The "Big" Day

So sorry that I have kept you waiting for the "Big" day pictures. The past few days have been a whirlwind of activity. Even when you do have down time you are trying to catch some much needed sleeping, feeding Mia and/or ourselves, or just having some bonding time. Actually yesterday was the first time we unpacked the laptop since arriving in Nanchang on Saturday. Mia is adjusting so well...we are truly blessed...I'll try to post pictures of our tour of Beijing, when I get a chance.

Ni' Hao from Beijing!

Let me preface this post by saying the Beijing is beautiful. The city is clean and vibrant, everything I thought it would be. It strikes a cord deep within me to know that I am in my daughter's homeland and that she is here, we will meet just a couple of days from now.
Now lets get to the travel part.....It was a complete nightmare....It started out pretty uneventful. We got to the airport on time, checked our luggage and got to our gate with time to spare. Finally they start boarding for our flight, we get on the plane and settle in for a 4 hour flight to LA. After 20 minutes, the stewardess gets on the intercom and said there was an issue with the plane, it had a fuel leak(eek!)...They would try to fix it, but chances are that this flight would be cancelled and we would have to take a later flight. So after another 20 minutes, she comes back on and says they will have to cancel the flight. Thing is, the next flight they had to LA left 3 HOURS LATER, meaning that we would miss our connecting flight with China Southern. Wonderful, Great, Just PERFECT!! Thank goodness the guy at the desk was able to get us seats on a Air China leaving out of LA at 1:40am. We just made that flight, UGH!! It was packed and no room to spread out. OH and did I mention that we had to pay for those extra seats and we will not get refunded the price of the tickets for the flight we missed, even though it was no fault of our own. So now we are out $3,000 Nice!
However, I am greatful they found the fuel leak BEFORE we took off, I do not want to imagine what might have happened had they not....that is too scary.. Also the, Air China flight got us here 3 hours sooner and it was a direct flight to Beijing. Our wonderful guide met us at the airport at 5:40am when our plane got in...what an angel! We are in our hotel room now, weary and looking like something the cat dragged in. Not a pretty site...but ever so grateful TOO be here......will post more omorrow after we do the tourist thing.....The first few pics are of our hote, they others are just random shots of the city .
Bye for now!!! Peace and Love!

Ni' Hao from Beijing!

Well, this is it folks!!

My last post before jetting off to China...I can't believe this day is here, I didn't really sleep well last night. All kinds of thoughts and images floating thru my mind. It's hard to shut your mind off when you are about to embark on the journey of a lifetime.

I'll be having someone post updates here, so stay tuned for that...

I wanted to thank you all for your support and encouragement..it means so much to me.

Peace and Love to you all!

There was wailing, weeping and a gnashing of teeth...

...but we finally got our suitcases packed and underweight. It was a struggle, really it was. For the flights within the United States, we had no problem. The weight for the flights within China were a different story, hence the title for this post....I probably had more of a problem with eliminating stuff to bring, Rich had the job of reigning me in and helping me eliminate things we didn't "really" need. Of course I felt like we needed "everything", lol.
It was exhausting, frustrating and stressful...glad it is done and we can strike one more thing off our to-do list. I also cleaned out the cupboards and drawers in the kitchen...we took one dog to the vet, the other to get groomed, did some laundry, did a little cleaning, did some grocery shopping. Rich also mowed the lawn and weed-whacked the weed garden... I am tired, think I'll go to bed. It'll be another busy day tomorrow....

'Nite everyone.....

p.s.
less than 48 hours to go, wheee!

3 Days.....1 week......A Family....

3 Days...until Rich and I take off to a far away land...
1 week...until Rich and I meet the child who is to be our daughter and we become A Family.

I wrote to a friend today, "How did I get here"?

For so long our lives have been about this journey we were on. The journey to Mia was our reality, it's what we lived, breathed, hung on to. Almost to the point, that the journey, this path, was all we could see. It was like walking thru a dark forest, that was closing in all around you, while you struggle to find your way. It was frightening with its dark corners and surprising with it's brief flashes of light thru the branches. Then it happened, you reach the edge of the forest, step into the light, which blinds you at first with it's brilliance. When your sight clears, you finally see before you, the reason for the journey, the reason you stepped onto the uncertain and uneven path, the reason you were willing to walk thru the darkness, holding each others hand....You see HER. ..

It's a wonder to me, that Rich and I are at this point in our journey, but it does not end here. There were only two hands holding onto each other, now there will be three and the journey starts again....

A VERY WONDERFUL SURPRISE!!!!

My fellow workers threw a surprise baby shower for me!!! I had such a great time, it was such fun....They went above and beyond for me, I am so lucky to have people like that to work with.

The day started off crappy. I was tired, cranky and not feeling good, it was raining out, you get the picture. My lead Lori said she wanted to take me to lunch to celebrate me going to China and for adopting Mia. I ageed, to be honest I could've used the break by noon. So she came by then and said that our manager called a meeting and we had to go to that, before we could go to lunch. Well, you can guess what happened..Everyone was so generous, so giving and what started off as a day I would rather forget, turned into a day I'll always remember....Rich and I thank you from the bottom our hearts!!

really...REALLY?????

One week from tomorrow, we leave....I am a woman of emotional extremes...well hubby and I both are. Going from uncontrollable excitement one minute, to anxiousness the next....I can't wait to be done with work, my mind is definitely not there and I am just taking up space. So much to do in the coming days, I hope that it makes the time fly by...how will I be able to stand it otherwise...

I received a very special item in the mail today, from some very special ladies...you know who you are...I do not have the words to express how your "gift" touched me.

Referrals finally came out, CCAA skipped September, I cannot imagine the agony of waiting an extra month. I offer a hearty congratulations to those families..it's a day you will never forget!

2 WEEKS!!!!...

.....From today, Rich and I will be winging our way to a land far away, but very near in our hearts!! Ok, that was pretty corny, I admit, but I am just a little giddy with excitement! 1 week of work left, whoo hoo!! I so can't wait to meet Mia. I just hope I can temper all this excitement with a little humbleness and gratefulness for this incredible gift...

This month, the 31st, will mark the one year anniversary of my mother's passing. I won't be here, but sister from St Louis will be. Thank you so much, PJ for coming in, for both you and Lisa taking care of the house and dogs, for being there for dad during this difficult month....I miss her so much, but I can't help but be happy today....I know mom would understand!