We leave in 11 days!

We can not believe that this time has come so quickly for us. It seems like just the other day that we received the phone call about Maddy and now we are leaving in a little over a week!

Wow, talk about two spastic lunatics that have been running around for the last couple of months! It has been crazy running around accomplishing errands and completing paperwork. Maddy's room is now painted and ready to go. Jim did a great job painting her room and he also put up shelves in her closet. It looks great. Rachael is coming over this weekend to help with the curtains and we are ready to go!! Yay!!

For the most part we are 99% packed with all of our prescription meds, over the counter meds, snacks for us, toys for Maddy and our minimum amount of clothes for each of us. Jim and I are only bringing one-two pairs of pants a piece, 3 pairs of shorts, 4 t-shirts and 2 pairs of shoes. This is major underpacking for us as we tend to over pack but we can get our laundry done there so no worries. Now for Maddy, we have a few more outfits than for us since we are not sure about her size. If none of them fit it's okay we will donate them to the orphanage and get her some new clothes in China. We plan to buy her lots of stuff anyways. They have the cutest little shoes that squeak so we plan to buy Maddy many different pairs including custom made Chinese dresses. I think I may get a top done for myself. It's awesome these ladies in China take your measurements and whip out a top or dress or no time.

The following is our itinerary. We have some great days of siteseeing in Beijing and are looking forward to it. The Great Wall - one of the world's greatest wonders. I can not believe we are going to see it! We can not wait until our orientation with our agency where we receive updated info about Maddy as well as meet others in our travel group.

We will receive Maddy on the 12th in China but actually it will be mother's day here in the states. We will fly south to Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton). She is in an orphanage there. It will be a 4 hour drive (one way) from her orphanage to the civil affairs building where we will meet her. We are hoping that one of us will be able to make a trek to her orphanage to see where she was living and to see her finding place. We would just like to check out the area she is from. We were told that we will not find out until we get to Guangzhou and meet her if we will be able to go to the orphanage or not.

Most importantly, we will be there sharing Maddy's 1st birthday with her on the 17th! We are very excited. We will see if she wants to eat some cake or something equilvant to that and we will have to find a candle for her to try to help her blow out.

While we are in Guangzhou, we are hoping to go to the zoo, some good shopping
(jade and pearl markets) and to the Buddhist Temple where she will be blessed. We are going to maybe try to sign up for a few more outings but we need to see how Maddy does while we are there. We are planning on sending a lot of time in the hotel room hanging out leeting her adjust to these two new strangers who will be here parents.

More info to come.....

The following is our itinerary:
May / 06 Portland, Oregon / Tokyo NW5 (2:25P / 4:55P +1day)
May / 07 Tokyo / Beijing NW11 (6:30P / 9:40P)

May / 21 Guangzhou / Narita NW10 (8:20A / 1:45P)
May / 21 Narita / Portland, Oregon NW6 (3:15P / 8:10A)


May/7 Wednesday
You will arrive in Beijing at 9:40pm by NW11.
Please meet our English-speaking tour guide and driver at airport exit for transfer to
Hotel after going through immigration and customs. Jian Guo Garden Hotel
May/8 Thursday Jian Guo Garden Hotel (B)
Free day
Mar/9 Friday Jian Guo Garden Hotel (B/L)
Please meet our English-speaking tour guide and driver at hotel lobby for tour to
Forbidden City & Summer Palace and Acrobatics Show at night.
May/10 Saturday Jian Guo Garden Hotel (B/L)
Please meet our English-speaking tour guide and driver at hotel lobby for tour to
Great Wall (including Cloissone Factory) & Hutong Lane.
May/11 Sunday Jian Guo Garden Hotel (B/L)
9:30 Orientation in Hotel Meeting Room
Half day tour of Tiananmen Square and Temple of Heaven after group lunch.
May12 Monday (B)
Airport transfer
Beijing / Guangzhou CA1321 (8:35am/11:40am) (Your local host has the tickets)
Please meet our guide at the airport for the transfer to hotel
Got-cha Day! White Swan Hotel
May/13 Tuesday White Swan Hotel (B)
Registration at C/A
May/14 Wednesday White Swan Hotel (B)
Apply for Chinese passport
May/15 Thursday White Swan Hotel (B)
Free day
May/16 Friday White Swan Hotel (B)
Optional activities arranged by Holt. Schedule to be announced by your Holt
escort.
May/17 Saturday White Swan Hotel (B)
Free day
May/18 Sunday White Swan Hotel (B)
Optional activities arranged by Holt. Schedule to be announced by your Holt
escort.
May/19 Monday White Swan Hotel (B)
Visa appointment
May/20 Tuesday White Swan Hotel (B)
Oath-taking ceremony
May/21 Wednesday (B)
Your guide will take you to the airport
You will take NW10 at 8:20am back to U.S.