Final Itinerary...

Wow...I cannot believe I am writing this post - our Final Itinerary!

Leave our house at 5:30 am headed for Nashville, TN

Leave Nashville at 10:17 am on Friday, June 1

Arrive Guangzhou at 10:35 pm on Saturday, June 2

June 3 - Free

June 4 - "Gotcha Day" at 2:30 pm and sign adoption agreement at Civil Affairs Building

June 5 - 9:00 am for adoption registration and notarization at Civil Affairs Building

June 6 - Pick up adoption certificate and apply for Anna's passport

June 7 - Go to local department stores for needed items

June 8 - Electronics Market (Carter & Jacob are excited about potential PS2 games)

June 9 - Medical and Photo for passport

June 10 - Visit Foshan Nanhai SWI, Anna's orphanage. Visit Yuban Hospital Clinic, place where Anna was found. Shop in Foshan for a keepsake for Anna. Back to Guangzhou that afternoon.

June 11 - Visit Six Banyan Temple

June 12 - Pick up Anna's passport

June 13 - 9:00 am Visa appt. at US Consulate

June 14 - 4:00 pm pick up Visa at US Consulate

June 15 - Leave Guangzhou at 8:20 am for HOME!!!!

We are so excited and just can't believe this is all really happening. There are tons of last minute details that have to be done. But we are used to last minute things, its the way we operate :-)

I have the majority of our packing done and tomorrow is Boy Day! We have just a couple of things to do in the morning unexpected, which threw Rodney's work schedule off and then tomorrow afternoon is going to be devoted to the boys. They are wanting to see Spiderman 3, eat out (I can only imagine we will be dining at McDonalds) and then maybe go play "something". I know they have bowling in mind, but I cannot imagine Parker holding it together in a bowling alley. We'll see.

Regardless, I want to spend some fun time with the boys before we leave. This is the hardest part about leaving...knowing that our 3 boys will be so far away. I don't know what I'll do without my Parker sugar, Carter hugs and Jacob hanging on my waist :-(

Trying to fill up with Carter, Jacob and Parker "lovin'" and sending love to my Anna.

Busy, Busy Day...

Wow! What a Friday!

Finally, we got a confirmed Consulate Appointment (CA) for Wednesday, June 13. We leave Friday, June 1, our "Gotcha" Day is Monday, June 4 and we will be coming home Friday, June 15.

I spent the ENTIRE day trying to get travel arrangements ironed out, working with our agency and our travel agent (who has been awesome so far), Sue Sorrells. We had to finalize our itinerary so that I could send that information along with our hotel and guide requests to the China travel agency. Plus, we were working against the clock regarding the upcoming 3 day weekend. Everything needed to be done yesterday.

It was so surreal to be looking over the details of Anna's itinerary to confirm her plane ticket home. We are so thankful that this time has finally arrived.

As well, our TA was delivered. The FINAL piece of paper. It arrived at our agency on Tuesday, but it was delivered to our house yesterday. This little piece of paper, along with a mountains of other papers will be traveling, very close to my person, with us to China to confirm that we are who we say we are, we have done what we were suppose to do, China has approved us to adopt, that Hai Zhi Yi is our daughter, we have permission from China to take her out of the country and permission from the United States to bring her home. VERY IMPORTANT PAPERS!!

So the next few days, I will be finishing up our needed shopping for travel, getting everything in order for us to be gone for 2 weeks and trying very hard to focus on my boys. We want to spend as much quality time with them as possible before we leave. We probably need it more than they do, as they are pretty excited about a "2 week sleep-over".

They will be staying with my mother and my mother-in-law primarily and then my sister and 2 sister-in-laws as back up. Thankfully, they all live close to us, get along, and are willing to help out. They will be staying at home some as well, mainly for Parker's sake. He is finally sleeping in his own bed and I really don't want to get him out of that habit.

Thrilled to be getting ready for travel and sending love to my Anna.

We Are Coming Baby Girl...

Every time I have gotten a call from our agency with good news about our process, there was always something going on. But of course, a family of 5, there is always something going on, adoption agency calling or not :-)

So, I wake up Tuesday morning, May 22, feeling really bad. Parker and I have been sick for over 3 days now with some sort of coughing, congested, sinus junk going on. The schools are out because of elections in the state...however, my son, Carter has a field trip for conduct reward at his school. So I get up earlier than normal to get ready to take him to school, because after I drop him off, I am suppose to come home, get Parker and Jacob ready to go to my mother-in-law's work where they are having me a shower (so sweet - thank you ladies!) Then I have to go the bank and run to Wal-Mart to pick up a few items. Oh, did I mention it was also Carter's birthday?!?

We finally get to Wal-Mart and get inside and I decide to go ahead and pick up a few of the OTC meds we were going to be taking with us to China. While we were in the pharmacy section of the store, Parker is just showing himself...screaming, getting items out of the back of the shopping cart and throwing them on the floor - a real terror, however, I attribute it to him not feeling well and being spoiled absolutely rotten! I am trying to compare prices, because I am cheap-o, and my cell phone rings. It is our agency...we got our TA!!! I was so excited, my heart was pounding, I started crying, Parker throws another bottle of something in the floor, and Jacob backs into a rack on the end of the isle and razors are strewn across the floor. We were attracting quite a bit of attention and anyone that knows me - I hate public attention - especially public negative attention! But honestly, I really didn't care too much...I was so excited.

Our agency is trying to get a CA for 6/13 which would put us leaving on 6/1 - 9 days from now! They got some confirmed appointments today for those needing appointments on 6/18, so hopefully she will hear about ours tomorrow so we can start booking our plane tickets and hotel accommodations. I really don't want to have to wait all weekend long and try to get tickets on Monday for Friday! But it will work out as it should. Everything else has worked out perfectly and I expect the same for this.

I cannot express in words the emotions that I am having. I know Anna is our daughter, I know she is in China, I know that we have been approved to adopt her, I know that God has been in this whole process and I know that we are leaving very very very soon...but the reality of me getting on a plane, flying half across the world, landing in China, and finally holding my daughter - I just can't imagine. Rodney and I are both elated and the boys are just tickled...pink!

This really is the best time for us to be traveling. The boys got out of school today and we have a whole week together before we leave for China. My parents will be back in town Saturday night, so they have a week to rest up before they will be needed for watching the boys. And then when we return, we will have the rest of the summer break to spend with our 4 beautiful children!!! I love saying "4" children.

I can never thank God enough for what He has done for us. He lead us to adoption, He prepared the path, He walked us through obstacles, He moved mountains, He comforted us when we were struggling, He provided when it was needed, He is protecting her as she waits...I have to give Him praise for all He has done. Even though I would have loved for Anna to have been home with us back in November, this process has taught me so much and I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to walk this road and to be able to love this little girl as my own.

Thrilled beyond words and sending love to my Anna.

Happy Birthday Carter...

It is so hard to believe that I have a child 10 years old! Wow! I don't feel old enough to have a kids that old...but I am that old :-)

Carter was my first born son. We have had many firsts together. He was born with a birth defect that required immediate surgery the day he was born. I was only 21 and scared to death! But God was with us and Carter is a "normal" 10 year old boy.

I am so blessed to have Carter as my child. He is bright, funny, quick witted, caring, and just an all around wonderful son. Happy Birthday my baby boy!

Thankful for my first son and sending love to my first daughter.

TA Is Here, TA Is Here...

I will re-do this post later because I am having to leave to pick up my Birthday Boy, Carter from his field trip, but we did get our TA today...We are planning on leaving 6/1, next Friday, hopefully Gotcha Day 6/3, Consulate Appointment on 6/13 and hopefully be home on 6/14...we are thrilled.

So happy, excited beyond words and sending love to my Anna. WE ARE COMING BABY GIRL!

No News Today...

There was a lot of activity on other boards today with people receiving their TAs...but no news for CHI today :-( Hopefully we will hear something tomorrow or at least by Wednesday.

There is still a lot to do in order to get ready for travel, so even though I am more than overly anxious to get TA, there is still a lot that has to be done. I still have to do some shopping in order to get us ready to travel. My list is ready, but I haven't got everything checked off just yet.

Hoping to post good news soon and sending love to my Anna.

Great Weekend...

We had an awesome opportunity to be a host family this weekend at Barren Heights Retreat Center. Barren Heights is a "camp" like retreat facility for families with special need children. The retreat is totally free to the guest families. It allows the families time to relax, enjoy and play with their children, have some personal time for the moms and dads, and gives host families a chance to serve guest families and express the love of Christ.

Barren Heights was an inspired dream of a couple that have worked, prayed and sacrificed in order to provide a mini-vacation to families who might not otherwise be able to escape. Families with special need children are faced with obstacles in order to do anything. I have been witness to the beginning of their dream and seen it come to a reality. It truly is an amazing place and we were so honored to be a part.

There were times that I really had to focus in order to not get emotionally upset. These families who love their children, just like I love mine, who see their children suffering everyday. Whether physically or mentally, they just want the best for their children. They have problems like every other family, but they are compounded by other issues their children are facing. That made me sad. But then, to see the courage and determination of the parents and to hear the dreams of the children, I was inspired.

I enjoyed every single second of my time and loved watching my boys interacting and helping. Jacob had sweeping duties on the basketball and tennis courts and Carter was the garbage man of the pavilion. They did their jobs, sometime having to be reminded, but they did them. They didn't complain and they were able to experience first hand how good it feels to help others. Plus, helping others isn't a chore...they had a blast! They enjoyed all the kids there. Carter actually told me that it was the best weekend he had ever had.

In the future, I hope that we will be able to host again. It was a weekend I will not soon forget. www.barrenheights.com

Reminded of my blessings and sending love to my Anna.

Bring It On...

Rumor has it, well actually our agency has been told, that TAs are in the printing room. Our agency suspects that ours is in this batch. They are believed to be arriving at the agency at the beginning of the week. Bring It On!

I filled out our consulate appointment request form today - exciting! We have requested CA the week of June 11, June 18 or June 25. They will start with June 11, then 12, 13, 14, etc. until we get the earliest appointment possible. I am guessing that we will get June 18, which means that we would be leaving for China around June 4...yes count it, that would be about 18 days from now, which means we could have Anna in our arms in 19 days!!! Of course this is all dependent on what we can get and when, could be earlier, could be later.

I just sit in shock really...I know this is the end result of this process, but the reality of finally being united with Anna is just "unreal". I am breaking out in sporadic crying episodes...I am soooo ready to hold her and for her to know that she has a mommy and is loved very much. Oh yea, she has a daddy too :-)

We received our visas back today. The courier picked them up on Tuesday and they arrived this morning. She was really good and would definitely recommend or use again. Carol Fredrick's Dependable Adoption Courier Service - http://dependable-acs.com/index.html

The picture above is from another online family friend that are in China now adopting their sweet baby girl from Anna's orphanage. Thanks Missy! She just looks like she is ready to come home too...not too much longer Anna - we are coming!

Seeing the bright light at the end of this adoption tunnel and sending love to my Anna.

Good Morning Sleepy Head...

We are so blessed to have gotten another updated picture of Anna. We actually have two online-family friends that are in China right now with their daughters who are from Anna's orphanage. One couple went to the orphanage today and was able to get a picture of Anna for us. The other couple is scheduled for a visit tomorrow, so maybe another picture in the morning!!

They said that she was just waking up and was standing in her crib holding onto the rail dancing and jumping around - Parker will have a break dancing partner! They commented on her sweet smile...yes, I am beaming! They said that they were so impressed with the orphanage and the nannies caring for all the children.

I have been an emotional mess today. Seeing the pictures, reading about how she acted after waking up all energetic and happy, and then reading their blog and their experience at the orphanage. The adoptive mother said that their daughter was wonderful during the visit. Never offered to leave her side and seemed very comfortable to be there, not scared - huge blessing. Hopefully she, Anna and all the babies do not have bad memories of the orphanage, but felt/feel safe and cared for there. She also said that she was quite overcome with emotion as she stood in the midst of all the babies.

She told us that she patted Anna on the head and told her that "mommy is coming." Oh, my chest is just heavy...I want to get my baby girl.

Thank you Kenna and Jeff for the wonderful pictures!

Praying for my patience in waiting on God's perfect timing and sending love to my Anna.

Happy Mother's Day...

Every holiday since finding Anna has been difficult. This one was no different. I felt guilty for feeling sad being surrounding by the most beautiful boys in the world, but there was someone missing - my Anna. The day began hard as I opened my closet and saw her clothes hanging. Some days are just harder and today was one of those days.

But, even though my heart was heavy, longing for my daughter to be home, I couldn't help count the three beautiful blessings around me. I am the luckiest mother in the world.

So happy to be a mother and sending love to my Anna.

Getting Ready for TA...

As we anxiously wait for our TA, we are trying to get things ready for our trip to China and Anna's arrival to her new home. Our Visas are at the Chinese Embassy being processed. Our courier is scheduled to pick them up on Tuesday, so hopefully they will be here by Thursday or Friday. We are picking up items for our trip and to finish up Anna and Parker's room.

We are hearing from others in the adoption community from a different agency that packages with TAs are coming for those with LOAs at least through 4/19...we are 4/27, so maybe, maybe not. God knows and it will be the right timing for us when it comes. There are still a lot of things that need to be worked out, so I am going to trust that He is working them out perfectly.

I am very excited thinking about the reality that I will be holding Anna very soon. I have been doing sooo well with the wait lately. I am thankful to God that he has given me peace and has allowed me to focus on other things. I am doing some contract work for my former employer and it has been a great help, both financially and emotionally. I have been able to work at home and make some extra money that is really helping us out as we are trying to keep many "irons in the fire".

God has been so good to us. He has been faithful to me throughout my life, but within the last year, He has really revealed His faithfulness to me. He has gone above and beyond what I could have ever imagined. I am just humbled and so blessed to be able to be a part of this miracle - becoming Anna's mommy.

Thanking God for His goodness and sending love to my Anna.

What's New?

Well, nothing extremely exciting, but.....there is something new and anything to do with Anna excites me. Today we received our "Big Brown Envelope". It is the packet that adoptive families receive which contains a congratulatory message from the US Embassy in Guangzhou, China and the needed paperwork to finalize the adoption and citizenship on the US end. We will take all the papers with us to China. They will be completed and presented to the Consulate once in China.

We are also sending off our Visa applications to a courier today. She should have them by Wednesday and hopefully, we will have our Visas by end of next week, or the beginning of the following. We were also sent the tracking number of our LOA/SC. It is currently in Beijing waiting for delivery to the CCAA. Hopefully after it arrives, we will have our travel processed within 13 - 18 days. WOW - I can't believe we are this close :-) !!

Thursday night I finally found the bedding I am using in Parker and Anna's room. I also picked up a couple more pairs of pj's, socks and some nanny gifts. Friday, I went out to finish the needed items for the bedding, a couple more gifts for the orphanage director, notaries, adoption registrars and various officials. My bedroom is starting to pile up - my sister will kill me after all the cleaning out. I need to start packing things I know I have to take to get them out of the way. I also picked up the paint for the room and got the trim and walls painted. Parker's bed is finished, except a few throw pillows and Anna's comforter is done. I still lack her sheets, bed skirt and pillows. I hope to finish all that up this week sometime - we'll see.

Getting closer to travel and sending love to my Anna.

Back To Where It Started...

From Beijing, China to Cedar City, Utah to Adolphus, Kentucky to Salt Lake City, Utah and tomorrow, back to Beijing, China - our Letter Seeking Confirmation from Adopter (LOA/SC) is making its way back to where it started.

Our package didn't arrive until Monday, April 30th, just before noon. A family friend is also our FedEx deliveryman, so he shares our excitement with each package we receive. I joked that I might tackle him on his next delivery, as it will be our Travel Notice/Approval (TA).

After the package arrived, I waited for Rodney to come home and we both signed, checked the "YES" box (that we do want to accept Hai Zhi Yi) and were off to the local FedEx distribution center for it to be overnighted to Salt Lake City, Utah. The translator for CHI is gathering all the LOAs received for our agency and will be sending them to CCAA, Beijing, China tomorrow. The package should arrive on Monday, May 7th. Thereafter, they will begin to process our Travel.

So, now we are back in the waiting game...this time for our LAST step! It is hard to believe we have come this far and are so close to getting Anna. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and brighter. But for now, we will wait and get things in order for Ms. Anna Mei Yi to come home. I still have to finish up her room and finalize our packing lists. I am so glad to be focusing on these tasks vs. getting papers together...much more exciting :-)

Praying for a quick TA and sending love to my Anna.