A Sweet Gift...first photo

The earliest photos we have of Emma Lynn are her referral photos likely taken around her first birthday, November 2008 and after her cleft was repaired. Today I received the earliest photo I know to exist from her finding add, I am not sure of the details as far as timing and her age at this point, but look at her sweet face and then see how she has changed...

You Jing Jing (prior to cleft repair)

Date unknown at this time

You Jing Jing likely November 2008 1 year old, after cleft repair

Emma Lynn, May 17th 2010 Safely in Daddy's Arms

Emma Lynn June 12, 2008, at home 2 weeks, 2 1/2 years old

Emma Lynn 2 1/2 years old...HOME AT LAST!

Our Website for Emma Lynn

We have an adoption website for Emma Lynn where we will journal our adoption journey and one day the site will be made into a keepsake cd for Emma....follow us here and leave Emma a message and encourage us as we are united as a family.

We are in Guilin...

We arrived into Guangzhou at about 5 am China time on Thursday May 13th after about 27 hours of travel. Then connected on a flight to Guilin and arrived at our hotel around noon...34 hours of travel and our awesome guide Lily offered to show us around...plan A was to crash plan B was to allow Lily to show us around. She took us to the South China Sea Pearl Museum and we had a private lesson on pearls and a "pearl fashion show" then we entered into the sales floor and it was a Walmart sized room of pearls...fresh water and sea pearls all from this area. We had fun!

Then I wanted to experience a Chinese department store...after a detour to KFC...let's just say I can now say I am a member of the "squatty potty club" we went thru a 7 story department store and it was something, but it is so hard to buy something I don't know how they sell a thing. Lily helped me and made it much easier to purchase 2 cute pairs of shoes for the "girls". We are now "resting" and will leave in a bit for dinner with Lily and then the acrobat show. I will upload a few photos when we return...we have had a great trip so far and have many funnies to share..but right now you just want to know we made it and we did...will update more later.

In 20 days...

In twenty days I will hold you in my arms for the very first time. I have tried to imagine this moment for nearly a year. I hope that I can comfort you and that you know...we will be with you forever. I hope that I can understand you and meet your needs. I hope that in time your little heart can open up and begin to trust us and eventually love us...we already love you. I hope that we can learn about your early life and learn to know what comforts you and what you like and what makes you smile and your favorite toy and I just can't wait to read to you and blow bubbles and make silly noises and blow rasberries on your tummy and tickle your piggies...we have so many first to experience and we have so much to learn about each other...so much to look forward to.

I pray that somehow at almost 2 1/2 your foster family is trying to prepare you for your family, we pray that we are able to meet them, either way we will keep them in your life thru letters and phone calls. In twenty short days, you will be placed in our arms and we just can't wait.

Our Itinerary...for Emma Lynn

We have received our Visas which allow us to enter China. We now have our travel itinerary and in 14 short days we will be leaving for this journey that we never thought was possible and thru extraordinary events has been made possible...we are so ready and just can't wait to leave. Please join us as we travel to meet our newest daughter Emma Lynn...

We also are a bit nervous leaving Ellie Lu but she will be in GREAT hands, Aunt Sheshee will be caring for her and she will have her own adventure on the "farm: while Momma and Daddy bring Cissy home...pray for us ALL we have only been away from her for 1 night since June 22nd 2008...just typing it takes my breath away...pray that she is happy and content and doesn't even notice we are away...pray for health for us all...just pray!

May 11th: depart Chattanooga 2:10 pm est for our 2nd Journey of A Lifetime
Fly to Los Angeles and connect with China Southern departing 11:40 pm
pst to Guangzhou

May 13th: arrive Guangzhou 6:20 am(6:20 pm est May 12th) connect with China
Southern flight and arrive in Guilin 10:40 am

May 13th: private transfer to hotel, Guilin Lijiang Waterfall Hotel rest up and sightsee on
our own

Guilin Lijiang Waterfall Hotel

May 14th: meet our guide after breakfast and go to the Guilin City SWI and take photos of outside of orphanage, then travel by private driver to Quanzhou County to visit finding location of You Jing Jing and tour the Xiangshan Temple.

May 15th: after breakfast meet our guide and driver to embark on the Li River Cruise, arrive in Yangshuo late afternoon check into River View Hotel and shop for “Wedding ball” for each girl, then watch the evening water show Impression Liusanjie Show.

River View Hotel Yangshuo Bilian

May 16th: enjoy early morning in Yangshuo, take private transfer to Nanning via Guilin on the highway, arrive Nanning between 5-6 pm local time check into the Majestic Hotel, rest up and prepare for Emma Day!

Majestic Hotel (Mingyuan Xindu) in Nanning China

May 17th: Emma Lynn Day and Daddy’s 56th Birthday and Emma’s 2 ½ birthday! We will meet Emma Lynn at 3:30pm local time (3:30 am est) at the local Civil Affairs Office.

May 18th: Adoption registration and notarization at the local Civil Affairs Office, in the afternoon shopping for children’s supplies.

May 19th: Baby bonding…Optional sightseeing activity, offered by local guide TBA.

May 20th: Baby bonding…Optional sightseeing activity, offered by local guide TBA.

May 21st: Late check out and travel to Guangzhou arriving via China Southern arriving at 7:55 pm local time. Check into the White Swan hotel.

White Swan Hotel, Guangzhou, China

May 22nd: Medical and TB Test for Emma Lynn

May 23rd: Church and free day…sightseeing, shopping

May 24th: TB results and shop

May 25th: VISA appointment

May 26th : Oath taking ceremony

May 27th: Pick up Visa for Emma Lynn

May 28th: Free day late checkout depart Guangzhou 9 pm local time and arrive LA May 28th
6:50 pm Emma Lynn becomes a US Citizen.

May 29th: Depart LA 1:40 am pst arrive Memphis 7:22 am central and depart for
Chattanooga 9:15 am Delta flight 5176 arriving in Chattanooga
11:22 am est (if you want to welcome us home please do...we would love to see you ALL)

May 29th: Arrive Home!!!!!

May 30th: Travel to Knoxville to pick up Ellie Lu and bring her home to meet her sister…family bonding time…..adjusting to being a family of FOUR!!!!

TA...delivered by the Fedex Lady

My doorbell rang on Monday mid day and not expecting anything I almost didn't answer...truth be known there was a knock on Friday that I didn't answer...same package. Turns out the actual TA arrived by FedEx...so I had to hunt down my camera and document its arrival...

Confirmed dates...finally

In am not sure when I will learn this, but life would not be life if everything worked exactly like we expected or needed it to and it seems at times to be the worst thing that could possibly be happening, but all in all things do work out.

We leave for China in 28 days.....more later