Our first day in Beijing has been awesome. It started out to a rough start because I failed to properly set our alarm. We were supposed to be in the hotel lobby at 8am ready to go, breakfast eaten. We woke up at 7:45! We missed out on the big breakfast and our hotel room looked like a wreck when we left, but thankfully we had some granola bars packed that we ate for breakfast and we were able to get ready super fast!  We were the last of our travel group to arrive in the lobby, but we are "family #1" when they call roll.....they should have picked a different family :) Oh well! The other 7 families didn't seem to mind us being a few minutes tardy. They are a great group of families to travel with and we have enjoyed getting to know them.

 

I am going to try and post pictures in this post....if they don't come through, I might have to post them in a separate post....

 

 

Our first stop was Tiananmen Square, then the Forbidden City along with the Imperial Gardens. Below are some pictures. These landmarks are simply just amazing. They are huge in size yet so intricate in detail. If you notice in the picture with the flags- it is the Chinese flag and the Ethiopian flag! How cool! Of course the Ethiopian flag does not always fly here, but an important Ethiopian leader is visiting Beijing today of all days, so they are flying the Ethiopian flag. It seems like an extra special confirmation of our family :to see these two flags flying together.

 

Next we had lunch at a traditional Chinese restaurant. They brought out several Chinese dishes- I tried most of them (skipped out on the duck and other unidentified meats) . Most were very good, but I can't lie- I prefer our good ole' Kentucky cooking!!

 

Next we went to a pearl store. We were given a demonstration about pearls that was very interesting. We also were shown some gorgeous pearls that were thousands of dollars (I tried on a necklace that cost $7000!!!) Thankfully they had some that were more in our price range (talking $20 :) and we were able to buy some nice gifts and a small bracelet as a gift for Emmie.

 

We visited a beautiful area called Summer Palace. There is a gorgeous lake and it is a very tranquil and captivating setting. There were Chinese ladies dancing, and Chinese men playing music. There were people in paddle boats on the lake. Just a pleasant place.

 

We also visited a silk store and then drove to the site of the 2008 Olympics and ate at a nearby restaurant. Again, traditional Chinese with a fish dish that was served head and all and looked like a blooming onion!

 

We ended the day by seeing a Chinese Acrobatic show. It was AWESOME!!! Their skills are unbelievable and I sat with my mouth open most of the time! We got back to our hotel around 9 this evening and we are exhausted!!! Only 5 hours or so of sleep in the last almost 48 hours makes for some crazy feeling people.

 

The city is HUGE!!!! There are people and skyscrapers everywhere you look! And lots of cars, bicycles and scooters. The weather was very hot today- over 90 degrees. The air is also very "cloudy". Many people masks, and even more carry umbrellas.

 

Tomorrow we will go to a church service and visit The Great Wall of China. Then we will prepare to leave Monday morning for Nanning, where we will meet Emmie!! My stomach is already doing flip flops thinking about how exciting it will be. There is one other family that will be going to the province with us. They are also adopting a daughter.

 

Well, that is all for today. Thanks for all the prayers, and keep them coming.

 

We made it! We have been up for over 24 hours, and have traveled for 20 hours, but we finally are here!! Our flights were uneventful and all on time, so we are thankful for that. Our luggage is all here- very thankful for that. Neither of us slept for more than a couple hours on the plane, so we are ready to go to bed! Especially since we have to be up and ready to leave the hotel at 8am tomorrow for a full day of sightseeing! Will update with pictures and more info tomorrow, but for tonight, good night!

 

Today is the Day- Off for China!!!

The big day is here! In just a little while we will depart for Lexington, Ky. and then at 11am we will depart on a journey that will forever change our lives!

Your prayers and kinds words have been felt and have meant so much to our family during these last several weeks. We ask that you keep them coming as we embark on this great adventure!

Our pray today is this: That God would give us the strength to be everything we are called to be. That He would show us the way to lead our family, these precious children He has so graciously blessed us with. That He would lead  us.

Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Prayers for Emmie- Day 18

Tonight I feel excitement with a twinge of anxiousness. My stomach has been getting "that feeling" every time I think about leaving our boys at the airport Thursday. I fear there will be some tears, at least on my end ;) They could be in no better hands than my parents and in-laws, but that isn't seeming to help this momma's heart. I am going to deeply miss my boys.

Tonight we ask you to pray for a continued and renewed spiritual awakening in China.
Though we know that Christianity continues to grow in China, we also know that this growth must take place in a secretive way, and for some in dangerous environments. We have discussed this with the boys in an attempt to help them appreciate the religious freedoms that we have in our country. I confess, I need that reminder quite often as well. How often do I take for granted the privilege to worship whenever and however I want? Or the luxury of having the Word of God available to me whenever I want to read it? Lord, help us to treasure You!

The picture below is of Emmie and the Director of the House of Love-  Emmie is saying goodbye to her.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
Romans 1:16

Prayers for Emmie- Days 16 & 17

Today we found out that Emmie was moved to her original orphanage. She was taken by train to the orphanage this past Friday. The email we received said that she was very calm and seemed to understand what was going on. She also insisted on being called Emmie, because she knows this is what her mom and dad will call her :) The orphanage staff called to check on her while she was on the train, and they were told she was doing fine- snacking and laughing. This brings much comfort to our hearts!

Another wonderful thing is that she was given a "countdown calendar" so that while we are counting the days until we meet Emmie, she is also counting the days until she meets us. We are so blessed that she was given such amazing care at the House of Love.

For these two days we ask that you pray for Emmie. I am sure it was exciting for her to get to ride on a train to her original orphanage, but I can't help but wonder what she thought once she realized that she would not be returning to the House of Love, nor would she be seeing her friends or care takers any longer. Please pray that the anticipation of meeting her mom and dad will drown out the sorrow she must feel at not being with her friends any longer.

The picture below was taken the day that she said goodbye to the House of Love.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

Prayers for Emmie- Day 15

First, a new picture of Emmie! We have been told that she really enjoys puzzles, and this seems to prove that! We are also thrilled that Emmie remains at the House of Love, and has not yet been moved back to her original orphanage. This is a huge answer to prayer. Even if she was moved tomorrow, she would only have to stay there for about a week, as a week from this Monday, on June 17, we will have Emmie forever!


We ask you to pray today for our "Gotcha Day". Generally, for children that are of toddler age, it can be very confusing and fearful. An Orphans Wish has no doubt done  a wonderful job preparing Emmie for her transition, but we know it still be difficult for the first few days. Please pray for patience and understanding for all of us, and for wisdom for Zack and I as we deal with Emmie's emotions and reactions on this day especially.

God is love. 1 John 4:8

Prayers for Emmie- Day 13 & 14.....ONE WEEK UNTIL TRAVEL!

It is with so much joy that I type the words "ONE WEEK  UNTIL TRAVEL"!! The time is quickly approaching, and God has been faithful to carry us through the extra weeks of waiting to this point. All your prayers have played a huge role in that as well- thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

As you have probably noticed, I have been posting every other day- things are in full swing around the Caldwell household. We have had soccer camp this week, have been walking around the neighborhood inviting neighbors to a community ice cream social scheduled for this weekend, last night we had a sleepover with five wonderful, lively boys, and I am trying to do some last minute cleaning that I want to get done before we  leave (cleaning windows, hopefully shampooing the carpet). Plus there are some things I want to spend time doing with the boys before we go as well......not crying yet!

We received our in-country travel itinerary information this week. It is very exciting to know where we will be staying in each city and a general outline of what each day will look like. Today we ask that you again pray for our travel. Please for each city that we will be visiting, and pray for safety in those cities: Beijing, Nanning, and Guangzhou. Our travel will take us across the entire country of China (picture traveling from New York to Texas then to Florida :) Pray for Emmie as she endures the flights as well.  She will be experiencing so many new things in a short amount of time- please pray that the travel will not make her sick physically, and that emotionally Zack and I can comfort her through these transitions.

Psalm 46:11    The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.