We Made It

We finally arrived in Beijing after a 2 hr 45min car ride and
13 hr plane ride.

A shot of our ride. :-)

The flight was long but wasn't as bad as I had predicted.  Not too much

sleep for either as the seats weren't very comfortable.  We had three meals

while in the air and no, we didn't get burritos like our friends Deb and Steve.

Instead, we got a cheeseburger in the middle of our flight. 

It was neat to be able track your flight on the tv screen above your folding tray.

We flew out of NJ over Canada and Greenland.  We then flew over the Artic

Circle. Lastly, we flew over Russia and then into China.  I got to see the sun

rise over the Artic Circle.  Very cool!  Will need to get pics on the plane

ride home.

Tomorrow is a tour of Beijing.  Off to force ourselves to eat some dinner and
then hopefully get some rest.  J & D we love you and send hugs your way!

One More Day

One more day until we get on a plane to China!  It's already been
a busy morning.  J has been complaining of a sore and slightly
swollen heel since the weekend.  So, we went to the doctor
yesterday and for x-rays today.  Initially I was told the heel
did in fact have fracture only to be told sorry, it was a growth plate.
Talk about head spinning.  Just as I had accepted the fact that he
had a fractured heel and we would not be here to help him deal with
it, they came back in to say, sorry, our bad.  Totally not complaining.
I'm actually thanking God for watching over J and protecting him.

So, we're almost packed.  Finishing up last minute things to get ready.
In the meantime, we have guitar lessons, an orthodontist visit, and
Confirmation class this evening.  Whew, maybe the long plane
ride is just what I need!  ;-)

We would truly appreciate prayers for safe travels, and for our
daughter waiting for us.  We also ask that you keep the boys and
my mom in your prayers as well.

We look forward to sharing this journey with all of you!

The Plan

Here's the plan for our travels to meet our daughter.  5 days till we board
 the plane!!  Can you believe it?!!!



Wednesday, 4/6--Get on a plane for a very long flight to Beijing.

Thursday, 4/7--Arrive in Beijing around 1:45 p.m. China time

Friday, 4/8--Tour Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, and Hutong Tour-
     Very excited as the boys have learned about some of these places
     in our History studies this year. 

Saturday, 4/9--Tour Beijing--Great Wall

Sunday, 4/10--Leave Beijing for Zhengzhou, Henan Province

Monday, 4/11--Gotcha Day!!!  We will meet her in the afternoon, sign
      guardianship paperwork, get registration photos taken, and prepare
      more paperwork.

Tuesday, 4/12--Appt. at the Registration office in the morning--our little girl will
      officially be ours!!  Free time in the afternoon.

Wednesday, 4/13--Free time

Thursday, 4/14--Free time.  Receive notary documents in the afternoon.

Friday, 4/15--Receive daughter's passport.  Fly from Zhengzhou to Guangzhou.

Saturday, 4/16--Adoption physical and visa photo, and TB skin test.

Sunday, 4/17--Prepare more paperwork for Consulate Appointment

Monday, 4/18-TB skin test read

Tuesday, 4/19--Free day

Wednesday, 4/20--Consulate Appointment, take oath

Thursday, 4/21--Receive visa paperwork, pack to come home!!

Friday, 4/22--Leave Guangzhou.  Fly to Beijing then home!!!

Good News!

Who knew two little letters could make you very happy?

 

We found out today that we received our TA (Travel Approval)
from China.  We are awaiting confirmation of our CA (Consulate
Appointment) and then we can book our flights.  We hope to have
that information in a few days.

If things go as planned, we'll be with her for her second birthday
on April 13th!!

Happy Birthday, D!

D turned 11 this past Friday.  He had a two day celebration since mom
had to work on the night of his birthday.  So rough, I know. :-)

The weather on his birthday was wonderful!  It was even nice enough to
bring out the basketball hoop and play with friends from the neighborhood.

Saturday, he and some friends went bowling.  Fun was had by all!

We love you D!  We're so blessed to have you in our lives and we are
very proud of the young man you've become!

A Day of Love

Yesterday, some wonderful women I'm honored to call family gave me
and our daughter-to-be an adoption shower.  I can't begin to thank them for
all that they did and all that they gave our daughter to help welcome her
to our family!!

The clothes were beautiful and I must say, she'll be better dressed
than her mommy.  Mommy...can't believe I'll eventually get to hear that
word again (cause right now it's just mom)...but I digress. :-)  There
was pink galore and lots of bows (poor S... he'll need to learn how to do
hair and figure out how to put on tights). :-)  There were even baby dolls.
All this mom has known are hot wheels, legos and N*SCAR. Please don't
get me wrong....I've loved every minute of that, but to play dress up and
have a tea party...CAN'T WAIT!! :-)

The best part about the day was the sharing of love.  Love that these
beautiful women shared with me.  Love that they have for our
daughter.  How blessed she is that there will be so many people
to shower her with love when she comes home!  Women that
have been praying her for before they knew who she was!

Thank you friends!!!

Delicious food and beautifully decorated tables.

Can't wait to read this book to her!

                                                   

The chopsticks were a gift to all who attended and were brought from China

by my friend, Deb, who just returned with her daughter. Thank you, Deb!

One of my closest friends, Heather.  Thank you and Jessemyn for

a wonderful day!

                                                                          

The special helpers who took turns bringing me the gifts. :-)

These two pics...the wonderful ladies I'm blessed to call family!
Please not that not all of them were in these pics!

Special thanks to Tranixa for capturing this day in pictures!

Article 5

Doing the happy dance at our house today! 

We received an e-mail from our adoption agency this morning to let us know
that our Article 5 was picked up from the Consulate in Guangzhou and
is on it's way to Beijing.  Once there, the C*AA will issue the TA (Travel Approval).
That can take anywhere between 2-4 weeks.  We are hoping for the 2 week
time period. :-)

We still don't know exactly what an Article 5 is, but what we do know
about it is that it will help decrease the amount of paperwork that we'd
have to do for our daughter's visa once we're in China.

Whatever the Article 5 is, we're glad we got it. Now the countdown begins
for our TA and meeting our daughter!