Here we are just 5 days away from meeting the newest member of the Marsili Family! It's 4:30 a.m. You know I'm excited....I'm up before Ken!!!!!!!!!! (and with NO COFFEE!!!)

Let me give those of you who don't know a little history of this INCREDIBLE journey.

It all started a little over 2 years ago (April 2005), I was sitting in church and had an overwhelming tug on my heart that our family was not complete. But I was OH SO DONE with the whole pregnancy thing!!! God placed it upon my heart to adopt. I'm thinking, " OK God you want me to go tell Ken this?" So I did, he said "NO'' the end, right? WRONG!!! It's funny how when God has an idea and you have a different one...He ALWAYS wins!!

So, I was going on living life when we were asked to host a child from Children of the World. They are a group of orphans from around the world who have this incredible choir. So, I said sure.

We had little Ronitta, from India, she was 7. Our family fell in love with her and we only had her for a little less than 48 hours.

Which brings us back to Gods original plan, He wanted me to go back and talk to Ken again! Only this time I had to go to Ken bring this whole adoption thing up again after he already said no, and get this, my small group had just finished a study on listening to our husbands, respecting them, being submissive, they whole nine yards, and now God wants me to do this!!!!! See, God has a sense of humor?! OKAY! Now I'm thinking I better do this, cause I don't want to see what happens next if I don't.

So, I went to Ken and this time the "no" wasn't as quick. It was more like a......lingering one. OK, OK, I'll take that. NOT!!! Oh yea, here's just another little "thing" God threw in there... the adoption was to be from China, Oh, there's more....I was about to BLOW his budget..oh for about the next 5 plus years, it was going to cost $20,0000.00 (we are at 25,0000 now)!!!! OK so now I'm thinking Ken is going to have me institutionalized!!! But.... being the rational man that he is... He said" OK, if this is what God has planned for our family He'll also provide financially."

So, plan A was to borrow from his 401k...plan failed...and Ken thought it was all over....I DON"T think soooo.

SO, my parents knew what was going on and we talked with them they loaned us the first $10,000.00 and my dad said to Ken, " now go get my granddaughter!"

That was it Ken knew from that point it was God driven and every time fees went up(which they did a lot) he was so wonderful! OK Ok he would freak out a little!!!

He was so patient through all of the delays and held ME up when I thought the process would NEVER end!! He was the one providing the spiritual strength and would keep reminding me of Who was behind all of this!!!!

The process was taking much longer than originally planned and by February 2007 it was going to be at least another 22 months. Originally it was going to take 15-19 months start to finish.

Ken & I decided to go out to dinner for Valentines Day on the 13th and we both wanted to talk about the adoption. We both had thought about the Special Needs Program. They put older children on this list and we both had decided that we were so way past the whole diaper, formula thing that this might be a better fit for all of us!!!!

The next day we emailed our Family Coordinator and let her know. So, everyday I would come home and ask Ken the same thing, "have you heard ANYTHING yet?" and every day he would say no. April 20, 2007, I came home and said, "Anything?" just knowing what the answer would be and this time he said, "you might want to come into my office" and there she was, this sweet little 7 year-old face looking right at us. We fell in love instantly, we knew she was the missing Marsili!!! Hannah was thrilled she finally saw who she would be a big sister to, Gabby was so excited too, she was the one who was for adopting right from the beginning and Lauren she was even excited!!!!!!
We decided to name her Emmie Yuming, Emmie means beauty and Yu=jade ming= bright.

We were hoping to have her by the time school started in August, but more delays and we now figured it probably wasn't going to happen until October, November and let me tell you that's like telling an over due mother she is going to pregnant for a few more months!!!!!!!!



Ok, whew, now this brings us to August 23 2007. This day has been circled on our calender for MONTHS!!! It was the Giants & Cubs game GO CUBS!!!!!! Anyway, we were with our VERY good friends they had invited us because they know we loved the Cubs. So we were driving along and my cell phone rings just after 11:00 am. I didn't recognize the # and those of you that know me....I don't pick up!!!!! Well, something (someone) told me to answer, on the other line was our agency calling with "GOOD NEWS"!!!! They asked if we could leave on September 13th!!! I could barely speak all I could do was sob (uncontrollably) about the only word I could form was YES YES!!!



Which brings us to now, 5 days to go!!! Oh, just to let everyone know, the day we leave to China,
is Emmie's birthday!!! GOD is GREAT!!!!!!

OK, now I'm tired....how does Ken do this all the time....Oh yea....COFFEE!!!!

We will start logging in and uploading pics in China (I promise it won't be as long...LOL!!!!

One more thing, thank you so much to everyone who wrote letters,
Bill & Merilee, Amy & Matt, Margaret, Keith & Sandy, Bob, Kirk, Mom & Dad, Erica!

Thank you Mom & Dad. Dad you have been a perfect example of what being an adoptive parent is like. You have never made me feel like I wasn't yours from the beginning. I know I wasn't born with your blood but I was born in your heart.

Thank you to Shelley my best friend for 30 plus years for be the optimistic one!!!
Thank you Ann you're an awesome deacon your generosity will NEVER be forgotten!!!
Thank you Pastor Bob
Thank you Lorna & Jerry
Thank yoy Michael & Tandy
Thank you Jan for taking over an hour to talk to a perfect stranger. I can't wait until our daughters meet!!
Thank you Ryan Wolfe & Erin. The "waiting clock" ment so much to our family. I can't wait to see who it will bring home next!!!
Thank you to our Church family at LPC

Thank you to TCK "the best school that ever was"

Thank you to Safeco, Mark, and yes even Dusty (lol)

Thank you to our families we love you so much see you all on the 28th!!!!!!!

And most of all, Thank you GOD, you once again have shown us just how faithful you are!!!!