All Packed and Ready to Go:)

Well, the suitcases are packed, the tickets are in order and I think we are as ready as we will ever be.  We have everything set for the boys at home too:)  The three younger boys have their first day of school tomorrow so it will be a busy day in our house tomorrow morning!  I hope they get off to a good start to the school year given that we will not be here to see to their daily routine, but I know they are in good hands with their oldest brother and many other family who are going to be checking in on them:)

We would like to take this opportunity to thank the many people who helped us along the way, either with completion of paperwork, with thoughts, prayers, support and kind words and those who are helping while we are away!  While we are the people travelling to welcome these two beautiful children into our family - none of this could have happened without many of you!  Our sincerest thanks!!!

We plan to update the blog everyday of our travels; please keep our girls (all three) in your thoughts and prayers as Jadyn travels for the first time and our two other sweeties have a big transition ahead of them:)

Travel Update...

Well, we had our consulate appointment date confirmed on Monday so we purchased our tickets for the international flights - you could buy a nice used car for that price:)  The one-way ticket prices are terrible!  Then, our agency began working on our in-country arrangements and sent us our travel itinerary yesterday.  We leave the US on 9/1 and return on 9/22 - all of the details are below:

9/1 Leave U.S. for Hong Kong.

9/2 Arrive in Hong Kong and spend the night.

9/3 Depart Hong Kong for Fuzhou

9/4 The orphanage director and staff member will bring your child to you at the hotel.  (Lauren Yuhuan) Congratulations!!!!

9/5 In the morning go to the Registration Office for Adoption Registration paperwork and then on the Notary Office for Notary paperwork. The Orphanage Director will apply for your child's passport.

9/6-9/7 Optional tours

9/8 Free time in the morning. Receive your child's Registration Certificate and notary paperwork in the late afternoon.
9/9 Go to the Security Bureau to receive your child's passport in the late afternoon.  Leave Fuzhou for Guangzhou.

9/10- 9/12 Free Days in Guangzhou: Mid-Autumn Festival

9/13 Go to the Provincial Civil Affairs Office today to receive your child. Congratulations! (Jin Qing)

9/14 Complete Adoption Registration and Notarization.

9/15 Receive your child's adoption registration certificate today.  Go to the passport agency to apply for your child's passport.

9/16 Have your child's visa physical and visa photo taken this morning. Your child will also receive a tuberculosis skin test if they are between the ages of 2 to 14. Receive notary certificates.

9/17 Optional tours may be available.

9/18 Meet to prepare paperwork for the Consulate appointment.  Meet with your CCAI representative to have the Tuberculosis test checked at the clinic.  If necessary have the chest x-ray taken.

9/19 Take bus to Shamian Island to complete your child's visa physical and visa photo taken this morning. Your child will also receive a tuberculosis skin test if they are between the ages of 2 to 14. If your child is 10 & over, he/she will receive required immunizations from the clinic.  Receive your passports in the afternoon. 

9/20 Consulate appointment.  Go to the U.S. Consulate to take the oath in the afternoon.

9/21 Go to the U.S. Consulate to receive your child's visa packet at the U.S. Consulate.

9/22 Depart Guangzhou for the United States - WELCOME HOME!

It sounds like a very busy 22 days!  I know it will be a lot for Jerry and I to keep up with so I'm sure Jadyn will be overwhelmed.  Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers.  We truly feel it is in her best interest to travel with us since she has only been home for 16 months and would not understand why her mommy and daddy have left her for 3 weeks.  We also believe it will be good for the girls to begin bonding with each other.

We Have TA!!!

We received our travel approval on 8/19 - WoooooHooooo!!!  Our agency is working on our consulate appointment which looks to be 9/20.  We will leave for China on either 9/1 or 9/2 and return on 9/22.  It will be a long journey, but well worth it to bring our girls home:)  We are so happy to finally be at the point of planning our travel -

There, of course, will be a Chinese holiday during our travel which will cause some of the lengthy stay.  Mid-Autumn Festival is from 9/10 - 9/12, so as it stands, we will meet Lauren/Yu Huan on 9/4 and Kaitlyn/Jin Qing on 9/13.

I am working with a few travel agents to see what travel options are available.  I will continue to post as we confirm our travel and throughout our journey.  Please continue to pray for our family as we travel and transition two new members to our family!  We certainly have felt all of the good thoughts and prayers so far!

Finally...An Update!

Our email login issue seems to have finally been resolved so I can now provide an update:) Well, we are through all of the final steps (I800 approval, NVC letter, Article 5 pick up) and now we just wait for TA (travel approval/assignment)! We should be getting that any day now! We have been packing and trying to get the 'house in order' for when we travel. The boys will probably just be starting school so it will be a little chaotic, but we will be prepared:)

I have our passports and visas all ready to go - Jadyn's picture looks so cute! Please pray for her to travel well! I have a goodie bag full of stuff to keep her as occupied as you can keep a two year old, but the flight to China is a long one!

I spoke to our agency on Tuesday and they informed me that we could be in China for 23 - 26 days! I was not expecting this - I have been in contact with many people who have adopted two children in one trip and they were able to complete in no more than 16 - 17 days total. I was told that one of the provinces that we have to travel to (Fujian) might be the issue - the government schedules everything (hotel, guide, transportation, etc) and they are not very flexible with arrangements. Because of this, it will be more expensive than we planned, as well, since our agency cannot negotiate rates for us. I plan to discuss further with our agency to see if we have any options. That is a long time to be away from our boys!

The summer has been busy with sports, sleepovers and swimming!  It has been a fun-filled couple of months that have flown by - and of course the boys are not ready to return to school.  This will be Brandon's senior year, Justin is entering his 4th year of college (part time) and is still working full time - he is getting close to transferring to complete his degree in physical therapy/athletic training.  Ryan will be in 7th grade and Colin will be entering 4th grade.  Wow - those years have gone fast!

We received a beautiful picture of Jin Qing/Kaitlyn (in the pink shirt) from the family who adopted her best friend, Li Ming:

Here is a picture of Yu Huan/Lauren recently:

And, of course...Jadyn:)

And here is one of our championship baseball player, Colin:)