Okay, my head is still swimming. We are in HONG KONG! First, I want to thank my father for the safe passage to the airport this morning (Or Friday-uh, what day is it?) It was quite scary, but we made it in plenty of time-thanks dad!
Also, thanks to Mom and Brenda for taking care of the kids-we miss them already!!!!
And last - AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
I can't think of another word to describe it. It just doesn't feel real. We're sitting and writing briefly. Tomorrow early we take a bus to Guangzhou and then fly to Nanchang in Jiangxi. We are told WE WILL PICK UP JULIA TOMORROW. So, less than 24 hours Chinese time and, (Pause for long sobbing blubber).....she will be in our arms. It is so unique the instant bond that we feel with the other families on this trip. It is truly the most indescribable experience.
P.S. Connie-I am sorry I didn't call...I turned the cell phone off too soon and I did not get to make the last minute calls I'd hoped. To YOU and MY BROTHER - I apologize you were 2 of the people I wish I had been able to say one last goodbye to. Amanda-I said goodbye to you so quit crying (ha, ha!) But, thanks to Caroline for calling just before we left-you are literally the last person in the family (other than my dad) that we spoke to before leaving. Mom-I tried to page you and was so disappointed not be able to say goodbye to you. I am just beyond words excited to make you a grandmother. I feel so completely lucky and blessed right now. Eric is wonderful and though we are both exhausted.....this is just unreal.
Hello to everyone, friends and family, Aunt Barbara & Uncle Jack, Aunt Jane, Aunt Mickey, Aunt Chris & Uncle Bill (and the kids), Aunt Joan, Jeanne & Brett (&Brett and Tommy), Colleen & Tim (& Sarah), Tommy, Tom & Paul, RoseAnn and Truman, Sondra and Tomas, Jerry & Karen (& Marguerite and Katherine-also special thanks to you guys), John, Joe and Carrie (& Ryan, Joey & Nicole), Connie, Christina, Amanda (& Aaron), Sandy, Rebecca (&Brian, Damian, and Desi), Dorthe, Joan, Mom U and Aunt Bernice, Uncle Tim & Aunt Peg, Uncle John and Aunt Nancy, Uncle Jack and Aunt Joyce, Rich & Ann and Kaylee and Ashlyn, Neil and Johnnie, Dave, Ike & Shane (& Olivia & Luke) , Joe & Diane (& Kailee), and everyone else. I am so sory if I didn't write you by name-I am very tired. (But, I thought it would be cool to know that someone in China was typing your name)
We will try to post tomorrow-though it may be a crazy day. I just don't KNOW WHAT TO SAY!!!!! Eric says hi.
I love you all......TOMORROWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Friday, September 15, 2006
Nerves 1 : Jen 0
I think it'll be easier to just keep track of my emtional status this way...my subtle way of saying - AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
You won't believe this, but I fell asleep last night. And, I only woke up once. Eric is still asleep at the moment. I'm still shocked that we were able to close our eyes. I think we should add Sheer Exhaustion 1 : Jen & Eric 0.
Needless to say we packed and double checked everything again last night. Photocopied every piece of paper we ever got for this adoption. Made lists of phone numbers to give to our families to keep track of us. Said our last tearful, "Oh my gods" to family and friends. Stared at Julia's picture, checked every bar on her crib, smoothed every wrinkle on her sheets, checked every safety lock installed, and thought, she needs one more toy, but realized the stores were closed.
We filled up the cat's water bowls and food bowls and made sure they have their favorite blankets and sleeping spots available. Boy-I am really going to miss them.
I can't think straight, my stomach is in knots and my head is spinning. In a few hours, it will ALL be beyond my control. If I don't have it with me, I won't have it. If it hasn't been done yet, it won't get done. And, the sad part is - I will never have control over my life again. In a few days, I will relinquish all control to Julia. She has ruled my heart for 589 days and in just 2 weeks, she will be ruling our home!!!
Normally I am excited to be travelling and visting a new place. This trip is a huge adventure. Not only a new country, a new continent. But the purpose of this trip isn't sightseeing. As a matter of fact I don't think we'll even see the Great Wall of China or Tianamen Square! But who cares. What I find interesting is that I have never thought of being home before I've even gotten there and all I can think of right now is, "I CAN'T WAIT TO COME HOME!"
I guess this will be that last post that makes any sort of sense. If it even does. Please keep us in your thoughts as you will definitely all be in ours.
By this time tomorrow, we will be nearly landing in Hong Kong. Can you stand it?!
Talk to you soon.
You won't believe this, but I fell asleep last night. And, I only woke up once. Eric is still asleep at the moment. I'm still shocked that we were able to close our eyes. I think we should add Sheer Exhaustion 1 : Jen & Eric 0.
Needless to say we packed and double checked everything again last night. Photocopied every piece of paper we ever got for this adoption. Made lists of phone numbers to give to our families to keep track of us. Said our last tearful, "Oh my gods" to family and friends. Stared at Julia's picture, checked every bar on her crib, smoothed every wrinkle on her sheets, checked every safety lock installed, and thought, she needs one more toy, but realized the stores were closed.
We filled up the cat's water bowls and food bowls and made sure they have their favorite blankets and sleeping spots available. Boy-I am really going to miss them.
I can't think straight, my stomach is in knots and my head is spinning. In a few hours, it will ALL be beyond my control. If I don't have it with me, I won't have it. If it hasn't been done yet, it won't get done. And, the sad part is - I will never have control over my life again. In a few days, I will relinquish all control to Julia. She has ruled my heart for 589 days and in just 2 weeks, she will be ruling our home!!!
Normally I am excited to be travelling and visting a new place. This trip is a huge adventure. Not only a new country, a new continent. But the purpose of this trip isn't sightseeing. As a matter of fact I don't think we'll even see the Great Wall of China or Tianamen Square! But who cares. What I find interesting is that I have never thought of being home before I've even gotten there and all I can think of right now is, "I CAN'T WAIT TO COME HOME!"
I guess this will be that last post that makes any sort of sense. If it even does. Please keep us in your thoughts as you will definitely all be in ours.
By this time tomorrow, we will be nearly landing in Hong Kong. Can you stand it?!
Talk to you soon.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
What day is it anyway????
I still feel like I'm walking around in a dream. I know that it is Tuesday but it feels like it should be Wednesday....and tomorrow will be okay, but Thursday will be impossible to get through.
We've accomplished lots of last minute things. Hard to believe I'm still throwing things into a suitcase! Actually it's mostly little things like snacks and last minute bathroom items. I did fnd out that we are in fact allowed to bring small amounts of liquid such as saline/eye drops so that is quite a relief. I just hate wearing my glasses for long periods and 16 hours is kind of a long period.
Still waiting for my mom to get home from Bermuda (she was stuck in the hurricane-but what a place to get stuck-BERMUDA). Dad is ready to take us to the airport (thanks dad) and my brother and his wife are getting excited for us. I talked to my niece tonight and she said I was going to get her baby. Her baby Julia. Isn't that too cute?!
I will say that I am still so dumfounded at how much love surrounds this child already. We are so grateful and just touched by everyone's love and support. We can't wait to get to China but even more so, we can't wait to get home!!!!
I don't even think I can continue a countdown because every time I think about it I get nauseous with excitement and anticipation. I must admit, I've been thinking about what it would be like to be pregnant and be counting down those last few days/hours until delivery and it has to suck knowing that you still have to go through labor. I mean a 16 hour trip is inconvenient at best, but it's hardly labor! So, you have my sympathy. But in my defense-try being "pregnant" for 587 days? Hmmm.....
So VERY, VERY, VERY CLOSE!!!!
We've accomplished lots of last minute things. Hard to believe I'm still throwing things into a suitcase! Actually it's mostly little things like snacks and last minute bathroom items. I did fnd out that we are in fact allowed to bring small amounts of liquid such as saline/eye drops so that is quite a relief. I just hate wearing my glasses for long periods and 16 hours is kind of a long period.
Still waiting for my mom to get home from Bermuda (she was stuck in the hurricane-but what a place to get stuck-BERMUDA). Dad is ready to take us to the airport (thanks dad) and my brother and his wife are getting excited for us. I talked to my niece tonight and she said I was going to get her baby. Her baby Julia. Isn't that too cute?!
I will say that I am still so dumfounded at how much love surrounds this child already. We are so grateful and just touched by everyone's love and support. We can't wait to get to China but even more so, we can't wait to get home!!!!
I don't even think I can continue a countdown because every time I think about it I get nauseous with excitement and anticipation. I must admit, I've been thinking about what it would be like to be pregnant and be counting down those last few days/hours until delivery and it has to suck knowing that you still have to go through labor. I mean a 16 hour trip is inconvenient at best, but it's hardly labor! So, you have my sympathy. But in my defense-try being "pregnant" for 587 days? Hmmm.....
So VERY, VERY, VERY CLOSE!!!!
Friday, September 08, 2006
One Week....2 hours...Countdown to China!
I guess it's evident by the fact that I haven't been posting that we have been very busy. Not just busy, but in shock kind of busy. The house is pretty well together and all that, but it seems that we have had so much to do with everything else. Eric's mom came to visit over Labor Day weekend and that was very cool to have her before we bring Julia home. My mom is in Bermuda (poor kid always gets the hurricane weather!!) My nephew started kindergarten - he's getting so grown up. And let's see, what have we been up to????
We have packed and prepared as much as humanly possible for this trip. The house is mostly baby proofed. Foods, diapers, wipes, medicines, you name it - we have it! Then we have the suitcases-pretty well ready to go. We found out on Wednesday night that we will be leaving for China on Friday, September 15. Two days after Eric's birthday and the actual birthday of my friend Christina (love ya, Kristy!) I was waiting until today to post so we can say that we are now counting the wait in DAYS!!!!!! 168 HOURS!!!!! - (technically 170)
Julia will have approximately $590 in her "waiting" bank. We'll be borrowing from her before long.
So, we leave on Friday and we arrive in Hong Kong on Saturday. The flight is approximately 16 hours and we have a 12 hour time difference (meaning it's 12 hours later in China than it is here in PA). It's very funny that when we return from China, we leave on Friday (the 29th) around 11 am and we arrive in the US at around 3 pm also on FRIDAY!!! So it's like a 4 hour flight - only it's 15 hours!!!!! It will probably be the longest part of this trip. We haven't even left yet and I'm ready to bring her home!
So, I don't know what else to say....my head is spinning and I'm still in shock. I just can't believe we're sooooo close now!
We have packed and prepared as much as humanly possible for this trip. The house is mostly baby proofed. Foods, diapers, wipes, medicines, you name it - we have it! Then we have the suitcases-pretty well ready to go. We found out on Wednesday night that we will be leaving for China on Friday, September 15. Two days after Eric's birthday and the actual birthday of my friend Christina (love ya, Kristy!) I was waiting until today to post so we can say that we are now counting the wait in DAYS!!!!!! 168 HOURS!!!!! - (technically 170)
Julia will have approximately $590 in her "waiting" bank. We'll be borrowing from her before long.
So, we leave on Friday and we arrive in Hong Kong on Saturday. The flight is approximately 16 hours and we have a 12 hour time difference (meaning it's 12 hours later in China than it is here in PA). It's very funny that when we return from China, we leave on Friday (the 29th) around 11 am and we arrive in the US at around 3 pm also on FRIDAY!!! So it's like a 4 hour flight - only it's 15 hours!!!!! It will probably be the longest part of this trip. We haven't even left yet and I'm ready to bring her home!
So, I don't know what else to say....my head is spinning and I'm still in shock. I just can't believe we're sooooo close now!
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