We left today!!...On our way to baby!!...

We finally left today! (That pic is us at the Jax airport...waiting for our flight to Atlanta.) I was up until around midnight last night organizing and reorganizing the bags. Yes, I packed all of Livie's stuff about 3 weeks ago!...But I just loaded all our things yesterday (Steve's been traveling a lot so I couldn't pack until he was finished traveling....needed the small suitcase he uses). We have 1 medium suitcase, 2 small suitcases (the 1-2 night size), 1 duffle bag (you can cram LOTS of soft, non-breakable items in all the corners) and 2 backpacks. I thought this would give us plenty of space, but it's been a bit chilly in Beijing so we decided to pack a few extra warm clothes...obviously takes up more packing space! Our suitcases are PACKED...but lots of things that will be used in China (diapers, wipes & such) so we'll have plenty of room for things we buy when we head home. I've weighted the medium bag several times and have been shifting things to try and get it to under 44 lbs (that's the weight limit for intra-China flights...of course, the weight limit for US flights it 50 lbs...so we're fine for those flights). Oh well, after everything else we've gone through to get to her, it's certainly no great tragedy if we have to pay a few bucks for heavy luggage in China! (I'm not cheap and retentive/compulsive....I'm frugal and efficient!!!) We woke up this morning around 6:00. Wiped out last minute chores around the house, walked Putter, gave him a bath, loved on him a little extra, and waited for Teresa to pick us up. Teresa is our neighbor...she's taking care of Putter while we're gone...and getting our mail...and watering the plants...and driving us to the airport...and picking us up from the airport...and.... THE BEST NEIGHBOR EVER!!! Teresa & Robbie are also adopting from China...a few months behind us...so we'll definitely be able to return the favor! We left the house at noon...stopped and had lunch...then got to the airport about 2 hours early. We were definitely earlier than necessary, but it was worth it just to avoid any anxiety. We're in Atlanta now...spending the night here. We're staying near the airport so we're just a short shuttle ride away. We had dinner tonight at Ruby Tuesday's...a short walk up the street...and are planning to hit the sack soon. Our flight to Tokyo tomorrow is around 10:00...we plan to get to the airport between 7:00 & 7:30...again to avoid any anxiety over being rushed! We'll arrive in Tokyo 14.5 hours later....then head to Beijing after a 4 hour layover....arriving in Beijing at 10:00 p.m. Wednesday night. Kinda hard to wrap our head around that long flight now...Ambien, here we come!! We're really missing little Putter...we've talked to Teresa twice already! :-) But we're so excited to finally be on our way to get Olivia!!!

Another Shower!

Yep, another shower. The neighborhood gals organized an informal lunch/shower...at a very cute girly spot in downtown St. Augustine. (Special shout out to BB Anderson for coordinating everything!...THANKS!!!) Great food, great company, great gifts! Livie received more cool gifts...overwhelmed with the generosity of so many new friends since moving to FL only a year ago. We feel really lucky & blessed! (That's me at the head of the table in the red sweater.)

Heading to China in a couple of days!!

We're so close!!...but we still have several things on the to-do list. A few last minute items to buy...get a prescription refilled, buy Deep Woods off (malaria?...no thanks!), drop clothes at the cleaners, call the credit card companies, get a bit more cash, clean the house (we had the carpets cleaned yesterday!), etc... I think I'm definitely nesting. I've had rediculous things on the list. Get teeth cleaned, go to eye doctor, wash car, clean off patio, wash outside windows, etc. Why do I think these things have to be done before we leave? Do I think there won't be even a spare second to sling a dust-rag after we get home?? Good grief! Maybe I've just been trying to stay super busy so the time will pass quickly. It really has....so I guess it's worked!! One more day and we're off!....

Care Package - DELIVERED!!!

Olivia's care package was delivered today! FINALLY!!! We're so relieved that it finally made it to the orphanage. She'll have her little pink blanket, rattle, pictures of her family in the US...and the orphanage will have the disposable camera to take pics of her during the last few days before we get her. Yea!!

Baby Shower

The folks at work threw a little surprise shower for me today...very unexpected!! Steve & I went for our final vaccination shots today (round 3 of hepatitis and a flu shot). I had just gotten back to the office and was about to head downstairs to grab a shower in the cafeteria...then Krista (gal at work) directed me to the conference room. HELLO! Lots of grinning, cheesy faces in there waiting for me. It was so nice...gifts, cake, diaper game (diapers smudged with chocolate candy bars...looks like poop...you pick the "flavor" of candy bar). Fun for all!! :-) It was great and Livie got some much needed items and some very cool toys. I've also been receiving gifts every day from other friends in the office. They all coordinated it so I'd receive a gift every day for a week. It's been very fun to come home to a gift every day!! Sheets, towels, blankets, Diaper Genie, thermometer, Leap Frog stuff, Hip Hugger, stroller, high chair, etc.... It's just gone on & on. I'm very lucky to work with so many wonderful people! It's really been overwhelming (in the best way!). Now, all we're missing is baby...

Olivia's Care Package -- Update

The care package we sent has STILL NOT BEEN DELIVERED! Great Wall sent us the phone number for Livie's orphanage last week. We gave the number to UPS. They contacted the orphanage. But the package has still not been delivered. We're not sure what to do at this point...I guess all we can do is to keep calling. There was an update on the UPS site a couple of days ago saying the recipient had made contact with UPS and they would pick up the package within 5 days. But today there was another update...generic/standard info...and was posted from Kentucky, NOT FROM CHINA. Steve is going to call UPS AGAIN tomorrow. We're losing hope that it'll ever be delivered....

Trying out the Snugli

Gotta figure out how this thing works....

Lots of toys!!!...

Our neighbors brought over a truck load of toys tonight! They have a 4 year old and a 15 month old...so they had lots of toys that had been "retired". Steve has been so worried that Livie won't have any toys...we've just been buying boring necessity items...NO FUN! Well the Anderson's (neighbors) fixed that little issue for us. Here's a special shout out to BB & Big Andy!! :-) Tomorrow we're shopping for a toy box!...

Visit to Olivia's orphanage

We found out today that we have the option to visit the Yihuang SWI (Social Welfare Institute). Not all families have this option...the Chinese gov't much grant approval for an orphanage to host visitors and this doesn't happen regularly. We fell very lucky!! This visit will be scheduled after we get Olivia, so only one of us will go...we won't take her back to the orphanage. Just based on immediate reaction, Steve is not very interested in visiting the SWI so we're planning that I will be the one to go. Of course, this could all change...depending on how she's doing...how she'd bonding...the stress/anxiety at the time of the visit... etc. So, we're definitely planning for one of us to visit the orphanage...but know that we'll have to be flexible. We'll see....

We have our Visas!!

We received our Visas today! Finally something comes early than we expected! We're packed...we have our Visas...we have our plane tickets....we're just READY TO GO!!!

Steve's poem for Livie

This is something I should have posted long ago...but thought Steve might be disown me if I publicly displayed his soft, mushy center. I'm taking my chances. On August 1, Steve couldn't sleep and got up around 2:00 a.m. He wrote a poem for Olivia. This is what he was thinking and feeling during his hours of insomnia...I melted when I read it. I think she'll be so proud of it when she's older. She's definitely going to have him wrapped around her finger...absolutely no doubt!! I think I'm in trouble. After 11 years of being the princess...the writing is on the wall....I'm about to be demoted. Here's Daddy's poem for Livie... OLIVIA Although I did not know you the night you were born, I have known you my entire life. Although your pretty face is blurred in my mind, I have seen your beautiful smile a million times. Although I have never heard your voice, I can hear you laugh and cry. Although I have never held you, I can feel your touch. Although I do not know the exact day that we will meet, I count the hours that remain. Although I do not know what the future holds, I know you will be loved.

TRAVEL DATES!!

We finally received our travel dates for China!! We’re traveling a bit later than expected but the silver lining…this timeline allows us plenty of notice to book travel and use our Delta miles. Steve booked everything last night – we’re responsible for booking the travel to and from China; the agency will book all intra-country travel…so our group is always on the same schedule. We’ll get to Beijing about 3 days early (had to do that to use our miles) but that will give us a bit more time to get settled, rested & take advantage of more touring. Here’s our general itinerary…. Oct 31 – Fly to Atlanta; spend the night (I know…Yuk!...had to do this to use our miles.) Nov 1 – Fly to Beijing (10 am) Nov 2 – Arrive Beijing (10 pm) Nov 3-6 – Rest and sightseeing on our own. Nov 6 – Our group arrives in Beijing Nov 7 – Group cultural tour (Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square) Nov 8 – Travel to Olivia’s Province (Nanchang, Jiangxi). THIS IS OUR GOTCHA DAY!!! 3:00 PM Nov 8–14 – In the Province doing paperwork, getting her passport, etc. Nov 14-18 – In Guangzhou to finalize everything at the American Consulate; get her visa. Nov 18 – Fly home!!! (Arrive 5:20 pm) Even though it’s a bit later than expected, at least we do finally have a timeline! I’ve already started packing. The bag with ALL the meds we’re advised to take for her is packed, zipped, and ready to load in the car. Can you tell I’m just ready to GO??!!!

Olivia's Care Package - update

Steve has been tracking Olivia's care package. It has still not been delivered...we shipped it on September 22. He sent an email to UPS today asking if they could tell us about any problems. Hopefully we'll hear something tomorrow. UGH!!! What if the package never gets to her????

We're packing already!!

During Desperate Housewives tonight, I packed one of the small suitcases with Livie's medicine cabinet. It's unbelievable how much STUFF we're advised to take with us. Just in case she gets sick. You can't get Tylenol or Advil or antibiotics in China...so you take everything you think you might need....for both yourself and the baby. I can't believe I was able to get everything for her in a small suitcase...meds, diapers (taking about 30...we'll buy diapers in China but save the "good American" diapers for the flight home...the more "leak proof"), wipes, bottles, bath products, etc. No...her clothes are not in this bag! Those will have to go in our suitcase. We plan on taking 2 small suitcases (the 1 or 2 day size) and 1 medium suitcase...plus 2 backpacks that we'll care on the plane. I think we'll have empty space in the medium suitcase...but we'll fill it up before we head home with lots of goodies we'll buy in China. Maybe I'll get our suitcase loaded in the next week or so. Is it possible that I'll actually be THAT organized?? I'm usually all talk and no action. We'll see....