T Minus 5 Days

Are y'all getting as nervous as I am?  Because I am starting to really feel it.

Breathe in.  Breathe out.

OK.  That's a little better.  Now then.  My dad brought up the new dresser for the boys' room yesterday.  There is no more space for a dresser in Jack and Kate's room because I decided that keeping the rocker was a must.  So the dresser had to go in Ben and Will's room.  Jack's everyday clothes will be in Kate's current dresser, and Kate's off-season clothing will go to the other room.  And I also moved around the boys' clothes to better fit the drawers.  Yes, it is confusing.  Hopefully the kids will figure it out quickly.

Dad and I moved the dresser up the stairs yesterday, and then I spent part of today rearranging everyone's clothes and packing for the two big boys.  I also booked the last hotel.

Check, check, and check. (I like the sound of crossing things off of my to-do list.)

And it is right about now that I am thankful for bunk beds.  Even if they are the devil to change sheets and make the bed.

Techie Preparations

(Before I get started, don't forget to check out the last post, asking for prayer.  Thanks!)

Right now I seem to be obsessed with preparing all of my technology to take to China. I've got my Kindle Fire (thanks, Dad!) (which I have loaded with kid-friendly games and books), Tim has his iPad, and Boopa has loaned us his voltage adapter and a hand full of pocket video cameras for the kids to use. (Last time they proved themselves able camera-men.) We also have another video camera that we may or may not take and our regular camera. Jacob is bringing travel adapters and checking into other things for me. We have headphones, battery chargers, and a surge protector.

I am still on the fence with the laptop. On the one hand, it is much bulkier than the Kindle and ipad, but on the other, our first 3 hotels don't have wireless, so we need to actually plug into a wall, which the other two items can't do. We could purchase a portable router, but they are pricey, and I really am most comfortable typing on my laptop. It's my friend, and I know it's quirks.

I have also been making blogging preparations. We are trying to figure out how/if I will have access to Blogger on the trip, since it is a blocked site. I have set up the blog for email posts (I probably need to double check that again), and Tara D has agreed to be my back-up blogger.

The other day I noticed at the top of my Blogger dashboard a notice that they were changing the layout for Blogger in April, but I had the option to go ahead and update. I figured the last thing I would want to do is play with a new set-up in China, so I went ahead and made the switch. My Internet Explorer also recently updated by itself, and I am still adjusting to that.

So I go to log-in to my Blogger Dashboard (where I can make changes and track my own posts, plus keep up with the gazillion blogs I follow), but it doesn't load. I click refresh, and I get a message that Blogger (owned by Google) no longer supports my browser, and I should switch to Google Chrome. What the heck, Google? I didn't make a fuss when you combined all of my life's information into one place so you could better "market" your products to me, but telling me I can't use my preferred browser? You are crossing a line, man! What's next? Will you block Google Translator from IE users?

So I did the passive aggressive thing and went back to using Firefox to do all of my blogging. It doesn't seem to have any compatibility issues with Google, thankfully. And on the plus side, the new Blogger layout is easier to use, now that I am used to it.

Oh, and today I am updating my virus protection and doing a big scan. I'm sure it will take forty-leven hours. (That's for all of you who knew my Ma-Ma. I like to use her sayings every now and then to keep my family on their toes:)

At this rate, it will take me longer to plan my tech than my wardrobe.

WANTED: Prayer Warriors (Part 2)

I was reminded last night that when we went to China to get Kate that we asked for prayer warriors.  Y'all covered us up with prayers, and God blessed us in so many ways, so I would like to do that again for Jack.

I am thinking that while we are there, I just want Jack and my whole family covered in prayer. We want God's guidance, good health, blessings, peace, and courage while we are there (and home for that matter). So I am calling on you all - my friends and family, as well as those of you I have not yet met in person - to pray for us. I know that some of you already are. You have sent me comments and emails telling me so. What I would like is to have at least one person/family praying for us everyday. We leave on Thursday, April 5th, and return on Wednesday, April 18th. Would you be willing to take a day to pray? Whenever we come to your mind, lift us up to the throne? If you are willing, send me an email or fb or a comment with the day that you will pray for us. Our schedule is written on one of the sidebars on the right, so you will know where we are. I will try to post each day while we are gone so that you will know what our needs are. So, let me know what you think. I appreciate your encouragement even more than you know, and I value your prayers!

Ideas of things to pray for:
Our health, our safety, Jack's caretakers, Jack's attachment to us, the other kids' adjustment, the kids will travel well, my mom and brother, patience for Tim and I, and our guides in China. I am sure I will think of more things as I go!

T Minus 8 Days

So I haven't been blogging a lot lately - not because I don't have anything to say, but because anytime I try to contemplate the 6,439 things on my to-do list, I just want to crawl into bed and play Angry Birds for about 30 minutes.  Don't judge.

So to pretend like I am being productive be productive, I have been trying to pack.  Except I don't know what to pack.  I mean, yes, I know mostly what to pack.  I know to take acetaminophen, ibuprofen, zythromycin, naproxen, Elimite, and Imodium.  I know to take comfortable shoes, sticker books, my new Kindle Fire, and stacking cups.

What I don't know is what the weather is going to be like.  Spring there is like spring here.  One day it is 80 degrees, and the next it is 54.  And we will be in the north, the south, and in-between. China is a big country.

Because of this, I have developed a new obsession with an app on my Kindle - the Weather Channel App.  I can program in a bunch of cities (Suzhou, Beijing, and Guangzhou), and then it gives me the weather up to 10 days out.  And we are only 8 days from travel.  So every day I have to get on and study what the weather is.

Me:  Oh, it is 83 is Guangzhou today - better take plenty of shorts.  Oh wait, it is going to be rainy and 65 next week, so scratch that.  Put in the rain hoodie.  Oh, but what about Nanjing?....

(You can read those ellipses as mumbling.  I'm doing lots of mumbling lately.)

On the other hand, Kate and I re-arranged her furniture today to make room for Jack.  The boys' room will get re-arranged this weekend to make room for another dresser.  So, I am actually getting some things done.

I am also getting really good at Angry Birds.

Iteneraries and FORGO

Yes, for all of you who have asked, we are now planning out our detailed itinerary, including hotels, trains, and other fun stuff like that. I was up last night emailing with our in-country coordinator, talking her into an extra day in Kate's hometown, discussing luggage, and sharing our excitement of returning to China. Yay!

Until we really get that all hammered out, there isn't a lot to tell on the adoption front, so I thought I would post about something cool I read about today.

It's an app for your phone called FORGO. It allows you to immediately give a donation to a worthy cause when you make the decision to skip something. You know that $4 latte you have budgeted for? Well, let's say you decided that a well in Haiti was a more worthy cause. FORGO allows you to make that donation right then and there, while you are thinking about it, right from your phone. (Megan does a much better job of explaining it than me, so go ahead and click on this link if I have thoroughly confused you.)

I would like to tell you that I have tried it out, but the truth is that I decided to forgo a cell phone about 10 years ago, and thus, I am living in the technological dark ages. Don't worry - I will be getting a phone soon, but until then, you all will have to check out this app for me.

Have I mentioned that Kate hates her ear drops?

Kate developed a right ear infection about a week and a half ago, and so I took her into the pediatrician last Monday. I could literally smell the infection, and there was a lot of drainage. (TMI? Sorry.)

Dr. Q gave her an oral antibiotic and said to use the antibiotic ear drops twice a day for 5 days. Four days into the treatment, the ear drops disappeared. I looked everywhere and asked the kids, but I thought I had misplaced them or thrown them away because I couldn't find them anywhere.

Yesterday I took Kate into her ENT for the follow-up. Our ENT works at a teaching hospital, so we always see the student first, then Dr. M. The student came in, looked in her ear, and said it was healing. He asked me if we used the drops, and I told him about losing them on day 4. He said that was ok, that we didn't have to finish the drops because the drainage had stopped.

After he left the room, Kate asked me if she had to have any more drops in her ears.

Me: Not this time around. He said you could just finish the other medicine (oral).
Kate: Oh. Well, then. I guess I can tell you where the ear drops are.
Me: You know where they are?
Kate: Yes. They are in my room under the plastic wrapping for Jack's new mattress.
Me: Did you hide them there?
Kate: Yes.

Unfortunately at that point, I lost my parental composure and totally started cracking up. I never imagined that my 5 year old daughter had hidden her ear drops. I mean, I knew she hated them, but to go to these lengths and then lie about it... it was a little surprising. (I know. I get Mommy of the Year Award for not refilling the Rx AND for laughing at my daughter's misbehavior.)

Then Dr. M came in. I told him and the student that I now knew where the drops were. Dr. M said, that's good because her ear still looks pretty bad. I want you to give her 4 drops, 4 times a day, for the next 2 days.

That's right Kate, you just quadrupled your remaining doses because you decided to lie to mommy.

Needless to say, we had a conversation on the way home about the consequences of lying AND of not following the doctor's instructions.

Dates Confirmed

Just in the nick of time, Travel Guy called today to confirm our Consulate Appointment and travel dates. As expected, we will leave on April 5 - only 20 days away. AAAaaaaggggghhhh!

The rest of the day was filled with frantic internet searches for airline tickets (which we have purchased) and discussions of the best way to book a hotel. We have opted not to go with a travel agent this time around, which is a little bit nerve wracking for me, but it is only for the international flights and one night in Hong Kong. Our agency handles everything in between. We hope to have solid in-country plans early next week.

Now, back to clothes sorting...

How I Am Staying Busy This Week

Naturally, we still haven't received definite travel dates. Nothing ever happens on schedule for me.

So Kate and I decided to use Monday afternoon to go through Ben and Will's old clothes to see what would work for Jack. We found 4 huge bags of 18mo-2T clothes in great condition.


The stash included a few of Kate's old bibs that still fit her. (Cleft kiddos go through a lot of bibs.) (And I promise we have some that are more masculine that this one.)

Then we proceeded to wash, dry, fold, and stack them. (No, I haven't put them away yet.)

Everyone likes to ask if Jack needs any clothes...
What do you think? Shirts, pants, shorts, onesies, rompers, overalls, vests, jackets, bibs, pjs. I think we're good.

Tomorrow I tackle the other three children and their wardrobes. Fun times.

Travel Approval!

We FINALLY got travel approval. I can barely remember what I am supposed to do next, but the agency is requesting a consulate appointment date of April 16. Estimated travel is April 5-18. The consulate has 5 days to respond, but it doesn't usually take that long. (But let's face it, nothing in this process has gone like it was supposed to, so maybe I should not be so confident.)

Thanks to all of you who have prayed, emailed, called, brought me baked goods, or hugged on me in the past 2 weeks. Even though you made me cry, it was appreciated:)

Nope, still not yet.

Today I am just about at the end of my rope. I called Travel Guy to ask him to have the in-China staff call and check on our TA. It had already been done, and all he could tell me is that they are "in the process of issuing it." Which is not really new information since they should have been in the process for three weeks now.

He also told me that it is very unlikely we will make the March 22 departure date I had been hoping for. He thinks April 5 is much more likely, which means higher prices, missing Easter at home, missing more school for the boys, Ben missing his school play and multiple field trips, and...

Well, honestly it isn't good for me to list all the reasons we want to travel then, but I can't seem to help myself.

And yes, it also means delaying meeting Jack for another two weeks.

Anybody wanna pray for a miracle?

Still not yet (but we did have snow).

The Monday workday has come and gone, and there was no TA for us today. I watched them roll in for about seven eight more folks on RQ this afternoon, while three two of us are still waiting. Tomorrow is Travel Guy's day off, so I don't have much hope for then either.

Thanks to those of you who have called/emailed/fb'd your encouragement.

In other news, I was up all night with two Very Sick little boys (and I hadn't even cleaned the bathroom - what's up with that?). Thankfully, they both feel better now, and for bonus points it was a snow day. They actually don't like missing school for illness, so they were happy to have a day to watch movies and play in the snow. Would anyone mind if I sleep through tomorrow?

Not yet.

As many of you know, I had high hopes of getting our TA this past week. Our agency always says that they need about 3 weeks to plan travel, so a TA this week could've potentially put us travelling March 22, which would great for so many reasons - like being in China over the kids' spring break and Tim being home in time for Easter services. And that little detail of having my son in my arms within a month.

But it didn't come. I follow the RQ charts that track TAs like a mad woman, and I knew we were due a big batch. There were around 20 of us there who should've gotten TA yesterday, and about half of them got it. It could logically be reasoned that the rest of them will probably come on Monday, especially in light of the awful storms that hit our side of the country yesterday. I am sure that in lots of areas FedEx wasn't making deliveries, and if they were running, many businesses (and adoption agencies) were closed. I know where we live there were more closings than a snow day as folks rushed to safety.

There is also the possibility that our TA wasn't in this batch for some reason. Or that if we had gotten it, we still couldn't have travelled March 22. Or that if we do get it Monday, we CAN still travel March 22.

This part of it is so hard for me. I have no control. In my head, I think I know what is best. I think I know the pros and cons of every possible travel date, from cost projections to school/work conflicts. But here is the kicker: I don't know everything. And in this (as in so many other areas of my life), I must rely on God. He knows the very best time to go, and I keep asking Him to handle all the details.