We Made It!!!

OK, you know how the previous day went...well, our flight from Tokyo to Beijing was uneventful, really perfect…ALMOST!! As the plane landed and taxi’d to the gate, the pilot announced…you guessed it – “we have a sick passenger on board, please stay seated while the medical officials board the plane and tend to the passenger”. I just knew they were going to quarantine the entire plane! About six people came on, checked the guy out and then let us all off. We made it to Beijing and to our hotel!!! The driver that picked us up at the airport did not speak English. Our guide was with the group, but did keep in touch with the driver to be sure we made it to the hotel. He also told the driver to write down the place we were to meet our group so we could hand it to a taxi driver once we checked in and dropped of our luggage. The taxi ride, we’ll call the driver Mr. Toad, was a wild ride…we just held on tight! There were bicyclists everywhere and even saw one being tended to by an ambulance. I just wanted to close my eyes the whole way. Barry was asking…where are we going…do we know the name of the place…what’s the address of our hotel…how are we getting back to our hotel???? It was kind of funny; we were worried about separate things. I just wanted out of that cab, not a bit nervous about finding my way around

There are five families here and we’ll meet up with the three others in Nanning. They’re all great! Today we went to a jade factory, the Great Wall (we can say we’ve actually seen one of the wonders of the world!), a pearl store, and finished up at the Summer Palace (where the emperors would hang for summer).

Our guide told us the Great Wall is about 3000 miles long, something like California to Washington, D.C. It truly was breathtaking, imagining how hard people worked to create this over 2000 years ago. We climbed as far as we could to get some good views, but the day was very hazy, so the far away shots didn’t turn out as well as the eye could see. The Summer Palace was amazing…temples, gardens (not much to see though in the winter), walkways, and homes built all the way around a HUGE man made lake. It really was beautiful, but again, the haze wouldn’t allow for any far away pictures.

We are pooped! Here’s a few from today…we head for the airport at 10:30 tomorrow/Sunday morning to go to Nanning. We’ll call when we get checked in to our hotel there. Can’t wait to get our Sophie…Love to all!!!

The travel adventure begins!

We arrived at the airport bright and early! During the big security check we all discovered I had packed the Pedialyte in the carry on..rats, it was confiscated. I already feel like a terrible mom! We got to the plane in plenty of time for our 7:00 a.m. departure, boarded, and taxi'd out to the runway, when the pilot stated we had a passenger in medical distress and had to turn back. Fire rescue came, the man got off the plane, but then the baggage folks had to unload all the luggage to find his. Reload the luggage, REFUEL the plane and take off at 8:30!! We had a layover in Memphis and still hoped to make the flight...We didn't.

So, we board another plane in Memphis headed to Detroit. All right!!! With the layover in Detroit, certainly, we'll make the flight from Detroit to Tokyo. Notice I said, "we board"..no moving of the plane. They can't get the door closed..gotta get a mechanic..he doesn't have a flashlight - wait Super Flight Attendant Suellen comes to the rescue! And we're off, still hoping to make the flight in Detroit. Barry tells Suellen about the Jacksonville flight...we're adopting...gotta get to Beijing...Super Flight Attendant Suellen gets our last row of the plane seats moved to the front of the plane before we land! She also gives us 4 free meal/drink tickets. We rush off the plane in Detroit only to discover our plane left.

Not to worry, there is another plane leaving for Tokyo at 1:45...ahh, we can slow down a bit. We board, there's plenty of room to spread out, the flight should even be a bit shorter than the one we missed. Yipee!!! We can make the connection in Tokyo to Beijing!!! We're off...here comes the hot towels, dinner selections - NO black bean sauce, thank you!!, and we relax...Here comes two flight attendants RUNNING down the aisle. The look on their faces certainly provided no comfort. We hear "Is there a doctor on the plane, please, we need a doctor or nurse". I did begin to cry a little at this point, but it's not about me...and quickly said a prayer for the man lying on the ground. Then, "does anyone have a flashlight??" I run over (he's 5 rows behind us) with the one Tracey put in my carry on. Someone came with a bigger one. Does anyone have double A batteries, someone runs over. Apparently, they also found a diabetes alert ID on him. They end up with 2 doctors and some other medical folks working on him, while a flight attendant connects with Mayo. They also find the passenger's daughter's phone number and get in touch with her. About 20 minutes later, the man is moving a bit. The pilot announces that the plane will divert to Minneapolis to get the passenger to a hospital. We were well into Canada at that point.

That is the point I begin writing all this down! I think of Tracey and Eric, all they went through to bring Jack and Ava into our lives, and all the joy they've brought to our lives. I simmer down, we WILL get to Sophie!

We land, after circling forests FOREVER to dump fuel...apparently it's too dangerous to land aircraft with full tanks. The passenger appears much better...crisis over! We get back in the air and decide to put the drink tickets to use! Of course, we realize we will miss the connection flight to Beijing and wonder what we'll do. The entire staff of Northwest couldn't have handled all these situations better and put our ENTIRE plane up at nice hotels in the immediate area. Right now we're at the ANA Narita Hotel in Tokyo. The toilet seat is one of those soft cushy ones that is HEATED...very nice. We'll head to Beijing tomorrow at 10:45 a.m. and get there by 2:00 p.m....God willing! We'll miss a bit of touring, but catch up with everyone I'm sure!

Please keep us in your prayers!!

Love to all,

Testing...testing...

Testing from Barry's laptop...just a couple of pictures from summer.
















Can't wait for Sophie to be in on all the fun!!!

Giving Thanks

What a wonderful day! Mom joined Barry and me for a HUGE meal in Fernandina with Barry's side of the family. We had so much fun watching and playing with all the little ones. This year's event was organized by Mandy, who is just about to pop! Her c-section is scheduled for 11/30...we'll be praying for her and Katelyn.

Below are some pictures from my last day at school, 11/20. Some former students made a cool sign and posted it at the gates to our school, then my third period class gave me a little surprise party. I'll be missing them all!











I just can't say enough how thankful I am...how truly blessed I feel...to have the husband, family, and friends that I have.

Love to all,

9 Days to go...

Tracey made an incredible dvd for us...and saved it for the end of the shower, thank goodness! I've been trying so hard to upload it...I must figure this out before I leave!!!

I need a backup battery for my camera...backup camera in case mine goes on the blink, need to download the webcam to the computer at the house - got it on Barry's laptop and he can call me through his laptop via SKYPE, but want to get it on the house computer so when he's out of town, we can see and talk to Daddy :) Got the "extra touch" I was looking for to finish her room, gotta get that up. Still need a few more gifts of appreciation for the nanny's that have taken care of her, gotta go grocery shopping for a few food items we want to take (I finally did find travel toilet paper, by the way:) like Cheerios, Gerber fruit bites, and baby prunes in case of...well, you know. I just remembered I need some Benedryl!

What else am I forgetting????

We're coming to get you, baby girl, and love you so much!
Mommy and Daddy

10 more days...holding on...

We're counting down the days...so much still to do. Today, mom and I washed baby clothes, toys, and bottles, boiled nipples (never dreamed "I" would need to boil nipples!), cleaned out cabinets, put away books, bath items...and there's still more! Two more days of school, then I'll finish up and get packed this weekend...gotta work that luggage down to 44 pounds each - not so easy considering all the things we need to take! Here's a couple of pics from the shower...check out the ladybug cupcakes Sheila (a.k.a. Aunt Lala) made!!
































Jamie sent a poem that she came across...it's beautiful, thank you!

Until Forever

From Tom Fisher

This morning in China a mother cries
She’ll never forget her daughter’s eyes
Her heart is broken and filled with pain
The tears run down like the falling rain.

She has no choice but to leave her there
The cost of keeping is too much to bear
She hopes her daughter will one day know
True love can be found in letting her go.

This morning in China a baby cries
Hungry and scared as tears fill her eyes
Her mother has left her in this public place
Another lost daughter of the Chinese race.

Someone passing by has heard her soft moan
She’s soon quickly taken to a foster home
It’s here she’ll reside in the care of another
Until she’s adopted by a brand new mother.

That very same moment, in the U.S.A.
A woman cries as she starts to pray
Her heart is heavy but filled with much love
She prays for a daughter she thinks the world of.

“Dear Jesus I ask that your arms would be
Wrapped tightly around the one picked for me
Guard her in China ‘till I make my way
And then in my arms forever she’ll stay.”

Good night and Love to all...

Travel plans are set!!

It's all becoming so real. We had the most incredible baby shower this weekend! I'm overwhelmed by all the people that came and the generous gifts they gave, truly overwhelmed. Tracey hosted the party at her house and everything was just beautiful - and thanks, Kelley...owner of Kelley's Bloom Room...a little plug...Hopefully, I can get pictures posted soon.

And now...for the "DATES"

We leave Jax on Wednesday, 11/28, at 7:00 a.m. After a few stops and about 24 hours of flying we arrive in Beijing on Thursday, 11/29, at 9:15 p.m. Remember, they're 12 hours ahead of us, so it'll be 9:15 Thursday morning here. We'll do a few days of touring there...to see the Great Wall - did you know it can be seen from the moon!, Tianenman Square, the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven...whatever we can fit in!

Sunday, 12/2, we'll fly south to Nanning and get our precious baby girl Monday morning, 12/3 - the day before her 1st birthday! How lucky can we get??!! Lots of paperwork to do there to process the Chinese portion of the adoption...so she can leave the country, but we should have plenty of time to explore that area as well.

Sunday, 12/9, we'll take a short flight to Guangzhou, to process the American portion of the adoption...so she can enter the USA!! Everything will be wrapped up there by the end of the day Wednesday, 12/12.

We'll leave Guangzhou on Thursday, 12/13, at 8:30 a.m. and are scheduled to arrive in Jax on Thursday, 12/13, at 5:23 p.m. on Northwest Airlines Flight 1582 from Detroit. Sophie becomes a United States citizen the second our plane touches American soil! Pray, Pray, Pray that our customs experience is speedy in Detroit. Our layover cuts things pretty close, so we have a backup flight from Detroit that gets us in at 10:00 p.m. same day, if we miss the earlier flight. We'll be sure to let Tracey or Mom know if anything changes...

Thanks for your continued prayers for a safe trip, that Sophie's well, and does well through this transition.

Love to all,
Deb and Barry