Hello! We have not had internet access since our last post. We are sitting in the airport in Hong Kong waiting for our flight to Nanchang. Luckily, the airport has wi-fi, so here is a quick update.
Our time in Hong Kong was filled with meeting the other families and learning about Hong Kong. Now, we are about 5 hours away from getting Carly. We will fly to Nanchang (about an hour flight), be met by our agency reps, and check into our hotel. The orphanages will bring the babies to our hotel.
We are supposed to have good internet access from our next hotel, so we will post more at that time.
Steve, Sandy, Logan, and soon...Carly.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Friday, January 8, 2010
Hong Kong...Finally!
Just a quick update to let everyone know that we have made it to Hong Kong. We're tired (an understatement), but have arrived safely.
Our plane rides began at 3:20 in the afternoon on Wednesday. Thursday disappeared along with the time zones, and Friday arrived 24 hours after we first boarded our plane in St. Louis. Well, everyone here in Hong Kong seems to think it is Friday. We think they just made the airport too big, and lost Thursday in one of the terminals.
For now, we're going to sleep, and hope that it's not Sunday when we wake up.
Thank you to all of you for your prayers!
Our plane rides began at 3:20 in the afternoon on Wednesday. Thursday disappeared along with the time zones, and Friday arrived 24 hours after we first boarded our plane in St. Louis. Well, everyone here in Hong Kong seems to think it is Friday. We think they just made the airport too big, and lost Thursday in one of the terminals.
For now, we're going to sleep, and hope that it's not Sunday when we wake up.
Thank you to all of you for your prayers!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Our Itinerary in China
We will be in China from January 8th through January 23rd. Many people are curious about why we have to stay in China for so long. After all, we get Carly on the 10th. Why can't we just come home? Well, there is still work to do. It's true that we will have a few days free, however, most of the days will be dedicated to some required task or paperwork. Below is the daily itinerary planned for us by our adoption agency, CCAI.
January 6 Leave the U.S. for Hong Kong.
January 8 Arrive in Hong Kong. When you arrive, get your baggage, go through Customs and exit this part of the airport. A CCAI representative will meet you outside Customs & Immigration. Go to the Regal Riverside Hotel.
January 9 Hong Kong Tour prepaid tour.
January 10 Leave Hong Kong for Nanchang on China Eastern flight MU 5018 (11:10-12:40)
Welcomed by CCAI guide Evelyn
Your CCAI guide will be giving you detailed instructions regarding your daily schedule and paperwork.
Receive your child at the hotel this afternoon! Congratulations
January 11 Adoption Registration, Notarization and apply for your child’s passport this afternoon. The passport fee will be collected at the Registration Office. It takes 5 working days to issue the passport. Please note that your adoption is finalized at the time of registration. After this point, the Chinese government prohibits you from relinquishing your child in China.
Trip to the local department store for baby supplies.
January 12 Rest or optional city tours. Ask Evelyn for details.
January 13 Waiting for child’s adoption paperwork to be completed.
January 14 Receive notarized adoption documents this afternoon.
January 15 Receive your child’s Registration Certificate and passport and today. Leave Nanchang for Guangzhou on China Eastern Flight Met by your CCAI representative Jason and Jocelyn Go to the White Swan Hotel.
January 16 Have your child’s visa physical and Hague-required immunizations and visa photo taken this morning. Please meet Jason and Jocelyn at the designated location. Bring child supplies (water, diaper, snack, etc.). Be ready to go!
January 17 Free time. Rest. Shop. Please ask Jason and Jocelyn for details
January 18 Meet with Jason and Jocelyn today to prepare paperwork for the Consulate appointment: Please bring all of your documents and passports to this meeting. Jason and Jocelyn will have the required forms for you to fill out.
January 19 Free time. Rest. Shop. Please ask Jason and Jocelyn for details
January 20 Today is your Consulate appointment. Jason & Jocelyn will deliver your visa packets to the U.S. Consulate Adoption Unit.
January 21 Go to the U.S. Consulate to take the oath in the afternoon. Please bring as few items with you to the Consulate as possible. Backpacks, baby bags or purses are not permitted inside the Consulate. Cell phones or cameras are not allowed in the U.S. Consulate or on the U.S. Consulate grounds.
January 22 Go to the U.S. Consulate to receive your child’s visa packet
January 23 Please check out of your hotel room and be ready to go by the designated time. Thanks!
Bullock - Leave Guangzhou for Shanghai, on China Southern Flight CZ3611@ 9:30
DeLore – Leave Guangzhou for Tokyo on China Southern Flight CZ385 @ 10:20 Booked by you.
Childress - Leave Guangzhou for Hong Kong, on China Southern Flight CZ303 @ 11:10
Rast/Draper, Finn, Freeman, Howard, Russell –
Leave Guangzhou for Hong Kong, on China Southern Flight CZ303 @ 11:10
Ferry & Lee - Leave Guangzhou for Hong Kong, on China Southern Flight
Leave Hong Kong, Beijing or Shanghai for the U.S.
January 6 Leave the U.S. for Hong Kong.
January 8 Arrive in Hong Kong. When you arrive, get your baggage, go through Customs and exit this part of the airport. A CCAI representative will meet you outside Customs & Immigration. Go to the Regal Riverside Hotel.
January 9 Hong Kong Tour prepaid tour.
January 10 Leave Hong Kong for Nanchang on China Eastern flight MU 5018 (11:10-12:40)
Welcomed by CCAI guide Evelyn
Your CCAI guide will be giving you detailed instructions regarding your daily schedule and paperwork.
Receive your child at the hotel this afternoon! Congratulations
January 11 Adoption Registration, Notarization and apply for your child’s passport this afternoon. The passport fee will be collected at the Registration Office. It takes 5 working days to issue the passport. Please note that your adoption is finalized at the time of registration. After this point, the Chinese government prohibits you from relinquishing your child in China.
Trip to the local department store for baby supplies.
January 12 Rest or optional city tours. Ask Evelyn for details.
January 13 Waiting for child’s adoption paperwork to be completed.
January 14 Receive notarized adoption documents this afternoon.
January 15 Receive your child’s Registration Certificate and passport and today. Leave Nanchang for Guangzhou on China Eastern Flight Met by your CCAI representative Jason and Jocelyn Go to the White Swan Hotel.
January 16 Have your child’s visa physical and Hague-required immunizations and visa photo taken this morning. Please meet Jason and Jocelyn at the designated location. Bring child supplies (water, diaper, snack, etc.). Be ready to go!
January 17 Free time. Rest. Shop. Please ask Jason and Jocelyn for details
January 18 Meet with Jason and Jocelyn today to prepare paperwork for the Consulate appointment: Please bring all of your documents and passports to this meeting. Jason and Jocelyn will have the required forms for you to fill out.
January 19 Free time. Rest. Shop. Please ask Jason and Jocelyn for details
January 20 Today is your Consulate appointment. Jason & Jocelyn will deliver your visa packets to the U.S. Consulate Adoption Unit.
January 21 Go to the U.S. Consulate to take the oath in the afternoon. Please bring as few items with you to the Consulate as possible. Backpacks, baby bags or purses are not permitted inside the Consulate. Cell phones or cameras are not allowed in the U.S. Consulate or on the U.S. Consulate grounds.
January 22 Go to the U.S. Consulate to receive your child’s visa packet
January 23 Please check out of your hotel room and be ready to go by the designated time. Thanks!
Bullock - Leave Guangzhou for Shanghai, on China Southern Flight CZ3611@ 9:30
DeLore – Leave Guangzhou for Tokyo on China Southern Flight CZ385 @ 10:20 Booked by you.
Childress - Leave Guangzhou for Hong Kong, on China Southern Flight CZ303 @ 11:10
Rast/Draper, Finn, Freeman, Howard, Russell –
Leave Guangzhou for Hong Kong, on China Southern Flight CZ303 @ 11:10
Ferry & Lee - Leave Guangzhou for Hong Kong, on China Southern Flight
Leave Hong Kong, Beijing or Shanghai for the U.S.
Finally -Travel Plans!!
On Tuesday, December 29, Sheri at CCAI let us know that she had received our Consulate Appointment, and that we had to be in Hong Kong on January 8! We have been waiting for this appointment date since October 13! To arrive in Hong Kong on that day, we have to leave the U.S. on the 6th. You don't have to look at a calendar to know that time was short, so we immediately called Todd Gallinek, a travel agent specializing in adoption trips. I can't praise Todd enough for the work he did to get us the best route and ticket prices. I feel like Todd and I became best friends after all of the phone calls and emails we exchanged over a 2-day period.
We are scheduled to fly from St. Louis on Wednesday at 3:20 in the afternoon on American Airlines. After changing planes in Chicago, we will land in San Francisco. At 12:05 (yes, midnight), we leave San Francisco on Cathay Pacific Airlines for a 15 hour international flight to Hong Kong. Our total travel time will be around 24 hours. Due to crossing through several time zones, we will arrive on Friday morning at 7 am.
We'll meet the other CCAI families (there are 10 of us) in Hong Kong, spend Saturday getting to know each other and preparing for Sunday. Sunday, you see, is when we leave Hong Kong for Nanchang and...have Gotcha Day! Gotcha Day is a well-known day for any family that has adopted a child. This is the day we get Carly! From this day forward, Carly will be in our arms!
Now, we will have two things to celebrate on January 10th. Gotcha Day and Sandy's birthday. I think this is the best birthday present she will every receive.
We are scheduled to fly from St. Louis on Wednesday at 3:20 in the afternoon on American Airlines. After changing planes in Chicago, we will land in San Francisco. At 12:05 (yes, midnight), we leave San Francisco on Cathay Pacific Airlines for a 15 hour international flight to Hong Kong. Our total travel time will be around 24 hours. Due to crossing through several time zones, we will arrive on Friday morning at 7 am.
We'll meet the other CCAI families (there are 10 of us) in Hong Kong, spend Saturday getting to know each other and preparing for Sunday. Sunday, you see, is when we leave Hong Kong for Nanchang and...have Gotcha Day! Gotcha Day is a well-known day for any family that has adopted a child. This is the day we get Carly! From this day forward, Carly will be in our arms!
Now, we will have two things to celebrate on January 10th. Gotcha Day and Sandy's birthday. I think this is the best birthday present she will every receive.
A Baby Shower!
The teachers at Mammoth Spring Elementary planned a beautiful baby shower for us. They went overboard on the gifts! Thank you!
A Send-Off Party!
On December 6th, our friends at church threw a Send-Off Party for us. Their generosity and excitement for us was overwhelmingly touching. They had 2 beautiful cakes, finger foods, and a money tree that was in full "bloom"! We are truly blessed to have such friends. Thank you!
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