Summary for Feb 24th

We started out with an awesome breakfast. The hotel had all of the common western breakfast items plus some Chinese type (dimsung(probably spelled that wrong), fried noodles, spring rolls, etc.). We visited the Forbidden City, TianAnMen Square, and the Great Wall. We had some awesome Peking Duck at a local restraunt and are trying to sooth our aching muscles from walking up the Great Wall. On the way back to the hotel, they drove us by the outdoor arena being built for the 2008 Olympics. It looks like a birdcage and is really pretty neat. We could not get a decent photo from the bus but you will see that next year.

Tomorrow we fly to Changsha in the Hunan province and will meet Olivia for the first time on Monday. Stay tuned!
Bob

Walking Up the Great Wall

We are starting our trek up the Great Wall! Actually, it is only a little piece of the wall since it is many miles long. Going out of Beijing, you start to see mountains in the distance which is a big change since most of the topography we have seen so far has been flat. And I really thought from a distance that the mountains were actually thunderheads building up on the horizon.

Wow! What a feeling of being on something that is so old and historic. This is the most favorite historic site that Colette and I visited so far.

Bob

A neat thing is dealing with the white stone over my left shoulder in this picture. The Chinese people think that you are a hero if you visit the wall so all of them were taking their picture with that small monument.

Vertigo Has Started!

Wow! We started wayyyyyyyy down there at the bottom and climbed up this far. Everybody is pretty winded by this spot (as you can see by the first guy in the picture).

The steps up the wall are very uneven. At this point, we are thinking going back down might be harder than going up.

Up Too High!

As I was standing here wishing I had a bottle of oxygen, I snapped this photo. Colette is down somewhere close to that tower. These photos do not really give a good idea of how steep this really was.

I was impressed with myself that I made it this far and could have gone up even higher but I do not like heights and this was really giving me some serious vertigo!

The Union Tree

This is called the "Union Tree" that is in the Forbidden City. It is two trees that join as one. It is good luck for a couple to stand near the tree. Here’s to many more years for us together.

Squatty Potty

Don’t laugh at me for taking this picture. I just had to. This was a first for me. When was your first time (talking to all females) peed in one of these? They are called "squatty potties". Yes, it is as bad as it looks. I was told that this was a "clean one". Bob said "what’s the big deal?" Guess men are just use to this.

Colette's Alive.... we think!!!

Good morning, or good afternoon, or whatever. But, it still is a "Good" day. I am in China and will get my baby in 2 days.!

Boy are we screwed up. It is 2:00 pm. for you folks and 4:00 am. for us. There is a 14 hour time difference. We have been awake since 2:30 a.m I went to sleep last night around 7:30 and Bob went to sleep an hour latter. UGHHHHH..... this feeling is like no other. We are so tiered but unable to sleep, even with the help of sleep aids (for Colette) My guess is our adrenalin is working over-drive. Being in an airplane for 15 hours is unreal. I don't care to ever do it again, but will make an exception to get us home in 2 weeks.

At 7:00 a.m. we are meeting some friends (Matt & Mary Howard) for breakfast in the hotel. This is a couple that I have been corresponding with for about a year now. They are with our same adoption agency and have the same LID as us. They live in Illinois. Their baby is from a different province so tomorrow we will head our separate ways, but then catch up in Guangjou for the last week. I have talked and emailed with Mary but have never met, so I am looking forward to breakfast. This is the first child for them.

We get complimentary breakfast everyday at the hotels we stay at. Hope it is good. We skipped dinner last night and ate some chips. And, YES in answer to someone’s question about the beer, "some of it was Chinese... but not all". They sell it warm, so we were trying to get it cold in our little hotel frig. I should have brought my Koozi. Who knows maybe I will find one when we are out and about.

A note for Megan. Mommy was getting motion sick. I never threw up but came close. This was even with taking motion sickness medicine. I'm going to take something today before our tour. I said to Daddy, "if Megan were here she would definitely be getting sick". Love you Megan.

Colette

Friday night in Beijing

Never thought we would be in China! Bob here, we made it in to Beijing around 3pm (1am in Tulsa). The flight over was uneventful but damn it was long!!!!! Unfortunately for Colette and I, we could not get any sleep on the plane so we are running on fumes. You will probably notice the pictures below of a local market which would out do the local Super Walmart during Christmas rush (as in number of people in the store). This store actually sold more lines than a Walmart (it sold large applicances along with everything else you can think of). But, we only went for the essentials, BEER and water.

Anyway, we are pretty much dead tired since we have been up for more than 24 hours but are really thrilled to be here. Tomorrow we are going to Tieneman Square, The Forbiden City, and the Great Wall. Working our way to Monday when we meet Olivia for the first time.

Bob

We're Here.....

Packing.....

It is official...... I am starting to freak out. I can't believe we leave in less then 24 hours. WOW! After all this time, I just can't believe it. It is a very surreal feeling.

This packing thing stinks. I must be pretty weak. I can't get the air out of these packing bags. Guess I will have to wait till Bob gets home. I am sure he will give me a hard time.

Well, I am off to pick Megan up from school to take her to lunch.

Packing.....

You know what has kept me up most nights? You guessed it... packing. We can only check in 2 suitcases for the whole trip. The max weight is 44 pounds per bag. That is 2 suitcases for us together. Even once we get Olivia we can still only have 2 because we are just buying a lap ticket for her.

Can you tell I am stressing about this??? It is very difficult. We are going to be gone for 17 days living in hotels. Plus, I am not sure what size Olivia is.

Well, that is what I will be doing the next few days, making final decisions on what gets packed. Wish me luck.

China Itinerary

Thur, Feb 22 - Leave Tulsa
Fri, Feb 23 Arrival in Beijing (Radisson Hotel)
Sat, Feb 24 - Sightseeing: TianAnMen Square & Forbidden City, and the Great Wall
Sun, Feb 25 - Flight to Changsha (Dolton Hotel)
Mon, Feb 26 - Get Olivia! (Gotcha Day)
Tues, Feb 27 - Do adoption procedure (registration & notary)
Wed, Feb 28 - Sightseeing: A kindergarten and YuLu Academy
Thur, March 1 - Sightseeing: Hunan Provincial Museum
Fri, March 2 - Get all the paperwork back
Sat, March 3 - Flight to Guangshou (White Swan Hotel)
Sun, March 4 - Free day
Mon, March 5 - Sightseeing: Baiyun Mountain
Tues, March 6 - Medical exam for children
Wed, March 7 - Free day
Thurs, March 8 - ACS appointment; Farewell dinner
Fri, March 9 - Go to ACS to take oath and get visa late in the afternoon
Sat, March 10 - Fly Home! Megan gets to meet her sister!

Diaper Bag

My good friend Susan, who I have known since we were 6 years old, sent me this adorable diaper bag for Olivia.

Busy, Busy, Busy.....

Gosh, I shouldn't even be posting (since I am so busy).... but I am a great procrastinator.

Tuesday I volunteered my last day at Catholic Charities Adoption Center. The ladies were so nice, they got me a pretty floral arrangement. I will miss seeing them once a week. Wednesday, I got my hair cut & colored, then I ran errands.

So, today I am home trying to get stuff done around here. I need to go up to Olivia's room. Silly me started the packing in there.... big mistake. I need to put all the stuff in a suitcase and move it to the guest bedroom.

Well, I need to get busy. By the way, I am doing laundry, so I am getting something done.

One week from today we will be on a plane heading to China. YEA! I can't believe it is almost here. YEA!

Colette

Can you say shoping????

I went to Gymboree yesterday and found these adorable clothes. I sure hope I did ok on sizes. I can't wait to try them on Olivia.

We have booked our plane tickets.

We leave 2 weeks from Thursday!

We finally got our consulate appointment. This is our last appointment we will have in China. It is with the United States Consulate. We will then get Olivia's passport the next day by 6:00 p.m. This is a day later then our agency was trying to schedule. What that means is we will be in China one more day. We will leave China Saturday morning (March 10) and be home Saturday night. This is with gaining 13 hours, with the time change.

We will be gone a total of 17 days. UGHHHHHHH! It will be worth it, but I hate to be away from Megan that long. I am sure going to miss her.

Itinerary for our trip to bring Olivia home!

Confirmed travel dates are as follows:

Thurs, Feb 22 - Leave the US
Fri, Feb 23 - Arrive in Beijing China
Sat, Feb 24 - Sightsee in BJ (TianAnMen Square & Forbidden City, the Great Wall)
Sun, Feb 25 -Fly to Olivia's province (Changsha, Hunan)
Mon, Feb 26 - meet Olivia (Gotcha Day)
Tues, Feb 27 - adoption procedure with registration and notary
Wed, Feb 28 to Mon, March 5 - sightseeing and free days in the province
Tues, March 6 - Fly to Guangzhou, (date to fly to GZ is subject to change)
Wed, Mar 7 - medical exam for children
Thurs, March 8 - ACS appt
Fri, March 9 - receive our child’s visa about 6:00pm.
March 10 - departure from Guangzhou (going home)

Baby Shower

My friends the Two Debbie's gave me a baby shower for Olivia.

I received lots of nice presents for Olivia. Megan also received some nice gifts too. Megan was at the shower, she just isn't in any of the pictures. I am a bad mom.

Janie, Debbie, Kelli, Amanda, Olivia, Sherri, me, Karen, Debbie & Julie. Stacey was there too but she left before we took the picture.

Olivia..... look how much fun is waiting for you!

Things are sure looking different around here..... can you say "toddler"?? When I walk downstairs in the morning I am startled to see baby furniture. I never thought this day would come.

In this corner there use to be a big desk. I was planning on buying a kid's rug but found this rug. The print is similar to our curtains in this room. There still is a "Little Tike's" toy-chest upstairs in Olivia's room. I guess I will leave it so she will have something to play with while we are upstairs.