The BIG MOVE!!

So Katie is getting a roommate!! And Grammy's working on her quilt! Her letters are up, almost ready, right?

But it's not that simple. 

Just a few months ago, our 19 year old twins shared this room: 

(it used to have another bed in there....stay with me!)

... and our 14, 10 and 8 year old sons shared another room.

When Ryan went to college, that left room for Josh (who's now 15 with a driver's permit) to move in with Matt. Which was good because at 6 foot he was outgrowing his little brother's company as well as his little twin size bed. So we gave that bed to Sophie (see cute pink picture above). And now Josh inherited Ryan's XL twin bed. BUT, Ryan comes back from school on occasion, so where do we put him? Although he said he would sleep on a couch, Mom wanted to give him a bed...

so "the Heartland Dorm" was born! We carved out an unfinished part of basement and with the help of Mark Lipic and Dan Lade we built a little room for Matt:

Like getting ready for traveling to China and bringing home a 6 year old who doesn't speak English isn't enough....we have been working on getting "the Heartland dorm" ready! Oh, and we painted the whole basement too! It finally got the big hole patched and needed a fresh coat of paint. I guess I'm nesting! Which is a lot easier to do without a large baby belly sticking out in front of you!

And now we just have to buy another XL twin bed to put in Josh's room for when Ryan comes home! 

Whew! I'm tired! Good night!

Itinerary UPDATED

Here is our itinerary!

Feb 3 &4: Fly out of O'Hare Friday at noon. Arrive in

 Nanchang by flight CA1581 at 9:40pm (7:40 am Sat morning IL time!) Our guide will meet us at the airport and take us to the Galactic Peace hotel.

Feb 5: Cen Lizhen (Sophie) will brought to the hotel in the afternoon.

Feb 6: Complete adoption registration in Jiangxi Civil Affairs.

Finish notary process in Jiangxi Notary Office. (8:30 to 12:30).Go to the Jiangxi Police Station to apply for passport in the afternoon.

Feb 7: Guide will accompany family to walk around the hotel and go to local shop like Walmart. 
Feb 8: Sightseeing in Nanchang: Tengwangge Tower and Jiangxi Museum.

Feb 9: Visit Hengfeng Orphanage. (3 hour van ride one way)
Feb 10: Pick up passport and fly to Guangzhou.

Feb 11: Medical exam, TB test

Feb 12: Free day.

Feb 13: Visit Safari Park.
Feb 14: Visit Yuexiu Park to see the famous Five Ram Statue, go shopping.          

Feb 15: Visit Sun Yat sen Memorial Hall, Liuhua Park.

Feb 16: Consulate appointment at 8:30am. Oath taking ceremony.

Feb 17: Pick up visa in late afternoon.

Feb 18: Leave for Hong Kong by van at 5:00am. Flight leaves Hong Kong at 11:00 am and arrives in Chicago 16 minutes later at 11:16am!!  (or 14 hours and 16 minutes later!)

I was telling my son about the sample itinerary (similar to this one) and he said, "I could do all that paperwork in two days, Mom!" I could too! But hopefully through all these days there will be a whole lot of bonding going on with Mom and Dad and brother! Please pray for that with us!

Thanks to the MANY people who are coming to help with our other kids while we are gone!

Travel plans coming together

We've heard from Richard,our guide in China, via email several times about hotel details and have requested to meet Sophie's foster grandma. He said he can't promise, but thinks that if we take the 3 hour van ride to Hengfeng we SHOULD get to meet her and her foster sister &  foster uncle. I am willing to take the chance. (And use a squatty potty!) I SO want to meet them and let Sophie introduce us to her. We will likely go visit them about 3 days after we've gotten to China and will have spent 3 days getting to know each other. I hope and pray that going back with us and leaving with us will give her even more closure. I realize that it could be harder for her too. I hope we are making the right choice, but it just seems like the right thing to do and to be able to talk with them (through the guide) and maybe learn some more about her and her first 6 years of life.

Tickets are purchased. They ended up to be $67 more per ticket for our 3 round trip tickets. Her one way ticket was the same price as yesterday, but it is only $95 less than our roundtrip tickets. Go figure!

When I get a final itinerary I will post it.

Asking for Prayer

I thought once we got our TA a burden would be lifted, and while I'm excited we have hit several obstacles in our travel plans. Some have been resolved already, but not all. Please pray for us! Here are a few specifics:

Because of the Consulate Appointment date, we have to be gone an extra day and arrive a day early, so we're gone 16 days (I thought 14 was long!) (Also more hotel/meal money)

My sister who was going to have the youngest 2 got summoned for jury duty THE EXACT WEEK I need her! REALLY? The one has been resolved, she called and switched to a different week.

Yesterday we got our itinerary for our flights and they were higher than we had expected....and now our travel agent just emailed me to say when he went to purchase the tickets today (I had to wait to get confirmation with our guide from China about our dates) they have gone up! (I don't know how much more yet.)

There are other things, but not to incriminate myself I won't tell how I collapsed to the bathroom floor this morning after my blood pressure dropped! Oops, I just told on myself. My poor husband who scared me last week by doing a bad number to his back was scared half to death to find my on the floor with this "look on my face". I'm sure it wasn't pretty. At that point I couldn't see anything!

So we are having some discouragement and would like you all to lift us up in prayer please!
I know that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." I we KNOW that this is HIS purpose for us! Maybe He's just reminding me who is in charge!

Both Hands Project Video

Our Both Hands project is complete, but the memories will last forever. This video will provide you with a peek into the amazing work that our team accomplished on January 8. You will get to see how we stripped wallpaper piece by tiny piece through the stairwell and upstairs hallway. Thanks to the Both Hands team and thanks to our son Matt for creating the video.

Although the project is complete the fund raising continues, so its not too late to send a donation to Lifesong For Orphans to support Sophie's adoption!

http://www.bothhandsfoundation.org/shawn-and-deb-everly.aspx

Enjoy,

Shawn and Deb.

TA!!!!!!!!!!

When I woke up this morning I heard Lincoln Brewster singing:

 "This is the day you have made; I will rejoice and be glad in it... Today is the day!"

Yes, it is!! Praise God! We're going to China!!

I got an email this morning that said,

Good Morning Families!

We received 4 Travel Approvals by fax this morning – and yours is one of them!  

WOO HOO!! 

Next step:

Our agency will request a Consulate Appointment with the US Embassy. Once that appointment is confirmed we book flights! We will likely leave either February 3rd or 10th.

I still haven't even gotten to talk to Shawn. He is in a meeting at work. I had to text him the news!

Waiting for TA

I can't believe it! I have been waiting a year to say this: We are waiting for TA!!

I got word today that our Article 5 was delivered to CCCWA on Friday.

This is it, we are down to the last 2 steps! Once we get TA we  will submit 5 dates that we would like for our Consulate Appointment. And when the CA date is confirmed, we buy tickets to China!!

Almost there! We are coming Sophie!

Loose Tooth

One little girl is very excited to finally have a loose tooth (and now her first tooth pulled by Mommy)!

Is the baby of the family always in a rush to grow up?

I love you my sweet 5 year old!!

Both Hands Project Day

Part of our BOTH HANDS Team

Brian, Rick, Shawn, Deb, Laura, Mark, Michael, Dan
also, Matt, Ann, Mark, Donna, Ashley, Shelly,

  Josh, Lucy, Rebekah and Kathy


Supply and food donations from Joyce & Steve, Dee,
 LeAnn, Diane, Scott & Ann, Jody, Michael

We removed LOTS of wallpaper and painted the living room, hallway, stairway and upstairs hallway and trim and doors! We got MORE than we planned accomplished! Praise God!

AND we had fun, and had no injuries!
 (well, only minor ones, like bumped heads and sore bodies!)

Even though our project is completed, fundraising through

 Both Hands & Lifesong continues to  

HELP BRING SOPHIE HOME!!


http://bothhandsfoundation.org/shawn-and-deb-everly.aspx

Thank you to everyone who has given so far!

 We couldn't do this without YOU!

BOTH HANDS VIDEO  coming soon!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. 

His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1

Both Hands

This Saturday, January 7 friends and family will be joining us for a project to help our friend Bryan Nalley do some home improvements. This is part of the Both Hands project we are participating in where we have the privilege to help a widow(er) and an orphan. At the same time we are in the process of raising funds for the adoption of Sophie. The estimated total cost of our adoption is $30,000 and our remaining need is approximately $15,000. As you can see the need is great and we are doing everything we can to meet it. However, we need your help. Would you consider making a tax-deductible donation to help bring Sophie home? You can either mail a check payable to Lifesong for Orphans with “Preference Everly #2383” on memo line and send it to:
   

Lifesong for Orphans                                                                            

PO Box 40                                         

Gridley, IL 61744

Or donate online, go to www.bothhandsfoundation.org/shawn-and-deb-everly.aspx  

Please note that PayPal charges an administrative fee of 1.9% to 2.9% + $0.30 USD per transaction. The donation will be decreased by the amount of this fee. 

Please consider partnering with us as we help Bryan and bring Sophie home.

Shawn and Deb