One Week From Today ... CHINA!

Thank heavens the time is flying by to get our Sarah. One week from today and Brig and I leave for China. A few days later and Rick will join us. We are as prepared as we can be. I have already packed everything that can be packed. Sarah's room is ready. We have our monster 12 passenger van (almost - it will be here by the end of the month). I've typed up a "How to take care of our crew" manuscript for all those who will be helping us. I've made the meals for while we are gone. I've delegated all of my church responsibilities ... I think we are ready.

The only thing I am not excited for is missing my kids I'm leaving behind. I can barely look at them now without getting teary eyed. This will be a long trip away from those I love, but there is no way around it. Thank heavens for face time and Skype! Yesterday we watched the new Karate Kid. I'd seen it before, but it was really fun to watch it with Brig to show him all the things that we will be seeing in China.

Here is a picture in summary of the things we have done to get ready for our sweet Sarah.

We've sent many care packages

Got my necklace with all of my kid's names on it

Got Sarah's room all ready

Built a new bedroom to make room for our newest addition!

12 Passenger van - this is getting serious

Just because I like this picture

My Super Kids

Today I sent in a picture to CCAI with John holding up a sign that read 11,000. This is to help celebrate the 11,000 adoptions they have helped facilitate! I love the idea of 11,000 children each holding a sign that reads 11,000.

I noticed that Kate and John helped each other get dressed today by coordinating their outfits. How cute is this? They just finished preschool and I have personally seen so much growth in each child. I think they absolutely need each other and help each other reach milestones that may have taken a little longer to develop. They each have their own strengths, and we find them both so incredibly amazing.

In two months it will two years home with our Johnny boy. This road has not been super easy, it has just been worth it! I think they have grown up enough that we may actually be able to take on child number 7!

Sleepy girl ....

These are the latest pictures I have of our sweet little Sarah. She is getting SO big. Another mom was just there and took these pictures for me.  She said that her son and another little boy are best friends with Sarah. I am now in contact with both moms, so we can keep these little ones connected. I feel so fortunate to have access to other moms and Sarah's friends.

Less than one month now and we will be in China!

Our Lydia's big day!

Today was Lydia's 8th birthday and her baptism day! We are so proud of our cute, happy, lovely, darling, sweet, loving, adorable and wonderful little girl. She is such a blessing to our family!

No I am not trying to strangle her - I'm not sure what I am doing

Tickets Purchased!

We bought our tickets for China yesterday. I was hoping that because we were purchasing the tickets so far out that we would get a slamming deal. Well, apparently July is the most expensive time of year to travel to China, so no money savings there. Oh well, I'm so thankful we have tickets and all the approvals we need in order to get to China.

We used JC Travel for those of you interested. I had a couple of recommended agents battle it out - coming up with the best deal for us. JC Travel was so much cheaper than anyone else - by $500. And just before she purchased our tickets, she found them even cheaper - thank you!

Now we just wait!

US Consulate Appointment Confirmed!

This was the last piece of big news we needed! The only thing we are working on now is purchasing our tickets. (Let's hope that means cheaper.) Here is what our trip looks like:

July 3-6 - Tour Beijing
July 6 - Fly to Zhengzhou
July 7 - GOTCHA DAY!!!
July 12- Fly to Guangzhou
July 16 - US Consulate Appointment
July 17 - Hong Kong
July 19 - Fly Home!!!!

We are so excited to bring Sarah home. Seven more weeks ... seven more weeks!

By the way we had to officially name our little Ying Ying. As many of you know we have chosen to name her SARAH HELEN. We have named all of our daughters from female ancestors on both sides of the family. Our little Ying Ying will be no different. Sarah is a family name from Rick's side of the family and Helen is after my beloved grandma. Her name makes us smile! We did not officially keep John's Chinese name of Zhe Nan, and we will not officially keep Ying Ying either. The reason for this is so that we keep within the traditions we have set for all our children. We do honor their Chinese names, and even have a baby for both of them that we call "baby Zhe Nan" for John and "baby Ying Ying" for Sarah.

Travel Approval!!!!!

Oh yeah baby!  We have travel approval!!! They told us that we could be in China by the middle of June, but we asked if we could postpone until the very first of July. We will see what they say, but with Rick's work schedule being so intense in June, delaying our trip 1-2 weeks seems to make sense. We asked for a "Gotcha Day" of July 7. Our adoption agency said that we should know within 2-3 business days.

We met a new family online who just adopted from Sarah's orphanage and made a visit to see Sarah and her friends. So not only did we get Travel Approval, but I have a few new pictures to share. Our little girl seems to grow SO much each time I see her. I wonder if she has any clue that her life is about to change forever. The picture with her nanny makes me so happy. She really does seem to be loved and cared for.

Here is what the little update said: "Your Ying Ying is adorable, and so social! "