We have been going non-stop since we arrived in Beijing. Because we traveled the week of CNY, we had to leave a day later than most, so our time in Beijing was crammed into a 1 1/2 days.
Our flight out of our hometown was canceled. The arriving plane was diverted due to fog, so they canceled the flight. Then they said the plane would arrive by 6, then it was 7, then it was 7:30; and we would depart "as soon as possible". We were suppose to have departed at 3:00. :( When the plane FINALLY arrived, and we boarded, they announced the expected arrival time. It was the EXACT time our connection was to take off. I was freaking out at that point. I had held back my tears all afternoon because my children were watching me to get a feel as to how serious our situation was. But upon that announcement, I concluded that we could not get to our gate soon enough to make it to Beijing and that because so many of us were traveling, we would not even be able to get another flght out with all of us on it. I muffled the tears and only allowed a few to trinkle.
We arrived in Chicago. Flight attendant informed us that our gate was in the same terminaml (thank God!!!) and she requested that passengers who did not have a quick connection remain seated so that those that do could get off ASAP. Do people give a hoot? NO! Thankfully, we were seated near the front of the plane. We literally ran through the airport. Husband and a couple older kids were ahead of me, while I tried to keep sight of them and stay with my little 8-year-old. My 13-year-old son stayed back with me, I think because he wanted to make sure I was safe. How sweet!!!
Once I arrived at the gate, husband shook his head that we had made it. THAT flight had been delayed as well. We boarded immediately. We learned that the pilot was ill and they were trying to locate another one to fly the plane. No other circumstances would have made me grateful that we sat on the plane for an hour before take off.
Only one explanation for me on the timing of all that. God was watching over us. Thank you!
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Guess Where We Are
We arrived in Beijing on the 27th and spent two days touring the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Beijing International Jade Factory, and experience a tea ceremony at a tea house.
We flew into our new daughter's province last night and will be united with her in 4 1/2 hours. So many emotions are overtaking me right now. Wondering what my sweet baby girl must be feeling this morning as she says goodbye to those who have cared for her and the little building that has been her "home" for her entire life. We know that so much love and opportunities await her future, but she doesn't know this; and even if she did, it doesn't change that she still has to grieve her homeland and caregivers.
Please pray that her heart will be open to receive all the love we have for her and that her fears will be relieved quickly.
Pictures of our union with our sweet Hope Xin'e will be posted soon.
We flew into our new daughter's province last night and will be united with her in 4 1/2 hours. So many emotions are overtaking me right now. Wondering what my sweet baby girl must be feeling this morning as she says goodbye to those who have cared for her and the little building that has been her "home" for her entire life. We know that so much love and opportunities await her future, but she doesn't know this; and even if she did, it doesn't change that she still has to grieve her homeland and caregivers.
Please pray that her heart will be open to receive all the love we have for her and that her fears will be relieved quickly.
Pictures of our union with our sweet Hope Xin'e will be posted soon.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Officially Awaiting Travel Approval
Today our wait for Travel Approval (TA) officially begins. This is the very last step--praise God!!
TA could come as early as 8 days--or as long as 30 days. Of course, we are praying for that 8-day TA! Once our agency receives our TA, they will contact the US Consulate to schedule our Consulate Appointment. We have requested the first available appointment. That appointment actually happens on the last leg of our Ch*na trip, around day 10. Once it is scheduled, our agency will contact the adoption officials in Hope's province and schedule our "gotcha day" (which Joy has decided should be called Forever Day and I like that very much!) and adoption day. Then our travel will be arranged around those important appointments.
Are you beginning to see why adoptive families really have no idea when they will travel until the last minute. So many variables affect departure date.
So....
we....
still...
wait.
BUT WE ARE PACKING!! Gotta be prepared, just in case we get that quick TA.
TA could come as early as 8 days--or as long as 30 days. Of course, we are praying for that 8-day TA! Once our agency receives our TA, they will contact the US Consulate to schedule our Consulate Appointment. We have requested the first available appointment. That appointment actually happens on the last leg of our Ch*na trip, around day 10. Once it is scheduled, our agency will contact the adoption officials in Hope's province and schedule our "gotcha day" (which Joy has decided should be called Forever Day and I like that very much!) and adoption day. Then our travel will be arranged around those important appointments.
Are you beginning to see why adoptive families really have no idea when they will travel until the last minute. So many variables affect departure date.
So....
we....
still...
wait.
BUT WE ARE PACKING!! Gotta be prepared, just in case we get that quick TA.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Update
I am so ashamed! I did so well with Joy's blog, keeping it updated every step of the way. I have failed miserably with blogging Hope's adoption. Please forgive me. :)
So on to the update! Much has happened since summer. Our fundraising efforts were multiplied in an abundance only God could provide! We are grateful to the many, many friends, family, neighbors, business associates, brothers and sisters in Christ, and even strangers who chose to help us bring Hope home. The mountain of impossibility has been removed in a mighty way! Praise God--He is so in the details of this adoption!
We are nearing the end of our paperwork punts between the two countries. Last week we passed off the last bit of our documents to Ch*na. Our Beijing agency staff will take Hope's Visa application to the US Embassy this week. Two weeks later, they will return to pick up the processed paperwork, called the Article 5, from the Embassy and deliver it to Ch*na Adoption Affairs. Then we are officially awaiting Travel approval!!! That is our FINAL approval and our permission to travel!! Travel approval could come anywhere from 7-30 days after Article 5. So we could have Travel approval in 3-6 weeks. Travel would still be a week-3 weeks after that. The guessing keeps my emotions churning! I long to be with my sweet Hope! I am nesting in overdrive, while preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It IS a crazy time around here!
Once we receive Travel approval, our agency will schedule our US Consulate appointment. That is the appointment we attend during the last week of our trip to complete the immigration process. Once that appointment is set, the agency schedules everything else around it. We are requesting first available appointment.
At the earliest we could travel the end of December. If we receive a late Travel approval, though, Chinese New Year could delay our travel until February--which will cause me to completely break down and be a blubbering mess! Chinese New Year begins January 24, and the entire country closes down for a full week, and little happens the following week. So we need to complete our trip before Chinese New Year! If there are no major delays, that should not be a problem. But we know that anything is possible with adoption!
Being the optimist that I was born to be, I am still holding on to the possibility of leaving in December.
So on to the update! Much has happened since summer. Our fundraising efforts were multiplied in an abundance only God could provide! We are grateful to the many, many friends, family, neighbors, business associates, brothers and sisters in Christ, and even strangers who chose to help us bring Hope home. The mountain of impossibility has been removed in a mighty way! Praise God--He is so in the details of this adoption!
We are nearing the end of our paperwork punts between the two countries. Last week we passed off the last bit of our documents to Ch*na. Our Beijing agency staff will take Hope's Visa application to the US Embassy this week. Two weeks later, they will return to pick up the processed paperwork, called the Article 5, from the Embassy and deliver it to Ch*na Adoption Affairs. Then we are officially awaiting Travel approval!!! That is our FINAL approval and our permission to travel!! Travel approval could come anywhere from 7-30 days after Article 5. So we could have Travel approval in 3-6 weeks. Travel would still be a week-3 weeks after that. The guessing keeps my emotions churning! I long to be with my sweet Hope! I am nesting in overdrive, while preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It IS a crazy time around here!
Once we receive Travel approval, our agency will schedule our US Consulate appointment. That is the appointment we attend during the last week of our trip to complete the immigration process. Once that appointment is set, the agency schedules everything else around it. We are requesting first available appointment.
At the earliest we could travel the end of December. If we receive a late Travel approval, though, Chinese New Year could delay our travel until February--which will cause me to completely break down and be a blubbering mess! Chinese New Year begins January 24, and the entire country closes down for a full week, and little happens the following week. So we need to complete our trip before Chinese New Year! If there are no major delays, that should not be a problem. But we know that anything is possible with adoption!
Being the optimist that I was born to be, I am still holding on to the possibility of leaving in December.
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