Monday, November 30, 2009
Kate has been watching me stress over details, paperwork, to do lists, etc....
Tonight I just couldn't help but express my worries out loud. She just delivered
this note to me on a Christmas notecard.
November 30, 2009
Dear Mom,
I love you. The angel loves you. You are the sweetest mom of all.
Love,
Kate
This one goes into keepsake!
amy
Tonight I just couldn't help but express my worries out loud. She just delivered
this note to me on a Christmas notecard.
November 30, 2009
Dear Mom,
I love you. The angel loves you. You are the sweetest mom of all.
Love,
Kate
This one goes into keepsake!
amy
Count Down
Seems impossible that in less than five days we will be on the long flight to China!
I still have so much to do! We realized we never had our driver's licenses changed to
reflect our current address when we moved in August. Nothing like procrastination!
Our visas are not here yet, but they were expedited to be here on Wednesday... I will
relax when I have them in my hands!!!
So many other small things to do as well. We got all of our Christmas storage boxes
out yesterday only to discover that our tree ornaments are missing. Nowhere to be
found. I did find 6 in a box they shouldn't have been!!! So, that makes for one more thing to add to my to do list when I should have checked off "decorate house". After all the stress of getting ready, I think I am looking forward to that long plane ride to Beijing afterall!!
The girls went back to school today, so I have to use my time wisely...LOL
When we traveled for Kate and Grace, I didn't have Facebook to distract me.
I also didn't have so many special friends keeping me laughing and lifting
me up!
amy
I still have so much to do! We realized we never had our driver's licenses changed to
reflect our current address when we moved in August. Nothing like procrastination!
Our visas are not here yet, but they were expedited to be here on Wednesday... I will
relax when I have them in my hands!!!
So many other small things to do as well. We got all of our Christmas storage boxes
out yesterday only to discover that our tree ornaments are missing. Nowhere to be
found. I did find 6 in a box they shouldn't have been!!! So, that makes for one more thing to add to my to do list when I should have checked off "decorate house". After all the stress of getting ready, I think I am looking forward to that long plane ride to Beijing afterall!!
The girls went back to school today, so I have to use my time wisely...LOL
When we traveled for Kate and Grace, I didn't have Facebook to distract me.
I also didn't have so many special friends keeping me laughing and lifting
me up!
amy
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Itinerary
THURSDAY DECEMBER 3rd...
Drive to Nashville and spend night
FRIDAY DECEMBER 4th
Depart Nashville, TN 6:22 am CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
Arrive Newark, NJ 9:29 am
Depart Newark, NJ 12:15 pm
SATURDAY DECEMBER 5th
Arrive Beijing, China 3:00 pm
(Flight was 13 hours 45 minutes!!)
Depart Beijing 8:00 pm AIR CHINA
Arrive Nanjing 9:50 pm
MONDAY DECEMBER 7th
Meet Aiden YinQiang !!!
FRIDAY DECEMBER 10th
Arrive Guangzhou
FRIDAY DECEMBER 18th
Depart Guangzhou 10:00 am
Arrive Beijing 1:00 pm
Depart Beijing 5:00 pm
Arrive Newark, NJ 5:35 pm
Depart Newark, NJ 9:00 pm
Arrive Nashville,TN 10:42 pm
Drive to Nashville and spend night
FRIDAY DECEMBER 4th
Depart Nashville, TN 6:22 am CONTINENTAL AIRLINES
Arrive Newark, NJ 9:29 am
Depart Newark, NJ 12:15 pm
SATURDAY DECEMBER 5th
Arrive Beijing, China 3:00 pm
(Flight was 13 hours 45 minutes!!)
Depart Beijing 8:00 pm AIR CHINA
Arrive Nanjing 9:50 pm
MONDAY DECEMBER 7th
Meet Aiden YinQiang !!!
FRIDAY DECEMBER 10th
Arrive Guangzhou
FRIDAY DECEMBER 18th
Depart Guangzhou 10:00 am
Arrive Beijing 1:00 pm
Depart Beijing 5:00 pm
Arrive Newark, NJ 5:35 pm
Depart Newark, NJ 9:00 pm
Arrive Nashville,TN 10:42 pm
Today I will be pulling out the Christmas decorations. This is the earliest I can
remember decorating, but since we only have 5 more days until we leave....it's time!
I want the house to be festive for the girls and their "keepers" while we are in
China. I am putting out Christmas napkins and plates, candles, and other small trinkets
as well as decorating the porch with garland and lights. Still deciding on where to
put the tree as this is our first Christmas in this house. My hope is that it is
cheery and bright to keep the Kate and Grace excited!
I still have many more things to do....stocking the fridge, washing Aiden's clothes
before packing them, gathering and organizing all our very important paperwork, going
over and over all my lists, making the girls calendar so they can count down the days until we return, wrapping their tiny gifts to open while we are gone, etc..etc...
I am so glad you all are here to follow our trip. We are very excited that in a week we will have our son and last child in our arms. You heard me LAST CHILD! LOL
much love,
amy
remember decorating, but since we only have 5 more days until we leave....it's time!
I want the house to be festive for the girls and their "keepers" while we are in
China. I am putting out Christmas napkins and plates, candles, and other small trinkets
as well as decorating the porch with garland and lights. Still deciding on where to
put the tree as this is our first Christmas in this house. My hope is that it is
cheery and bright to keep the Kate and Grace excited!
I still have many more things to do....stocking the fridge, washing Aiden's clothes
before packing them, gathering and organizing all our very important paperwork, going
over and over all my lists, making the girls calendar so they can count down the days until we return, wrapping their tiny gifts to open while we are gone, etc..etc...
I am so glad you all are here to follow our trip. We are very excited that in a week we will have our son and last child in our arms. You heard me LAST CHILD! LOL
much love,
amy
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Journey to Zhang Yin Qiang
Hi Friends and Family!
Thank you for loving us enough to follow our long journey to bring Zhang Yin Qiang
home from China. I made the journey shorter for you by cutting out the long paperchase and bringing you to the week before we depart for China! LOL....
Many, well most of you, have been unaware of our adding another child to our already
large family. The new process of international adoption is difficult, lengthy, and
unpredictable. There are many new rules, lots and lots of paperwork, and changes in
the process overall. Until you get the final "okay you can come" message, it feels
uncertain. Adoption is a leap of faith regardless, and making your way through each
step and requirement while changes are being implemented causes doubt at times that
this child will ever come home and join your family. Despite the hoops, hurdles, and
new rules, we received word from China on November 11, 2009 that we had permission
to finally travel to officially adopt our new son.
Zhang Yin Qiang was born April 28, 2007 in Zhangjiagang, China. He was born with
a cleft lip and palate. His medical report shows that he had his lip repaired as
an infant. As far as we know his palate has not been repaired, so our wonderful
surgeon Larry Sargent will take care of his needs once we are home and adjusted.
We feel very comfortable with this birth defect since Kate and Grace were also
born cleft affected.
The meaning of our childrens' names has been important to us. They always truly
fit their personality or somehow intertwine with us in some way. The translation
of Yin means "silver". Silver a family name on Rick's side was the maiden name of Rick's mother now deceased. So, this has been a clear red thread for us. Qiang means
"strong" in English. How perfect! Searching for the combination of an American
name to combine with a Chinese name is actually fun for me. It did take many
months though to decide on Aiden for this son's name. Aiden is of Celtic origin
and means "fire". He will be Aiden YinQiang McAfee....combining Irish with Chinese.
LOL.. Actually, it was decided the day I was browsing in the children's section
of Home Goods and saw a precious blue and white pillow with Aiden embroidered on
it...Ah ha!even the same spelling we had decided on!!! That sealed the deal.
This is my first experience with a blog, so bear with me.
I want to thank my very creative friend and fellow adoptive mom,
Cynthia, for setting this blog up, uploading the pictures of Aiden I have been
sent, and giving me instructions on how to manage it!! Word is that blog sites
are blocked in China, so I will have someone here in the states upload my comments
and pictures during our trip.
We fly out of Nashville early Friday morning December 4th....yes! One week left
until lift off!!!! Our girls are staying at home with some very gracious friends
who offered to keep them on schedule and give them hugs and kisses until we return
on Dec.18th.......This will be a whirlwind holiday, but in the end one of the most
special ones celebrated yet!
Thanks for joining us!
Thank you for loving us enough to follow our long journey to bring Zhang Yin Qiang
home from China. I made the journey shorter for you by cutting out the long paperchase and bringing you to the week before we depart for China! LOL....
Many, well most of you, have been unaware of our adding another child to our already
large family. The new process of international adoption is difficult, lengthy, and
unpredictable. There are many new rules, lots and lots of paperwork, and changes in
the process overall. Until you get the final "okay you can come" message, it feels
uncertain. Adoption is a leap of faith regardless, and making your way through each
step and requirement while changes are being implemented causes doubt at times that
this child will ever come home and join your family. Despite the hoops, hurdles, and
new rules, we received word from China on November 11, 2009 that we had permission
to finally travel to officially adopt our new son.
Zhang Yin Qiang was born April 28, 2007 in Zhangjiagang, China. He was born with
a cleft lip and palate. His medical report shows that he had his lip repaired as
an infant. As far as we know his palate has not been repaired, so our wonderful
surgeon Larry Sargent will take care of his needs once we are home and adjusted.
We feel very comfortable with this birth defect since Kate and Grace were also
born cleft affected.
The meaning of our childrens' names has been important to us. They always truly
fit their personality or somehow intertwine with us in some way. The translation
of Yin means "silver". Silver a family name on Rick's side was the maiden name of Rick's mother now deceased. So, this has been a clear red thread for us. Qiang means
"strong" in English. How perfect! Searching for the combination of an American
name to combine with a Chinese name is actually fun for me. It did take many
months though to decide on Aiden for this son's name. Aiden is of Celtic origin
and means "fire". He will be Aiden YinQiang McAfee....combining Irish with Chinese.
LOL.. Actually, it was decided the day I was browsing in the children's section
of Home Goods and saw a precious blue and white pillow with Aiden embroidered on
it...Ah ha!even the same spelling we had decided on!!! That sealed the deal.
This is my first experience with a blog, so bear with me.
I want to thank my very creative friend and fellow adoptive mom,
Cynthia, for setting this blog up, uploading the pictures of Aiden I have been
sent, and giving me instructions on how to manage it!! Word is that blog sites
are blocked in China, so I will have someone here in the states upload my comments
and pictures during our trip.
We fly out of Nashville early Friday morning December 4th....yes! One week left
until lift off!!!! Our girls are staying at home with some very gracious friends
who offered to keep them on schedule and give them hugs and kisses until we return
on Dec.18th.......This will be a whirlwind holiday, but in the end one of the most
special ones celebrated yet!
Thanks for joining us!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
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