Packing...

We are packing the last few things we think we need - and taking out a couple of things here and there. A shirt or two - a pair of shorts - we need to lighten the load. I'm not sure why we are bringing almost a suitcase full of stuff for the baby - we'll be able to buy stuff there pretty cheap. Oh well. I guess we need to be prepared. I'm sure we'll still fill a suitcase with new stuff for her! (That lap ticket will pay for itself - we can bring another 50lb bag!)

Just about 30 hours before take off - and less than a week before we meet her!

We'll be in Wuhan on the 25th. We are already planning to meet some of the folks in our group. We've made contact with all of the couples and I think we're going to be traveling with a nice small group. They all have kids so they will be able to help us - you don't know how much calmer that makes me feel! Kim has been especially nice. We've had a lot of contact with her and she is very thoughtful. We can't wait to meet her!

Lots of people I work with said kind things this week, and especially today. I've promised to bring Shuya to work to show her off when we get back. I can't wait!

I am sure there will be difficult moments, but I am so looking forward to this trip. I've been saving my vacation for a long time, so that I don't have to take any unpaid leave, and I hope to get a little relaxation on this journey. I think we're staying at some very nice hotels so I think I'll be able to find some time to relax, and I'm not going to try to do a lot of sight-seeing. I just want to spend some quality time with Shuya and try to bond with her.

- posted by Dan

I hope she likes me...

I keep worrying that she might not like me. My big nose will scare her or something.

We leave in just 2 days - we are counting down the hours and double checking everything.

Almost There...

They had the wrong address for the lap ticket and are resending it. We should get it tomorrow. I set up the watering system to water the plants and the grass, even though everything is green now, I want to make sure it's still green when we get back!

We are still getting some things ready but are in pretty good shape - I think. We'll see when we get there!

- posted by Dan

Dim Sum

We met our friends at the Empress for brunch. The Dim Sum was very good (except that they didn't know that ham was pork!) and I got to play with Claire and Ava. My favorite part was taking them by the hand and walking them over to the fish tank so they could see the fish swimming in the tank. They liked that but they also liked getting into and out of a basket that I suggested might be a boat. Claire got out and "swam" around the boat and got back in. I got some pictures of them with my camera phone... They are so sweet!

Everybody was very supportive at lunch and we talked about our trip, and about the long wait that 3 couples will have before they are matched. It just seems to get longer and longer, as if it wasn't long enough. I wish we could just all go and pick up our daughters right now because I am sure we would have a great time traveling together with this group of friends.

It seems like our departure date is coming up quickly and I'm trying hard to get caught up at work so that I don't leave too much to other people to clean up, and we are still packing more everyday. I think we have everything that we need ready so that we can go, except that the lap ticket for our daughter did not arrive. For some unknown reason the Post Office sent it back to the travel agency. It looks like we will have to pay $30 to have it re-issued and $10 to have it sent again by express mail. I hope they deliver it this time.

We have all the papers that our agency told us we need all in one clear plastic binder with about a dozen pockets, along with the paper I need to submit to add our daughter to my insurance. I plan to fax it back from China to HR as soon as we can along with a copy of the adoption papers (English translation version of course). I want to get her name in the system as soon as possible so that we don't run into any billing issues when we get back. We want to bring her in to a pediatrician and for evaluation at the International Adoption clinic as soon as we can.

-posted by Dan

Just 1 week to go before we fly to China

We have just one week to go before we leave. We have 2 suitcases full already and have made arrangements for a dogsitter. I spent a couple hours on the phone today trying to get the best seats possible for us and for Mama and Baba. They will fly back to the states with us from Shanghai.

Tomorrow we will go to a Chinese restaurant for Dim Sum with our support group - a small group of friends who have, and are in the process of adopting children from China. We are looking forward to meeting with them once again as we do each month.

I'm ready to go now and can hardly wait almost 2 more weeks to be with this beautiful child!

Gotcha Day

We have been informed that April 26th will be our "Gotcha" Day!

Travel Plans!

We will fly to Shanghai on April 22nd. We will spend some time with family in Shaoxing for a couple of days and then we will fly from Huangzhou to Wuhan on the 25th. We think we will meet Shuya on the 27th. We can't wait! While we are there we will stay in the Shangri-la Hotel http://www.shangri-la.com/wuhan/shangri-la/en/. It looks first rate, and it's not expensive.

We will go to Guangzhou a couple of days later, after we have finished all of the paperwork in Wuhan. We will stay in the White Swan Hotel http://www.whiteswanhotel.com/eng/public/index.asp. It's very expensive. Our US Consulate appointment is on May 7th and 8th.

We will go back to visit with family in Shaoxing and Huangzhou before going to Shanghai where we will spend a couple of nights before flying back on May 15th.

It's a very exciting time!