We Got Itinerary!

Things are certainly moving along here in Va Beach. Today we received our in-country travel itinerary. It’s basically a schedule of everything we are going to do from wheels down in Beijing to wheels up in Guangzhou. Quite exciting. Also typical of our adoption journey, we had a mini-crisis when the agency did a recheck of our documentation only to discover we were missing a key piece of paperwork. My heart stopped for a few (like 10) beats when Melissa told me. Apparently, she had to run home during her lunch break to get the documents and fax them back to the agency. Crisis averted. Actually, we have gotten quite used to these moments over the past few years. Adoption is paperwork hell. There are so many simultaneously moving pieces, tons of documents being faxed, emailed and snail-mailed all at once that it’s a miracle anything gets done – and somehow at the end of all this chaos we get a son! Tada! Truly a miracle.

So, I thought it would be great entertainment for you to get a sneak peek at what we will be doing each day we are in China. Now, for many of these items, I have no idea what or where they are. I have found Google and Tripadvisers.com to be indispensable in my research however. Feel free to use them liberally if you feel the need to expand you knowledge about the fabulous locales we will be visiting. Soon you will have pictures to help you visualize the Chinese countryside…

Fri Aug 22 – Arrive in Beijing at 9:35pm (9:35am EST)
Sat Aug 23 – Fly to Chongqing (7am wakeup call – yeah!)
Sun Aug 24 – Visit countryside and Dazu Stone Carvings
Mon Aug 25 – Bus to civil affairs office to meet Tyson
Tues Aug 26- Bus to civil affairs office to do registration
Wed Aug 27 – Visit Chongqing Children’s Welfare Institute
Thurs Aug 28 – Visit Chongqing Zoo and Chaotian Gate
Fri Aug 29 – Visit People’s Hall & Eling Park; Fly to Guangzhou
Sat Aug 30 – Medical Checkup; Shopping; Paperwork
Sun Aug 31 – Church; More Shopping
Mon Sept 1 – Visit Pearl & Jade Market; Adoptees Group Photo
Tues Sept 2 – Yuntai Botanical Garden; Family Chen’s Academic Center
Wed Sept 3 – Um, I assume more shopping
Thurs Sept 4 – Bus to US consulate for naturalization ceremony
Fri Sept 5 – Depart China for US (430am wakeup call – double yeah!)

Well, I’ve got some research to do. I only know what half those places are. And I’m sure you noticed how much shopping is involved; I am uber-psyched about that! All this, of course, is a phenomenal distraction from the agonizing wait we are enduring.

Four working days left. Wahoo!