Our Action Packed Itinerary

10/16/09
8:40 am
Fly out of Tampa arriving in Dulles at 10:50 am.
12:19 pm
Fly out of Dulles arriving in Beijing the next day at 2:20 pm (Beijing time).

10/17/09
2:20 pm
Arrive in Beijing.

10/18/09
10:00 am
Families go to Beijing CWI to meet children. The day I get to meet Aiden!

10/19/09
9:00 am
Do relevant paperwork.

10/20/09
10:00 am
Shopping for children.
2:30 pm
Take child to test TB.

10/21/09
9:00 am
Sightseeing tour to the Zoo.

10/22/09
9:00 am
Sightseeing tour to the Beihai park.

10/23/09
9:00 am
Get the adoption certificate and then go to police office to do passport.
3:00 pm
Get the result for TB.

10/24/09
9:00 am
Sightseeing Tour to the Great Wall.

10/25/09
Free day.

10/26/09
9:00 am
Sightseeing Tour to the Forbidden City and Tian An Men Square.

10/27/09
9:00 am
Sightseeing tour to the Lama temple.

10/28/09
9:00 am
Sightseeing tour to the Summer Palace.

10/29/09
9:00 am
Go to Hongqiao market.
4:00 pm
Get passport.

10/30/09
9:15 am
Fly to Guangzhou.
12:20 pm
Arrive In Guangzhou and go to White Swan hotel.
3:00 pm
Doing Medical Checkup and taking child’s visa picture.

10/31/09
9:30 am
Sightseeing tour to Chen family’s Temple.

11/01/09
2:30 pm
Sightseeing tour to Yuntai park.

11/02/09
9:00 am
Guide goes to American Consulate to hand in family’s documents and hand in visa fee in the afternoon.

11/03/09
3:00 pm
Family goes to American Consulate for oath-taking ceremony.

11/04/09
3:30 pm
Guide goes to American Consulate to get visa.

11/05/09
9:30 am
Fly into Shanghai (Pudong) arriving at 11:50am.
4:30 pm
Leave Shanghai for Chicago arriving at 3:42 pm.
6:55 pm
Leave Chicago for Tampa arriving at 10:31 pm.
10:31 pm
HOME!!!

Tentative travel schedule

10/16 - Depart U.S.
10/17 - Arrive in Beijing
10/19 - Gotcha Day!
10/31 - Fly to Guangzhou
11/02 - American Consulate appointment
11/03 - Oath-taking ceremony
11/04 - Pick up Aiden's visa
11/05 - Depart China

We have TA (Travel Approval)!!!

Wow!!! I don't know why when I see area code 512 on my cell phone that I am still caught offguard by the great news! My travel approval was received today so that means we will likely be traveling October 16th - November 7th to pick up our new son! I can't wait to meet him! And thankfully we finished his room this past weekend so we are almost all ready for him!!! Now on to gathering all of the documents and things we'll need to travel! Oh and I must finish all of those last minute wedding things too! What a busy month ahead!!!

Aiden's Room - before and after

Angelo and I spent our Labor Day weekend painting Aiden's bedroom. We still have a few more things to do but it is almost finished. We definitely labored over the weekend and we are extremely tired but it was FUN!!!


This is the room before we started painting:

This is his room after painting and decorating. There will still be a few more changes to the room before it is officially finished however it IS done enough that I could put him in there tomorrow if needed! :o)

Red Thread Proverb

An invisible red thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but will never break. –Stefani Ellison

There is an ancient Chinese belief which states that when a child is born an invisible red thread connects that child's soul to all those people - present and in the future - who will play a part in that child's life. As each birthday passes, those threads shorten and tighten, bringing closer those people who are fated to be together.