This week we received our long-awaited travel approvals to go to China and pick up our soon-to-be adopted daughter Lyla. Needless to say, we are over the moon with excitement to meet her, hold her, and begin our life together as a family of four!
We will depart on Thursday evening, May 14th, and we will be in China for 2 weeks. Our three-year-old son Russell will stay home with our dearest home-team family: Nana, Grandma, Grandpa and Gabby.
When we return to Denver, I will take maternity leave to focus on bonding and attaching with Lyla. I plan to be “off” from church responsibilities until July 15th, and then I will return to the daily life of work and ministry. Tim will be available after our return from China. And our incredible and competent staff, along with our elders will be in place for community care and emergencies while we are away.
I’m hoping to be eyeball-to-eyeball with my little people a whole lot this summer, intentionally making my world very small by staying at home, being Mom, getting to know my little ones and figuring out our new normal.
I look forward to this special season ahead! I find myself daydreaming about it all the time. What will our first meeting with Lyla be like? What will she feel like? How will Tim and I feel? How will Lyla react and adjust and be? How is Russell going to do while we are gone? How is he going to feel when we return with Lyla? How will parenting be different with two? What will life be like this summer? Please hold all of us in your prayers about these things!
I will update you all as I can with notes and Facebook posts. Please know that my love for you all –the community of Platt Park Church– runs deep, and I will be keeping you all in my heart before God while we are away. I am grateful for the amazing team we have at Platt Park Church right now, who make it possible for me to be on maternity leave with absolute confidence in the leaders who will hold down the fort while I am away.
Susie Grade 