Libby,

This is it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is my last journal entry before flying to China! We are winding down around the house and can't believe all this preparation is almost over. My iPod is updated and charged, camera and video camera are charged, bags are mostly packed, house is clean, mail is mailed, bills are paid, laundry is washed, baby car seats are installed, office work is temporarily finished, and now it's time to breathe deep and enjoy the ride!

All our friends and all our family have been entirely supportive over the last 22 months of this journey. Their prayers and encouragement have paved the way. Thank you to you all! May the Lord bless you!

Monday night Mooj and Ba gave us a substantial financial gift to go towards the adoption and they prayed over us so sweetly. Thank you Mooj and Ba!!!!!!!! We love you!

Tuesday, Mrs. Dee drew up a diagram of where all the shops are in China. I now know where to go to get everything I could want/need. It was really nice of her to go to all that trouble. Thank you Mrs. Dee!

Mrs. Cristie and I are all giggles. We can't believe this day has come. We spoke on the phone a couple of times today and you can hear the energy in our voices. We're so excited. Your daddy and I can't wait to see Mrs. Cristie and Mr. Doug at the airport.

For those who have been reading our journals to Libby, know that we will now start journaling on the page marked with that day's date until the end of the trip. You'll find links for each day of the trip on the homepage.

Well, that's all folks! We'll be in touch once we land in Beijing, China!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DRUM ROLL,

Mommy

Dear Libby,

We're down to only 3 days before take off. What a beautiful thought! We are very busy around here - preparing our home, hearts, minds, friends, family, future... you name it!

Happy Birthday to Papa Graham and Aunt Becky! We celebrate both your lives and are so thankful for every inch of who you are!

Nervousness, anxiety, and just pure excitement are at the top of the list when it comes to emotions. It's so strange all the different thoughts and emotions one has when change is on the horizon. As I told my friend Kristi today, "you have to let go of what you think is joy and delight in order to receive what God's design of joy and delight really is." In other words, I have to let go of the joy and delight your daddy and I have had for the last seven years - like the freedom to go and do and be alone together at any time - in order to receive what God is telling me will be an even greater joy and delight - YOU!! Sounds simple, but it really is a leap of faith. I'm trusting in the One who has created us and who has put this life altering experience in motion.

As I struggled with a little anxiety over this change the Lord drew me to his word this past Saturday morning. I was reading in Luke 1 where the angel prophesies to Zechariah and Elizabeth that John the Baptist would be born to them. The Lord said to Zechariah that John would be a joy and delight to them. It was as if the Lord was saying to me, "it is the same with Libby, she will be a joy and delight." What a comfort that was to me.

Lord Jesus,

What I need today is to focus on you. You put this calling in me. You ordained our steps to this child. Le me be filled with love, joy and peace these last days before I receive her. Do not let fear reside in me. Instead fill me with your perfect love. I ask - and know - that Libby will be a joy and delight to Billy and I. I pray that many will rejoice over her and that she will be great in Your sight. Fill her with your Holy Spirit even now! Give her the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous - to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Show me how to pray for Libby. Remind me to fight the plans of the enemy to steal joy. Do not let me give in. But instead help me recognize all his plans and lies for what they are - NOT YOUR WILL!  And let me rest in what is your will  - that which is good - plans to prosper, plans of hope.

Calm me in my most inner-being because even the good excitement feels like it's almost too much to bear. I don't want to be tired before I even step on the plane.

Lord, you are good. Set my mind and body on worshipping you. You are faithful. You are the Great Provider, You are Jehovah Shalom. Before time began you planned this adoption - for Billy and my life to collide with Xu Fan. May it be a sweet collision - a coming together blessed by the presence of the Holy Spirit. You are good Lord. You are good and I believe it! AMEN!

Libby,

You have no understanding of what is about to take place, but may you look back to these words one day and know how well thought out and planned the Lord has designed your life to be. Not a single detail is left unnoticed. The hairs on your head are numbered. He cares for you so much that he's put a burden in the heart of your daddy and I to find you - even across the world!

I love you,

Mommy

Happy 9 Month Birthday, Libby!

You're growing up so fast and I'm missing out! BUT I'll be there soon. In 8 days I get on that plane. In 12 days I'll be holding you! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's how our day went today. We woke up and had our quiet times with the Lord. Then, we did office work - answering emails, organizing things before we leave, etc.

A delightful package arrived today from your Aunt Wendy. It was full of baby things - bibs, shampoo, baby wash, lotion, butte paste, a very cute card with a $40 gift certificate to Target, baby toothpaste/brush, sippy cups and baby spoons! Thank you Aunt Wendy!!!!!!!!!!!! We'll make good use of it all!

At 1:00 Central time I called AWAA for our big conference call. All the other adopting moms and dads in our traveling group (I think I counted 36 families) called at the same time and Anna Nicoliason directed the meeting. She covered everything. I don't think I have any more questions about our trip. I'm ready! The conference call was almost 2 hours long!

I felt a little tired after the call, but I planned on cleaning house today so I took a deep breath, turned on a Hillsongs Worship DVD really loud and got to work. I cleaned everything - base boards, counters, floors, you name it. The only things left to do around the house are laundry and dishes.

Now it's time to chill. Tomorrow I have some errands to run pertaining to our trip and tomorrow night I meet with the San Antonio Adopting moms. That's always so much fun!

We're busy little bees around here these days. And everything we're doing is something that needs to be done to either get to you or bring you home.

Mommy and Daddy love you!

Love,

Mommy

Dear Libby,

You are wanted!!! In 11 days we board a plane and start the last steps of reaching you! I can hardly believe it.

So - here's what's in the news. As you can see in the picture - your Aunt Carissa just got her nose pierced! She is so cool! She just turned 21, she's beautiful, she's smart, and she's been praying for you through this whole journey. Note to Libby - other than piercing your ears - this is the only piercing I am open to you having once you're of age.  We love it, Aunt Carissa!

Last night Mrs. Cristie's parents, David and Billie Gill, had us over to their beautiful home for dinner. The food was out of this world. The appetizers: shrimp, fresh veggies with dip, nachos, and fruit. The meal: grilled pork loin, mushrooms, green beans, stuffed tomatoes, twice baked potatoes and rolls. The dessert: ice cream with chocolate sauce and cookies. Oh My - I was full for a solid 5 hours - at least!! What a great family!!

We're down to the last 10 days - which leaves your daddy with very little time to finish the list of things I've written out for him. You too will one day become acquainted with my lists, I'm afraid. I can't help it - I must make lists!

Tonight we're fellowshipping with Todd and Kelli Lambert and the Singletary family. We're looking forward to it.

For now, I must go - but know that every step I take, every breath I take - I'm thinking of you.

Love you,

Mommy

Dear Libby,

We leave for China in exactly two weeks!!!!!!!! And I just received an email from our agency saying that our conference call (when all our questions will be answered) will take place on Wed. Aug. 23. I've been waiting on that email for about a week. The email also said that our travel arrangements for inside China will be finalized sometime next week. I'm looking forward to knowing all the details.

Well, with you on the fore-front of our minds I decided your daddy needed a baby 101 class! - I was the teacher (which is funny because I've never been a mom before). Your daddy was the student. Basically - the blind leading the blind. We started last night with basic instructions on how to fold up and set up the play yard your Grammy just sent us (it's GREAT!! - Thanks Grammy!) and then we worked on folding up and setting up the stroller.  Your daddy was a pro at the play yard. First time around he took it down and set it back up with no problems. The stroller was another story. He kept trying to fold it up, but it wouldn't bend. I couldn't figure out what he was doing wrong and he started to panic a little and said "I'm going to be a horrible dad".  But - he focused one more time and realized that he just wasn't holding one of the buttons down far enough. Yeah!! He knew what to do from that point forward and all fear went out the window.

Tonight I'll be teaching your daddy how to set up and fold up the high chair and how to disassemble/assemble a bottle. He's going to be quite the pro by the time we leave for China.

Our 7 year anniversary was on Monday but we had lots of work to do on that day, so tomorrow night we are getting a hotel room at the Hotel Valencia on the River Walk and we're celebrating 7 wonderful years and the many more to come.

After that - it's time to get organized. Got to finish baby proofing the house, packing, cleaning house, etc. The next two weeks are going to fly!!!

We're coming Libby! We're really coming!

Love,

Mommy