World's worst blogger is headed home

Seems that with the ease of connecting through Facebook, I have sorely neglected my blog during this trip. Big surprise since I was already a horrible blogger!

We are headed home this morning! So excited and ready to be back home with our other kids. We are incredibly blessed to have been on this journey and given the most amazing daughter. I long for everyone to meet and know her! To think this little girl was shunned by soctiey here and looked upon as a burden is so unbelievable. She obviously had a foster family that loved her beyond measure. She is just something to behold. I know, I am partial:)

A few pics before we head home! I hope to catch up when home but realize reality and jetlag will probably fix that! Sorry, still cannot upload from China:(

Blessings!
Tanya

QingQing

To say that Don and I have fallen in love would be the biggest understatement ever. This little girl is captivating! I think as parents we all think this about each of our children. So on to the details!

We were told that they were bring Qing Qing to our room at the Marriott at 3:00 so we anxiously awaited. Went to the pool and tried to distract ourselves while they cleaned our room. Anxiously went back to the room at 1:00 in case someone would call that they are early or late. At 2:40 I realize we have moved rooms from when we checked in, would our guide know? How would they get up to our room since you need a key. So Don went to the lobby to talk to the front desk. Then I am in the room panicked that he will meet her first.....he made it back and they said they would give our guide a key up.

At 3:00 the girls call on Skype to watch the events. And then our phone rings, they are in the lobby and we need to come down. (Later our guide said we were supposed to be waiting in the lobby, miscommunication.) Don taped us meeting. We walked off the eleveator and I saw this doll baby walked around one of the seating arrangements. Oh my, bestill my heart! I slowly approached her and tried to touch her. She was apprehensive but confident and calm. Slowly she let us talk to her. I invited everyone up to our room. There were two ladies from the orphanage Mrs. Chen the director and another lady.

We all came up to our room and we tried to play on the floor with her. She soon became panicked and started crying. We took turns walking out in the hall with her and looking up and down 25 story courtyard. (as I am typing this she is sitting on the bed in her pink rhinestone sunglasses playing babies) Finally all the papers were signed and the orphanage ladies left and then our guide. And we had one very broken little girl. Crying and sobbing. I rocked her to sleep and she slept in my arms for over an hour. The sobs still came while she slept. She woke up and was still so sad and crying. I asked God to help this baby heal to not let her suffer, my heart was so broken for her. In the terms of attachment this is an excellent thing for her. It means she was attached to someone and loved and she will learn to love and attach to us. Her foster mother had brought her to the orphanage Monday morning before they left to bring her on the drive to us (3-4 hours).

We finally ordered room service. And she sat on my lap to eat and eat and eat and eat. Slowly she started smiling and seeming happy. I tickled and got a giggle. Then we skyped with the kids while they ate breakfast and we finished dinner. It was nice for them to meet. So she loved splashing in the sink when we washed her hands so I thought, let's try a bath. She was pretty grubby and didn't smell wonderful but I was going nowhere near anything that would traumatize her. I started the bath and she started stripping her clothes off. She had the best time in the tub! So much fun. After she let me rock her to sleep. She slept between us and slept all night with some turning and crying out in her sleep!

She woke happy as can be and has been bubbling happiness ever since! More later!

Today is the day

We are safe and happy in Nanning. Our hotel is beautiful! We are very excited to meet Molly in 7 hours, not that I am counting!

Our travel has been interesting. The flight were long and mostly uneventful. Friends we were hoping to meet up with in Chicago and fly the long flight to Hong Kong with almost missed their flight due to storms in Chicago and the airport closing in the morning. They ended up making it (with much production) but their luggage didn't. My friend, Stacy cried at the gate as the plane was sitting there with the doors closed. They ended up opening the doors for them and a few others. Their luggage finally arrived in Hong Kong two days later!

We almost didn't make it from Hong Kong to Guangzhou Friday night. Due to the typhoon the airport had tons of delays and cancellations. So we had to get in a long line for our boarding pass. We made friends with two American guys in their twenties who teach English in China. Their flight was delayed several hours so they were in no huge rush and let us get in front of them. The line just didn't move, we didn't know what was happenging but it looked like chaos! We stood still and kept grabbing people from the airline begging for help as our flight departure time was closing in. And, no luck! Finally we got to the counter after an hour of waiting and only 5 people or so in front of us. We ran like heck to our gate. It was a long way, up and down escalators, through security, and then a very long way to the gate in a huge terminal of hundreds of gates. And they are boarding the plane. We made it. Lots of prayers from Don and I on the run! Then we sat on the plane at the gate for an hour waiting for the people on the Cathay Pacific San Fransciso flight. Wish someone had mentioned this to us in our panic.

Guangzhou was nice, our hotel great. The train ride to Nanning was a bit rough. But we saw the beautiful countryside and the primitive farming they still do here.

More later! Need to get breakfast before we miss it again!

Ready to go!

We are ready to leave in the morning at 6:00 a.m.! We are on the couch waiting for our sheets to dry after Oliver throwing up all over our bed this evening! Ahhhh, what a day!

Sad to leave my kiddos! I know Brynn will do great the first week with Stephanie coming for a few days. And then my mom and step- dad the second week at their house. Thank you God for giving us Skype! Or I am not sure I could leave. I am trusting in Him!!!! He has shown me over and over that Molly is ours!

Itinerary!!!

Thursday, August 16th - Leave Ft. Myers at 7:37a.m. and travel to Chicago O'Hare, 4 hour layover in Chicago to stretch our legs and prepare for our 15 hour (GULP!) flight to Hong Kong.

Friday, August 17th - Arrive in Hong Kong at 5:55p.m. (12 hours ahead of EST), depart for Guangzhou at 8:20 p.m. and arrive in Guangzhou at 9:20 p.m. stay at Garden Hotel for the night

Saturday, August 18th - We have the day in Guangzhou and then depart at 7:41 p.m. on the overnight train to Nanning (Guangxi provincal capital)

Sunday, August 19th - 9:00 a.m. arrive in Nanning and check in to Marriott

Monday, August 20th - GOTCHA DAY!!!

Tuesday, August 21st - Go to civil affairs office to complete adoption paperwork

Wednesday, August 22nd - Finish the adoption paperwork (hoping to go to Liuzhou City)

Thursday, August 23rd - Sightseeing in Nanning

Friday, August 24th -Pick up Molly’s passport and return to Guangzhou by train 6:50pm

Saturday, August 25th - Arrive in Guangzhou at 7:53am and then Child’s medical exam

Sunday, Augsut 26th - Sightseeing in Guangzhou

Monday, August 27th - Medical exam follow up (read TB test) and Prepare documents for the visa interview with the guide’s assistance

Tuesday, August 28th - Visa interview and oath ceremony at the United States Consulate

Wednesday, August 29th - Pick up Molly's U.S. entry visa in the afternoon

Thursday, August 30th - Take van to Hong Kong in morning and depart at 11:10am
Fly Hong Kong to Chicago O'Hare and arrive at 12:35 p.m. and the depart O'Hare at 6:19 p.m. and arrive in Ft Myers at 10:10 p.m.!!!!! We will try to get an earlier flight once through customs:)

Travel Schedule

We have received our travel approval to go get Molly! We got this on Monday as we were traveling to Pennsylvania for Don's mom's 80th birthday celebration this week. Crazy days!

Leave Ft. Myers on 8.16.12
Travel to Nanning on 8.18.12
Receive Molly (GOTCHA) on 8.20.12
Consulate on 8.28.12
Fly out on 8.30.12

We will have our full itinerary later this week! So excited!!!!

Be A Voice Jewelry Fundraiser

We are doing another fundraiser with Be A Voice selling beautiful jewelry!!! Check us out here at Be A Voice! At checkout please put in the code "Tanya" so we get credit for your purchase. Love this stuff!