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10.18.2008

How we'll be spending our time in China

After our "Mommy and Kylie special day," it has been back to work! I've been taking 30 minutes here and 15 minutes there out of my "getting ready for China mission" to love on my girlie and I'm still getting stuff done!

Thursday was our phone in travel meeting. I dropped Kylie off to play at Lottie's house and dialed in. Our travel group is tiny ~ just 5 families, compared to 42 last time ~ and we will be heading to 5 different provinces from Beijing. It will be good for our family to have some quiet bonding time in Wuhan (the capital of Caleb's home province) and then we will be able to revisit with the rest of the group in Guangzhou on Halloween evening. Oh how fun that will be! There are 6 children being adopted, five boys aged 17 months, 18 months, 24 months, 9, and 11 and then one girl aged 19 months. Add to that three "big sisters" all 3 and under (two of whom are Kylie and her "Lianjiang sister" Darby), and we will have a beautiful group of children together in Guangzhou. We are excited and feel so blessed that we will be able to meet Darby's brother Henry while we are still in China!

Then yesterday was a blur of heading out to early vote, receiving our travel itinerary, making that payment, and beginning to research our hotels. Add to that the continued frustration of Continental airlines still not being willing to release a few of their "elite" customer seats to guarantee that BOTH Ian and I sit with Kylie on the flight over and it was a chaotic day. At this point we have tickets to Beijing, but no confirmed seats. Please agree with us in prayer that the next time we call will be the "lucky call" that allows us to reserve seats.

Here's an outline of our trip...

    October 23rd –November 7th

    Thursday, Oct. 23rd Depart for Beijing

    Friday, Oct. 24th Arrive in Beijing

    Saturday, Oct. 25th Beijing Sight-Seeing: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City & Great Wall

    Sunday, Oct. 26th Church Service, Summer Palace

            Flight to Hubei

            Monday, Oct. 27th Gotcha Day!

      Meet Caleb Lu Tao

      Tuesday, Oct. 28th Civil Affairs Appointment

      Oct. 29th-30th Sightseeing and Shopping

      Friday, Oct. 31st Flight to Guangzhou

      Saturday, Nov. 1st Medical Exam and Shopping

Sunday, Nov. 2nd Paperwork Party

Monday, Nov. 3rd Consulate Appointment

Tuesday, Nov. 4th Pick up Caleb’s Visa
Flight from Guangzhou to Beijing
Nov. 5th-Nov. 6th Free time in Beijing

Friday, Nov. 7th Depart for United States


It's close my friends, really close! Amazing to think that by this time next week my daughter will have climbed a part of the Great Wall ~ and that we will be just over 24 hours away from Caleb...

4 comments:

Amy Woods said...

Whoa! I just got chills reading that! I'm really praying for peaceful days before your departure. I followed your journey to Kylie and remember when it was the night before you left. Its what made me so completely excited about our own travels!! Its really happening...can you get your head around that??? Yeah!!!

Ally said...

Kristi, We were part of the Big China group (Jiangxi Group) that was in China with you all last trip. I am looking forward to following your journey and I will pray for a wonderful trip and that all will go smoothly! You are truly a trooper with all you have endured over the last couple weeks. May God bless your new family!

Sharon said...

Gearing up to watch "round two" and am SO excited for you guys!
Know we will be praying you all the way to China and home and for sweet Calebs's heart as he meets his forever family!

Melissa said...

I just came across your blog, and I am so excited for you and your family getting ready to travel to China to pick up your little boy! My husband and I are waiting for our RA right now to get our little boy, and I loved reading your excitement throughout your blog. Best of luck to you for an amazing journey. We cannot wait to follow along!
Melissa and Chris Roslevege