travel update...not travel approval :(

Hello, hello, hello!...

Wanted to post a quick update regarding our prep to travel.  More specifically around the 'shout out' for unused frequent flyer miles or Capital One travel rewards.

We are amazed at the love and generosity of folks who are near and dear to our hearts and folks we don't even know.


We have been offered over 200,000 miles!


Yes.  You read that right!

Two-hundred thousand.


To give you some perspective.  A roundtrip ticket from anywhere in the United States to anywhere in China (according to United Airlines) is 65,000 miles!

A prayer request...we need all these miles to be on one airline and a large percentage of them are indeed on United Airlines, but are being offered to us by about five different people.  And there's a $15 fee per 1,000 miles transferred.  If you do the math, that comes out to almost the cost of a plane ticket just to transfer the miles to us.  And obviously, if the miles are owned by several people then we need to get them transferred and consolidated.    So, we're planning to contact United and go up the chain of command and ask that fee to be waived.  Please pray that will happen!

Thank you, thank you.

Oh, and as far as Payton and Avery traveling with us goes, we have decided to only take Payton now.  After much more conversation with Avery, she wasn't all that excited at the idea of being on a plane for an entire day -- she just wanted to go because Payton was going.  And the idea of staying behind with Brooks and Jackson has become more and more appealing to her.  Payton, on the other hand, hasn't wavered.  She doesn't care what she needs to do to go with us (even possible vaccinations!).  I feel so, so, so sure that Payton coming on this trip would be a blessing to us and her and especially James.  I think it will be an enormous blessing for a child to be with him after he leaves all his friends and caregivers behind.  The thought is that although we may be creepy, scary adults to him, Payton may be a safe haven.  That's our hope and prayer!

More to come soon.  Love to all!