We Made It To Beijing!

We left our house on Thursday around 5:00am and landed safely in Beijing on Friday around 3:30pm. We are exhausted and can hardly keep our eyes open...expect for Bennie who is jumping from bed to bed. The boys were awesome on the plane, but I'm not looking forward to that ride again...especially with Lily. Tomorrow we will tour Beijing and we will upload some photos.

The Big Day

So...tomorrow is the day we have waited almost six years for. It's still hard to believe we are leaving for China tomorrow and will return in a few weeks with our daughter. We are all packed with our suitcases in the car and it still seems like a dream. I'm still waiting for this to feel real...wondering when it will happen?

Benjamin has been ready for weeks. Every day asking when we are going. When I told him to go pick two pairs of shoes and two animals to put in the suitcase, I found this when I came down stairs. Apparently, his animals are walking to China.

Our trip itinerary is below. We are hoping to post updates daily...if I can get all our technology to work. Check back often and see what we are up to!

June 28~Leaving for China
June 29~Arrive in Beijing at 3:15pm
June 30~Tour Great Wall, Forbidden City, and Tian An Men Square
July 01~Leave Beijing for Guangzhou
July 02~Family Day (We will see Lily at 2:30pm)
July 03~Adoption Paperwork
July 04~Visit Safari Park
July 05~Medical Exam
July06~Visit Lily's Orphanage
July 07~ Free Day
July 08~Tour Chen Family Temple
July 09~Free Day/Get Passport for Lily
July 10~Adoption Ceremony at US Consulate
July 11~Get Lily's Visa and Leave for Hong Kong
July 12~Visit Hong Kong Disney

A Wonderful Suprise

The last few weeks have been very busy. Every day it seems like we have had to do something related to the trip...hunting down gifts for the orphanage, getting booster shots (which I didn't enjoy), notifying the bank, holding the mail, stopping the paper, buying plane tickets, arranging hotels, and of course finishing all of our "projects" around the house.

Along with all the craziness of the last few weeks, I was fortunate enough to meet a family who's daughter is in the same SWI as Lily. We have been corresponding for about a month. Their family left for China last week and saw their daughter for the first time Monday. This morning they took a trip to the orphanage where they were able to see Lily...yes, they actually got to see Lily and were able to take a few pictures of her. I can't tell you how precious these photos are to us! We are so grateful and feel blessed to have crossed paths with this family.

If you remember from our update last month, she doesn't like strangers and will cry. Our friends took this photo right before she started to cry...so that part of the update was accurate.

The two women in the orange work at the orphanage. The woman holding Lillian is one of the nannies and the other is the assistant director. Also pictured is the husband and oldest daughter of the family we have met.

Lillian and the nanny laughing. 

11 more days until we get to hold our sweet girl...it's almost too good to be true!

Amy's Instagram Photos

If you have a smartphone, you need to get the app Instagram...similar to Twitter in you follow people, but instead of tweets it's photographs. Since I only have a few friends and family following me on Instagram, I thought it would be fun to share my Instagram photos here.

Lillian's 4th of July Dress: My mom bought this dress for Lily. Isn't it cute!

Benjamin Beating Me at CandyLand

First Sign of Summer: This is our neighbor's boat. Benjamin is riding his tricycle in the lower left corner.

Cake Anyone?

Benjamin at the Denver Zoo

Lucy Keeping Warm on Our First Camping Trip

Mother's Day Weekend Camping Trip with Neighbors

Evening Bike Ride: Poor Benjamin. He just couldn't stay wake.

Benjamin's New Car Seat: Notice the milkshake we are suppose to be sharing? He drank the whole thing!

A Bad Start to Monday Morning

Our Sweet Lillian

Benjamin and Jackson Snuggling in Bed

Jackson's 50m Backstroke

My Very Own Super Hero

See all the fun you're missing! Join us on Instagram. We'd love to follow you!

 

18 Days and Counting

We are officially on our way to China! We received our travel approval on Tuesday and our confirmed US Consulate appointment on Wednesday. Then the craziness began...trying to find 8 last minute, inexpensive plane tickets to China. If you remember, we are traveling with the boys, my mom & step-dad, and my mother & father in-law. We will be quite the crew!

It's hard to believe, but the reality is finally setting in. In 18 days we will be leaving on a plane headed to China...soaking up as much Chinese culture as we can and stuffing ourselves with Dim Sum...a trip of a life-time in itself. And 4 days later we will be holding our daughter in our arms. The closer it gets, the harder it is to wait!

I was so busy with last minute travel details on Friday that I completely forgot about making breakfast. Around 9:00am Bennie...aka Snuggle Bug...asked if I was going to make him breakfast. I jokingly asked him if he would make me breakfast. He, of course, thought that was a great idea. I was pretty sure he was going to bring me a scoop of ice-cream or a container of pudding. To my surprise...

he brought me 5 half-nibbled muffins. He's constantly making me laugh and in 22 days he will be making his little sister laugh too. I can't wait!

Boating and Swimming

Bennie's favorite song...at the moment...is "Two by Two" about God telling the animals to get on the Arc two by two. I was painting Lily's room when I heard Bennie singing and peaked around the corner and found Bennie in his Arc.

Notice the flyswatter...he's using it as an ore. Bennie has a really good imagination. He also had a shark in the "water". Too cute!

Jackson had his first swim meet of the season this weekend. I brought my camera thinking I would get some really awesome photos...haha! It was another partly sunny day and I had trouble with the lighting. It also didn't help that the races were less than a minute and a half which doesn't give you a lot of time to readjust the settings. Luckily for me, there is a swim meet every Saturday morning in June and July. Hopefully by the end of the season I'll have a few good photos.

Jackson swimming the 50m backstroke.

Jackson getting ready for his next race in the "heating" tent.

Our neighborhood pool sits next to a reservoir, so I took the opportunity to take a photo of my boys.

This post was published using our iPad, Apple Card Reader, and Blogsy App. I am trying out our equipment for our trip to make sure it will be seamless in China. I previously tried posting using the free app Blogger, but it was awful and I had to redo the post on my laptop. The Blogsy App was a little pricey in my opinion...$5...but it works so much better. I guess you get what you pay for.

Fun at the Lake

Our neighbor's invited us to go boating at a nearby lake on Friday afternoon. The water was cold, but it didn't stop the kids from playing in the water.

By the time we left, Bennie was so cold his lips were blue...although he claims he wasn't cold. He would say anything to stay in the water.

Jack and his friends found a frog...poor frog. I think the kids may have "loved" him too much. Hopeful the frog recovered.

The kids also found a mud hole and were neck deep in mud most of the evening. Even my sweet Jack was slinging mud!

Don't let the smile fool you...he can be ornery when he wants to be!