A little update...

Just wanted to let everyone following my blog know that I am having technical difficulties. I am able to email ok, but I'm having difficulty uploading pictures on my blog. I will try to put up pictures on FB and email to friends and family.

We are off to meet A' in about an hour along with another Bethany family that will meet their 4 year old son. Please pray for a smooth transition for these little kiddos as it has to be frightening for them.

In other news from China....
We just went to a market and bought all kinds of snacks. We even found Oreo's and Pepsi....oh happy day! We found a restaurant last night that serves sandwiches, which was a pleasant surprise. J' and I are not very brave when it comes to sampling local delicacies. Just ask J' about the intestines of Inner Mongolia:). I miss American Food!!!

Thanks for your prayers:)

We are here!

After being up for about 27 hours straight, we arrived in Shanghai. We had a close call and almost got quarantined because of swine flu (a section of passengers on our plane were actually quarantined for 5-7 days, but we were thankfully sent on our merry way). We fell face first into our hotel bed and slept thru the night, ate a quick breakfast, and then returned to our bed exhausted from jet lag and lack of sleep. We flew to Changsha, Hunan province this afternoon and the flight went really well. We met up w/our guide (very nice lady), and she informed us that we will receive A' tomorrow afternoon. It still feels like a dream. I have asked J' several times today, "Can you believe that we are here?"

I can't believe it is finally happening!

We are now less than 72 hours until we leave. I have had several moments of breathlessness in the past week, or so. I feel completely overwhelmed at times. I also have moments of complete calm. The only thing that is really bugging me at this point is the thought of leaving our other kids at home, but adoption travel is kind of like labor. You don't want to do it, but you know that you have to. I know I will forget it all....just like you forget the pain of labor and only focus on the beautiful gift that God has given you.

I am feeling pretty good about the small details. Our bags are pretty well packed (Miss A's have been packed for months!). Tomorrow, I will try to complete all of my last minute errands (ie. packing the kids stuff, laundry, housecleaning, etc.) so that I can enjoy a fun day of rest with the kids on Thursday.

We just received an email from our missionary friend a few minutes ago. The government contacted them to let them know what time A' will leave their care on Monday. She will be picked up by orphanage officials and brought to us the same day, which we are really happy about. We were afraid that she would have to go back to the orphanage for a few days, but that doesn't seem to be the case:). It has to be a bittersweet moment for the foster home. I'm sure they love her very much, and I pray that it won't be too difficult for her caregivers to let her go.

Anyhoo....off to do laundry. My next post will hopefully be a picture of J' and I holding our beautiful daughter:)....stay tuned.

Field trip....part deux

My munchkins are always up for a field trip, so today I decided to explore a nearby island with them. I took one of my nephews (and D's best friend, Dunk) and two of my nieces (Bri and Syd)along. We all had a great time, especially my nieces since they live out of state and don't live near the ocean. Here are some of my favorite pictures Bri exploring the rocks
Cousins and friends

Bri enjoying her tuna fish sandwich....such a flattering picture:)

We had a picnic lunch at the park.

Hello! Can you say "tourists!" Me and my munchkins (along w/Dunk)

We found this hollowed out tree, and they all thought it was a great idea to pose next to it.

I think this picture is so sweet:)

Dunk-man posing for auntie

Beautiful views from atop our vantage point

Field trip!

Today, I had the supreme honor of accompanying my lovely daughter and her class on a field trip to a nearby park. I have lived in this area my entire life, and I have never visited this particular park. I was in for a huge treat! What a beautiful place, and it is only about 20-25 minutes away from my house. D' was also in tote (Mr. J's class had a separate field trip today, so he wasn't able to attend:(. I think I will be taking many more trips to visit. Who needs Hawaii, Mexico, or the Bahama's when we have such amazing sites so near to home? Ok, Hawaii, Mexico, and the Bahama's are lovely, too, but you have to admit we live in a beautiful area:).

STINKER!!! Note the cookie in his hand. He nabbed it from a picnic table when I wasn't looking.

Look! Her craft matches her shirt:).

Craft time....such concentration!

Passing boats

The beach

Mrs. L' singing songs w/her class

"Mom, would you quit w/the camera already?"

Hey, is that Miss A' out there??

Up close and personal w/D'

M' posing for Mommy

M' holding onto her brother on the slippery rocks

D' imitating his sister!

Miss M' investigating a tide pool.

Oooh, she found a sea anemone!

Washing their hands before entering the tide pool as per the instruction of Mr. Park Ranger!

The tide pool area

Miss M, Darling D', and mommy:)

17 days!

17 days until we are on our way to China. Our plane leaves Seattle on Friday, June 19th around noon (which incidentally is A's birthday...well, actually her birthday is on the 20th, but it will be the 20th in China:). We have a two hour layover in San Francisco, and then we are off to Shanghai. We stay overnight in Shanghai, and then we fly onto A's province in the afternoon on the 21st. We are suppose to have our "gotcha" moment on the 22nd. We leave China on July 1st around noon, and return on July 1st around noon. You gotta love the time change factor:).

We received our travel visa's last Friday. Last night, we went and had a few more passport pictures taken at Costco because you are required to bring a set with you for the adoption registration in her province. While there, I found the CUTEST ladybug pj's for A' and couldn't resist. Hubs thought they were cute, too and didn't seem to mind me throwing them into the cart:). I still have to print out a bunch of forms to take with us for our consulate appt. in Guangzhou. A's bags are packed (Kathi, you are going to recognize them all in the pictures!). I still need to pick up a few clothing items for my hubs b/c he is lacking in that dept. My parents are scheduled to arrive on the 3rd from Idaho, which I am looking forward to! My dad is an ace at entertaining his grandkids. I'm hoping he teaches them to do the backstroke in the pool:). My mom and I are planning A's welcome home/baptism party for the 5th. I love my mom's party planning skills, plus she is an phenomenal cook. She has the whole menu figured out already. There is no one like my momma:).

I can't believe how fast time is going right now. Before we know it, all of this paperwork will be a distant memory, and all we'll remember is the moment we first saw/held our daughter in person!

Guess who is 11?

Guess who is having a birthday?

Happy Birthday Uncle Jerm!