Beijing!

DISCLAIMER: I'm trying to up date this typing in English, but all the prompts and buttons are in Chinese! Hopefully this will work.

Good morning from Beijing!
We got in on time, and the coordinator and driver for CHI met us at the
airport. They took us to the Great Wall to meet our group, and we
spent about an hour there. The Great Wall is beautiful, and really steep!
It took almost 2 hours to get back to the hotel on our group bus. The
people in our group seem nice - we just got to talk to those sitting
near us. There are 6 families (I think) going to Guangzhou tomorrow.
The others have babies in other provinces, and they'll come to
Guangzhou later.
We were so tired and dirty from flying and doing the Great Wall that we just took showers and
ordered room service. The food was good!
This morning we're up really early to go to Tianeman
Square and the Forbidden City. Then we'll meet our group and go to
the airport to go to Guangzhou.
We woke up this morning and realized we get Vivian TOMORROW! It's like Christmas Eve, but way better! :)
Okay, we'll check in later when we get settled at the Westin.

The Griswalds go to China and God Bless Kate Clark & FedEx

So I thought I had married out of the Guess-Griswald connection, but apparently not. Little background: Trips/vacations in the Guess family usually involved all varieties of setbacks including speeding tickets, driver throwing up in a coffee cup in downtown Atlanta traffic (thanks, Laura), torrential rain while hovering in a tent, broken toe at Disneyworld, almost dying grandmother causing lateness to Sugar Bowl (priorities, people), bathing suit bottoms stolen from hotel balcony, etc.

Let's just say Jason and I have spent a little more time in Newark, NJ than we expected. This will be funny one day, but not right now. Anyway, Newark is an armpit. If you're from here, I'm extremely sorry, and I can't believe you made it out alive. Everything looks like an old Bruce Springsteen video. And I took a $30 cabride to Walgreens that was probably 2 1/2-3 miles away. Seriously?

I guess you're waiting for the story on WHY we spent extra time in Newark? Let's just say we forgot something very important, and had to enlist the stork, Kate Clark, and FedEx to get it to us. THIS is when you thank God for your friends....and rapid international shipping.

Okay, more later! Bye!!

Countdown!

And here we are...less than 48 hours from departing for China. We are excited, overwhelmed, unbelievably happy, and scared. We're going to do our best to blog and post pictures daily while we're in China, but please forgive if technology or tiredness wins!

By the way, we will be 13 hours AHEAD of you when we're in China (for those on Central Time).

Just a few more details on our travel:
We leave Nashville Thursday, August 23 at 6:30 am (YUCK, thanks Shane for taking us to the airport so early). After a layover in Newark, we'll fly to Beijing, and will arrive there Friday, August 24 at 1:45 pm. Jason and I plan to get our bearings, walk around a bit, settle into the hotel, etc.
Saturday, August 25 we have an organized sightseeing trip with the rest of our travel group from the agency. We'll see the Forbidden City, Tianeman Square, and the Great Wall.
Sunday, August 26 we'll fly to Guangzhou, arriving at 3:55 pm.
Monday, August 27 is GOTCHA DAY!! It's also my parents' wedding anniversary, so it's even more special for us. :) From what we've heard, it's quite surreal when you're handed your baby, and it happens very quickly. We're preparing ourselves for Vivian to grieve, fuss, shut-down, etc. for a few days, so extra prayers are needed during this time of transition.
Tuesday, August 28 we'll be starting the adoption paperwork, and will sightsee and have some free days between then and September 5. Hopefully we can enjoy the city and spend our time bonding with Vivian.
Thursday, September 6 we have our American Consulate appointment.
Friday, September 7 we take the official oath as Vivian's parents, and we receive her Visa to travel.
We leave Guangzhou Saturday, September 8 at 9:00 am with a stop in Beijing. From Beijing we'll fly to Newark, and will arrive in Nashville on Saturday at 10:09 pm.
How tired do you think we'll be upon arriving to Nashville???!!!

A special thank you to our families, who have showered us not only with money, supplies, diapers, etc., but with the support and strength we've needed along the way. We love you all very much!!

Look for an update Friday or Saturday from China!

Travel Plans!

We have our travel approval and consulate appointment - it's really happening! We leave Thursday, August 23 for China, and will receive Vivian (Gotcha Day) on Monday, August 27.
We'll be coming home on Saturday, September 8. Our plan is to blog as much as we can while we're away so we can share photos and videos of our little one.

Here's a little itinerary:
August 23 - leave the US
August 24 - arrive Beijing
August 24/25 - sightseeing in Beijing
August 26 - fly to Guangzhou
August 27 - Gotcha Day!
August 28-September 4 - sightseeing, free days and adoption appointments
September 5 - medical exam for children
September 6 - consulate appointment
September 7 - take oath and pick up Vivian's Visa
September 8 - leave China and arrive in the US

In Guangzhou we'll be staying with the other CHI families at the Westin - a brand new hotel. Check it out at: http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1706
Our hotel in Beijing is the Wangfujing Grand Hotel.
www.wangfujinghotel.com

We'll keep you posted with photos and video while we're gone!

it's a girl!!!

Our referral is here!!!

Lei Yi Tai (means "delightful," "peaceful")
Born September 16, 2006 (almost 10 months old)
Leizhou Social Welfare Institute
Guangdong Province, China

She is healthy and beautiful! We think she's adorable!!

On May 11 she weighed 14 pounds and was almost 26 inches long, and no teeth yet.

We're in love!!!

The Stork is Flying!!!

It is confirmed that referrals are on their way from China - they left July 4. Our agency has confirmed that DHL has 3 packages to be delivered tomorrow, Friday, July 6!! After two years, we are really about to see our baby's sweet face, and to know all about her. We'll update the blog tomorrow once we we get "the call" and are able to peel ourselves from the ceiling!

Thank you thank you thank you to everyone for your support, and thank you, God, for guiding us on this wild and wonderful roller-coaster! Please continue to pray that Vivian is being cared for, and that her biological parents feel a sense of peace knowing their daughter will be loved and cherished.

One day makes a huge difference

Well, it is official; we will receive our referral in early July. Our agency received referrals this morning for their November 2 families, but not November 8. All over the world parents from November 2-7 are seeing their babies' faces for the first time, and a huge congratulations goes out to all of them.
Although very disappointed and a bit teary at the moment, I suppose there is some peace in knowing we are absolutely next since we missed the cutoff by one day. Please continue to pray that our child is receiving the care she needs until we can get there to bring her home.
Here's hoping to a speedy rest of June, and maybe a July 3 referral (Jason's birthday).
Thank you again for all your support on our looong journey.