We're Off!

Our bags our packed and we are ready! I'm so ready to go and so not ready to go. I think leaving the kids is going to be the hardest part. They are in the excellent hands of grandma and grandpa Schmidt...we are so grateful that they came to watch the kids. The next post should be from Beijing!

Quick update: we are at the airport and will be boarding soon. The kids did great this morning (I didn't though). Here's a picture of a poster that Pete and the kids put together...it is a huge map of China with each of the major things we are going to do. Clara had already left for school so she wasn't in the picture, but she did help alot with it!

Soccer!

CJ played his first soccer game today (besides the tournament last week). It is his first year on a travel team so competition and competitors are quite fierce! Their team is the VIPERS! They lost 6-2 to a really good team. Here's a little video of CJ (he's #30)...we always think he looks like he runs on his tip toes!

"His" Room is Done!

Our sweet little boy now has a room of his very own...thanks to our amazing contractor friend. He knew our deadline and he met it! Thank you Joe!

I decided to do a train theme. CJ has always loved trains and said from the very beginning he couldn't wait to teach his new brother how to build tracks with our Thomas the Train set. So, I thought it would be appropriate.

This room is actually CJ's old room, minus 3 1/2 feet that became a hallway into CJ's new room. I didn't attach pics of CJ's new room because he still has no furniture. Just a mattress and stuff all over the floor. But, I did include a picture of the new Jack-and-Jack bathroom we added. It turned out just beautifully! I just can't wait to see our new son in it!!

My Fortune

The kids wanted Chinese for dinner...the kids had 4 friends over so I thought that would be an easy dinner for all. After dinner there was one fortune cookie left over so I opened it and guess what it said?? "Culture and customs of China attract you." Isn't that cool?

First Day of School!

On Tuesday the kids went back to school. It was relatively uneventful, except for the fact that Clara started Middle School!! She was really nervous the night before, but then hopped out of bed, got ready, and headed off for the bus! The whole bus thing is new for us. We've always been "walkers" to elementary school since we live within a mile of the school. We are lucky because the bus stop is only 2 houses down from our house so she can practically sit on the porch and wait for it to drive up (but she didn't). She wanted me to walk her down to the stop so I did...but then quickly left because no other parents were there. I did manage to snap a picture of her getting on the bus (without her knowing...we know how EMBARRASSING that would have been). Clara bus picks her up at the same time the other kids need to get up...so, the morning is quite a bit quieter with only two to get ready after she leaves. (I guess that will change in a few weeks with the addition of our new little guy).

Amelia and CJ were up and ready in a flash. Both were so happy to go back to school. Amelia has been counting the days! We just love our elementary school and it was so nice to walk them to the lobby, take a few pictures, and say good-bye. Let's hope for a great year!

100 Good Wishes and Many Good Friends!

My neighborhood friends had a "shower" for me to welcome our new little China boy. It was a wonderful evening among friends. Instead of gifts, I asked for donations to my favorite China charity Love Without Boundaries. Of course, in addition to many generous donations to LWB, we received some wonderful gifts.

We have a neighborhood friend who is known for making beautiful quilts for new babies born in our neighborhood group. Well, unbeknownst to me, this friend (and many others) made me a quilt. I must say that I was totally taken by surprise. One, because I know how incredibly busy she is and two, because I just really, really didn't expect it!

Well, not only did she make a quilt, but she made a 100 Good Wishes Quilt. Many people contributed a piece of fabric, and wrote a "wish" for our new son, and the whole group of them spent hours putting this quilt and the wishes book together. When I opened it I was just speechless! The care that each person put into the quilt in choosing their fabric and writing their wish was amazing. I could not even read the Wishes while at the shower without sobbing. So, after I got home I read each page and sobbed by myself at the kitchen table (Pete was already asleep). It was so incredibly meaningful and touching. This boy is not only getting a new family, but an entire community of people that can't wait to meet him. Thank you all!!

We Have An Itinerary for China!!

Phew! It's finally done...except for a few details during the trip, here is our plan!

9/16: Leave for Beijing
9/17: Arrive in Beijing at 1:30 pm...we are staying in an apartment of a Chinese woman who helps adoptive families. She will take us to the tourist sites, shopping, and to yummy places to eat! This will be a really fun and different experience (rather than staying in a hotel).
9/20: Leave for Fuzhou, Fujian Province (capital city of the province where our son is)
9/21: Meet Xie Feng for the first time!!
9/22: Getting to know you day
9/23: Site-seeing
9/24: Take 2 1/2 hour drive south to Quanzhou to visit Xie Feng's orphanage
9/25: Site seeing or hanging out
9/26: Leave for Guangzhou (where U.S. Consulate is)
9/27 - 9/30: Medical exam, paperwork, site seeing
10/1: Leave for home
10/1: Arrive home after 16 hours of flying (2 legs of trip), not including transfers, airport time, etc. (ugh)!