Hello Henry Howard!!!

Well...what a morning. It started out with a crazy taxi ride to the Civil Affair Office (I think) and there were several other families in the same room. All of a sudden, the kids came in one by one. Families started crying, it was very emotional. Henry came in second to last, number 5 I think it was. He looked very scared, but was very brave. Our guide was very good during this process. Then they presented us with gifts. The orphanage gave us a picture book of Henry's past few years and a DVD, it was very cool. Also Henry's foster family gifted Juliette with a beautiful black pearl necklace and chop, stamp, with Henry's Chinese name (Zhao Chen Pin).
After all paperwork was done and we all visited for about 30 minutes, we were off to a supermarket. We bought Henry a soccer ball, some luggage, a DVD of his favorite superhero and some activity games we could all play in the park. It was very cool.
After 10 minutes back in the room Henry went right to the phone and called his grandfather and we promised to send pictures of him and us all once back home in the states. He was very sad at first because he didn't think we had their address, but we called Ming Ming and she explained to him that we did have the addresses and would be sure to send the pictures. This cheered him up a lot. Since then the kids have been watching a Chinese cartoon and playing Angry Birds together. Amazing how quickly kids can bond. Thank God we brought the kids with us! He's still pretty unsure of us big white folk yet.
In about 20 minutes we are heading to a department store to buy him some clothes and shoes. Then back to hotel and off to the park to play soccer and jungle gym time. We'll see how the day progresses and will write more on that...

Great Wall, Goodbye and a Train ride....

Yesterday was incredible. We climbed the Great Wall of China ( I pooped out at the third tower), visited a Hutong and then ended the night with a kung fu show. I will not lie...we were and are exhausted. Rocky took us to a great place to eat but I was so sick from my Great Wall trek that I could not eat.
We have tried all week to find swim caps for the kids so they could swim. We were not successful.
We said goodbye to our guide Rocky and boarded the train for Shanghai. We were on the train for 4 hours and it was a great way to see China. We were met by our guide Ming Ming and were off to our hotel. Again, we have connecting rooms with the kids. This is a great hotel. It is in a great location and after we unpacked, we went for a walk through the neighborhood. We found several restaurants along a strip by our hotel. Nothing was in English. We decided WHAT THE HECK an went in and just pointed at the food we wanted. We ended up with some very good food. Tom ended up with a huge pot of fish head soup. He did not mean to order it, but it ended up being so delicious that we all helped him eat it. . We cannot believe the ease at which Noah and Leah take in this culture change. We have had people compliment us every day as far as how awesome their behavior is. Tis is second nature to them...the world of a child!! When it is not tainted it is pretty incredible how they see the world in a simple and wonderful way.Tomorrow
is THE big day. We are as ready as we can be. We have a little bag of activities for the kids and a little area in the hotel room that has a bunch of stuff for Henry.
So in 13 hours we will meet him...pretty amazing. Here are some pictures from the last couple of days.

Beijing

We made it in last night very late. Noah and Leah traveled so well it was unbelievable. I kept waiting for a meltdown...nothing. It was incredible. We stopped over in Narita, Japan and had a beer and a snack. Actually, that last 4 hr leg was the toughest as it was 3AM in our bodies. The kids did power though and we got to he hotel, showered and snuggled in for the night. We have connecting rooms with the kids and that it nice.We crashed for about 6 hours and then were off for a great day. We ate a great breakfast at the hotel. I ate all Chinese type food while the rest of the family played it safe...until they saw how good my food looked. They decided to be brave and tried pickled octopus We started at Forbidden City and Tian'amen Square. Even though I had been there before, it was just as magnificent the second time. Tom and the kids loved it. Our guide, Rocky, is very nice and we have him all to ourselves. Our driver, Mr. Shu, can navigate like a rockstar through BJ traffic. I will get to that in a minute.
We ate lunch at a vegetarian place near our hotel. Noah hated everything, but Tom, Leah and I LOVED the food and ate way to much.
Next, we went to the Temple of Heaven. There were so many people there that we were unable to get a good look into the temple itself. We did enjoy walking around and people watching. Noah and several   people take pictures of him and with him today. They also rubbed his hair. He was embarrassed even though we told him this would happen. As for Leah, well, people just stare and do a double-take of our family.Several people took pictures of all 4 of us. Leah LOVES it here and thinks it is pretty cool to not be the minority. It is nice for us to show her a China that is not scary or unkind. She is meeting wonderful people and seeing beautiful art. She said to me that she wished she had a sketchbook with her so she could draw all she sees.
We went to a teahouse after the TOH. It was a nice break to a very fast- paced day. However, I ended up spending 200 dollars for a large container of my favorite tea (pu'uer)  and Tom almost had the big one....we at least got three "pee pee boy's for free (fellow tea-housers know what I mean).
After that, we went to the Acrobatic Show. My friend Heather and I went this a few years ago. This time though,  we were in the front row. It scared us...there were balancing acts all around us that I thought for sure would come crashing down on top of us. As a matter of fact, a clown, yes...a clown (and I do fear a clown) did a juggling act in front of Noah and Tom with "hot" tea. At the end of the act, the teacups came falling down toward Noah and Tom went to protect him........JOKE. It was all on purpose. Then several other acts had Leah and I ready to run for the hills. She and I were laughing so hard! The ride back to the hotel took a very long time. Our driver can weave in and out of traffic like nobody's business. The kids were amazed at the amount of horn-honking that goes on. It is crazy!!!
We finally returned, exhausted, at 7:45. The kids wrote in their journals and are now working on some brain-games. Tomorrow is a free day for us. Tom will visit the Shell office in Beijing, while the kids and I walk around the city. The kids are curious and want to explore. Saturday we will go to the Great Wall. Sunday we head to Shanghai on the bullet train and prepare for the newest member of our family. If I have jumbled my words, misspelled or just do not make sense...forgive me. Trying to get used to the time change. Love to you all. Miss my Eric!!! Now for some pictures!!!

Here goes Everything

We had a great drive from Spokane to Seattle this afternoon. Tom came home from work to pick us up - and for the first time ever, we were actually ready to go. We stood in our kitchen looking at each other, the dogs, the house, the kids, the dust, the pine needles...and really there was nothing to do but simply get into the car and drive. The kids and Tom fell asleep and I got to drive while lost in thought. After a couple of hours, they were awake and hungry and not happy to see the long line of traffic on 405. We made it and ate great BBQ.
Tom and the kids are swimming while I write. We are attempting to have the kids use every single muscle they have before loading them onto a very long plane ride. About 10 hours after we land, we will be on the Great Wall of China. Once we do land, we are going to hit the ground running. A nice man looked at Leah tonight and asked her what she will do in China....she answered, "paperwork". I just laughed...
So here goes everything. So much has has happened these last nine months and I cannot believe the time is here. So again, here goes everything. What a ride this will be. Keep us in your prayers.

Five Days!!

Well...we have our final itinerary and we are very close! As you can see from the picture above, we are attempting to go COO. We each have a carry on piece or the overhead bin and a backpack with items that we will need on the plane. I am pretty sure that we will not be COO on the way home, but we have a three hour layover in Seattle, so checking luggage on the way back won't be a big deal. Here is what our time in China looks like:

Oct 8: Seattle
Oct. 9: Fly to Beijing
Oct. 10-14: Fun in Beijing
Oct. 14: Bullet train to Shanghai
Oct 15: MEET HENRY
Oct 15-19: Meet Henry; tour Shanghai; visit the orphanage and complete provincial paperwork for the adoption
Oct. 19-25: Fly to Guangzhou China for Henry's medical check, appointment at the US Consulate to make it all official...
Oct 25-28: Train to Hong Kong where we will tour around this beautiful city and take the kids to Hong Kong Disneyland.
Oct. 28: HOME

I find myself going through all sorts of emotions. So many people want to know "how are you doing" "how are you holding up"......I am fine. I really am. It is the anticipation that stinks. I know that he is being moved to the orphanage in a few days. I feel sad for him and his foster family. They love each other very much and I think are a little shocked this is actually happening. I started this blog less than 9 months ago and look where we are. I am a planner. A person who wants the questions answered before I ask them. I am annoying like that. Well, I am trying very hard not to be that person right now.

The truth is, I am very excited. I know all of the things that could possibly go wrong, however, I also know of all of the things that can (and will eventually) go right. It is not going to be "love at first sight" and it is going to be awkward. We will have to figure out our new family. But I am so excited! I feel so blessed that our family is getting bigger. I know we are in for many surprises. We are setting up our VPN to be able to blog and keep in touch with everyone. I hope I have brought enough gifts to give out and that I have packed what we will need. Ready or now...here we go!!!!

TA!

We got travel approval today! We leave for Beijing on October 9th out of Seattle!!!! We will spend 4 days there touring and visiting friends before taking the bullet train to Shanghai, on the 15th, one month from today we will meet Zhao Chenpin...., aka Henry. We will stay in SH for five days then head to Guangzhou to the American Embassy where the rest of the paperwork is completed. It has been one year since we decided to adopt again. It has been 7 months with Henry in our hearts. I am at so much peace now the wheels are in motion. We have time to finish the house and prepare our jobs for our absences, I am giddy with exhaustion. So happy to be moving on with the day we will meeting our son and completing our family!

Mooncakes

Soon it will be MidAutumn moon festival in China. We have sent a care package to our son and his foster family. I wrote a thank you note to Henry's foster parents. Each day I pray that we get to meet them. It is not usual, but my thought is since he is older it would be cool to bring him back to the people who raised him for the first several years. I am not going to take him back to the orphanage when he is older. His memories are with his foster family in a village quite away from the SWI. That is where it begins for him. Hope! That's all I have at this point. I have no control over whether or not CCCWA will allow this.... But stranger things have happened.
On another note, we should get TA anytime this week. If this happens we will leave October 9th and meet Henry the 15th. One month until we leave. I am starting to cry at the drop if a hat. I am extremely emotional and if the word ADOPTION or anything associated with it is mentioned, I tear up! I did the same thing with Leah. Once we get the gotcha! Date and consulate appointment I can put the paperwork nightmare behind me and focus on the family and upcoming changes. We are going to be gone for three whole weeks!!!