It is a little bit nutty around here this morning. We have been up since 6:00 AM doing laundry so that we can actually pack our clothes later today. We are in the final preparation stage. As we were sipping our coffee, I gave Gord a tour of our paperwork file so that I would not be the only to know where everything is. Will he remember? Maybe I will give Laure the same tour later to be on the safe side!
OK... things are really nutty! My darling husband is in the garage armour-alling the stroller wheels!
Will post again later as the day progresses...
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Unbelievable!
A little while ago, a fellow blogger wrote a post about how she was in awe to learn that other adoptive parents were so special, generous, helpful and kind to one another even though most of the time these are people that we don't even know that well. Having already been through one adoption process, I was already aware of this. Other adoptive families that have already been there, done that, are always SO willing to share their stories, help with issues and make sure that the new adoptive family has a great experience. This brings me to my story.
Some months ago, during our waiting process, a fellow adoptive mom, whom I originally met in a Yahoo group only to find out that she was a Montrealer and that her first daughter was from the same orphange as Cara-Li, offered to lend me her mei-tai sling (baby carrier) for the trip to China. I received an e-mail from her earlier this week informing me of the fact that she was unable to locate the said sling. Too bad, I thought as I would have liked to have it for the trip. No biggy. But as I continued reading her e-mail, she proceeds to say that she decided to sew one for me (she is great at sewing). I was dumbfounded! Here is a person that went so much out of her way. Not only that... she delivered it and demonstrated how to use it using her own very lovely daughter, SQ. This act was not necessary, totally unexpected and so, so much appreciated! Thank you so much, MM!
Some months ago, during our waiting process, a fellow adoptive mom, whom I originally met in a Yahoo group only to find out that she was a Montrealer and that her first daughter was from the same orphange as Cara-Li, offered to lend me her mei-tai sling (baby carrier) for the trip to China. I received an e-mail from her earlier this week informing me of the fact that she was unable to locate the said sling. Too bad, I thought as I would have liked to have it for the trip. No biggy. But as I continued reading her e-mail, she proceeds to say that she decided to sew one for me (she is great at sewing). I was dumbfounded! Here is a person that went so much out of her way. Not only that... she delivered it and demonstrated how to use it using her own very lovely daughter, SQ. This act was not necessary, totally unexpected and so, so much appreciated! Thank you so much, MM!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Is it Monday yet?
No, I guess it isn't :(
Time is just not going by fast enough. I wish we could just start our journey towards China. I want to be in my daughters' country of birth. I know we will have to wait another week before we actually get to meet Alexia but I think that being on the same side of the earth as she, it will make us all feel closer to her.
Did I mention that my dear, dear friend, Laure, will be joining us for this voyage? Yes, she is coming with us to experience the magic of adoption, to enjoy the beautiful country, its people and its culture, and well, to help us with the kids should the need arise ;) ;) Heehee! Someone may need a vacation after this trip! And, it won't be the girls running her ragged... it'll be her super-high-maintenance friend (moi!) that'll get to her!
Sorry, Laure... I pre-apologize!
PS: Our itinerary has changed somewhat. We will be flying to Nanchang only on Sunday and receiving the babies as soon as we land. Laure has already started doing her job... she was right there for me when I started to freak out and talked me down from the ledge. Heehee! Thanks Auntie Loula!
Time is just not going by fast enough. I wish we could just start our journey towards China. I want to be in my daughters' country of birth. I know we will have to wait another week before we actually get to meet Alexia but I think that being on the same side of the earth as she, it will make us all feel closer to her.
Did I mention that my dear, dear friend, Laure, will be joining us for this voyage? Yes, she is coming with us to experience the magic of adoption, to enjoy the beautiful country, its people and its culture, and well, to help us with the kids should the need arise ;) ;) Heehee! Someone may need a vacation after this trip! And, it won't be the girls running her ragged... it'll be her super-high-maintenance friend (moi!) that'll get to her!
Sorry, Laure... I pre-apologize!
PS: Our itinerary has changed somewhat. We will be flying to Nanchang only on Sunday and receiving the babies as soon as we land. Laure has already started doing her job... she was right there for me when I started to freak out and talked me down from the ledge. Heehee! Thanks Auntie Loula!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
The 'TO DO' Lists
Once you get that long-awaited referral call, the 'to do' lists begin forming fast and furious. I keep a notepad next to my bed as I inevitably wake up in the middle of the night with something to add to it. Of course, it is a miracle if I could understand my own handwriting the next day! We are now 11 days away from departure and I must say that my 'to do' list is rather small.
Book airline tickets... DONE
Book hotel in TO & Shanghai... DONE
Get Visas... DONE
Complete vaccinations... DONE
Go to Immigration... DONE
Prepare all documents needed... DONE
Packing has begun. All medications and toiletries are already packed. This part usually stresses me the most so this time I packed it first instead of my usual last minute. All snacks/food for the kids and us are packed. Toys are packed. We just have to pack our clothes and we are off!
We are still in town for 2 weekends but there will be no cottaging for us. We have our travel meeting with our group this Saturday followed by an interview with CBC concerning our adoption of Alexia. On Sunday, we will have our 'last supper' with my family followed by a visit with Baby Noah (Gord's cousin's baby) who is just a week old. Next Saturday is packing day as we will be busy on Sunday. My baby brother Michael and his lovely fiancée Tanya are having an engagement party. Congratulations!
And then Monday is going to be the big day where we say bye-bye to our little family of 3 and say hello to our big family of 4!
Book airline tickets... DONE
Book hotel in TO & Shanghai... DONE
Get Visas... DONE
Complete vaccinations... DONE
Go to Immigration... DONE
Prepare all documents needed... DONE
Packing has begun. All medications and toiletries are already packed. This part usually stresses me the most so this time I packed it first instead of my usual last minute. All snacks/food for the kids and us are packed. Toys are packed. We just have to pack our clothes and we are off!
We are still in town for 2 weekends but there will be no cottaging for us. We have our travel meeting with our group this Saturday followed by an interview with CBC concerning our adoption of Alexia. On Sunday, we will have our 'last supper' with my family followed by a visit with Baby Noah (Gord's cousin's baby) who is just a week old. Next Saturday is packing day as we will be busy on Sunday. My baby brother Michael and his lovely fiancée Tanya are having an engagement party. Congratulations!
And then Monday is going to be the big day where we say bye-bye to our little family of 3 and say hello to our big family of 4!
Monday, August 13, 2007
We're going to China.... FINALLY!
We have been desperately awaiting our TAs for all of last week and without knowing, I wore my lucky shoes on Friday. The last 2 times I were them, we got our referral call and the call to pick up our files and pictures. So when I realized that I was wearing the lucky shoes, I was certain that we'd get the TA call. Well, we did get the call. That was the good news. The bad news was that the group would more than likely be travelling on August 31st instead of the 24th as there were no seats available on the return flight from Beijing for the entire group. This would be confirmed on Monday. I must remind you all that my dear husband has done only one thing during this entire adoption process besides signing on the dotted line when asked... he booked our tickets on airmile points. However, we believed that the group would be leaving the 24th and therefore he booked our tickets for the 20th. There was lots of scrambling and we decided not to do anything until today when FUF confirmed to us the actual travel dates. Once confirmed this AM, we easily changed our tickets (with a small penalty of course) and will be travelling to Toronto on Monday, August 27th where we will spend the night followed by a flight to Shanghai on the 28th. We will be staying until Saturday, September 15th just 2 days shy of my 40th birthday. There is a huge weight off my shoulders now that this is written in stone. We are having our travel meeting this coming Saturday so we will not know when we will actually get our sweet Alexia. I am guessing it will be Monday, September 3rd. I am bummed about not getting her on the 27th which is her 10th month birthday. Oh well! Now I can settle down a little as we have 2 weeks before departure. I must say that I was pretty much ready to leave at the drop of a hat. Here we come Alexia!
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Men!
I ask you... why did God create man (if you believe in that)?
Here I am running from store to store gathering every last little item for this trip to China, washing all of Alexia's itty-bitty clothes, reducing the packaging of the food and medications for China in order to save space in our suitcase, thinking of who is going to water the plants and pick-up the mail while we are gone, planning dinner for our last weekend at the cottage (there's more, I just can't think straight right now). NOT Gord! He just sits there watching TV as I zoom up and down 3 flights of stairs with my arms filled with stuff about 100 times in an evening. He doesn't even bat an eyelash. Actually, I think he is sleeping! At 9PM, as I am running up and down, up and down (I'm going to sell this house!) His response to me once confronted by a mad woman is, 'Susie, you know that I don't have the same energy as you and you are much younger than I am. I'm tired after dinner.'
Well... if we all keep this same pace, we will make it to China with everything neccesary (no thanks to Gord), except that I may have to be carried over there. No problem... Gord is REALLY well rested!!!
And no... no TAs yet :(
Here I am running from store to store gathering every last little item for this trip to China, washing all of Alexia's itty-bitty clothes, reducing the packaging of the food and medications for China in order to save space in our suitcase, thinking of who is going to water the plants and pick-up the mail while we are gone, planning dinner for our last weekend at the cottage (there's more, I just can't think straight right now). NOT Gord! He just sits there watching TV as I zoom up and down 3 flights of stairs with my arms filled with stuff about 100 times in an evening. He doesn't even bat an eyelash. Actually, I think he is sleeping! At 9PM, as I am running up and down, up and down (I'm going to sell this house!) His response to me once confronted by a mad woman is, 'Susie, you know that I don't have the same energy as you and you are much younger than I am. I'm tired after dinner.'
Well... if we all keep this same pace, we will make it to China with everything neccesary (no thanks to Gord), except that I may have to be carried over there. No problem... Gord is REALLY well rested!!!
And no... no TAs yet :(
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Where are those darn TAs???
OK... we really need to receive those TAs if we want to leave on the 2oth! I was betting that we would have received them yesterday but now I am confident that tomorrow is the day. Please, please! I really do not want to change our tickets.
What have we been doing lately, you ask? Well, we have been busy preparing, purchasing and organizing for this trip. Everything needed has been purchased. Purchases have either been organized in a bin by category in Alexia's room or it is in the laundry room being washed. Gordie went to Ottawa today to get our Visas and final vaccinations have been received. I am trying to tie up loose ends at work as I will not be there for several months eventhough I will be working from home. Home office is pretty much set up except for some computer glitches that need to be ironed out.
I just want to get to China ASAP... I am done with waiting... I am done with preparing... I am just done! I just want this little precious baby of ours to come home!
What have we been doing lately, you ask? Well, we have been busy preparing, purchasing and organizing for this trip. Everything needed has been purchased. Purchases have either been organized in a bin by category in Alexia's room or it is in the laundry room being washed. Gordie went to Ottawa today to get our Visas and final vaccinations have been received. I am trying to tie up loose ends at work as I will not be there for several months eventhough I will be working from home. Home office is pretty much set up except for some computer glitches that need to be ironed out.
I just want to get to China ASAP... I am done with waiting... I am done with preparing... I am just done! I just want this little precious baby of ours to come home!
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