NEW BLOG for while in China

Love the new blog please click on the link below:
http://www.babyjellybeans.com/web/do/site?ID=27339

Blog works in Hong Kong

Blog works in Hong Kong (it would not from Beijing)! Just in case it goes down again as we travel through China. I will keep Blog # 2 up so please visit the baby jelly beans link below for LOTS & LOTS of pictures from our journey of a lifetime, our journey in China, our journey to Laney Yan Ge @ http://www.babyjellybeans.com/web/do/site?ID=27339

New Blog

What does a new Mama do when she can't sleep in China and her blog will not work???????????????????????? She creates a new blog that will!! A big thank you to friends back home who are helping us update blog # 1 with this link from home, thank you, thank you!!!!!!! P.S. someone tell me when it works so I feel better :) Oh and some e-mail addresses go through and some do not so please don't think we forgot anyone. Forward please, thank you.

Please click on this link to see pictures of us on the adventure of a lifetime:

http://www.babyjellybeans.com/web/do/site?ID=27339

Technical Difficulties

We are here and having the adventure of a lifetime. Blogspot has been down for China so we cannot update the blog. Our friend is posting this for us. We have been sending some pictures through e-mail so hopefully you are getting those. We will keep trying. We are having an out of this world time.

When, Where, What

Sunday, May 17th we fly out at 6 am!




Monday, May 18th at 2:30 pm we arrive in Beijing (after about 16 hours if flying)! Our hotel is Novotel Peace Hotel Beijing




Tuesday, May 19th Guided tours - Tian An Men Square, Forbidden City and Summer Palace!




Wednesday, May 20th Guided tours - Great Wall and Ming Tombs!




Thursday, May 21st we fly from Beijing to Hong Kong (about a 4 hour flight)! Our hotel is Regal Kowloon Hotel Hong Kong




Friday, May 22nd we meet 7 other families who are in our group




Saturday, May 23rd guided Hong Kong tour




Sunday, May 24th - Fly from Hong Kong to Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. FAMILY DAY!! THE DAY WE HAVE DREAMT OF, the day we hold her in our arms! The day we meet our precious girl! WOW! Our hotel is called Jinfeng Hotel.




Monday, May 25th - Adoption registration, notarization and apply for Laney's passport. It takes 5 working days to issue the passport. The adoption is finalized at registration!!!!!!! It will be official she will be ours!




Tuesday, May 26th - rest or city tours




Wednesday, May 27th - more paperwork




Thursday, May 28th - Dragon Boat Festival




Friday, May 29th - Dragon Boat Festival




Saturday, May 30th - Dragon Boat Festival




Sunday, May 31st -14 YEARS!!!! Yup 14 years ago set up on a blind date with Poppy! WOW! LOVE this man! Receive her passport and Fly from Nanchang to Guangzhou. Our hotel is called White Swan - YUP the famous (in the adoption world) WHITE SWAN!




Monday, June 1st - Bring her for physical at clinic and visa photo too.




Tuesday June 2nd - more paperwork for Consulate appointment.




Wednesday, June 3rd - Rest & shop




Thursday, June 4th - Consulate Appointment!




Friday, June 5th - Go to U.S. consulate to take the oath!




Saturday, June 6th - Bye China......we fly home arriving at 10 pm (yup you guessed it, another 16 hour flight, this time with a baby - WOW)!

Places we will lay our heads

Novotel Peace Hotel - Beijing
www.novotel.com/gb/hotel-3115-novotel-beijing-peace/index.shtml


Regal Kowlooh Hotel - Hong Kong
www.regalhotel.com/regal-kowloon/main/hotel-home/hotel-home.aspx

Jinfeng Hotel - Nanchang (hit English)
http://jinfenghotel.com.cn/

White Swan Hotel - Guangzhou (so excited!!!!!!!!!!! This place is "famous" in the adoption world) OH OH YOU GOTTA TAKE A PEEK http://www.whiteswanhotel.com/

baby shower # 2 - WOW

I am behind on posting (yup kind of crazy busy packing) but I do feel like a lucky Mama and I had to quickly say it! I was thrown baby shower # 2 on May 2nd. So much thanks to so many. It is humbling to see all the love and support. Here are a few pictures of a great day!

Initiation into the Mama Hood

Ok so I am behind and this happened on April 26th but....blogging is new to me remember :) (click on photo to make bigger)

How much do the adoptive Mama's rock!! They do think of everything! I got this invite - so cute it said "It's time to welcome another sister into the ranks of MAMA HOOD! Time to unveil all the "secrets" that come with that prized title. Soooo... bring your funniest "kids say the darnedest things", your favorite quote/song, your most humbling "you know you are a Mommy when...." story and throw a few tricks of the trade for good measure.

I got gifts and goodies, there was food, food more and food (ladybug shaped brownies, chocolate mousse and so much more). A homemade book of amazing Mama help! A traditional Youlan tea ceremony from a family born in China!! Henna tattoos of the Chinese symbol complete on our ankles (crack me up)! They made me do things like put on a baby carrier while they cried like a baby for me to hurry up (LOL). So wearing the baby Bjorn they put an Asian baby doll in and some dumbbell weights and made me wear it all night - so funny. Oh and of course they had me visit the ladies room wearing the baby also. Good practice! Amazing night, amazing friends!

CA

Happy birthday to me! YUP we got it, today on my birthday!! WE GOT OUR CA (scroll down to the previous post to see what that means). Long story short....................We booked plane tickets and are going to get our baby girl ASAP!! This time next week we will be in China - OMG. Longer version later I gotta go pack some more - LOL!

TA

Friday, May 8, 2009 we got TA! Exactly 38 months since our LID. WOW talk about waiting! Now we wait (yes more waiting) for our CA. Once we have our CA we will know dates and book those tickets.

Need some explanation:

CCAA = China Center of Adoption Affairs.

DTC = Dossier to China = meaning tons of paperwork sent over = our date was 02/21/2006.

LID = Log in date = the date your dossier was logged in at

CCAA = our date was 03/08/2006.

DOR = Date of Referral = the day we got the "it's a girl" call = our date was 04/03/2009.

LOA = Letter of Acceptance = our acceptance to China to adopt our girl = our date was 04/06/2009.

TA = Travel Approval = approval given by CCAA allowing us to go to China to adopt our girl - our date was 05/08/2009.

CA = Consulate Appointment = date which we will take the oath and receive our girls visa so we can come home. You have to have a CA to travel. = our date is TBD ______________ (I vote for Monday, May 11th - come on throw a girl a bone I mean it would be a great birthday present).

How moving is this?

One of my sweet Adoptive Mama friends is a second grade school teacher (7 & 8 year old children). I am in my office and my cell phone rings. She asks do you have a minute, yes I say. She says my class wants to sing to you, you are a Mama so they are singing you a mothers day song. The phone goes on speaker phone and my tears start flowing as the class and the teacher start singing "Mother's Love". WOW! I cried & cried. I was so moved, so touched! Miss Mama M. you ROCK! How thoughtful my sweet friend. P.s. your class is talented very very talented!

We love you Laney

1st birthday in China

Wow! We got 10 pictures from Ann at redthreadchina.com (she is amazing & I would highly recommend her to other adoptive families). Laney's 1st birthday cake is gorgeous!! There are pictures of Laney with cake on her hands, cake on her face & even a picture of Laney having cake with her friends & a caregiver. These pictures of our baby girl on her first birthday are so precious to us! WOW! Here are 5 of the 10 we got, you can click on photo to make bigger.

P.S. Do we wish she was smiling like in her last pictures.....a big YES but.....we like to think maybe she is saving those smiles for Mama & Poppy when we see her in person.