drum roll please?

rat-ta-tat-tat-rump-pum-pum-pummmm.......

WE GOT OUR TRAVEL APPROVAL!!!!!!

we could leave as soon as March 8th!

PRAISE GOD! THANK YOU LORD. I TRUST AND FEAR YOU LORD. YOU KNEW THAT WE HAD TO BE HERE FOR OTHER PURPOSES-TO DO YOUR WORK. THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES OVER, ABBA LIEBER VATER. AMEN.

some reasons we are thankful we are still here instead of in China...

a family friend has fallen on bad times and was living in a shelter. S was able to secure him a place to live(he has been with us for 11 days so far and will be with us until we leave) nearby the golf club where S works. he also secured a full-time job for our friend at the golf club.

another family had a death in their family and had to travel...we are taking care of their beloved dog while they are gone.

i finished a bunch more homeschool with the children than i thought i would. even if we call it quits for a few months, they were able to complete almost half of their history, 3/4 of their math, finished spelling and language arts, and 1/4 of their science. not too bad.

it will be spring when the girls come home. they have lived their entire lives in warm weather. it will be less of a shock to come home after the snowy season.

my friends were in China for the last two and a half weeks. we were able to sit in constant prayer and vigil while they have been traveling. Jessemyn and Randall should be landing soon and the Pelleys should be taking off from China in the next several minutes. we will be here to make them a meal or two before we head off. AND have i mentioned the wealth of knowledge and advice they can impart to us before we go?

we were held back for many reasons. i trust God with every one of them and know He has a beautiful plan for us. the wait was agonizing, but we survived it.

Lenten travel....here we come.