Update

So....we leave for Shanghai, China on Thursday, March 3!  We are all very excited to get this adventure started but also a little nervous about many different things.  I'm especially worried about the 14+ hour flight with a 7 month old and 4 year old but I know we'll make it!  We fly out of Grand Rapids just before 8am and should arrive in China around 3pm on Friday!  It is a direct flight once we stop in Chicago!  We sure will miss all of our friends and family while we are there, but we hope to keep you updated with this blog.  Right now, China controls their internet and they block Facebook, so this will be our means of communication besides Skype. 
During the first few weeks we hope to get moved into our apartment and hopefully make it feel homey, and become accustomed with our surroundings.  It will be a totally different way of living for Reese as well as the rest of us!  She has become used to seeing Grandma and Grandpa every morning and night and used to petting all of the animals, so this will be a bit of a shocker for her!  She's young and will hopefully adjust quickly.  We hope to meet some internationally families in our complex and hopefully make some new friends for Reese too!  She asked me yesterday if they have church in China.  I told here they did and that we would be looking for one right away!  She seemed relieved!  She loves going to church and to Sunday school.  Hopefully they have some programs like we do here for her! 
Right now our return tickets are set for July 31 (yeah my mom's birthday, don't ever say we don't think about you ;)  ).  We are hoping to be back for the month of August!  It feels good to know that there is a date when we will return to see friends and family, it definitely is reassuring! 
Thanks so much for all of the prayers that you have given us so far during this transition time and we ask that you continue to keep us and especially the girls during these next few weeks as they will be transitioning to a different way of living!