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Tuesday, July 31, 2007

eek!

4 MORE DAYS TILL WE LEAVE FOR CHINA!!!!!!!

9 MORE DAYS TILL WE finally MEET LILI!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow! Wow! Wow!!

Yesterday I took care of some final travel/adoption business.

I called visa to let them know we'd be traveling internationally, I called our insurance co. to inform them of our adoption, I filled out some paperwork for Riley Children's Hospital, I typed up instructions for the grandparents who will be taking care of their furry grandchildren while we're gone.
And I sent out some thank you cards. Jeff and I counted our money last night and were so amazed how much cash we have to take to China all of a sudden. God provides!! Just a couple of weeks ago we were trying to figure out how to get enough cash to get us comfortably through our trip!

The people we know are amazing.

God is amazing!

We now have enough money to survive very comfortably in China. And I think we should have plenty enough to shop, shop, shop!! And, our agency had forgotten about a grant that we received back in September, so THEY will be sending US a check for $2000.00!!

We are blessed.


Monday, July 30, 2007

spider pig - full version

The newest thing my family laughs at EVERY TIME!!

Yikes!


5 MORE DAYS TILL WE LEAVE FOR CHINA!!!!!!!!!
10 MORE DAYS TILL WE finally MEET LILI!!!!!!!!!!!!
I just can't wrap my mind around it! I am just so 'aaah'! That's all I can say.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

argh.


6 MORE DAYS TILL WE LEAVE FOR CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!
Holy cow, holy cow, holy cow! Seriously!?
Yesterday all day we kept looking at the clock and saying "next week at this time, we'll be on the plane".
:)
Well, let me tell you, that was cute for like the first 5 hours, then by hour 10 we were like "next week at this time we'll STILL be on the plane!!!!"
:(
Then we woke up this morning and said "next week at this time, we'll BE THERE"!
I'm sure it'll all work out OK. I'm sure that I'll sit directly behind some gargantuan that INSISTS on keeping his seat back fully reclined in the "in my face" position for the entire flight, right smack-dab next to some infectious, contagious person sneezing all over me, and directly in front of some snot nosed kid who just loves to kick the seat in front of him for 13 hours!!
Yep, "happy trails to me"!

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Our Itinerary


We were pleasantly surprised to find our itinerary and travel packet on our doorstep this morning!
So, here's our trip in a nutshell:
  • 8/5: Arrive in Beijing @ 3:00pm (China time---3:00am EST)
  • 8/6: Acrobatic show in the afternoon
  • 8/7: Visit the great wall and cloisonne factory
  • 8/8: Visit Tianamen Square, Forbidden City and Hutong tour
  • 8/9: Flight to Guangzhou (3 hr. morning flight)
  • 8/9: RECEIVE LILI IN THE AFTERNOON!! (which will be overnight in the US)
  • 8/10: Adoption registration and notarization
  • 8/11: Free day (hello! SHOPPING!----nothing "FREE" about it!!) :)
  • 8/12: Visit Guangzhou Zoo
  • 8/13: Apply for Lili's passport
  • 8/14: Free day (ummm..... SHOPPING!)
  • 8/15: Visit White Cloud Mountain Park
  • 8/16: Free day (yep, SHOPPING!)
  • 8/17: Visit Guangzhou Folk Art Museum (with TWO kids?----maybe we'll pass on that!)
  • 8/18: Medical appt. 9:00am
  • 8/19: Free day (you guessed it! SHOPPING!)
  • 8/20: Visa appt.
  • 8/21: Consulate oath, pick up visa at 3:00pm
  • 8/22: Fly from Guangzhou to Hong Kong in the morning
  • 8/22: Depart Hong Kong in the late afternoon
  • 8/22: Arrive in the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (finally!) in the evening (we gain a day on the way back. We'll actually be arriving in Chicago only 1 hour after we've left Hong Kong!!)

So, that does it. We now have the last thing we need before we can go.

wow. I'm excited.

We have a list of names and phone numbers of the people that will be with us on this trip. It'll be quite an experience.

I plan on keeping up with posts/pics and (hopefully) videos while we're there. That's my intention anyway!! So please stay along for the ride. And please comment. We have our blog set up to email our comments to us. It will mean so much to us to hear from you!!

Ack!


7 MORE DAYS TILL WE LEAVE FOR CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!
ONE WEEK LEFT!!! Oh my gosh!
We're going to spend the day packing what we can and reveling in the fact that NEXT Saturday we'll be off to the airport. gulp.
I'm starting to get very sad about leaving our animals, especially Lola, my "poor sweet baby". And just to show you that I'm not the only insane Lola-fanatic around here, as I type this, my husband is playing peek-a-boo with a dog. yeah, seriously.
:)

Friday, July 27, 2007

Aaaahhh!

EIGHT MORE DAYS TILL WE LEAVE FOR CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I SERIOUSLY cannot believe it!

I am, in turns:

petrified

mortified

terrified

ebullient

overjoyed

excited

scared

so, so, SOOO happy

I can't believe it!

Oh, and by the way, guess what I'm typing this on? My new laptop!! Ok, I know, I'm a total spazz, like who doesn't have a laptop by now? But, to me, it's pretty nifty!!

:)

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Weeee!


9 MORE DAYS UNTIL WE LEAVE FOR CHINA!!!!!!!!!!
I cannot believe it! I'm going to barf.
We got our airline tickets yesterday.
Non-stop flight from Chicago to Beijing.
On the way home we fly from Guangzhou to Hong Kong, stay in Hong Kong a few hours, then non-stop back to Chicago.
We still have to get from Beijing to Guangzhou, but don't have our agency's tickets or itinerary yet. I'm assuming that'll come in the next few days. That will tell us exactly where we need to be when, so that'll be nice to finally know!
By the way, we bought a laptop yesterday!! We got a $600 laptop for $389! I LOVE a good deal!! Now we only have 8 more days to figure out how to use it!!
It sure is pretty! :)

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

10 MORE DAYS
UNTIL WE LEAVE FOR CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm starting to REALLY freak out about how the days are flying by all of a sudden!
WOW! We're going to China!
Our plane tickets should arrive today.
eek!

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

We're coming Lili!


The Red Thread
"An invisible red thread connects those destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but never break."
- Chinese Proverb

ELEVEN MORE DAYS TILL WE LEAVE FOR CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)



Today is our 14th anniversary. Unbelieveable.......

I know you can do the math, but we were married in 1993. I was 22 and Jeff was 25 (you don't have to worry about doing that math!) We thought we were so OLD to be married. Now when we see "kids" that are 22 or 25 getting married, we're like "Take your time!! You have PLENTY of time to settle down!!"

All I know is that I wouldn't trade one gray hair, one pound or wrinkle for one second of being married to the best husband in the world!!

Monday, July 23, 2007

To laptop, or not to laptop, that is the question.....


We have been talking about maybe buying a laptop for our trip.
I know that sounds like a really big expense for one trip, but when that one trip is longer than your honeymoon and ALL your family trips put together over the last 14 years, it puts it into perspective!
We came up with a list of pros and cons. (we do that with everything! We have HUNDREDS of pros and cons lists!)
So, there's 16 pros and 1 con (the cost).
We found a laptop that's good enough for us for $450. That doesn't seem too bad in the grand scheme of the REST of the trip's expenses. And, of course, we'll have it forever (which probably means one more year until it's obsolete!)
Anyway, Jeff takes at least two 2-week business trips a year, so he can use it when he's gone too.
We really think it would be such a nice convenience on our adoption trip:
We don't have to worry about finding or going to internet cafes, which can cost quite a bit.
We can post here anytime we want, download pics and videos.
Email family and save on phone costs.
We could watch DVDs.......a lot to consider.
I know it's not a necessity, will we survive without it? Of course, but 19 days away from home is convincing me it'll help out a lot!
We'll see.....

One Dozen



12 MORE DAYS UNTIL WE LEAVE FOR CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


(still don't have our final itinerary yet, should get it by the end of this week---usually 7-10 days before travel)

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Starting to freak out about the flight a little bit!


So, obviously we're not going first class.
I need a drink and a Xanax already!
13 MORE DAYS TILL WE LEAVE FOR CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday, July 21, 2007

2 WEEKS UNTIL WE LEAVE FOR CHINA!!!!!

Wow! Wow! Wow!!
It's really starting to sink in. I woke up this morning and realized that in 2 weeks we're going to be on a plane to China.......
We figured we'll need to leave around 7:00am for our 1:40pm flight (LOVE living in Nowheresville!)
So, actually it's LESS than 2 weeks, it's only like 1 week, 6 days and 15 hours!
AHH!

Friday, July 20, 2007

Now we're talkin' !


To tourists, Guangzhou is really a 'Shoppers' Paradise'. :) :) :)
Shangxia Jiu Lu Pedestrian Street is located in the Liwan District of Xiguan, a prosperous traditional commercial district. It is the first commercial pedestrian street in Guangzhou.
Walking into this street, you will see the featured Qi Lou, an old building style that exists in Guangzhou and its neighboring areas, on both sides of the road. It reflects the strong Lingnan Culture.
On this street lie more than 200 stores, especially those brand name restaurants and teahouses open here. From 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends and holidays and on every night, Shangxia Jiu Lu is restricted to pedestrians only
Walking on the Beijing Lu, in the center of Guangzhou City, however, you will find a world far different from Shangxia Jiu Lu. It is simultaneously fashionable and traditional.
If you are interested in Japanese and Korean fashion, go to Zhuangyuan Fang (Number One Scholar Lane) on Renmin Nan Lu. Although it is a small lane less than 200 meters (656 feet) long, the Zhuangyuan Fang attracts numerous visitors by its most fashionable clothes, ornaments, and small articles that are popular with young people.
The most famous department stores are Teem Plaza, China Plaza (Zhonghua Guangcheng).
The Teem Plaza has become the new commercial center of Guangzhou. Here boutiques, shops selling fantastic goods and restaurants come together.
Hualin Jadeware Street & Wende Calligraphy and Painting StreetLocated on Xia Jiu Lu, Hualin Jadeware Street is a street mainly dealing with retail, wholesale and jade and jewelry processing.
At present, hundreds of jadeware stores are found here. Best-quality jades from Burma and Yunnan Province are made into jade bracelets, rings and other wares.
Wende Calligraphy and Painting Street neighboring the Beijing Lu is known as 'Guangzhou Gallery'. Stores selling works of calligraphy and craftworks line both sides of the road.
The Clothes Wholesale Market: Gaodi Street from Beijing Nan Lu at the east to Qiyi Lu at the west and Hongmian Clothes Market at F1, 2 and 3, No. 184, Huanshi Xi Lu, Guangzhou
Don't forget to buy some local products such as:
Wang Laoji Herbal Tea, cooking materials, Canton Embroidery, Canton Enamel and Canton Sculpture.
1. Canton Sculpture includes Canton Ivory Carvings, Jade Sculpture, Wood Sculpture and Olive Sculpture.
2. Canton Enamel is short for Guangzhou Colorful Pottery. It has a history of over 300 years.
3. Canton Embroidery, namely Yue Embroidery, is one of the Four Famous Chinese Embroideries together with Su Embroidery, Xiang Embroidery and Shu Embroidery.
4. Canton Bacon is the general designation of cured meat in the Guangzhou Area.
5. Wang Laoji Herbal Tea is a kind of medicine that is healthy for the human body.
Amen!

Shoot Me!


Just getting ready to head out the door for my 3rd Hep B shot. Can't wait!!
I almost totally forgot about it. Good thing I made a list during those LOOOONG 5 weeks waiting for TA of things I need to do before we go.
FIFTEEN MORE DAYS UNTIL WE BOARD THE PLANE FOR CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!
I seriously CANNOT believe it! (still waiting for something to happen to blow our plans out of the water...)
Think I'm a pessimist?
Oh, and HAPPY (39th----oops, I mean 21st!) BIRTHDAY JEFF!!!!!!! Love you!! ;)

Thursday, July 19, 2007

The Adoption-Go-Round (I want to get off!!!)

Still not sure about our definite travel plans yet.
I DO know, however, how much we have to pay for our flights!! (like they're gonna let THAT slip!) :/
There is some confusion about our Travel Invitation.
Is that the same thing as our Travel Approval ?
Anyway, we have it in writing that we're supposed to receive our Travel Invitation. I had assumed we'd receive it yesterday or today.
We HAVE to have it in hand when we travel. Our Social Worker said that she doesn't think families get a copy of it. I read her the form we got from our agency, which states that we will receive 2 copies of it, overnighted to us. I'm just not sure when they overnight it to us.......but I AM sure they should. argh.
So, we're STILL in a form of limbo.
I swear, if I ever hear the letters T and/or A again in my LIFE, it'll be too soon!!
(T & A-----hee hee!) ;)

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Home Sweet Home (away from home)

We'll be staying at the White Swan (the adoptive parents' mecca) for 14 days of our 18 day stay in China.
We're SO GLAD that we get to stay in the same place the entire time. It makes it so much more comfortable and easy on us.
The drawback is that we won't get to experience another city/province, but I think by the end of our 18 day stay, we'll feel that we've seen enough!!
We haven't gotten anymore concrete travel info. or itinerary yet, but we did find out we need to BE in Beijing on 8/5, so we'll be leaving from Chicago on 8/4.
I think (hope!) we'll get on a direct flight from O'Hare to Beijing, which is scheduled as a 13 hr. 20 min. flight. argh. Leave Chicago at 12:40 pm, arrive in Beijing at 3:00pm next day.
Our other option was to fly Chicago to Minneapolis to Tokyo (55 min. layover---yikes!) to Beijing. The total travel time was over 16-17 hrs. I think. Add to that ALL those wonderful opportunities to lose baggage!
We also need to add an extra day to the end of our stay in order to get out of Guangzhou.
Our agency offered us the following 4 options: risky, cumbersome, more expensive and just plain crappy.
We decided to go with "cumbersome". Don't ask me why......it really wasn't a fun decision.
So, we'll be staying one day and night in Hong Kong. Kind of exciting. We'll have a whole day to explore. When are we ever going to get to Hong Kong again?
I'll post our itinerary when we get it.
SEVENTEEN MORE DAYS TILL WE LEAVE FOR CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

THE POST I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!!!

WE HAVE OUR TA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our social worker called at 11:59am today to let us know our TA is in!
I, of course, wasn't home (again!).
Every DAY for the last 40 days, whenever I come home and see that we have messages, no matter how hard I try, I get a little excited and hopeful. But, it's usually: a hang up, my son's friends, or someone else I wish hadn't called! So, today when I got home, I saw that we had 2 messagaes. I steeled myself and told myself NOT to get excited, NOT to anticipate anything. So, I went to the bathroom, put laundry in the dryer, anything to delay that utter dissapointment yet again. I was in the laundry room when I heard our SW screaming on the machine that I needed to call her NOW!! The next message was my husband telling me to pack my bags!!!
I cannot even express how wonderful it was to hear those messages.
THIS is what I've been waiting and praying for. I am just overwhelmed.
Overwhelmed with gratitude and shame.
I have been so FAITHLESS through this entire wait. I've moaned, complained, and given up.
I am humbled beyond belief that God still provides for me. He still loves me! I am in awe.
So, here's the nitty gritty:
We are leaving on 8/5 to go to Beijing to tour for 2 days and rest for a day.
We go to Guangzhou on 8/9 in the morning. I'm assuming that will be the day we get Lili--maybe 8/10!!!!!!!!!! (we'll be staying in Guangzhou the whole time----nice!)
Our Visa appointment is scheduled for 10:00am on Monday 8/20.
We should leave for home on 8/22.
That's a 17 day stay. wow. That's a long time. My SW said that too, but I told her it was OK because we never go anywhere!! :)
We should hear more by the end of the day from our travel agency. We should have a definite itinerary in the next couple of days.
EIGHTEEN MORE DAYS TILL WE LEAVE FOR CHINA!!!!!!!!!
Holy cow, I'm nervous!! :)

Monday, July 16, 2007

The Last 5 Weeks In A Nutshell

Monday----hopeful
Wednesday----anxious
Friday evening after 5:00----depressed that yet another week has passed without TA
Repeat.

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Where a Kid Can Be a Kid


Spent the afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese's.
Brett took 3 of his best buds to a Chuck E. Cheese b-day party.
I never thought that four 9 and 10 year old boys could be so much fun.
I also never thought we could stay at Chuck E. Cheese's for 3 hours (1/2 of that time spent at the counter picking out the PERFECT toys, by the way).
Let me tell you, they were the envy of EVERY kid there. Between the 4 of them, they had over 3,400 tickets! :O
I find myself thinking that my son and boys his age should be so mature and responsible, just little men.
It's times like this that I realize that they are just BOYS! Like pit bull puppies or something, all oversize paws and wiggles, nipping at your heels.
I couldn't believe how much they LOVED playing all the games, collecting their tickets, buying little junky stuff, running around, giggling.
Boys are fun!
I am blessed.

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Month #4 Since Referral


Tomorrow marks FOUR MONTHS since we saw Lili's face for the first time.
I really never thought that I'd make it this long.
Especially since we received our LOA by month 3. A month ago I thought maybe we'd have made it to China by now. Unbelieveable.
All I can do now is pray that we're with Lili by month 5.
I'm really sick and tired of thinking that "next week will be the week".

Friday, July 13, 2007

120+17+36+10=


120 Days Since Referral
17 Weeks (and 1 day) Since Referral
36 Days Since LOA
and, oh yeah, 10 Months Since LID

Thursday, July 12, 2007

FIVE WEEKS SINCE LOA! (holy crap.)


Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Mother Of The Year

I was talking to another mom on the phone today.
We were trying to come up with a time for a play date with her son.
Today? No.
Tomorrow? Can't.
Thursday? Doesn't look good.
She asked me "How about Friday?"
"Hmmmm" I said "Friday sounds good. Let me check the calendar."
That's when I hear, very quietly in the background, my son say, "Mom, Friday's my birthday."
OOOOOPS!!
I blame "TA brain"!
:)
love you buddy!!

TA Wait: Day 33------Day ONE HUNDRED SEVENTEEN Since Referral!!! ugh


Monday, July 09, 2007


I just read that people have been receiving their LOAs today.
Now, in the past this has usually meant that TAs come a few days later.
I'm not saying that's going to happen this time.
I'm just saying what the trend has been in the past.
So, maybe sometime at the end of this week TAs will start rolling in.
I'm not saying that ours will be there, just saying there's the possibility that TAs could come in the next few days for some people.

TA Wait: Day 32--------May The Force Be With Me!!


Sunday, July 08, 2007

TA Wait: Day 31




Saturday, July 07, 2007

Hang In There!!



Just to let you know, NO ONE who got their LOA when we did got TA this week.
As a matter of fact, no one waiting for their LOA got that either.
Sadly (and I suppose selfishly) it makes me feel better to know that we're not alone. I'm glad that we're all in the same boat: the proverbial "slow boat to China".
Misery loves company, I guess.
AND!! Just think how much MORE exciting it will be when they come.
Maybe we'll all be able to travel together.
Will next week be our week????????
notice how the puppy is clutching bamboo?? could it be a sign...........................
stay tuned....

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Just came across this on someone else's blog:
Every call has a beginning...
A quiet moment when God whispers a promise to a mother's heart
A holy place where a father bows and faithfully accepts the journey set before him.
A miraculous morning that unexpectedly dawns...
Casting its first light on a chosen threshold.
A gentle knock...a closed door opens.
A sacred invitation sent by the Father...
Leads to the other side of the world.
Where lonely hearts stare out of orphanage windows
Praying for someone to care.
And then one morning...
On an ordinary day
An orphan's life changes...
God sends them a second chance...
Through you.
(Unknown)

4 WEEKS!!


If anyone's still interested, today marks 4 weeks since our LOA.
That means we need our TA by Monday to make it within the "most families receive TA within one month of LOA" timeline.
:

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

If tomorrow all the things were gone I’d worked for all my life,
And I had to start again with just my children and my wife.
I’d thank my lucky stars to be living here today,
‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom and they can’t take that away.
And I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land God bless the U.S.A.
From the lakes of Minnesota, to the hills of Tennessee,
across the plains of Texas, from sea to shining sea,
From Detroit down to Houston and New York to LA,
Well, there’s pride in every American heart,
and it’s time to stand and say:
I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.
And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today.
‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land
God bless the U.S.A.
God Bless The U.S.A.
Words and Music by Lee Greenwood

Sunday, July 01, 2007

Zip, Zilch, Nada!


That's what the CCAA did last week------NOTHING!!
It seems that people checked extensively into the LOA/TA situation last week, and they all found that the CCAA did not send out anything to anyone all week!! >:[
Remember my "grr" post when I said that the CCAA coming to town was going to cause delays? Well, look who was right! (UNFORTUNATELY!)
I generally LOVE to be right, but doesn't it figure the ONE time I am, I'd rather not be?! :)
HOPEFULLY they'll get back on track this first week in July.
We're on "DAY 24" of our TA wait.
sigh...................

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