetwork.com/article.php?ArticleID=3680
Here's a quote from the article...
Quote:
On page 110 Jesus says that He is perhaps not the way, truth, and life, but the BEST way to relate to the Father and Holy Spirit. Papa God, the African-American female, says she has many followers of many religions in different lands. This is not Orthodox Christianity, yet millions of Christian readers claim it is! Discernment has taken a summer vacation or perhaps a permanent vacation.
So please set aside any emotional feelings you have for this book and view it through a Biblical lens, the way Christians ought to view anything. It is not a good book. It presents the Trinity in an unbiblical way.
God bless you as you seek to honor our Lord.
in Christ,
Mark Sohmer
mark at sohmer dot net
biological daddy of three great kids
adoptive daddy of a wonderful little girl from Shaanxi, China