Hello China - Meet the Condra's

As many of you already know we are in the process of adopting a little girl from China.  Can I get a woot woot!!  (Line one and I already have tears flowing).  God has truly blessed us with a precious little family.  Chad and I just celebrated our 16 year anniversary this week and have two children.  So many of you have asked what and where did this decision come from?  This has not been something that came up overnight and not something we have entered into lightly.  A few years after the LOOONG awaited arrival of Caden (who is my 7 year old energetic, athletic, fireball from Heaven), we started talking about adopting.  We never took that step to just “do” it because of money.  Oh, and let me say we still don’t have the money!!  So, if you know anyone who has about a kazillion dollars to donate to the cause please send them my way – Amen and thank you.  So, this is what FAITH is all about.  Seriously stepping out and knowing you cannot do anything without HIM.  A few years ago a precious family in our church started the process to adopt.  I knew the first time we talked that we should be filling out our paperwork just as they were.  About that same time out of the blue I found out I was pregnant.  What?? Seriously!?  Me?!?  It had been 6 LONG years of praying for another baby and God gave her to us in HIS precious timing.  Callie is our 9 month old little joy!  She makes me smile each day with that happy, fat little face.  I’m pretty sure that her cheeks stay chapped from me smooching all over them.  Ok, so now that God has given me TWO little miracle babies how could I forget about the orphans?!?  Over all this time our desire to adopt a baby has never stopped.  So, the beginning of this year( 2012) we started the paper chase.  I now know why there are 147 million orphans!  I mean really??? I’m pretty sure after this I should have my law degree.   Each time I am overwhelmed with stacks of paperwork, I remember this is one piece of paper closer to holding a sweet baby that doesn’t have a home, no parents and no one to love them.  One that carries the title as orphan.  So, bring on the paperwork!    I do have to stay this doesn’t come with FEAR.  Did I mention that I am scared of ……okay that list is way too long.  I am petrified of everything.  I need medication to fly a short flight (seriously) and it is a 16 hour flight to the other side of the world over the ocean!  I have already mentioned I have no idea where we are going to come up with this money (just google China adoption people it’s a lot of money!).  I live in a box.  No joke!  I don’t like Chinese food, I don’t like unusual different foods and they won’t have a Chick fil A there-and we have to go for a few weeks.  So, I might be skinny after this trip (woohoo!).  The devil often tells me how I am not qualified to adopt an orphan.  But my God tells me HE is.  Praise God that He equips the called and doesn’t call the equipped.  So, for those of you scratching your heads and saying “the Condra’s – really?  Trust me.  We did the same thing.  We have our hands full already, we are sorta old, very busy schedules, working full time and a little crazy on any given day.  However, a busy, old, overbooked, crazy mom and dad is better than no mom or dad. My point in saying all this is to ask for your Prayers!  Seriously, calling out my prayer warriors!!  This is a very long……long…..long journey.  I’m pretty sure we won’t get to travel until next spring/summer.  I write this for 3 reasons.  One is because I want to share with her one day of our amazing journey and with you our journey to rescue our daughter from China and bring her home. The second is because if I don’t write it down I will forget ( I cannot remember what I had for breakfast must less in a few years remember this whole process).  The last and most important reason is for you to see my post and lift us up in prayer.