Mainland China

We made it to Guangzhou (GZ) this afternoon, so we are officially in mainland China now. We took the train here from Hong Kong which was about a 2-hour trip even though it is only a distance of 80 miles. We were met by a woman named Rebecca, who will be our guide for the entire time we are here in GZ (11 days!). She will help us as we navigate the adoption processes which will keep us busy, beginning with Gotcha Day tomorrow. Rebecca is a very friendly and animated woman with excellent English. She got us settled into the White Swan Hotel (where many adopting families stay) and briefed us on everything that will happen over the next 11 days. She told us that we will not get Lia Kate at 9 a.m. as we thought. Rather, we will get her at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon. This doesn't affect much except that we'll have to wait a few extra hours than what we were thinking, and it will make Skyping with family once we get her more difficult considering the 14-hour time difference. Regardless, we are just excited that the day is finally (almost) here! We have already made friends with a couple from Austin, TX, who will also be getting their daughter at 2:30 tomorrow. We had dinner with them tonight and had a great time talking about our daughters and getting to know each other. I actually connected with them through an online China adoption forum prior to coming here and, now that we are here, are even staying on the same floor of the hotel. We are really enjoying having someone else to walk through this with. We ask for your prayers for Lia Kate right now as she is spending her last night in the orphanage. Her orphanage is a 6-hour drive from here and Rebecca confirmed that she will be leaving the orphanage in a private car first thing tomorrow morning with a couple of nannies and the orphanage director. They will drive straight to the Guangdong Civil Affairs building where we will meet her at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon. I can't imagine how confusing this will be for her. I am already anxious for her but also thankful knowing she will no longer be an orphan but will have a mommy, daddy, brother and home. The next couple of days will be monumental in the life of our family! Pray for all of us but especially for Lia Kate as she is about to go through so much heartache, leaving everyone and everything she knows behind. We are taking comfort for her in this verse from Revelation ... "Behold I am making all things new..." For He certainly is. Until tomorrow ...