In About Five Hours. . .

we leave for the airport.  So I'm packing.  Really.  Now for weeks, I've been thinking and collecting stuff.  Over the weekend I got serious and made a detailed packing list on my computer.  Bags went on my bedroom floor and all the collected stuff went in.  I think the detailed list led to more shopping.  Today I made my last Wal-Mart run and put anything that has the remotest chance of leaking in ziplocks.  Tonight I'm shuffling stuff and weighing bags. I don't expect we'll sleep.  Which is a great plan. . . as long as we get some good sleep on the plane!  Hoping to blog from China.  Blogger is blocked there, but there are ways around that : )  Finally I'll be able to post photos of Joseph because he'll be our son, and best of all, we'll be in the photos with him!

No time, no time, no time

We are soooo busy.  I would love to post photos of the new kids' rooms -- they are so cute.  Or the farm table that finally came.  Or my house in shambles as they were tearing down the termite wall on the very day we got the call to go to China.  Great blog material. . .

But we are homeschooling and going to soccer practice and packing and writing lesson plans and schedules and such for the grandparents to use while we're gone.  And buying gifts for the nannies at the orphanage and the Chinese notaries.  And finalizing all the finances.  And applying for Chinese visas.  And buying a webcam for our computer so we can video Skype with our kids while we're gone.  I think my head is going to explode! And stressing over the fact that our new aquarium that was sparkling and beautiful just the other day, now is green and murkey with brown stuff growing on the bottom.  This is no time for an aquarium emergency!  And getting a new haircut and de-frizzing treatment because Joseph's new mommy is vain!

One way or the other, we are getting on a plane on Wednesday morning, Sept 1(slight date change there.)  We'll arrive in Beijing September 2 and on September 3, Joseph will become our son.

Here's our China itinerary:

Itinerary for Michael & Dana Ball family / Fan Wen Xin (2002-12-31)
September 2nd: Arriving in Beijing at 15:55. Staying in Wang Fu Jing Grand Hotel

September 3rd: Go to the orphanage to meet and pick up Joseph; Registration in the Civil Affairs Bureau

September 4th: Local sightseeing: Summer Palace

September 5th: Local sightseeing: Great Wall

September 6th: Get the Registration Certificate in the afternoon.

September 7th: Notarization and applying for the passport

September 8th: Local sightseeing: Forbidden City

September 9th: Local sightseeing: Beijing Zoo and Olympic Park

September 10th: Local sightseeing: Science & Technology Museum and the Acrobatic Show.

September 11th: Get Joseph's Chinese passport; Fly from Beijing to Guangzhou. Stay in White Swan Hotel.

September 12th: Local sightseeing: Yuntai Gardern (Cloud Terrace Garden)

September 13th: Medical check and taking visa photo; Local sightseeing: Pedestrian Street

September 14th: Local sightseeing: Liuhuahu Lake Park

September 15th: Visa appointment at 9:00AM,

September 16th: Swearing in the ceremony at the Consulate; Local sightseeing: Six Banyan Temple

September 17th: Get Joseph’s visa to enter the U.S.

September 18th: Fly from Guangzhou to Beijing and then transfer to international flight home.

September 19th:  Arrive in Orlando at 12:20 am. and introduce Joseph to his new siblings and grandparents who'll be waiting for us at the airport!

A Longing Fulfilled!

We have Travel Approval -- and a travel date!  We are going to China August 31.

And so now. . . of course. . . I'm way tooo busy to blog!