26 January 2011

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 - 20 comments

Black and White Wednesday - Give me a ticket!

On this day one year ago, I boarded a jet plane for a land I thought I knew like the inside of my own hand.  The key word there is thought.  No book or travel guide prepares you nor does a blog or another persons journey.  The journey of love is an individual path.  A path that has turned into a passion so deep inside me that somedays it almost hurts.  I left a very large piece of my heart in China and look forward to the day I can return.


Our journey began and a lifetime of dreams started on that day a year ago.  I remember singing all morning that song by Jefferson Airplane...."Give me a ticket for an airplane", I also remember the sheer panic inside me that no one really knew about.  I was scared.  But yet SO utterly excited I could have propelled myself across the sea to get to my daughter!  It was raining the day we left.  My mom took us to the airport and I knew as soon as we got all our bags out of the car that we'd packed way too much!

These next few weeks I will be walking down memory lane with a smile and a tear or two.  In revisiting those days one year ago, I am going to be republishing our journey here so that I have our journey on this blog instead of our travel one.  Feel free to hit "mark as read" if you don't want to relive those days with me, no hard feelings.  :)  I just want this all in one place.  I'm also wanting to add something more to those posts one year later...the parts I didn't write at the time.

Departure and a safe landing!
Our journey has begun!  First and foremost...THANK YOU for being here for us as we embark on an adventure of a lifetime!  THANK YOU for saying prayers of safe travel, good health and easy transition for our Jennifer.  THANK YOU for your love and support!
As I sit and type this first entry, I am sitting in the airport watching our plane be prepped and I am overcome with emotion.  Just walking up to the ticket booth to check in made me cry and shake uncontrollably.  This moment is here.  I am here with my son and my husband.  We are no longer dreaming, we are living it.  Truly amazing once you absorb the enormity of it.  God is so good!  
Before we left Mike read a few days ahead in our devotional book to see what wisdom lies ahead of us and this is what was written for January 31....the day we are connected with our daughter...
Suffering Redeems
All sacrifice and all suffering is redemptive: 
to teach the individual or to be used to raise and help others.
Nothing is by chance.
Divine MInd, and it’s wonder working, is beyond your finite mind to understand.
No detail is forgotten in My Plans, already perfect.
O let me hear Thee speaking
In accents clear and still,
Above the storms of passion
The murmurs of self-will
O speak to reassure me,
to hasten, or control;
O speak, and make me listen,
Thou Gardian of my soul!
Nothing in our journey to this point has been by chance.  The four years of waiting has been an incredible period of growth for all of us, a period of profound change.  The next part of our journey is one that is already planned out and set for us to explore, learn and take passion in.  We are ready!  

As I began this post I was sitting in San Francisco and now as I end this post at 9pm China time, I am sitting in a hotel room across the world in China!  We have made it safely and are settling into our adventure.  Our flight was good, sleep was hard to come by and it was a bit too bumpy for me but if you know me you know how much I hate flying!  :)   Our hotel is wonderful, clean and free of cigarette smoke!  Exhaustion has set in so we are off to bed and are looking forward to what tomorrow brings us in Beijing.  Thank you again for all your love!

Much love and joy!
Kayce and Mike
Big J arriving in Beijing, China
I am so excited to relive the starting point of our journey again and re-read my posts...I've not read them since I wrote them in China!  Reading todays entry I am in awe of God's glory!  I had completely forgot that devotional!  Nothing is unplanned!


Happy Wednesday!  Be sure to venture over to Lisa's blog for a little bit of Black and White photography pleasure!  


20 comments:

WOW! quite moving, your little bit is soooo sweet & adorable! Congrats on a year & really looking forward to seeing & reading more!!!

Incredible beginning to a whole new life! Your mixed emotions shine through this post! Interesting words and photos!

One of life’s greatest journeys in your heart forever…xoxox,me

Nothing can prepare you, it is an awesome, scary, exhausting trip and I still have a couple more days.
Enjoy remembering your first moments with your daughter.

I am so looking forward to reading your journey to China. Love that last photo of your son walking through the airport.

Happy Wednesday!

I look forward to reading your journey to China (and back). :)

I LOVE that last shot of Big J.

And so it begins! ;)

I'll be following along since I wasn't here for the first time!

What a beautiful post Kayce, I can't agree with you more...nothing can prepare you or any of us for China and really for that journey. It's so individual for us all!

Looking forward to reading more my friend!

xoxo

Gail

So exciting and you've made an airport look super cool!

what an amazing story and post! love every shot and I remember feeling the same way last year waiting to bring home lilly!

blessings,
jill

Oh yes, I agree. Nothing can prepare you, every journey is unique and we loved and enjoyed every minute both times. We will definately go back with our girls in the future.

Erika B

Beautiful pictures and post!

I am so happy for you. Overwhelmingly happy. What a joy to get to be a mommy. And it all started with that journey to the unknown land!

So true - you have to live it to know it. I'm so glad to be able to see this journey to your Cricket. So many memories are stirring up for me.

Found your blog through Christie's. We were in another travel group and share the same Gotcha Day. Well, WOW does your daughter look like mine. Happy Forever Family Week!

It seems so much longer than a year ago....how fun it will be to revisit this trip...the final leg of your journey to Jennifer.

I'm getting all teary eyed again :)

I am so excited to read along again..... you are right. There is NOTHING in this world that can prepare you for that trip and experience. It is pretty amazing!

Happy One Year..... so excited that you are doing this!

xoxo,

Lisa

Like you, I haven't reread my China journey yet either. I thought I was unusual but maybe not so much. :o) Loving reliving your days with you. Counting down again the days until you meet your sweet Jennifer!

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