Coming and Going

This week we received our Notice of Coming from China, inviting us to travel to China to proceed with our adoption. We also received our travel documents and itinerary and there have been requests to post this. So here we go - my somewhat modified version of the adventure awaiting us.

Wednesday, July 22. Our last OB clinic. See 95 pregnant ladies. Run like hell. Go home to last minute pack. Sister Anne and her hubby Scott arrive around 8 pm.

Thursday, July 23. 6 am flight to Toronto, 7 1/2 hour layover in Toronto, eat 8000 calories and drink 6 latte's in business class lounge, shop for ETOH in duty free, try to entertain Lil without overuse of ETOH.

Friday July 24. Arrive in Beijing after 14 hour flight in which Lil talked for 13 1/2 hours. Meet guide who takes us to the Jian Guo Garden Hotel. Discover mix up in reservations that has the five of us sleeping in one double bed. Unpack.

Saturday July 25. Free time to rest and relax at Jian Guo Garden Hotel. 6 year old is invigorated after 20 minutes sleep in the last 48 hours...wants to go swimming, see the Birds Nest, shop for shoes. Outside temp is 36 degrees Celsius. Air is green. Adults are comatose. We take turns changing the batteries in her Leapster.

Sunday, July 26. Pack. Take 3 1/2 hour flight to Nanning and get transferred to the Majestic Hotel. Unpack. Sleep 16 hours.

Monday, July 27. GOTCHA DAY. Lots of excitement, crying, photos. Discover Grace is afraid of blonde hair.

Tuesday, July 28. Paperwork day at Civil Affairs Office. Tony tries to speak Mandarin to every official. Inside temperature 36 degrees celcius. Gracie officially becomes a member of the family. Try to get baby to sit still for passport photo. Discover Grace is not potty trained.

Wednesday, July 29. Visit Qing Xia Shan Park and Flower and Bird Market. Mary starts weeding on reflex. Try some exotic local foods. Begin gravol 50 mg IM every four hours with sips of electrolyte solution. Send clothes out to laundry.

Thursday, July 30. Shop the local walmart for bottle and nipple Grace will use, as she doesn`t like any of the 20 we brought with us. Discover that Grace prefers Lily`s prize water bottle. Sibling rivalry begins.

Friday, July 31. Pick up Grace`s passport. Try to get clothes back from laundry. Pack. Break up fight over Polly Pockets. Wash strained peaches out of hair.

Saturday, August 1. Fly from Nanning to Beijing. Back to Jian Garden Hotel. Unpack. Lil has meltdown because she thinks we were flying home. Try to get Grace to sit still for visa photo. Find the nearest McDonald`s as consolation and inhale biggie sized meal. Resume Gravol 50 mg IM q4h.

Sunday, August 2. Tour the Great Wall with lunch included. 39 degrees and climbing. Tony and Scott get the t-shirt. The sane stay in the air conditioned bus. We tie the girls together and they run around the bus for 2 hours.

Monday, August 3. Medical exam for Grace. Baby bites the doctor. Discover that Grace`s stated weight on her referral included 3 layers of clothing and a snowsuit. Go to Canadian Embassy to complete citizenship paperwork in afternoon. Fun and games with government workers all promoted from Canada Post.

Tuesday, August 4. Visit Tian an Men Square and Forbidden City. Peking Duck Dinner in evening. Baby discovers dumplings and eats six of them. Baby throws up on Dad on the busride back to the hotel. Send clothing to laundry.

Wednesday, August 5. Pick up visa. Shop underground market. Buy 15 pairs of shoes, 30 DVD`s and new suitcase. Eat vegetarian. Find laundry and pack.

Thursday, August 6. Depart Beijing at 1800 hrs. Arrive in Toronto before we left. Lil has meltdown because she thought we were leaving Grace in China. Get connecting flight and arrive home at 2357. Kids think it`s lunchtime. Adults are comatose. Stagger to Momvan and drive thru MacDonald`s and then home. Discover Grace is afraid of dogs.

Friday, August 7. Settle in for the next 50 years.