January 24, 2013 -- Nothing better than calling Daddy at 2am!!

Wow......this has been a crazy day and a very emotional week thus far.  Today was our "day off", which really means we get about 7 hours to do whatever we'd like.  Usually we head into town for some shopping or just to look around.  Mom and I decided to stay here today and have some alone time with Grayson and stay in our room for some "relaxing time".  It's been a stressful week trying to decide if we should fly out to Hong Kong to renew our passports or not.  It seems every time the phone rang it was more bad news.  Honestly, at this point -- I only expected it to get harder.  It's hard to explain to people/family/friends just what a tole this takes on someone.  Being away from everything we know (language, food, culture, family, friends, smells, beds, pets, couches, sprite, clothes, heat, and everyday things).  Some of those things are silly yes, but it becomes very real when it's all gone.  I seriously do not even know how to begin to tell people just how we have done it, other than to say because of God's strength and the family and friends that have lifted us up in prayer throughout many many sleepless nights.  Below is our story of today and it's a story that only God could write.

Mom and I were on the other side of the orphanage while I was planning to work on the computer for a while responding to emails, etc.  Grayson was in a walker just moving around the room as mom watched him and the older kids playing with him.  I was showing some of the kids pics of Grayson's room, my dogs, and my family :)  The phone rang and one of the ladies answered it and told me I had a phone call.  I slowly got up and headed towards the phone thinking, "Lord, I cannot handle any more bad news -- please Lord."  When I picked up the phone, one of the girls here brought me a bag of kleenex.  She must have known I was going to need them one way or another.  I really don't know what nudged her to do that, but I am so glad she did because the tears were soon rolling.  Ted was on the other end telling me that they had sent our first decree to Ray of Hope Organization about 5 hours south of here!! That is the organization where Grayson came from and his birth mom had excellent care there.  They had our first decree!  We have no idea how it ended up there, but the good news was that they were faxing it to Ted here!!  He was going to run with it to the AIT office in Taipei to try and get our meeting scheduled!!!  We are strongly hoping that with our first decree they will let us get Grayson's physical done and get his passport done too!  Once those things are completed then we will NEED the final decree to attend the AIT meeting in Taipei.  That is the last thing we have to do before heading home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I put down the phone and started balling.  I am sure the kids were thinking, "wow, she is emotional!" :)  But I couldn't contain myself anymore.  I really wanted to collapse on the floor and cry, but thought they might think I am injured or something, so I got enough composure to walk into another room, through the kitchen, and come into the room my mom, Grayson, and other children and workers were staring at me as I entered the room.  I cannot speak Chinese, but I knew they were all wondering if it was good news or bad news.  You could have heard a pin drop.  I gave a "thumbs up" and the room was in an uproar with cheers, claps, jumping up and down, hugs, and lots of tears.  I had no idea they were ALL right there with us - on pins and needles every day the mailman beeped his horn.  One of the ladies said, "we so happy for you - you can go home to your family now - we pray every day and nervous when the mail comes."  

I packed up my things and walked back to the "baby side" to see the Nannies and volunteers waiting to hear the news.  I told them about the good news and they began jumping up and down (which Grayson thought was hilarious).  There were hugs and more tears :)  It's amazing how much love they give to our baby and our family.  They feel our emotions as if they are their own.  

So we headed upstairs to skype Daddy!!! But wait, it's 2am?? Should we call or not? YES WE WILL!!  So we let Skype ring for a long time until it woke him up.  I could barely get the words out.  I think that was the 2nd time I have cried on skype this whole trip.  Of course mom is taking pics and videoing this whole time - which I am grateful for, even though I am an "ugly crier" --hehe.  We talked with Daddy and shared our emotions together.  And yes, he was just as shocked as the rest of us.........and now he cannot go back to sleep :)

No one knows this, but I have been saving 3 popcorn bags and 3 Sierra Mists bottles that I was sent while over here.  1 for when we get our first decree ---- 1 for when we get our final decree --- and 1 for the night before we leave!  So I am going to throw myself a popcorn party and have a sierra mist to go with it tonight :)  Sometimes it's the little things.

We will now wait for our final decree to come.  We have no idea how long this might take?  We are not sure at this point if we will still make plans to fly to Hong Kong or wait and hope we are finished in 1.5 weeks??  Please pray along with us for our final decree to come quickly and everyone involved to be understanding of our situation and help us by hurrying along the rest of our process.  It will literally come down to the wire.  Pray for guidance, strength, and peace as we head into this next week.  Please do not pray for patience (we are not wanting that at this point (hehehehe!!).  

Spread the good news!

 Nanny feeding Grayson his cereal!

 On our way to get his passport picture.......again :)

 Moving along on the new orphanage!

 Hugs from the Nannies after getting our first decree!  They are like family and were jumping up and down for us :)

 Sharing the good news!

 This was before we had the actual paper in our hands :)  We had the "faxed" copy.

 Skyping Daddy to tell him the good news at 2am!

 Grayson kept giving me kisses!  I think he knew something good was happening!

 we are approved :) Taiwan said we can have him!

 Anna showing me the actual first decree!!!

 this is what we have been waiting almost 3 months for......... :)

The "seal" of approval!

 This is how Grayson sleeps :)

Not sure how he got under the crib, but he was pretty proud of himself........this is where all the cool kids hang out!