It's GO TIME!

The Superkids 2014 Team is on the move!

Today my sister, Hannah, is flying in to Harrisburg.  We leave shortly to go pick her up.  Chelsea left the US today.  She will be visiting family for a couple of days before joining the rest of us in Beijing on Sunday.  The team is officially on the move!

I have two big suitcases packed, the last package I was expecting arrived just a few minutes ago.  These suitcases are filled with things for the children.  I have a few clothes in one of them, the rest is all bottles, hairbows, balls, etc.  I have a few last minute things to put in the last suitcase.  I'm charging batteries on all electronic devices.  Pretty much I'm ready to walk out the door.

I will try to post updates here daily.  We are also hoping (internet and VPN permitting) to post a daily video diary at this Youtube channel.  Follow it to follow our journey.

Superkids 2014 is underway!

Just A Couple of Links

I just have a couple of links for you today.

I'm sharing some of my favorite memories from last year's Superkids trip over on the Superkids blog today.  Jump on over and read about them there.

I started a photography blog!  (You know, since I don't know what else to do in my spare time!) I'm doing a 365 day photography challenge and started a blog to post a photo for each day.  I am trying to capture our life in one photo a day.  Jump on over and check it out.

That is all for today, friends!

Peace In The Pounding Waves

I've had some hard days recently.  No reason really, just too busy, and feeling the stress of getting ready to go to China plus appointments and other obligations and responsibilities.  One of the weird things about Lupus, for me at least, is that stress greatly increases my other symptoms.  The more up tight I feel, the worse I feel in every way.

For several weeks I've had this (probably unreasonable) longing to go sit on the beach and listen to the waves come pounding in.  I've mentioned it a couple of times, but it really isn't very practical since it is a couple of hours drive for us to get to the nearest beach.

On Sunday morning I was very stiff and sore.  We were talking about visiting another church but weren't sure whether we should.  I said, a little wistfully, "Maybe we should go to the ocean..." And that was all it took.  Away we went.

We found a secluded place on Long Beach Island.  I sat in my chair while Keith and the children enjoyed the water.  I listened as the waves pounded on the shore.  I thought about God.  My little mind cannot wrap itself around a God so great that this vast expanse of water is like a drop in a bucket to Him!

I remembered how David said that God's thoughts toward His people are more than the sands of the sea shore.  And those thoughts of God, those pounding waves, washed the stress and frustration from my heart and mind. I am so amazed by God's love, care, and provision for me.  I have been praying for peace and clarity, and I'm thankful that God used those waves to remind me again of His greatness.

Church Picnic { Photo Booth }

Yesterday we had our annual church picnic.  It was fun and we had loads of good food and all of those things, but the most fun part for me was the little photo booth I set up for the children.  They had a lot of fun!  I printed pictures for each child and was kept very busy most of the evening!  Anyway, here are a few of my favorite photos!

Of Shoes and Ships and Sealing-Wax...

This is going to be a truly random post.  So much is happening right now and I've been doing a poor job of chronicling it all.

A beautiful church we visited on Sunday morning.

On Sunday we went to Gladney's Larchmont picnic.  It was such a lovely day!  I had the amazing experience of meeting one of the little ones I met in China last year who is now home with her family.  She is so beautiful and happy!  It was a highlight of the day for sure!

A first introduction to cotton candy!

I also got to speak to parents who are waiting to bring home children whom I hope to meet when I go to China in two weeks.  (Did you hear that?! Two weeks?!)

Pat, Chelsea, and I

As we were driving home Keith and I decided that it would be a good idea to upgrade my camera before my trip. So... we did a little research, honestly we didn't need to do much since I already pretty much knew which one I wanted (just in case, you know!), and we ordered it.  My Canon 6D arrived on Wednesday.  It is so nice because it really helps me to minimize the impact that my shaky hands (thank you, lupus) has on my photos.

One of the first pictures I took with my Canon 6D

Also on Wednesday, a donation of 150 finger puppets arrived on my doorstep.  A huge thank you to the Sykes family for sending these!  I'm sure the little ones in China are going to have fun with them!  Then there were the 100 inflatable balls.  And the memory cards for the video camera.  And the photo paper and ink for the photo printer.

And, just in case you are wondering, my suitcases are filling up fast!  But it is so amazing and wonderful to fill them up knowing that they will be almost empty when I come home!

On a totally different note, I have had a lady coming in to help me get my house cleaned.  It is such a blessing to see the dirt disappearing as she scrubs the walls, windows, baseboards, and floors!  

Kazakh Picnic

This morning we got up bright and early and headed off to New York City.  Our destination was Central Park, where the Kazakh Consulate was hosting a picnic.  They did a wonderful job of making it very fun for everyone!  And our little Kazakh girlie especially loved being there.

They had games...

food...

and lots of fun!

We are now relaxing in a hotel getting ready for another fun day tomorrow, when we are planning to attend a Gladney picnic.  It was so wonderfully convenient that these two events came together like this!

Three Weeks!

Three weeks from now, if all goes according to plan, my little sister and I will be sitting on an airplane heading for China.  Right now our now our communication goes something like this:

Me: Three weeks!
Her: Yay!
Her: Which reminds me... you should be getting about 100 (inflatable) balls in the mail next week.
Me: WOO!
Her: I didn't get air pumps...
Etc., Etc.

Because there are a lot of little details that go into this big, important trip.  And even though balls sound like a little thing, they are a big ice breaker for some of the kiddos, so they are an important little detail.  As are the hairbows, the mirrors, the caps we are taking for the little boys this year.

 

Last year we watched eyes sparkle as we showed girls how beautiful they were with bows in their hair.  We printed pictures for them and tried to communicate to each and every child that they are beautiful and precious.  We had the older ones draw self portraits looking off of the pictures we printed.  This year we are adding a project.  We are taking a polaroid camera.  We are planning to take photos of each child as Superkids volunteers interact with them.  We will then punch a hole in the corners of the photos and put a ring through them to make a little flip book.  Our hope is that, not only can help help each child to feel loved, beautiful, and precious, but that we can preserve those memories for them.

We are getting more and more excited as the time to leave gets closer.  I think of the children I met last year who won't be there because they are home with their families, I think of the children who now have families working hard to get them home, and I think of the ones who are now a year older and still waiting to be chosen.  I can't wait to see each child.  To spend the little bit of time I have with each one.  To hug, to play with, to pray over these perfect children.  I just can't wait.

If you are wondering what you can do, there are plenty of ways to help financially or by sending things to the children.  And you can pray.  Pray for the volunteers who are traveling.  Pray for the children.  Pray for the orphanage directors and nannies. And pray that God is already preparing families for the children we will meet.