We are in Labor......

We are in labor and the little one is due to arrive on Monday, May 21st!!!! We leave for China on Wednesday! Soli Deo Gloria!!! The other good news is we do not need to stay the extra 5 days that we were told may happen. Praise the Lord! We have finished all the last minute paperwork and sent it off. We have been to Target a few too many times in the past couple of weeks just to get those "just in case" items. : ) We are getting ready, well as ready as we can at least. Here is our itinerary:

5/16     Leave U.S. for Beijing. (leave Minneapolis airport at 3pm. Our first stop is in Tokyo then on to Beijing. I get to say that I have been in Japan too!) 

5/17     Arrive in Beijing  (arrive at 10:30 pm - China time) Yes, one very long trip!

5/18     Tour Beijing: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Hutong Tour, and optional acrobatics show

5/19     Tour Beijing. Great Wall

5/20      Depart Beijing for Zhengzhou (another flight)           

Go to the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

5/21     Gotcha Day! Meet Lucy for the first time!!! : )
            Sign the Guardianship Agreement.
            Take Registration Certificate photos at local photo shop.
            Return to the hotel. Meet with Yisha to prepare registration paperwork.  
 
5/22     All families: Take a bus to the registration office to complete the Adoption Registration in the morning. Then Free time and rest.

5/23     Travel to city where Lucy is from to apply for her passport in person at the public security bureau.  In Jiaozuo we will also complete more paperwork

  

5/24     Free time or rest.  Optional tours may be available.

5/25     Free time or rest.  Optional tours may be available. Receive notary documents in the afternoon and possibly get passports.

5/26     Leave Zhengzhou for Guangzhou (where U.S. Consulate is)

5/27     Free day in Guangzhou.

5/28     Take bus to clinic to complete your Lucy's visa physical and visa photo taken this morning.  

5/29     Free day in Guangzhou.  

5/30     Meet with CCAI representatives to prepare paperwork for the Consulate appointment.

            

5/31     Today is our Consulate appointment.  (Big day!!!)

             In the afternoon we will go to the U.S. Consulate to take the oath. 

6/1       A CCAI representative will go to the U.S. Consulate to receive Lucy's visa packet
            Also, we prepare to leave for home.

6/2        Depart Guangzhou for Beijing. Stay in hotel and prepare for our final flight home with Lucy!!!!

6/3        Final flight home with our new daughter (It is going to be another long day of flying and now Lucy can say that she has been in Japan too.)

These 19 days in China are going to be a whirlwind filled with emotions, stress (at times), and hopefully lots of joy! I ask those that are reading this to keep us in your prayers each day as we go through this journey of bringing Lucy home! Your prayers are precious to us!  

Soli Deo Gloria!