Friday, December 12, 2008

Day 1: Dec 12, Beijing

Highlights from today...

The Chinese Acrobat show:





Our tour guide, Sandy was wonderful and very knowledgeable about the city.


Drummers. We had to climb some very high steps that seemed to go straight up to get to the top of this tower. The way down was not my favorite part, but the drummers were great.

Rickshaw ride through the first part of the Hutong tour:

Lunch. All of the food so far has been very yummy.

The Temple of Heaven was quite beautiful. I can only imagine what it would be like on a bright, warm day.






This trip is a blessing in so many ways. We have had the pleasure of meeting 4 other families who are getting ready to meet their new child too. Three more families come in tomorrow.
Wow is all I can say.
Until tomorrow…

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

We Leave Tomorrow

How many times can I check items off my list? We are packed, with just a few last minute items to throw in. We have tickets, documents, passports, documents, visas, documents, camera, documents, clothes, gifts, and did I mention documents? Hopefully all electronic gadgets will cooperate while we are there and I will be able to update this blog as we go. If not, fear not, I will add all the good stuff when we return. I am excited, exhausted, wired and worn out all at the same time. My head is spinning and I am seriously hoping for a good nap this afternoon.

Last night we had Jackson's first middle school orchestra concert. He is getting so good with his viola. I was so proud of him up there. I got to bring the new camera too and got some good shots, all zoomed in on him. Tonight, Jacquelynne has her choir concert. I am thankful that they are at least different nights, and that we are still here to see them, since we will be leaving the house at 4am to head to the airport.

God is so good. His timing is perfect.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

You Never Know What Kids Will Say Next

In getting ready to go to work tonight, I pulled out a top that I haven't worn in a while. Jenna promptly asked if it was a work shirt, and I said yes. She stated that she didn't remember it, and I responded that I hadn't worn it in a long time. Her response, "Well, it's a good thing it still fits."

How am I supposed to respond to that???

:-)

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

One More Week

Well, it is almost upon us! One week from right now, I will be in an airplane on my way to meet our new daughter. Let's see, yesterday I...
... went grocery shopping to stock up the freezer and pantry before we leave so Mike and Cindy (who will be guarding the rest of the Funny Farm while Scott and I are away) will only need to pick up milk and fresh stuff while we are gone. The back of my truck looked like I was stocking a food pantry. I guess I was, Ha!
... took Cindy to the schools to make sure they had the proper contact information while we are away.
... received an email from our agency with our final itinerary and cost schedule.
... promptly drove to the bank to pick up a certified check for our expenses and overnighted it to CHI.
... let Jackson cook dinner for us because he asked if he could do it. We had homemade pizza, half cheese, half pepperoni, yum.
... looked at the suitcases in my bedroom and mentally checked off what I still need to purchase before we leave (again).
... Snuggled with my kiddos and watched a show before bedtime. I think I am missing them already.
... let my Jenna Boo sleep with me last night since Scott was away on business.

Right now, I am...
... excited beyond my ability to express in words.
... nervous, I hope she likes us.
... constantly thinking about trip details.
... so much in love with this little girl, I tear up just thinking about her.
... looking forward to 2 whole days in Beijing with my hubby sightseeing before we fly to her province.
... worried about making sure I can fit everything in the suitcases. Of course, all of her clothes and gifts will fit, I just hope I can squeeze in stuff for Scott and me.
... grateful to an awesome God, Emmanuel, Jehovah, Savior, Messiah, Great I Am, for the gift that He gave us in Jesus.
... thrilled that we get to celebrate our Savior's birth with Julia's "birth" into our family this year.
... humbled that God in all His infinite wisdom chose us to parent these 5 beautiful children.
... sad that in order for our new daughter to gain a family, she must give up everything she has known for the past 6 years.
... wondering what it will be like to see Julia in person for the first time.
... longing for the touch of her little hand in mine.
... wiping tears from my face as I write this, because that is just how all of these emotions break out of me.

Monday, December 1, 2008

10 Days Until We Leave

And 15 days until we meet Julia Grace. I have given thanks until I cried, shopped until I dropped, wrapped until we ran out of tape, and just started to pack the suitcases. Oh my. We purchased plane tickets, have our visas ready, copied tons of documents, and there is still so much to be done. But ready or not we leave for Beijing Dec 10th, and arrive there on the 11th. We will be arriving back home on Christmas night. I still cannot believe that we can do the countdown in days, not weeks or months. Yahoo!!!!

On this side of the world, we had snow this weekend and the kids made a snow fort in the backyard. They didn't come in until their teeth chattered. Winter is soon upon us, and the first snow of the season is always a treat. It makes for an extra nice Thanksgiving treat when our first snow arrives on a long weekend.

Till next time :-)

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Happy Birthday Dad

I miss you.

Just in case you are curious...

I posted over on Lots of Kids today. Here's a copy:

Bittersweet Changes at the Funny Farm:

These past few weeks have flown by at warp speed. We received our official referral phone call at the end of Oct, even though we knew who our daughter was because we picked her from the waiting child list. Friday, we had our confirmed travel authorization and US consulate appointment, and we purchased our international plane tickets to pick up our new daughter in China. Scott and I will be leaving Dec 10 and arriving back home late Christmas night with our precious new daughter. The kids are all excited, and I just cannot wait to go get her. But, there is also a little sadness as I prepare to leave 4 kiddos behind. I think I am missing them already.

So, how do we prepare for the holidays and make sure it is all done before we leave? Good question. The answer seems like a comedy bit. First, I should disclose that we decorate like crazy for Christmas: full size Christmas trees in each bedroom, lights and garland on every bit of stair railing, a 12 foot tree in the living room, and a "winter scene" above the kitchen cabinets. It takes a good solid week to transform the house. But, before we can get to Christmas decor, there is a "fall scene" above the kitchen cabinets complete with hay bail, scarecrows and turkeys dressed like pilgrims.

Originally we thought we'd be traveling Dec 4-18, so it all needed to be done by Dec 1. Two weekends ago, we started putting up the Christmas decor, but it is not yet Thanksgiving, so I cannot take down the "fall scene" yet. This past week, our home has been caught in a home decor tornado. Christmas trees, garland, nativity sets, scarecrows, hay bales, and turkeys. It is kind of funny to look at, and I feel like we are in perpetual transition. I guess we are. This weekend, the scarecrows and turkeys will be replaced by snowmen and mini alpine trees. Thanksgiving turkey thawing in the fridge, and Christmas ham sitting in the freezer. Talk about holiday overload!

Christmas presents to and from family are all purchased, and the final gifts will be wrapped tonight. Santa has been advised that these kiddos are having a very special Christmas this year, and that they will probably be a little bit sad Christmas morning because they will have to wait all day to see Mommy and Daddy and sister. They will meet their new sister on Christmas night, so they must have been very, very good this year to get that kind of special gift. And, Santa knows that Mommy and Daddy will be very weary from traveling for 24 hours to get home in time to have Christmas with all five children together. Santa's elves have assured us that Santa understands, and he is sending his very best elves to make sure all the preparations will be taken care of just like we always do and that all will be ready for Santa to arrive on time. This is a very special holiday season indeed.

As far as blogging goes, for those of you who have been following our adoption adventure, I will try to keep the Funny Farm blog updated as much as I can while we travel and adjust to our new life as a family of seven. For our faithful (and new) Lots of Kids readers, I wish you the absolute best holidays this year, whichever customs you celebrate I wish you a season of thanksgiving and joy. I just wanted to make sure I said that now because Dec will be a different kind of world wind at the Funny Farm, and I can be forgetful at times.

OK, next time, we'll talk laundry. :-)