It's been so long!

I'm so sorry it's been so long. I am updating www.ebonysfootprints.com - so please just visit there in the "travel updates" tab and you'll see all that's been happening. Life is so busy being a new mum! But I will add some photo's for you to see if you can't get across to Ebony's site. She is an absolute miracle and she's beautiful beyond belief. We are both so in love with her and she is the happiest baby! She laughs so easily and she adores her daddy. She's not eating any solids yet - but at 10.5kg she has a bit in reserve! I had a day of worry, but I've decided to just keep up her fluids and she'll eat when she's ready. Well it's late and we have to be packed and ready to head by plane down to Ebony's Orphanage at 7.30am (I have NO idea how we'll do it - but we will!). Bless you all and thanks so much for your prayers.

and now it is the day!

Well the day has arrived. My darling little Ebony - you are in a car - probably for the first time in your life - on your 7+ hour journey towards us. My heart is just so full of love and anticipation. My arms are empty this morning - but by tonight my arms and my heart will be filled. You are already loved so much more than any words could possible describe. You are loved deeply and completely by us - but also by many other beautiful and precious people in whose heart you have grown for a long time. You have grown in mine since long before I even knew that you would come from a Country that I had never seen. Now I have seen it and experienced it and I just love your Country - the place that will always be special to me - because it gave me you.

I cry deep down inside for your mum - for the pain she has had to endure in giving you away - for the empty place in her heart that will always be there because she will never know the joy of you. She gave us that gift and I will be eternally grateful to her. Bless you sweetheart - my hopes for you are that you will know true joy in this life - that you will know the presence of God in your heart - that peace and love will be your purpose - that you will have a quiet strength that will help you through the many trials and tribulations of this life. I pray you will have a long life - that you will have a family of your own to give you a sense of continuity. I love you my little Angel - with a love that I don't understand at the moment, but I'm sure will make sense as the days unfold. Be happy - be blessed - be still and know the peace that transcends all understanding - on this - one of the most difficult days of your life.....and one of the happiest days of mine.

It's almost THE DAY

What can I say at a time like this - the feelings are so overwhelming. I'm just so filled with anticipation and I can't believe that tonight I lay my head on the pillow for the last time as a mummy in waiting. I just have tears of joy running down my face as I think of what tomorrow will hold - as I think of the amazing gift God has given us. My little angel is laying in a cot on the same soil as I am on today. She has no idea at all of what tomorrow holds for her. Please pray for her that she will be filled with peace as she takes the 7+ hour journey by road from Suixi to Guangzhou. I've moved beyond excitement. I have peace in my heart and am ready for sleep. Thanks so all the beautiful people who have emailed me - you have made this time even more special and have helped keep my eyes wet! I feel totally blessed and loved and supported. I have tried to email some back, but for some reason I can't through the blog from here - I will on my return. So - it's time for sleep - the sound of carols is filtering through into our room. I will sleep well and dream of sleeping beside my little girl tomorrow night and loving her in a way that I have never, ever know.

We're nearly on our way

I thought I'd post a photo or two of where the house is now at - no that's not rain and fog - it's the deck after it's just been stained and smoke! - no views at the moment. We have a bit of work happening whilst we're away, but not a lot.
Well - the time has come. I'm doing all the finishing touches and have finally finished packing. I'm so excited! So - for now - it's farewell. Hopefully, all going well, I'll post lots from China so you can kinda walk with us. Did I mention that I'm excited! I've had so little sleep and I can't see it getting any better. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their love and support and to wish you all a very happy and peaceful Christmas. 'Talk' to you from China.........I'm not sure if I mentioned that I'm REALLY excited....

After the dust has settled

I thought I would show you a couple of photo's taken by a visiting fire-fighter last Sunday. These are taken at 'The Pondage" which is where I walk or ride around and it's about 4.5 kms from where we are living and about 2.5kms from the new home. Everything seems to have settled down now and the hot spots are more around Bogong Village and Falls Creek. The danger is still there, but not so bad. I'm taking photo's and insurance policies with me to Melbourne just to be safe. I've finally packed today - so were ready to go - Ebony has one suitcase and we are sharing one! I can't beleive we've actually been able to get everything into one suitcase! It's a miracle on it's own. We leave for Melbourne on Tuesday and then we fly out on Thursday. I have cried a lot today - just feeling overwhelmed and trying to come to terms with my excitement and nerves! What an incredible 6 weeks it has been. I've slept so little compared to normal. I guess that's just preparing me for motherhood!

How can this be happening?

  I've just returned from 5 days in Melbourne - it was exhausting and today I'm trying to come to terms with getting this home back into some sort of order and......bushfires. Yes - right on our doorstep. If you believe in God - please pray for us. It is such a stressful time with trying to build a home, sell franchises, get ready to travel and meet our longed for little daughter and try to cope with bushfires within 1000m of our new home. I've posted a photo to help you understand what we're contending with. It was taken last night on one of the visits we did to check on things and it was taken from the deck of our new home! I'll post again in a day or so when things settle down a bit

Busy, busy, busy

Time is going so quickly - I can't believe that in 3 weeks from this moment, I'll have my much longed for daughter in my arms. I think of it and I get tears in my eyes. This has been the most amazing journey. I don't think I could even truly describe the feelings that I have been through in the past month. I'm still coming to terms with packing for a child when I've never had one. Packing for a child when I don't really know her size. Packing for a child when...well...when I'm totally confused about what to pack! Here's a photo of what I'm trying to sort through! I know it will all work out - but it's very hard to get my head around. I'm actually NOT that busy - I'm just loving this period of my life. It is our 14th wedding anniversary on Wednesday - but we leave for Melbourne in the early hours of Thursday morning, so we celebrated on Sunday with a trip to Bright and a lovely afternoon together. This is our last season as a couple. I want us to make this time special - amongst trying to build a home, run a business in Melbourne and establish a business here! Sure!
Our relationship seems so rock solid at this time. We have huge stresses on us - but together we're making it making it. I'm not sure if I have a Heckle or a Jeckle when I call Graham during the day - but by the end of the day we're mates - and that's the main thing.
I've also include a photo of our 'temporary' nursery...... Yes, the mosquito net will have to go! but I love it at the moment. It can be part of her bedroom once she's in a bed. You have to give a girl credit for being a girl!
We've also progressed with our home the best we can - it is just coming along so well as far as I'm concerned thanks to our dear friend Steve Beattie and his wife Marg (for letting him go!) ... here are some of the images of where we're at. .... it probably looks a bit strange because it's a corragated iron home and this is the back, but it will look wonderful when it's finished! Keep watching for further developments......