test
Originally uploaded by j david
This is a test of remote posting service from flickr...
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Monday, April 07, 2008
What a Difference a Day Makes!
Notice the new ticker?
New ticker can mean only one thing...WE HAVE LIFTOFF!!!!!
Ok, calm down....no, we have....(nearly complete) TRAVEL PLANS! We finally got the good word from the US Consulate in Guangzhou (why do I think we are going to have a "love/hate" relationship with our government there?). We received approval for our initial consulate appointment on May 27, the day after Memorial Day holiday, so we have a full set of dates and today, Dave was able to finalize (tentative) travel plans!
Here's the rundown:
New ticker can mean only one thing...WE HAVE LIFTOFF!!!!!
Ok, calm down....no, we have....(nearly complete) TRAVEL PLANS! We finally got the good word from the US Consulate in Guangzhou (why do I think we are going to have a "love/hate" relationship with our government there?). We received approval for our initial consulate appointment on May 27, the day after Memorial Day holiday, so we have a full set of dates and today, Dave was able to finalize (tentative) travel plans!
Here's the rundown:
May 14, fly to Beijing
May 15-19, tour Beijing, the Great Wall, catch up on sleep (or not, who's kidding?)
May 19 pm, fly to Guangzhou
May 20 am, meet our daughter (WHOA!)
May 21-26, adoption finalized (we officially become a family), Chinese passport for Jenny, medical exam for Jenny, we shop for baby clothes, learn to change diapers, visit the zoo, visit the zoo again...
May 27 am, US Consulate appointment to review immigration documentation
May 28 pm, we attend a swearing in (Jenny officially becomes a US citizen, almost)
May 29, we fly to Beijing, then home
We are using frequent flyer miles, ¡un miracle! One of the few positives of our more than 2 year wait. Kristen is about jumping out of her skin. Dave is still laser focused on United Airlines (living the joy of "finalized (tentative)" travel plans). But we are both very relieved and excited to finally, finally know what our plans will be.
So, the countdown begins. Keep an eye on that airplane. When we get within a few days of liftoff, and you will feel the vibrations from Wilmette!
Saturday, April 05, 2008
We're Still Waiting....
...for final travel dates.
When we received our TA (travel approval) from China on March 31st, our agency got busy trying to schedule the adoption appointment with the provincial authorities in Guangdong Province. Success on Monday, and since then, our agency has been working on the US Consulate in Guangzhou. We need an appointment for the Consulate staff to review immigrations documents, followed 24 hours later by a swearing in. Once that formality is finished, we can go home!
But until then, no airplane tickets. No hotels. No firm, final plans.
On the up side, we have decided to tour in Beijing for 3 days before we fly to Guangzhou to pick up our daughter. This will allow us to get over at least some of the jet leg. We'll also learn how to work with guides and translators. Among other sites, we hope to visit a typical hutong neighborhood--these are disappearing from Beijing as a result of development. I also want to try Peking (Beijing) Duck at one of the restaurants known for this. We will visit the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and possibly other sites.
Preparations continue on the home front. We are shopping, shopping, shopping. Discovered a great website for baby gear called One Step Ahead. We purchased a sling bookcase (pictured here),
which is just the right size for toddlers and young kids to peruse and select from. Also apparently will not topple even when scaled by a young'un!
Our "fellow" Suixi SWI parents group has been a fantastic source of information about our daughter's SWI (orphanage), what to take, what not, what to expect, and how to cope generally during 2-3 weeks in a hotel room with a new baby. We are learning skads of new things every day.
We are still seeking advice on kid challenges like teething, using pacifiers (or not), and when/how to introduce a sippy cup. All free advice welcome! Use the comments section, and help us out!
When we received our TA (travel approval) from China on March 31st, our agency got busy trying to schedule the adoption appointment with the provincial authorities in Guangdong Province. Success on Monday, and since then, our agency has been working on the US Consulate in Guangzhou. We need an appointment for the Consulate staff to review immigrations documents, followed 24 hours later by a swearing in. Once that formality is finished, we can go home!
But until then, no airplane tickets. No hotels. No firm, final plans.
On the up side, we have decided to tour in Beijing for 3 days before we fly to Guangzhou to pick up our daughter. This will allow us to get over at least some of the jet leg. We'll also learn how to work with guides and translators. Among other sites, we hope to visit a typical hutong neighborhood--these are disappearing from Beijing as a result of development. I also want to try Peking (Beijing) Duck at one of the restaurants known for this. We will visit the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and possibly other sites.
Preparations continue on the home front. We are shopping, shopping, shopping. Discovered a great website for baby gear called One Step Ahead. We purchased a sling bookcase (pictured here),
which is just the right size for toddlers and young kids to peruse and select from. Also apparently will not topple even when scaled by a young'un!Our "fellow" Suixi SWI parents group has been a fantastic source of information about our daughter's SWI (orphanage), what to take, what not, what to expect, and how to cope generally during 2-3 weeks in a hotel room with a new baby. We are learning skads of new things every day.
We are still seeking advice on kid challenges like teething, using pacifiers (or not), and when/how to introduce a sippy cup. All free advice welcome! Use the comments section, and help us out!
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