Getting Closer

Hello everyone! Sorry it has taken me so long to post to our blog, but I have had a lot on my plate the last few weeks! It seems like we have gotten a lot accomplished, but I still feel overwhelmed by things that I would still like to get done before I have 2 "helpers" around- I can barely handle one helper!

We have purchased airline tickets for our flights. We will be flying Continental from KC to Beijing, then the return trip will be from Hong Kong to KC, with layovers in Newark, NJ to and from. Can you believe it costs us more to fly Brody one way from China to the US than it does for me or Bernie to fly round trip? In retrospect, we should have just purchased a round trip ticket for him and we would have an extra seat to stretch out in on the way over! I wish we would have thought of it at the time! Oh well, c'est la vie!!! We also sent our passports to the Chinese consulate in Chicago to get visas to enter the country. We should get those back next week.

Before the weekend of the 4th, we had the pleasure of a visit from the Bolingers, a family that we went to China with in 2006. Their daughter, Amanda, and Makenna are from the same city and orphanage and are only 2 weeks apart in age. They also have an older daughter, Sarah, also adopted from China. The girls had a blast playing with each other, and Bernie and I really enjoyed visiting with Steve and Debra and re-hashing old times! That is one of the many true blessings of adopting from China- you meet wonderful people that become life-long friends.

Sarah in the back, Makenna and Amanda in front

We have been doing lots of shopping for our up-coming trip: clothes, shoes, prescription and non-prescription medications, things for Makenna to play with on the plane, toys and clothes for Brody, gifts for the nannies at the orphanage and government officials, the list seems to go on and on! You have to try to think of everything that you might need during a two week time period where you don't have access to things you take for granted in your own home. Even very minor things like safety pins, scotch tape, or bandaids can become a major inconvenience! Of course, there are stores like Wal-Mart and grocery stores all over China, but it's not like you can just jump in your car and buzz down there-you have to get a taxi, have a way of telling the driver where you want to go (usually a note written for you by the hotel staff), go there, find what you want (Chinese packaging on everything!), then get back to the hotel! It can become a major hassle. Therefore, I am throwing things in a pile and making lists as things occur to me so I can stay organized. I know that when we get really close to going, I'll have too much to think about to remember the little things!

We finally got Brody's room finished! It turned out SO cute! I've never had the opportunity to buy "boy stuff", so I have had a really great time decorating. We went with a blue and red theme with firetrucks and dalmatians. We've had a great time painting, organizing, and putting the baby bed back together! It's been so much fun watching it all come together See for yourself:

Yes, I know the firetrucks on the bumper pad are supposed to face inward! Too bad! I'm not redoing it!
Our miniature version of Vanna White!

It's kind of dark, but the wall is red. Vanna is showing off the firetrucks on the nightstand!
So cute!
My favorite part!!! I spray-painted the fan blades to match the room (hee hee!).

Makenna got a new "big girl" bed because we confiscated the mattress from her toddler bed. No big deal, because we had gotten into the bad habit of her sleeping with us in our bed. Not recommended! Now, Makenna loves her bed and we are all sleeping much more peacefully! She also is getting a new dresser and nightstand which hasn't come in yet, so I'll post pictures when I get it all put together. Prepare yourself: it looks like all the Disney princess movies got together and exploded in her room against a backdrop of pink and lavender! She absolutely loves it and calls it "my pincess loom"!

This past weekend Bernie and I put out the rest of the stuff that didn't sell at our garage sale a few weeks ago and had another impromtu garage sale! I had meant to call a charity pick-up service and had never gotten around to it, so we figured what the heck?! At first, it looked like we were going to have about a $3 day, but things picked up and we ended up getting rid of a lot more stuff and made a decent profit! All in all, totally worth losing a Saturday and sitting in 90+ degree heat with humidity so thick you could cut it with a knife!!

Well, we are truly down to the wire! After two years of planning, preparing, and waiting, it is wonderful to finally see light at the end of the tunnel! Three weeks from today (Monday) we will have our sweet baby boy in our arms!!!!! I hope he won't be screaming! We can't wait to see his smile- in every picture we've seen of him so far he has such a serious look on his face. Makenna has been such a blessing to us in every way- we are so excited to have the opportunity to adopt again! Bernie and I talk all the time about how we are soon going to have another little one in our lives, and how much fun it is going to be getting to know him. Challenging, too! We are looking forward to it! Bring it on!!!!!

Hey, little guy, Mommy and Daddy are coming!!

Handsome little man!

You'll be smiling soon! We love you, Brody!