The Boys AREN'T Going???

We have planned for months that all 5 of us would travel to China to bring home our next child. I just can't imagine being away from my babies for two weeks!


But I should back up and say "Jas and I have planned for months..." Because while being VERY excited at the prospect of a new little sister, our precious Noah has adamantly declared the entire time: "I am NOT going to China"


At first we didn't take him seriously, to be honest - "Oh, Noah, sure you're going." But he never budged. Never waivered.

But we are the parents, and what we say goes around here, thankyouverymuch. So we still didn't give it much consideration. Until we received our Travel Approval...and had to actually buy tickets. So we sat Noah down and had a heart-to-heart. And what that precious 5 year-old ("5 and three quartas" actually) told us, with tears in his eyes, was that he was "not ready to go back to China yet." We made sure he wasn't afraid we might leave him there - that was not the problem. He was just...not ready to go back yet. And coming from this particular child, we knew we just needed to respect that.


And Daniel just wants to do whatever Noah is doing...so he's staying too.


They have not expressed one moment of regret about their decision (and I hope that doesn't change when we say 'good-bye'). Going to China without our boys is going to be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done (right after open-heart and their other surgeries!). I’m going to miss my boys so much – I want to cry just thinking about it! We do, however, have peace that this is how it needs to be. Remind me I said that when I'm whining about missing them while I'm in China...


Addendum: Noah has told us that he will be ready to travel to China "two months after I turn 7." I've learned not to question pronouncements like that...