Ok- so we are leaving on Thursday morning- like the day after tommorow!!!
We have a 9:30 am flight out of Harrisburg that connects in Chicago. We leave Chicago at 12:35 and fly straight to Bejiing. We arrive in Bejiing at 3:05 pm- on FRIDAY!! Yes you are reading right- since it is 12 hours later than the east coast- it will be 3 in the afternoon China time- but three in the AM to us!! We have decided to go straight to Nanjing- Hope's province, rather than touring Bejiing first. We did not want to leave our three little ones at home any longer than is necessary!
So we get to Nanjing about 7:20 Friday night- just about the time you all will be getting up for work and school on Friday!
Here's how it goes from there:
Saturday March 29th: tour Nanjing, check out their famous Marketplace and sample some local cusine- hold the fish head soup please! We plan on trying to buy something special for the kids here- it is a more remote part of China and will have the less touristy gifts than the bigger cities. I would love to find some artwork, or local ceramics that I could display in our new home! There is also an enourmous Wal-Mart that every adoptive family that has traveled before us has checked out..soooo, yes- do not adjust your eyes- we might take a trip to Wal-Mart- stock up on bottled water, and apparently they have the freshest seafood around there- like, you can pick it up straight out of the aquarium and take it with you! You can bet that we will not be doing that!
Bottled water, maybe a pack of gum, and that's about it- however, I might be surprised- I have not found many stores I cannot manage to have myself a little "spree" in!! I bet Darrin will pass on this shopping trip! Then, we plan on crashing early!
Sunday March 30: We plan on doing some more sightseeing- there is supposed to be an awesome museum- I am sure our guide will have plenty of great recommendations. We are more the types that would rather get "lost" and find the real China beyond the beaten path- hopefully that's what we will be able to do! Sunday night, we probably won't sleep a wink- the nerves will be running high!!
Monday, March 31st: HOPE DAY!!!
This is the day we meet our daughter- it will be Sunday night in the states- please pray for our baby girl this night- that she will find safety in our faces, and know that we have nothing but love for her. As excited as we are to meet her- we cannot ignore the extreme fear and pain this little one will go through this day- and the days to follow. Please offer up prayers of peace and serenity this night and day for our dear Hope. We will take temporary custody of Hope this day and she will be with us from this point on. This all takes place at the Civil Affairs office.
Tuesday April 1st: Adoption Day!!
We return to the Civil Affairs office and will officially adopt Hope in the eyes of the Chinese Government this day! She will be our daughter!
April 2-5th-
The Chinese adoption paperwork will be being completed behind the scenes while we tour Nanjing with our daughterS! We will be able to visit Hope's orphanage in Wuxi- about 3 hours from Nanjing. We will meet her caregivers, and see where she has spent her little life thus far. I imagine this to be both touching and heart-wrenching at the same time, as there are so many children that we will see being left behind.....
Saturday April 5th-friday April 11th
We leave for Guangzhou by plane- to start the American side of the adoption. Here we will do medical exams, obtain a passport for Hope and attain her visa. We will have a swearing-in ceremony on April 10th and then be free to return home on April 11th. We will also be able to enjoy the 80 degree weather on Shamian island where the American Consulate is located. The feeling that I get from other adoptive parents is that this is a very resort like place- as it caters to mostly adoptive families. The White Swan will be the hotel we stay at- it looks pretty swank and I cannot help but think what will be running through our little darling's head while we are there! Wow- what alot for her to go through!
7:25 pm-Friday the 11th we will land on American soil.....our family will be united, and our lives will be begin together...as a family of 7...what a miracle!
Please follow along- and thank you for all of the suppport coming our way in so many different forms- we carry a little part of all of you with us- to give us strength. All our love.....logging off from the USA...
Amy, Darrin and Hannah XOXOXO
