Settling In...and Happy Anniversary!!!

We had a nice Christmas with the whole family and then Bryan headed to Slovania to go snowboading with some friends and we headed to Florida so Dad and Whit could watch Lauryn (and the Stratford Varsity Cheerleaders) perform at the half-time show at Champs Bowl in Orlando. She did a great job and Mom, Lindsay and the little girls tried to watch from the condo but the half-time report pre-empted the show so we were disappointed.

On Monday we took the girls to Seaworld since Whit had a free pass for being active military. We had a nice time, but forgot how much harder it is to be in a park with little ones. Kylee and Lily enjoyed the Shamu show and playing in Happy Harbor. The weather was amazingly beautiful- in the 80's. Whit and Dad managed some rollercoaster time while the girls played. Lindsay was a big help and took Kylee on some rides and switched and let me take her while she watched Lily. Lily is still not feeling the best- has a rash and was a little overwhelmed by the park. They had a sandplay area and I discovered that Lily hates sand. She will not walk on it at all! I hope she gets over that cause mom likes to go to the beach.

Then we drove home and got in late Monday night. We are finally settling in to our life at home...dreading having to adjust to going back to work and leaving Lily and Kylee. Dad goes back to work tomorrow (the 1st) and mom goes back on Monday. Fortunately Lily LOVES Grandma and will be very happy to spend time with her while mom works.

I am so thankful for our family. Today is our 28th weding anniversary and we could not have imagined how our life together would turn out...but it has exceeded all my hopes and dreams. Two young kids who fell in love and couldn't stand to be apart (he was in the military) took a leap of faith and pledged to love each other forever- 28 years ago. I had to finish high school and we both had college in front of us. Today we both have Master's degrees. We took the harder path to education but we managed to get it done together!
As young parents we had two beautiful boys who filled our home with love and non-stop action...they still do! We are so proud that both of our sons have followed in Dad's footsteps to pursue a miitary career andare finishing pilot training. Both are handsome, Christian young men who have excelled academically and in every other way. We are so proud to be their parents. Then once Bo had college behind him and was an officer/pilot in the USAF our girls came along. Lindsay who has had so much to deal with physically throughout her life with medical challenges and yet is pursuing nursing and wants so much to be a missionary nurse and help children around the world. She is an amazing young woman of faith and determination and continues to struggle to be all that God wants her to be. We are sdo proud of her and know that she will do well and please God. Then we had Lauryn- our baby- we thought- our baby for 13 years. She is our joy!!!! She brings fun wherever she goes and continues to excel academically and as a leader. She joined with Mom in a heart for abandoned babies as a 10 year old and all of our lives have changed as a result.
So now we are "older parents" with two beautiful asian daughters. What a blessing to have so much love and to be surrounded by such amazing children. We never could have guessed 28 years ago where this all would lead but I knew that the man I loved was amazing and that he loved God too and he would lead me on an adventure and I have not been disappointed!

Bo- HAPPY ANNIVERSARY AND THANK YOU FOR 28 AMAZING YEARS TOGETHER!!!

WE ARE FINALLY HOME!!!!

We are so happy to be home! Tired, but happy. After a night in Newark, we had some frustration with the hotel shuttle-- Last night the driver said he would take us at 7:30 and that we would have plenty of time to get to the airport by 7:40. I went down about 7am and they confirmed that there would be a 7:30 shuttle. I got all our bags down and waited and waited and saw the driver and he said, "I don' know where the driver is, it is time for me t get off work.: and he walked out. So it was almost 8 when the driver pulled up and by then I had loaded everything onto a cart so we got on and he drove to the train station and then to the airport! Then there were no skycabs to help so again I was pulling luggage and stroller and kids. had to take a few suitcases a fewsteps and then pull another...very frustrating...and I was concerned about time. We were told there was one spot, but the rest were standby until a few minutes before the flight left, but Praise the Lord we all made it onto the morning flight and now we are finally home. I will write more when I can...gotta run.

The Day that Never Ends

Well we got up at 7am China Time on Sun morning-- 6pm Sat EST... it is now after 1am on Monday morning and we are heading to bed....in Newark. Our flight was over two hours delayed leaving Beijing and then we landed in Newark but spent a good hour or more on the runway waiting for a gate to open up because of icing problems. Our flight to Charleston was cancelled so we headed to immigration-- Lily is an American now!!!!!! Then through customs and then to a huge line of people waiting to find out about connections. That was miserable. The girls were SO GOOD on the flight but tired and hungry and we were trying to keep up with all our luggage that we had hoped not to see til Charleston. Sometime before 11pm an agent gave us vouchers for a hotel and some food and we caught a shuttle to the hotel. We missed having our guide to help us around the airport! I laughed when the bathroom was out of toilet paper--felt like I was back in China...we had to pay for the luggage cart-- missed the free ones in China. I have to say the service was superior in China. When our flight was delayed they t out drinks for everyone...whereas in our long wait to get a connection...nothing!
And now we will try to sleep a few hours and go to standby for a flight to Charleston...not sure if we will make it home. The only guarantee they could give us is for Christmas Day going to Columbia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE PRAY that we get home!!!!!!! Bo is leaving early in the am to go back to Florida and Lindsay should be getting out! We are so grateful! She may beat us home afterall.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAURYN! Sorry I couldn't be there for you. I will never forget the night you were born. You are such a great daughter and I am so proud of you. Hang in there and I will be home soon!

Glenda

A Note from Grandma

Hi,
This has been a great experience for me. Lily is so precious, I would not have missed it for anything. She really stays close to me. I pray she will take well to her new home and family.
It is amaziing how we seem to understand each other so well. God has truly blessed us with two beautiful girls. I am so thankful for them and know God will use them for His Glory.
We have been delayed at the airport, but at least we are on our way home, just be a little later.

Keep us in your prayers...See you soon-- Grandma

--Way to Go Grandma! First blog post ever...first trip to China ever...My mom is such a trooper...she has been an amazing companion!

Waiting....

It is Sunday evening here and we are waiting at the airport. Our plane was to board at 4:20 pm for a 5pm flight but now they are saying 6pm boarding at the earliest...which means we may not make our connection to Charleston tonight...which means I won't see Lauryn on her birthday and Bo is supposed to leave out early to go back to Lindsay...always a million details!

We got up early and checked out and went to Beijing International Christian Fellowship. The service was awesome-- loved the worship! Unfortunately our guide could not come with us...you must have a foreign passport to enter. They had a worship leader from Australia today and it was very worshipful. On the way to the airport, the driver asked our guide questions about it and it was nice to hear her (what I could understand) talk to him about church and Christmas and he asked me about praying and the concept that people here would go to a temple to ask for something and I explained that although we do ask for things, prayer is more about talking to God and thanking Him for all He has done and worshipping and adoring Him.

We arrived about 1:30 pm and have been waiting since. The girls did great at church and are doing well now...hope that holds out for the plane. Lily has not napped today so hopefully she will sleep most of the trip. (I know- wishful thinking). It has been so amazing to watch her grow and blossom each day. She has the aweetest smile and will "kiss" me if I have gum in my mouth! We are anxious to get home and can't wait to see everyone. Please pray for us that the details come together and we can sleep in our own beds soon.

Love to all-- Glenda

PS-- Bo please follow up on our flight and arrangements if we are not going to make it in and I will call you as soon as we land.

Ready to go home

We had a really nice day...visited a Hutong village and had dumplings with a local family...went to a free market to bargain and then to KFC for dinner. It was fun spending the day with Lily and the girls did great! (I will post pics from Mom's camera when we get home and get her cord to download)

We are all packed and ready to get some sleep. We will get up and go to church and then have lunch with Lily and go to the airport. We have heard that Newark has lots of snow so pase pray that we are able to get in and on to Charleston-- there is only one flight out for the day once we get into Newark and we are so anxious to get home.

Lindsay looks much better today. She is slowly but surely recovering. We hope that we can all be together SOON. Keep us all in your prayers for safe travels. The next time I update the site will be from HOME... after some sleep!

Love to all--Glenda

We made it safely to Beijing

It was nice to have our guide, Lily, waiting for us and to introduce her to our Lily. She took us for a nice lunch on the way to the hotel and we rested a little and are getting ready to go to an acrobat show. Lindsay looked better when we spoke this morning as we were leaving the White Swan. I hope that she is awake soon so we can get an update. We are getting closer to home! Can't wait for you to meet Lily!