Itinerary

We got our Itinerary today for the trip! I can't believe we leave in 6 days...this still feels like a dream. But let's hope it's not the one I had the other night. I won't go into details, but let's just say I NEVER want to live in Tokyo airport!! :)

Check out our Itinerary!
Oct. 20th: Depart DTW at 3:20 p.m.
October 21st: Arrive in Tokyo at 5:40 p.m. with an hour and half layover. We will then depart and land in Beijing at 10:30p.m. Thursday night.
October 22nd: Visit the Great Wall of China and shopping!
October 23rd: Visit Tianamen Square and Temple of Heaven. And then to Peking Duck for lunch. And this is where I pray for noodles and vegetables! In the afternoon, we will go to a silk factory and a pearl factory. Also include a Hutong Tour and a ride in a rickshaw!!
October 24th: Travel day! We depart Beijing and fly to Shanghai! Once we are here, we will meet with our guide. Her name is Sandra and check into the hotel and get ready for the next day!
October 25th: This is the day, Ladies and Gentleman, that we have been waiting for! For 5 very long years!! This is the day we will meet Ava! AKA...Gotcha Day!!
October 26th: This is mostly a bonding day, but we will have to do some paperwork which will make her officially ours!
October 27th: This is a sight-seeing day! We can go shopping, sight-seeing, or possibly go to the orphanage. If we have the opportunity, we will go to the orphange. I know it will be hard, but so worth it in the long run.
October 28th: Another sight-seeing day! Depending how everything falls, I'm hoping we can go to the Shanghai Zoo!
October 29th: Travel Day! This time we are flying to Guangzhou. This is where the U.S. Consulate is located.
October 30th: Medical Exam for Ava...my poor girl is going to get shots. :(
October 31st: Happy Halloween for all of you in the US! We are spending the day goiong o a museum, and a jade and pearl market! Though, Ava will not have a costume, she does have a Halloween T-Shirt and a hairbow with candy corn on it!
November 1st: This is a free day for our family. Some families in our group will have their Consulate appt.
November 2nd: Consulate Appt!!
November 3rd: Oath-Taking Ceremony
November 4th: Another free day for The Ho's!
November 5th: We will be leaving our hotel at 4:30 a.m. to catch our 9:30 flight out of Hong Kong to Detroit!! We're coming home!!

It seems like we will be gone for so long! But I'm hoping it goes by quick.
6 Days!!
S.

10 days!!

China bound in 10 days....I truly cannot believe this time is here. The last couple of weeks have consisted with:

• Putting the high chair together
• Baby-proofing EVERYTHING
• Setting up the Pack-N-Play
• Shopping
• More Shopping
• Packing
• More Packing
• More Shopping and More Packing

We also found out we have to stay an extra day because Ava will have to have a TB test since she is over 2 yrs old. So, we leave on October 20th and return on November 5th. And I was told that we will hold Ava for the first time on October 25th!! Cannot wait!! The moment we have been waiting for!! Stay tuned for more details!!

3 Weeks, Baby!!

21 days, 3 weeks...and we'll be China bound!!

It's Official!!

We have received confirmation of our embassy appointment!! Which means that on October 20th, John and I will be flying to China. But more importantly, it means that on October 25th, after many many months I will FINALLY be able to hold this...

Stay tuned for details!

TA!!!!!!!

Nothing like starting a sunny morning with an email that says "TA has been issued"!!!!!!! How am I supposed to focus?! Knowing this dream is now becoming a reality is AMAZING! I cannot believe we are just that much closer to her.

Our agency should physically have the TA within a few days and then we can schedule our embassy appointment!

Stay tuned!!

Paperwork is COMPLETE!!

We just received word tonight that all of our paperwork is FINALLY complete!! We are just waiting on the TA! They told us it will be about 2-5 weeks to receive and we are already a week in! Keep your fingers crossed that we receive it quickly!

Stay tuned!!

If...

If we hadn't of moved, we wouldn't need an updated homestudy or fire inspection. We wouldn't have waited on other people taking forever with our paperwork.

And we would be leaving on an airplane today to meet our daughter.

But I also know everything happens for a reason. And that reason is Ava will come home to her forever home.

But it still hurts a little...and until then I spend my days staring at this:

Mommy and Daddy are coming...that I can promise you!!