"When will you travel to China?"

For those not familiar with China, below you will find the Jiangxi Province in red...Gotta love those southern girls!


And here is a general provincial map of China...


"So, when will you be traveling to get her?" That's the million dollar question everybody asks. Well, I don't know, but this is how it works. We are currently waiting on The China Center of Adoption Affairs to issue what is called a "Travel Approval" letter. This TA let's us know that we are approved to travel to The People's Republic of China for the purpose of adoption, and will let us know what window of time we have to get that accomplished. Once we have the TA, then our agency will secure our appointments with the US Consulate in Guangzhou. The embassy is where her adoption will be complete, and this will be the last city we'll visit in China before returning back home. Once these very important meetings are set, then we and our agency can begin to book flights, hotels, interpreters, guides, etc. around those appointments.

Typically, with China International Adoptions, folks receive their TAs about 3 to 4 weeks after receiving their referral. Travel to China usually occurs 6 to 8 weeks from the time of referral. However, our timing coincides with the Beijing Olympics, which begin August 8th. Some agencies are telling their people that China has told them there will be no travel during olympics...booo! Our agency, however, is working to try and get us over there by mid to late July, which would mean we'd possibly be in China when the games begin, as adoption trips average about 14-16 days. The prayer is that we can go asap! Now that we know who she is and where she is, waiting until after the olympics would kill us.

When I asked the chinese man at the DMV about Jiangxi's weather in the summer, he replied, "Well, have you ever been to Las Vegas in the middle of the summer? Take those temps and add insane humidity and you have Jiangxi weather." Oh, joy! At least I'll feel "at home."

All I DO KNOW FOR SURE is that I've got a load of stuff to do and buy in the next 5 weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's unbelievable how much there is to do in such a short time! You should see the packing lists alone!...Then, there's finishing the nursery. It's almost there, but I'm waiting on my draperies and bedding to be finished and installed. I'll post photos of it soon.....I am going to have to go somewhere like, dare I say it, "BabiesRUs" (Yikes!), and register for things this girl hasn't laid eyes on in 11 years!....Oh, and BABYPROOF this entire house (somebody help me!)....And add the little squirt to our insurance....and at least a million other nesting-type things. Better get off this computer and get going!