13-20 in nanchang, 3 in Beijing,-9 in GP, Monday is photocopy day...and yes I need more sleep LOL

Still warm in Nanchang, getting colder in Beijing, above average in GP weather wise and our passports and TA should arrive by Monday, so then make the required photocopies final packing of stuff then relax(yeah right).

Insane weekend this weekend. I have 2 birthday magic shows today followed by a church Christmas party to attend tonite. Church tomorrow another party then a meeting in the evening. Tuesday and Wednesday night have meetings(doing some magic on the Wednesday also, which will be fun for my grade 5-6 groups Christmas party.)

Although tight time wise it is all good stuff that I am thankful for.

Caught Katie hugging the fridge yesterday only to discover she was hugging the picture of Julia, giving it kisses, trying to give it her sippy cup to drink. She was accurately kissing the lips on the picture and positioning the sippy cup at the mouth. SOOOOOO cute.

Last minute purchase of a better snugglie, the one we had wasn't great for front holding, it was better at the side, and even then would cut into the neck muscles a bit, which is no fun.

Probably pick up some other dry food ideas like oatmeal etc for the food stash, then it will be the dreaded weigh in to insure we meet airlines luggage weight restrictions.

Well off to pack up the magic show are get ready for the day before the girls wake up.

Last puzzle piece

We got good news that our TA(Travel Approval) is in Alberta and is being couriered to us today. Our passports arrived and are at the post office for pick up, so after that, it is just photocopy everything 16 times and then we are good to go. YAHOOOOOOO!!!!

8 days til we travel, 12 days until she is ours

Okay, December is officially here, and I have had a couple moments of sheer anxiety, along with some moments of sheer excitement that the day is getting closer. We got the basement set up for my mom and cousin who will be coming up right after we  get home to meet Julia and celebrate Christmas with us. bought the turkey yesterday(had to store it at my church as Cara has made up meals in advance, as well as Christmas baking and our deep freeze is full). Knowing December was going to be Baby month it pushed us to have Christmas prepped early. I like that, we can do that every year :). We did, sadly, weigh in more heavily on the gift card side of things, due to space limitations with traveling and all, but it is so exciting to have our baby coming in a season where we Celebrate the best baby ever coming, Jesus. I am still tapping my foot worried about our TA, we need this piece of paper to travel and get Julia, and with 8 days til we fly...needless to say I will feel relieved to have that final piece in hand. I have had to make 5 trips to the bank so far to ensure we have crisp $100 bills to exchange once in China they  are REALLLLLLLY picky about stuff like that, no folds, bends or tears, so I have had to reorder money a bunch, but that is finally done. I head there today to send off some final money orders, then it will just be a visit before we go to pick up the cash that is in our safety deposit box for the trip. Suitcases are partially packed in the basement, and I am slowly and distractedly working on getting work stuff taken care of. Katie has moved from wanting to "hold Julia" to "go git Julia". Sooo cute.We had friends, who have adopted and know others who have, that their kids think that babies come from airplanes, LOL,so fun! We were blessed by an anonymous person who left use some money at work for us to use for the adoption. So cool. I find myself checking the weather in Nanchang and Beijing every morning, not even concerned over what the weather is doing at home. :) well the troops are starting to wake up here, so off to make up some breakfast,then off to work. My sweet Julia, the day is getting oh so close, know in your heart your daddy will be there soon!

14 Degrees in Nanchang today...and what katie thinks about Julia...

Well checking the weather in Nanchang today it is 14 degrees Celsius and there is light rain expected, weather is 13-19 degrees this week. Katie seems to be preparing well for Julia. She points at every picture we have, of her calling her name. even little icons on facebook which are finger sized she will spot and smile and yell" JULIA"!! She keeps saying "Julia, hold" and makes a cupping motion with her hands like holding a baby. She will be surprised when she sees a 20 pounder named Julia, heh. I think she will be a great big sister and then will have really bad moments of NOT being a good sister, when the jealousy kicks in I think Katie will be quite the handful, but will then turn just as quick from a protest to giving hugs and kisses. In other news I decided to shave my head(some would say that wasn't much of a task, it was almost there anyhow LOL). But it was for purely practical measures. First off, by the time we get to China it will have grown in to a decent buzz cut, which is my normal, and second,by the end of the whole thing it will still be a good length and not need any maintenance so it is one less thing to have to deal with. I have to figure out how to use the digital camcorder better in the next 2 weeks, I have to find our camera, it has disappeared and we kinda want to take pictures while in China. I am also working on some close up magic tricks I can share with people there, if they approach us. Love may speak any language but so does good magic :)! I am also hoping, if I can get the camcorder figured out and find out how to upload to youtube, I have a special little poem i found and trick I want to post, we will see...well Katie just woke up from a nap...off to go hang out with my girl...

In a couple weeks....

Wow, time is flying, and it is GOOD! Really only a couple weeks to get everything ready. We have another car seat to get, but otherwise I think our big shopping spree is done and it is now just getting it into suitcases.

We decided to bring some dehydrated food, just in case we can't find safe food(I have a nut allergy and Cara is allergic to fish/seafood) our facilitators will make up cards in Mandarin for us to advise restaurants to avoid that, but we want to be prepared either way.

It is funny how we have been preparing for 5 years yet there is still a feeling of" are we ready?" Ready to have her in our room to work out cosleeping stuff, ready to engage the multiple bottle thing again, and double the diapers and how on earth will we deal with naps and bedtimes with two...knowing we will of course do it, but until you actually EXPERIENCE it, you always have a question of whether the plan will work LOL.

We still need to see our TA(Travel Approval from China) although we have been assured by FOI we will have it, so I am not worried.

Just have to get a bunch of stuff done at work so think click along until the New Year and then I can relax. After the initial thrill and rush of it all, I am pretty numb and just going through the motions right now, until we get closer then I know i will be thru the roof again, and I think once work commitments are done and we know we are ready, it will be an awesome feeling.

We are in the News!

The local newspaper came by and interviewed us on our story and it made the paper, very cool. Here is a link.

http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2850115

update!!!!!!!!

Seriously checking out the game.

What a smile!!!!

Our Julia with her foster mom!!!!

height :69cm
weight :9kg
she has 4 teeth.

I woke up to this info sent from Ann with Red thread, the lady who we are using to send a care package to Julia. To have a pic of her foster mom, is such a gift. What an awesome way to start the week!!!!

The Latest

30 days from now, she will be in our arms.....UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!

Flights are booked, I had totally forgotten that I had researched about whether the name on the ticket should be her Chinese name or her English name, so I have to go back and make some changes that way. I am really impressed with the Travel Agency our Facilitators use, they got us tickets for like $2000 cheaper with the same airline as the research I had done.

30 days from now, she will be in our arms.....UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!

Today we get pictures taken for the visas and send off that bit of paperwork.Going to rework the basement set up a bit to prepare for family coming after the trip.Turned away a magic show for this weekend, so that I have a bit of a break, I have a NUMBER of shows coming, plus extra work to get figured out, so trying to build some margin into life.

30 days from now, she will be in our arms.....UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!


Hearing mixed reviews on the hotel we will be staying at, hopefully it will be okay, peoples standards are so relative, so we will see.Gotten some great feedback from folks who have done this before, additions and subtractions for packing lists, things to watch for etc. It is awesome having a larger adoption community to tap into.

30 days from now, she will be in our arms.....UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!
30 days from now, she will be in our arms.....UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!
30 days from now, she will be in our arms.....UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!

On the Katie front, she is just an amazing little gal. She is learning new stuff all the time, I get great delight in making her smile, dancing with her, listening to her very serious stories, celebrating successes in early potty training journey...

On the Cara front, she is an amazing gal. She is applying stuff she learns all the time, I get great delight in making her smile while I do my funky dances with Katie, listening to her serious stories on how we are going to make things happen with 2 kids now...and celebrating successes in her potty training...techniques for our daughter. :)

Well, time for some awesome buttermilk pancakes, as I hear my girls are awake.

30 days from now, my OTHER girl will be in our arms.....UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!

Boy it is hard to focus on work!!!!

Chatted with our travel person today and we are in the process of booking flights and coordinating that whole thing, researching hotels etc. I am REALLY impressed with the agencies travel agency, they seem to have gotten us amazing deal on the flights so far.

Hard to believe that in a few short weeks we will be on a plane.

Got a bunch of stuff to get done at work, it will come together, but boy am I easily distracted, more than normal these days, LOL. Just gonna enjoy it!

Packing list-round 1

Here is a copy of what we have planned to pack, it is our first crack at it and i am sure items will end up added... We went shopping for some of the stuff we don't have last night, buying that, then paying our house and car insurance, oil change for the car, my Scottish savings side is freaking out. Fortunately I have booked a few magic shows this week and the hopes of a few more are in negotiations, so this will help a lot. We have been saving for years, I know we have enough, I just hate the idea of paying out large amounts of money, so I like it when I know I can replace aspects of it soon after.

PACKING LIST
Paperwork
Copy of Dossier & Addendum ?
Brown Envelope docs
Passports

Adult Medical Kit
Antiobiotics

2 Antibacterial wipes/liquid -one in carry on also
5 Packs of kleenex
Sinus pills
Band-aids
Peroxide/Alcohol
Neosporin
Benadryl cream
echinecea
energC powder

Epi pen
Ventolin
Serevent
Back Tylenol

Cold/Flu medicine
Cough drops
Vitamins
Eye drops
Tums
Pepto Bismal
Tweezers
Melatonin (natural sleep med) (used first night)

Tylenol
Advil (used 2x)
Tylenol head congestion (day & night)cold and flu

Robitussin cough
Imodium
Laxative
6 pkg. FFreinds, red and original

Baby Medical Kit
Scabies prescription
Digital Thermometer
Glycerin suppositories
Pedialyte (powdered)
Baby Tylenol and/or Motrin
Baby Benadryl
Teething Tabs
Butt balm/(Diaper Rash)
Ear ache medicine
Cold/Cough medicine- herbal
Saline Drops
Bulb syringe
Nail clippers


Adult Toiletries
Shampoo/Conditioner
Deodorant
aveeno Lotion
ivory

Brushes/Comb
Q-Tips/Cotton balls
Toothbrushes/Toothpaste
Razors
Tampons
Perfume/Makeup

Disposable face cloths

Miscellaneous
Lap Top
Digital camera
Batteries/Memory Cards
Videocamera
Pens/Pencils/Pad
Money belts
Passport/ID holders
Convertor/Adaptor
Blow up neck pillows
Sunglasses
Dishwashing Detergent
Plastic bags (asst)
Small scissors
hair rubberbands, bobby pins, hair wraps, claws and other Cara hair stuff
glasses
small First aid kit

laundry detergent (travel size)
bounce sheets
small calculator
bible (travel size)
1 roll duct tape (re-rolled to save space)
1collapsable duffle-bags (used for souvenirs)
luggage strap
9 Gifts to Give in China

Food:
Cheerios
Adult Snacks (few)
Formula (1-2 days worth)
adult snacks
oatmeal packs
dried fruit
jar baby prunes
gum


Adult Clothing:

Winter coats
Winter hats
Gloves
Boots

Walking shoes
2nd pair of shoes
Jacket
Sweater or sweatshirt
3-4 outfits
Underwear
Socks
Sleepwear
Bathing Suit
Jewelry


Baby Stuff:
Diaper Backpack
Diaper changing pad
Baby Wipes
Bath Kit-Arbonne wash and oil/lotion
Comb/brush
baby blanket
toys/cups -stacking cups, teething book
bottles 3 with liners
5 nipples
Bottle thermal holder
Tupperware formula dispenser?
Snugglie
Cuddly wrap
Sippy cups
Nail clippers
Diaper disposal bags -Walmart rolls
Swim diapers
Formula Dispenser
2 spoons
2 wipe-off bibs
2 bowl (disposable ones..can re-use)
teether/rattle)
wash clothes (disposable w/soap)
Baby Clothes
8-9 outfits
Pajamas
Sweater
Bathing Suit
5 Socks
Hat winter
Boots
gloves
2 pj’s
2 onsies (used as pj’s, would pack 2 more)
1 sweater-white
Hair bows/sm. rubberbands
15 Diapers (used 10, bought rest in china)
2 burp clothes





8-Officials gifts


Carry-On (list of items to pack-already listed above)

Benedryl ~baby (for plane)
Gravol

1 hand sanitizer

2 neck pillows (blow-up)
Laptop
Folder w/ paperwork
1adult outfit each (shirt and undergarment)
small calculator