Team Tate!

by Steph // Friday, July 24, 2015 // Comments off

Here is our handsome Team Tate!!

All ready to go!

But first we had to say goodbye.

Goodbyes are never easy. Blake and I are not good at being apart.

After our goodbyes, I got the kiddos busy right away. We had popcorn and smoothies while watching a movie Kayla picked up at the library for us!

After that, we headed out for a walk!

Then it was time for some games! Eliza loves Sorry!

Before bed we all got on the speaker phone with Blake.

We kept busy today as well, with cleaning day, getting grocery, and mowing the farm.

We also have been watching the guys plane head across the world!

The guys made it safely to Minneapolis last night, had a quick nights sleep, and headed to the airport before dawn to check in for their first flight.

While they were checking in, a supervisor was called over about all the extra luggage with the donations for the Samuel’s family. We are praising the Lord that after Blake explained what the luggage was for, the supervisor allowed the guys to check it ALL, and for FREE!!!

When Blake and Grant landed in Los Angeles, their luggage claim receipts had to be scanned again as they checked into their next flight, even though they would not be collecting their luggage. There were questions about the large amount of suitcases again, a supervisor was called again, Blake explained it all again, and again it was allowed to ALL be checked for FREE!

Not only that, this supervisor checked it all the way through to Hohhot!! The guys don’t even have to claim their luggage while they sleep in Guangzhou Saturday night! Praise, praise!!

We are hoping that we can Skype with the guys when we wake up tomorrow morning, as they will have just arrived in Guangzhou.

You all, I have such an incredible peace about me right now.

I know it is because of the prayers so many are saying on our behalf.

The Lord confirmed how important it is for me to be at home right now, as Eliza has been terrified to be put to bed the last two nights.

She likes all of her people where they are supposed to be. Seeing her like this is breaking my heart. Please pray for our sweet girl.

I cannot thank you enough for the support you are giving us right now!

Thank you for all the comments, texts, e-mails, and phone calls!

Thank you for your prayers.

Keep praying with us!

Leaving On A Jet Plane

by Steph // Thursday, July 23, 2015 // Comments off

Today is the day!!!

Blake and Grant are heading to China!!!

Their travel will be long……a total of 51 hours and two overnight stays.

The guys will be in Hohhot, China, on Sunday morning at 10 a.m! (which is Saturday night at 9 p.m. our time here in Wisconsin!)

(*Thanks for this great photo and your prayers, dear friends!)

We are keeping our focus on Mr. Tate!!!

We have SO much love for you, our sweet baby boy!!!

We are so very thankful that our agency secured a guide for the guys overnight stay in Guangzhou Saturday night!

The guide will pick the guys up at the airport, get them to their hotel, and get them back to the airport on Sunday morning. What peace that gives us!

About one hour after the guide was secured yesterday, we received a card in the mail with the EXACT amount of cash we need to be able to pay that guide!

What an encouragement to our hearts!!!

What precious brothers and sisters in Christ we have!!

Don’t you love how the Lord works that way??!!!

We finished packing the suitcases this morning already.

We had a little helper….who wanted to sample every bit of food that was being packed!

A sucker seemed to work instead!

I have lots of little things packed to keep Tate’s hands busy! Hopefully he will enjoy them! He will have his own little backpack to carry on the plane home.

We sent Shaggy the bear too!

Our paperwork packets that need to be hand carried arrived by Fed Ex just as they were supposed to!

Praise the Lord!

We feel organized and ready for the guys departure. Thankfully, being organized is giving us a sense of peace!

And now for your part in our journey!! Our prayer requests!! New ones have been added!

Please pray with us!!

*For Tate, who may not know that we are coming for him

*For health, and a hedge of protection around our family, especially Tate

*For travel mercies for the guys on the long, long trek to Hohhot

*For the three extra suitcases with the shower donations to be allowed to be checked through – especially on Sunday morning when the guys are in country

*For Blake and my hearts as we separate for two weeks, as it will be very hard for us to be apart

*For the ability to be able to communicate through text, Skype, and e-mail by purchasing a VPN

*For the Lord to use us and this time in our lives, despite ourselves

*For Blake and Grant to relish in this super special time together, and for them to be a strong team for Tate’s sake

*For Tate’s transition, attachment and bonding to us, especially Blake

*For adding Tate to our medical insurance to be approved asap so we can start the referral process that will allow Tate the care he needs at UW Madison upon arriving home

Thank you all for your prayers!

This new journey is about to begin! The guys will pull away from the farm to drive to Minneapolis early this evening.

It is our prayer that they will be able to see the blog. So please leave comments if you feel led! It will be such an encouragement to them!

Our wait is almost over!

Sometime on Monday, Tate will be forever in our arms!!

WE LOVE YOU, TATE OWEN!!!

26 Weeks and Counting!

by Steph // Wednesday, July 22, 2015 // Comments off

Tate is not the only little miracle we have been waiting for around here!

You are so beautiful KK!!

Kayla will start her 26th week tomorrow, and we get more and more excited each day!

Baby K is active, and baby K’s Mama and Daddy are doing great too!

I have officially voted for a boy, but I do not have a very good track record with my guesses. Cause I thought Kayla was a boy! And Addie Mae too!

If you would like to read Kayla’s touching tribute to her little sister being home for one year, go here.

Enjoying this season of life SO very much!!

Early Mornings on the Farm

by Steph // Tuesday, July 21, 2015 // Comments off

My favorite time of each day is from five to seven a.m.

Whether it is winter and I am snuggled inside in the quiet house, or summer and I am watching the farm come alive from the porch….it is just the best time of day!

Life on the farm starts very early.

Today was no exception, as one of our cows was being loaded up and will be filling our bare freezer with meat!

Our new fence and gate system worked perfectly!

Our cows are bucket trained. Grant stood in that trailer with a bucket of grain, shook it, and in the cow went.

There might have been a lump in the throat of the mama of this farm crew, who was taking these photos. Cause she is still a smig of a city slicker. And our cows have names. And are so cute! Sigh.

Chad gave him a good push, just to help him along.

It didn’t take long for every body else to figure out there was something important going on by that gate!

I think the horses thought they were going to get a ride somewhere too. Dyna was literally trying to nudge the door to the trailer back open with her nose!!