Preparing

We found out very suddenly that we'd be travelling to China to get our daughter Kate Xiaomei....finally!!! I got a call last Monday morning, at around 10AM, from Chris at EAC. She said it was going to be a good Monday. I figured she was just calling to finally give me a travel date, little did I know the travel date would be for the following Thursday!!!! I thought we had a month or two to prepare!!! Chris then told me she needed to know in an hour. I hurridly called Sally, who called Bob. Then I called the high school and had them track down Ron (who had not gone down for his regularly scheduled nap....yes he naps at work!!!) Of course there really was no question as to whether we would go, I suppose I should have just said "yes" right away. But I think I was probably so shocked I didn't really know what to say!

Since then we have been trying to prepare. That Monday I had to get our passports, fill out Visa forms and send it all by overnight fedex to Chicago. We got that all back by Friday.

We have NOTHING ready for the baby. Ron will get the crib and changing table from Blair and Tracy while I am gone. Thankfully we had gotten a crib mattress from Karl and Linnea a few weeks ago. People have been so overwhelmingly kind and giving to us, I cannot even begin to wrap my mind around it. We had given away all of our baby clothes and toys. Friends have passed on things to us. We were supposed to have a shower but couldn't because the date got bumped up, the women at church gave us the carseat ahead of time so Ron would have it when we get back. I have met 4 different families just recently who have been so helpful with information about travelling and adopting. All have been helpful in different ways and all have given me different information that I will hopefully remember!!!

My goals for the next day or so is to.....
1......get my paperwork figured out.
2......figure out my packing. The bags can only be 44 pounds.
3......call the bank and make sure my credit card will work in China

I think I am going to take my laptop. One of the famlies took theirs and said it was definately a lifesaver. I think it would be worth doing. They said to look into skype too. I guess I should think about that in the next day or so.