My mind is spinning

8 days!!! Can you stinkin' believe it.  8 days and we will be on a plane to China.  Crazy just absolutely crazy.  If you would have told me a year ago we would soon be holding our son I would have thought you were crazy.  Yes I always wanted to adopt.  Yes I knew we would at some point most likely.  But, now with 3 kids ages 6,5,1......nope, no thanks but then we saw

I don't know who took this picture but really it is perfect!!!  How could anyone look at that smile and not think he is too cute for words.

So, 10 months later we are off to make that smile part of our family FOREVER.  To see it every day, I can not wait!

But now that we are closer my mind won't stop thinking of all the little things that I am freaking out about........

NO clue how to use them.  My friend Emily offered to teach me.  I think I might need to take her up on teaching me class 101 on how to use them :) 

Oh do I need to say anything.  I have been googling our hotels daily to make sure no one posts that they found bed bugs there.  Let me tell you EVER.Y.THING we are taking is in zip lock

 bags and will stay that way until we use it!!!

The famous squatty potty - I tell you I don't even want to think of having to use these.  I have enough trouble squatting over our public toilets but having to squat low enough to use these......I should have done more of my work out classes :)  Since it was too much effort to do that I will settle for just not drinking water during the day!!!!

But then my mind goes to everything else.  All the things that will be AMAZING.  We will tour Beijing.  We get to ride a bullet train (sooo excited about this).  We get to go and visit some very cute and amazing kids (more about this when we get back).  Experience a culture that will forever be a part of our family.  And of course finally get to forever love and hold this boy!!!

I mean really does it get any better and did you notice.  After 3 yrs he still has that amazing smile!!!!

So I know many of you are wondering what our schedule looks like.  Here it is!!!

2/23     Arrive in Beijing on flight UA 851 at 3:40 pm. Your guide, Cindy, will escort you to the Crowne Plaza Wangfujing.

2/24    Sightseeing at Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Hutong tour.

2/25     Sightseeing at the Great Wall.

2/26     Travel to Zhengzhou by bullet train D131 (10:02 am- 3:38 pm). Cindy will travel with you on the train. You will go together to check in at the Crowne Plaza.

2/27     Meet and take custody of Caleb at the Civil Affairs Office.

2/28     Return to the Civil Affairs office for adoption paperwork.  He is official ours!!! Apply for Caleb’s Chinese passport.

2/29-3/1  Sightseeing around Zhengzhou.

3/2       Fly to Guangzhou . Your guide, Sarah, will escort you to the Garden Hotel.

3/3       Child’s visa medical examination, including the TB test.

3/4       Sightseeing around Guangzhou.

3/5       Return to the medical clinic for TB test result. Prepare documents for the visa interview with guide’s assistance.

3/6       Visa interview and oath ceremony at the American Consulate at 10:00 a.m.

     

3/7       Pick up Caleb’s visa in the afternoon.

3/8       Depart Guangzhou on flight CA1330 at 10:30 am.   We fly to Beijing.  Depart Beijing at 5:25pm and we gain 13 hrs so we arrive in Chicago still on 3/8 at 4:19pm.  Depart Chicago at 8:35pm and arrive at the Appleton airport at 9:34pm on 3/8

So there you have it!!!!   Did I tell you only 8 days!!!!!