Staying busy

Oh my it is like a dream how close we are to leaving. We are packed. Papers in order. Gifts bought and gathered to give. Money wired. New dollar bills collected and separated into ziploc bags with sticky notes on what is for what. We are SO ready to get on that plane but at the same time trying so hard to stay bus so I am not thinking of leaving the other 3. So what is keeping me busy.....well carpet cleaning and notes. They are all over the house from how the kids like their bed time routine to reminders to use mouthwash :) to what meds to use for what symptoms if they are sick and doses to their favorite meals and how to make them yes even what to do if the garage door gets stuck (you just never know).

 

Here is all the luggage packed!

 

100 good wish quilt!

Now I know I should have started this a LONG time ago.  But better late than never :)

There is a tradition in Ch*na ----

To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or 100 Good Wishes Quilt. It is a custom to invite friends and family to contribute a patch of cloth with a wish for the baby. Part of the patch of cloth goes into the quilt for the baby, and the other part of the cloth can go into a creative memory notebook with the wish for the child. The quilt contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.

What a treat to read the good wishes when the child is older to know how much they were wanted!

We would LOVE to put one of these together for Caleb.  I want him to be able to see how many people love him and helped pray and bring him home.  ANYONE can be a part of it. 

What we would like is for you to send us a 6X6 square of fabric made of 100% cotton.  You can send a square of new material or a piece of fabric/clothing you have.  Something that you love. Along with it send a wish (can be a prayer, wish, advice, scripture, poem, song, anything you want him to know!)  The wish can be written on a card, stationary, piece of paper, really anything. If you want to explain why you chose the fabric you did, you can but don't need to :)

We will then be putting all the wishes into a scrapbook for him to look at in the future.  I will have a picture of the fabric next to the "wish" you wrote in the scrapbook so he knows what or who each square represents.   The fabric pieces will be created into a quilt!!!  This is something that he will always have.  Love it!!!

I know that 100 is a lot.  But I also know that we have received soooo many messages from people who are praying and following Caleb's journey.  Please consider taking part of this!!!



Email us at prevostbj AT att.net if you need our address.

------------------------------
Another note we are 1 wk and 12 hrs until we are holding our boy!!!!!  I'll be posting soon some fun ideas we are doing to help the kids pass the time while we are gone :)

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!!!!!



Testing for travel

Just testing if this is going to work for travel!

I can finally say we leave NEXT week!!!

CA!!!

Ok this will be quick because I absolutely stink at booking flights and I need to!!!  It is taking me all day.  So we got confirmation our CA is 3/6.  That means we leave for Beijing 2/22.  Then 2/26 fly to his province.  2/27 we will be holding our boy.  3/6 we have CA (consulate appt) and 3/8 we fly home!!!

AHHHHH is this really happening!!!!!

I need some anxiety meds because.....

WE

GOT

Yep I am officially going crazy.  I don't know which way to turn, what to do first.  I feel like I'm just standing in the middle of my house turning in circles!  So much to do and so little time.  I'll let you all know as soon as we know when our consulate appointment is and when we will be boarding a plane!!!

It is finally happening.  We are soon going to be a family of 6!!!!!

Oh time flies.....

5 yrs ago today I held my sweet sweet Katelyn in my arms. 

She was perfect! 

Katelyn Ann born at 7:42am 8lbs 1 oz

She looked at us like this ALL the time.  MiMi called her, her little pirate :)

Easter.  she lasted in this dress about 10 min and she was done!

She LOVES bath time

Katie's 1st birthday.  She was so sick.  We had her up long enough to open gifts and sing happy birthday ; (

2nd birthday

3rd birthday

4th birthday

We started 2 yrs ago a tradition.  On their birthday I wake them up with a pancake and candle in bed.  They love it. 

Nathan was my helper today!

love the bed head!!

We then got to work on making cupcakes for her to bring to preschool.  So fun!

yep Ana loves helping too

Katelyn we can not say enough how blessed we are to have you as our daughter.  You are loved beyond words.  We love seeing you grow and your sense of humor keeps us laughing.  You are a little mommy to anyone who will let you.  You are my organizer.  You love order, each thing has it's place with you.  You love your sleep.  You are a homebody.  You love veggies with mommy's dip.  You could find just about anything to sort into piles all day long.  You hate dresses or you hair done.  You are not a fan of the cold weather.  You are my sensitive one and come often to me for hugs.  You love books and being read to.  You love, love, love to sing.

Katelyn we love you to the moon and back.

Happy 5th Birthday!!!!