Just moments now

Last night was my first real sleep in 2 days. Since we left Friday afternoon, I slept only 4-5 hours. Last night I was able to rest deeply and comfortably for a good 8 hours. So, today I feel great! We checked into our Beijing hotel Saturday night very late...10 p.m. or so. At 3:30 am I was still awake so I got up and took a long bath! After that, I was able to sleep for about 1 hour...Scott had gotten out of bed after I got out of the tub and he went to the hotel gym and worked out and then enjoyed a time of prayer. We met our guide in the lobby at 8:30 the next morning. Our flight to Changsha wasn't until 7:55 p.m. so we spent the day touring Beijing. It was a beautiful Autumn day...I am guessing around 50 degrees. We walked for hours through the Summer Palace which was amazing, especially after spending over 15 hours couped up on the plane flying from Chicago to Beijing. Fresh air, beautiful scenery, exercise on the slope of a mountain... honestly, the air was so crisp and it felt so good to be just a little bit cold. The people at the Summer Palace were friendly and doing what I envisioned from my study of Chinese culture...exercising (mostly elderly practicing tai chi and other similar movements), playing some interesting games, playing musical instruments and singing!!! For anyone to hear! Chinese opera style!!!

After the Summer Palace, we had lunch...interesting...we ate the rice and noodles if that tells you anything! Then it was off to the Forbidden City. We exited the car at Tieneman Square and walked through the largest public square in the world into the Forbidden City. We had a very young guide, only 21, and we asked her if she was old enough to remember what happened at the Square in 1989. She said she was only 3 then and that her mom doesn't want her to know. When she asks her mom about it, her mom says, "Nothing happened there." We didn't tell her. Splendor of old surrounded us as well as a very different crowd of people than what we experienced at the Summer Palace. Beggars, tourists, large crowds, military personnel. I hope to post pictures later.

We are moments away from meeting Charis! It is just after 8 a.m. Monday, the 12th, and at 10:30 we will be united. Right now, Charis is probably with the orphanage director getting ready to climb into the car to drive 2 and a half hours from Yeuyang to Changsha. I can't even imagine what must be going through her little mind. My heart feels like it is going to jump out of my chest, so hers must be dancing as well. This is why we are here. We are ready to adopt our daughter and welcome her into our lives and family forever!

I am unable to get to my blog as of yet so I am e-mailing to a friend who is posting for me. Hopefully we will get things figured out later today and I can post pictures! Anyway, pray for all of us before you go to bed as we will be with our daughter for the 24 hour entrustment period to see if we are a good "match" before the official adoption tomorrow. We serve a gracious and compassionate God...He loves orphans and is the Father to the fatherless. We praise Him for His lovingkindness!