China Here We Come!!!

Our consulate appointment has been confirmed for March 25th which means we leave in 2 weeks. Whooooooo Hooooooooooo!!!

Here's a rough look at our travel itinerary. I'll update with any changes.

Fri, 3/14 Leave Chicago

Sat, 3/15 Arrive in Hong Kong (stay overnight to recover from jet lag)

Sun, 3/16 Arrive in Nanning (capital city of Guangxi which is Kai's province)

Mon, 3/17 KAI DAY!!! (meet Kai at Civil Affairs Office)

Tues, 3/18 Official Adoption Day!

Wed-Fri, 3/19-3/21 Explore Nanning/possibly visit foster family/just hang out

Fri, 3/21 Receive Kai's passport and take train to Guilin

Sat 3/22 Take river tour/ enjoy amazing views of Guilin

Sun 3/23 Fly to Guangzhou (same place we stayed when we adopted Maya)

Mon 3/24 Kai's medical exam and visa photo

Tues 3/25 Consulate appointment

Wed 3/26 Swearing-in-ceremony/ receive U.S. visa/ take train to Hong Kong

Thurs 3/27 Home Sweet Home!

Our TA has Finally Arrived!!!!

Today, Patricia called at 11:20 a.m. to give us the great news that our TA (travel approval) had just arrived. This is the official document from CCAA allowing us to travel to China. Our agency will contact the US consulate regarding a consulate appointment. If the date is open, we will head for China on March 14th (Yikes...I have so much to do) and meet Kai on the 17th (that's exactly 3 weeks from today). After all this waiting, I can't believe how quickly everything is happening. We should hear back from the US consulate by the end of the week confirming our appointment. Then we can actually buy our tickets and make our official travel arrangements. WoooHooooo!

"The Cinderella Monopoly Game"

I have to say that the best Christmas purchase that we made this year was the Disney Junior Princess Monopoly Game. Maya absolutely LOVES it. We play the game on average at least 5 times per day...usually more. Occasionally we get to squeeze in a quick game of Candyland, but then it's right back to monopoly. Maya's favorite place to land is on Jack and Gus from Cinderella of course.

Mommy's Little Helper!

Since Maya had been sick most of the weekend, we decided to have a lazy day today. Besides, the weather has been awful... no sun for days, melting snow, and cold rain.

Maya decided that she was going to be my helper with the laundry. She really wanted to put her clean clothes into her hamper and help carry them to her room. Well, instead of putting her clothes in, she just decided to jump right in and must have played in her laundry hamper for almost 15 minutes. She actually asked me to carry her up the stairs in the hamper...to which I replied a quick "I don't think so!".

By the way, there is an explanation for her hair bow. I was wearing a bandana hair wrap around the house today just to keep my hair out of my face and Maya decided that she needed the same....hence the beautiful gold head wrap that she has so proudly worn all day.