“Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12

The guys were waiting in the lobby of their hotel and Addie and I were waiting with them on Skype!!

The guide came to be with Blake and Grant, and I was able to meet her too!

Then she got word that Tate would not be arriving for several more hours.

So Addie and I went to bed.

I woke up at 1 a.m. and tried to reach the guys and couldn’t.

I woke up at 2 a.m. and tried again! They were already back in their room with Tate, and THEY ANSWERED my Skype call!!

And there was our sweet boy, blowing me kisses and saying “Mama!” over and over and over!!

*these photos are of Tate’s first moments with Blake and Grant in the lobby!

Isn’t he beautiful???!!!!!!

Tate ran right to Blake when he arrived, saying “Baba!!” He jumped in Blake’s arms and kissed his cheek!!!!!!

They definitely had told Tate about us and showed him our photos we sent!!!!

Tate is full of life!!! And busy, busy!!!

They are doing GREAT!!!! I am watching them in a little box on the corner of my screen as I type this!! And it is now 3:15 a.m.!!!!

Tate is coloring and then coming to the computer screen to show me his work! He is also putting part of his snacks under my photo on the screen to share with me!!!

Praise the Lord with us!!!! WE ARE SIMPLY IN AWE.

Tate had a bag with him, and it is FULL of his artwork, photos on a CD, and a beautiful scrapbook of his time at the orphanage! I am making the guys promise to hand carry ALL of it home! No wet suitcases for those precious gifts!!!

HE’S HERE!!!! OUR TATE IS HERE!!!

“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.” Psalm 126:5

I have listened to Blake and Grant tell countless stories on Skype, and have hung on every word!

I am not sure I can convey all that the guys are experiencing into words that will do it any justice at all!! They are so funny!!

They are tirelessly trying to download photos for you all to enjoy. This was a slow and time consuming task on our trip last year, but it was doable. On this trip they are not getting things to work very well at all. So I am very thankful for these photos!!

Here they are coming into Guangzhou after being in the air fifteen hours!!

If I close my eyes I can still hear the sounds and smell the smells one year later! It is an amazing place to be!!

They had a one night stay at the Crowne Plaza. It is gorgeous!

This was their breakfast the morning they flew to Hohhot….pringles and vitamin water! Grant has told me that he has been hungry most of the time since they left. That part I remember well!

*Update – the guys just minutes ago enjoyed a breakfast buffet at their hotel! They said it was huge and delicious!

The airport in Hohhot.

More of Hohhot.

Their hotel in Hohhot is very nice too!

These are all taken from the window of their room on the 21st floor.

Unfortunately, the suitcases did not all arrive in good condition. They were WET. Inside the suitcases were wet! Sorry about your box of O’s, Tate!!

The guys went outside the hotel to a noodle restaurant next door the guide told them to go to. They took these photos on the snack street right there!

I am pretty sure I never really need to know what this is.

Bird on a stick, anyone?

Here’s a first! Grant fell asleep in the middle of doing sit ups! These guys are SO tired!

Here are Mr. and Mrs. Samuels and their friend Hannah! They were so gracious to come all the way to the hotel to pick up the donations! One of their suitcases was wet too. Blake said he felt a sigh of relief that he got everything there and in the hands of these precious people!!

Blake and Grant’s guide and driver are the best. I really don’t think these guides that meet and take care adoptive families in country ever sleep! The driver was enjoying Grant’s story…..he thought Grant was Chinese! And couldn’t stop asking questions about making a living driving tractors and milking cows!!! Hilarious.

We just ALL Skyped with the guys as they woke up for the day. For TATE’S DAY!! In case you forgot!

Three hours and counting!!!! Please pray that they can get the Skype to work in the lobby!!! I am beside myself right now with anticipation. We have waited SO long for our sweet boy.

Are you all tired of blog posts yet??!! Check back soon – because my next post I hope will have photos of Tate!!!!

Praise the Lord!!! Our wait is almost over!!!

Praise the Lord!

Blake and Grant arrived safely in Hohhot, and I was able to Skype with them late last night…..

…and then again already this morning!

When they answered my call this morning, they had visitors!!

The Samuels family!!!!

What an encouragement to my heart to see them and to be able to visit with them over Skype!

The guys will be meeting their guide at 10:30 p.m. our time tonight in the lobby of their hotel and Tate will be brought to them there!!

We are clear excited!

We also learned that they will not be able to visit Tate’s orphanage like we hoped.

I am thankful we do have some photos from other families who have been there.

Tate is just going to sleep for the last time in the orphanage. In the morning he will have a long ride to get to Hohhot.

I am allowing myself a lot of grace with my emotions today…..cause they are all over the place!

Please continue to pray with us!

Tate Owen, we can’t wait to meet you!!!