Just so you don't forget.......

Check out the ticker people. Getting pretty darned excited.
As soon as January rolls around I am so going to be on it!!!

I am seriously glad I bought the tickets when I did. You would think with the price of jet fuel going down
prices would have dropped. Not so far. I still got a great deal.

I have no idea where my electronic tickets are!

The visas are easy peasey so no worries there.

Bit nervous about traveling with two girls and will need eyes in the back of my head
to keep a look out for them. Of course, they are old enough to stay near me and to be cautious with
strangers...........but I will still be hyper vigilant.

Have a Blessed and Holy Christmas and stop by our other blogs and check out my wonderful family.

Peace.

New Hope....

Am following the blog of a family adopting from New Hope and have snagged a photo from there.
Since their adoption is a private affair I am not sharing more.

There are actually lots of photos on New Hope's web site.
I was amazed at the organizational skills of Joyce and her staff back in 2001
and now that they are at a different and much bigger facility I am sure I will be even more
blown away.

I am hoping they can teach me to do that at home with just three kids, when they have so many.

We are all at home today doing nothing and in a candy induced stupor.

Four months........

At this rate it will be here before I know it. So far the girls just don't have a lot to say on the subject. I keep telling them they are going to have to help with their Chinese in the hopes it will get them to practice more. Guess we will see. I have heard that Hope (the foster home we are staying at) is going to be pretty busy while we are there. I am hoping we can hook up with some folks (other volunteers) and do some traveling together on our off time. I would us like to wander a houtong on our own and around the Forbidden City and not be too structured. I will need to weight the girls interest and attention span and exercise some caution that I wouldn't were I alone.

I need to start doing some research and make a solid itinerary. On Isabel and my trip last March I made a point of doing a little outing every 3 days or so, and then we did a full day here and there, and a 3 day trip to see the pandas in Chengdu. That was unforgettable. I love the planning stage. Visas and such take no time and I will get those after Christmas.

Yikes!!! Before we adopted I never gave China a thought....except for chinese food which I have always liked..........now it is hard to imagine I am making my fourth trip back. (Derek went alone to get Beth, which I regret...we should have all gone together).

Each trip has been easier.I guess that is because I now know what to expect and am more relaxed. Luckily we have always had good people helping us out as well.

And you should know chinese food is way better in China than in North America.

Just thought I would add a little something, something so you knew we were still here and the wheels are still turning.

Living vicariously.......

We are so enjoying our friends and fellow bloggers stories on their trips to receive their new daughters in China. Two families from right here on our beloved island and friends not yet met from other lands and far away. My heart is with them in that ancient land and I share in their joy as their lives change and love blossoms. Through all the worry and waiting and preparations and fatigue and yes, the jet lag yet to come. It really is a wonderful world despite all the sadness and sorrow always around us. It is a rare pleasure to share those first moments together and to see it all unfold day by day.

Someday I will have to stop spending this time watching the wee screen and smiling here in my little world at the antics of tiny children I will never meet. I don't know.......it makes me happy. Maybe because I know how they feel right now and that it will get even better in short order........and it will never change or go away. You'll see.

God speed my friends. Come home safe and sound and together. Home.

Mary Anne, Qing Qing, Alyzabeth and Susannah and all the other sweet and dear little ones.

Become a follower.....

Maybe you got here from reading our other blogs? If you did, become a follower and get automatic updates as we get ready to travel and during our trip. Just click the appropriate spot to your left and it is done. Don't be shy!!!!!!!

Good for Beth..

Beth is in grade 6 this year. She came home today saying her teacher wanted them to think about supporting a worthy cause this year. Of course, Beth thought of China and of New Hope. I gave her an old brochure I have kept all these years and we looked at their website together. She is going to do a little presentation and show them the site and we will see if it is something the class might like to get behind. They would have to come up with some ways to raise funds and then decide what best to do with them.
Very exciting and I hope the class is receptive. There are so many out there who need help it is a tough job to decide where to direct the assistance.

How about this....

Met someone on the internet who has recently moved from Canada to China on a 2 year teaching contract. They have 2 children. I have been following her excellent blog on yahoo. She is making lots of contacts and has very graciously invited us to visit when we travel in March. How cool is that? I love the internet and fellow Canadian adoptive families.

She is in Huangdao, outside of the city of Qingdao, Shandong...........I had to look it up on a map. It is a beach town just south of Beijing. I know there is a famous mountain there and it would be interesting to do the hostel thing again and to know someone there would be bonus. I am going to investigate and see if we can add it to the itinerary and if the budget and time at Hope allows.