We are currently still waiting for a travel date but we know we are close. It is hard waiting for a phone call each day, yet we know it will come in His perfect time and we trust.

In the meantime we are trying our best to be ready. I (Mary) have been busy buying everything that we need for our trip and even beginning to pack it up! Thank goodness Julie and Jason are letting us borrow so much of their stuff.. that has been a huge blessing as we have found that getting ready for this trip has proven to be so expensive.

If you are wondering why we are packing Buckeyes, I wish i could say it was for us, but we are required to bring multiple gifts with for the staff at the orphanage, and we figured “who doesn’t like candy, right?” 🙂

We are also preparing Ava and Jesse for our trip. Reality is setting in and we are seeing some emotions surfacing as travel gets closer.  Jesse has been struggling with fears and has been crying when he is alone (like going potty or realizing I have gone upstairs if he is playing downstairs.) There have been many, many tears this past week.. Ava has also been crying often when she thinks about our travel. It’s hard to see them so upset and we are trying to be comforting and patient with them as we know all kids struggle with change. This is a big one!  Please pray for them. We continue to comfort them and tell them to use this as an opportunity to cling to Christ while we are gone. They are still so young and this seems scary for them. I know that He will guard their hearts. We also remind them that grandma will spoil them with plenty of treats in our absence 🙂 Thanks for praying!

I am working on “prizes” for both of them to open each day with a note from us while we are gone. 🙂

Please also pray that we would be financially ready to go when it is time. We know that we will have to pay $6,000- $10,000 in the next 2 weeks depending on costs of flights, hotels. (That’s a huge range and a little tough to wrap our minds around!)  We are told that the later we travel, the more expensive it will get.  Please pray specifically for our travel to be as least costly as possible and that the Lord would provide! We trust Him!

Thanks guys!