So far...

We made it! I have a lot that I want to say, and not a ton of time, so here is the condensed version
(be warned, it doesn't flow together, just random thoughts!):

This country is a big mix of everything! We can drive by huge, 4 story shopping malls with hundreds of stores, next door to "squatter villages", the slums where thousands of people build tiny dwellings right on top or each other.  American girls, we all want to be tan, so we buy lotion that slowly darkens our skin.  Well, yesterday, I found a whole aisle of "lightening lotion" for Filipino women! McDonald's serves spaghetti and rice with almost everything, and a large drink is the size of a medium U.S. drink. There are cows, dogs, chickens, and goats EVERYWHERE! No line integrity at a store or lane integrity when driving (it's like playing a giant game of "chicken").

It is beautiful here!!! Huge palm trees, banana trees, green is everywhere. The China Sea is not far from us, and you can see other islands when driving across the bridges.  There are lots of mountains, too!

The people are GREAT! Clara has already made fast friends with Sarah, who works at HHCR. Clara is about 3/4 of her height, and Sarah is 35! : )  It is polite to take off your shoes when entering a building. Well, my size 10 shoes are easy to recognize in the line-up with the other size 5 shoes! Everyone sings here, all the time. I LOVE IT!

Yesterday, we went to see the kids for the first time. Of course, I cried as soon as I walked in! Then they welcomed us with an interperative dance, a comedic dance, a drama, a story, and a song, "Welcome to the Family". They prayed for us too! John was crying by the end of that!!

So, basically, things are way different and will take some getting used to, but it is wonderful and I know we will love it! Ok, more complete thoughts later!!

Next stop: Cebu City!

Tomorrow is the big day! We will leave my parents' house at 11:30 and be at the airport at noon. Here is our flight itinerary:
2:55pm-- Memphis to Dallas
6:40pm-- Dallas to LA
10:20pm-- LA to Hong Kong
9:05am-- Hong Kong to Cebu City
We will arrive in Cebu at 11:45am on December 14, so we will kind of miss out on Monday, the 13, altogether!

Please pray for our children to SLEEP A LOT during the flight, haha! Seriously, we are praying for smooth connecting flights and calm, quiet children.

Our parents have been so wonderful, providing meals, creating memories, and arranging get-togethers so that we could tell our friends goodbye! Thank you, Mom & Dad and Arvin & Linda! My sister, Mindy, got matching rings for my mom, myself, and Mindy to wear. Thanks, Min! I love you! John's brothers and sister-in-law took us out for a fun night of bowling. Thank you, Steven, Sandra, and Daniel! Also, before we left Johnson City, Disover Life Church showered us with love and
appreciation. And the Torres and Davis families fed us a great meal!

We have felt so much love and support from so many people. THANK YOU!! We love you all back! We'll catch up with you in a few days from the other side of the world!

Tickets!

We have tickets! We're leaving for the Philippines on December 12. Right now, our family is driving to Southaven, MS to spend Thanksgiving with my (Kelli's) family. On Sunday we will return to Johnson City and pack everything up, heading for Birmingham on December 2. After we spend a week with John's family, we will drive to Memphis, where we wil be flying out! This will all take place in less than 2 1/2 weeks!
It's funny, we have been planning and dreaming about this adventure for close to 2 years, and now that it is actually going to happen, I feel like, "Are we ready? Can we do this? Two years is a long time to be away from family and friends." Then I think of these amazing, precious children, the lives that we will become an intricate part of. And I feel such excitement and anticipation! I absolutely can't wait to meet the kids at HHCR! I KNOW God has put each detail of this entire process together, and the Philippines is simply where we are meant to be. (At least for the next two years. . . We'll see what God has in store for us later!)
Many thanks to be given to:
--Our parents and family members who are rejoicing with us, even though they might shed some tears every now and then. We will think of you every day, and we love you!
--So many faithful friends and churches who are turning this dream into a reality. We couldnt do this without you!
--The perfect, amazing God who holds each of us in His hands. We trust in You.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Ready, Set, GO!!

Hi guys! This is my first ever blog, and I haven't learned how to load pictures yet, but I will soon. :)

We are almost ready to leave for Cebu! It's been about a year and a half since we first applied at AGWM, and we have been raising funds since January. God has blessed us in so many ways-- I can't begin to describe how certain I am that this is His plan for our family right now.

Our house is filled with boxes in 3 categories: yard sale, store, and stay (which actually just means move to another house for another month or so). Our house is scheduled to close November 1, then we will move into a friend's empty house until we are ready to get on the airplane! We can buy our tickets when our funds are 100% raised, our visas are approved, and our house deal goes through. These three things should all happen around the same time; isn't it funny how God works things out that way?

The kids are impressing me with how well they understand what's happening. We play a game called "What fits in a suitcase?", and they are masters! They are very excited about getting to sleep in bunk beds in the Philippines. :)

God, thank You for directing our steps. We will continue to trust in You on this journey.