It’s Travel Eve--now or never for the remaining items on our “To Do” list. Nearly every outlet in our house is charging an iPod, iPhone, iPad, Nintendo DS, Laptop, Camera or some other device. Suitcases are being packed, weighed, and repacked. I personally am maxing out my allowable weight (44 lbs for domestic China flights) with some non-perishable food items, as I will be on the China Diet for 2 1/2 weeks. Only slightly lesser known that the South Beach Diet, the China Diet boasts guaranteed results with a strict regimen of granola bars and bottled water. Another important component of the China Diet is to immediately switch your days and nights, so you feel crappy all the time, suppressing your natural desire to consume food.
Here’s our flight schedule for tomorrow:
Cedar Rapids to Ohare at 3:20 (1 hour flight)
Ohare to Beijing at 7:05 (13 1/2 hour flight) -- Grateful for a direct flight!!
With the time change we actually arrive in Beijing at 9:30 Friday night--I believe they are 13 hours ahead of Central Time, so our days and nights will be u.
We’ll be going to Shepherd’s Field (Calvin’s Orphanage) right away, flying to Hefei (Calvin’s province of origin) Sunday. From there, Robyn and Carson will fly to Shanghai on Wednesday, and then through Tokyo to Dallas to Cedar Rapids on Thursday. Miranda, Calvin, and I will fly to Guangzhou (where the American consulate is to complete the adoption) on Friday. The following Friday we take a train to Hong Kong and finally fly home on Sunday. Think that sounds like a lot? Yeah, me too.
Please pray for Calvin’s adjustment, our health, and that all the paperwork is done, and done correctly.
I’m planning on updating the blog daily, and posting some pictures to Facebook. The Great Firewall of China blocks both of those sites from within China, but I believe I have found a way around that by using a VPN. I won’t know for sure until I get there.
We’re so excited to complete this journey! --The journey to get Calvin, and the spiritual parallel journey with our Father who adopted us. Praise God for being a Father to the fatherless and for bringing Calvin to us in His perfect timing!
So exciting! We know your sister and actually traveled to bring home our second Chinese son in February 2010 when she and her family were there. We met up in Guangzhou and spent precious time together. So very special!
ReplyDeleteOur son Philip, Ollie from SFCV, came home in June of 2008. Since that time we have completely given our hearts to SFCV. My oldest son and I traveled with a group from church this past June to serve at the childrne's village for a week. We spent time with your son! He is so sweet, and we can hardly wait for him to get his forever family!
We will be praying for you all as you journey to bring him home! Your video of your family brought tears to my eyes. Another orphan soon to become an orphan no more will be enveloped into such a loving family!
Blessings,
janet, kevin, ted, sophia, philip, and elijah
Thank you so much!! We love to hear stories from others who have met JJ before us!! We love SFCV as well, and are so thankful for them.
DeleteWe are thrilled to have JJ as part of our family. Thanks for your prayers!
Very excited for you guys! Look forward to following along on your journey!
ReplyDelete-Lindsie Blair
Thanks Lindsie!!
DeleteOkay, so a friend of a friend posted your blog site on a facebook page, and when I saw it I thought - hey, I know those people! We are Tom and Sandy Weeks from Utah, and we met in Guangzhou back in 2010 when we were completing the adoption of our daughter, Claire, who I recall has the same birthday as your son. We are in China right now - I think we have the same consulate appointment as you in Guangzhou - the 27th of September? Anyway, hope to see you there!
ReplyDeleteYes! I remember you! How crazy is it that we are here at the same time again!! My husband Matthew and our oldest will be in Guangzhou, myself and our son Carson are leaving Thursday to head home. Where are you staying in Guangzhou? They are at the Garden Hotel.
DeleteCongratulations!! Do you have a blog?
~Robyn
Robyn - we are in Changsha right now - we will hit Guangzhou this Friday. We are supposed to be at the Garden - still waiting to hear if they keep us there with the riots. My husband is updating our blog fairly regularly. You can check it out at tomandsandy.manyweeks. And congrats to you - we're excited to see more about Calvin!
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