A smile and a laugh of love

mine all mine

Refresher course

This afternoon was quiet a moment. Poor Olivia was scared, mad and sad all wrapped up in one. Out of the 3 babies today mine was the one who stood her ground. She cried, fussed and refused things. She already has the 2 yr old tantrums and everything is mine attitude so it looks like poor Katie will have a run for her money. After we made it to the hotel I removed her 3 layers of think Eskimo clothing to find not 1 but 2 notes and lucky baby money. This is something I never had with Katie and beings things to a close more so for Olivia. We laid on the bed and ate bear crackers and jelly beans. She finally took some water from me. With all the trauma she got sick on her clothes and bed sheets (mine) so I bathed her and dressed her again, putting her shoes on to walk out the door and she squats. "Uh oh" she said thinking she peed on the floor, but mom is to smart for that. Ha, I put a pull up on her. So she mainly wanted to go where is she wanted to go on our walk and when we arrived back in our room she sat undressed on the potty for some time. She did not want to leave it. If I had a potty that had a bear face on it I guess I wouldn't want to leave it either.

i think today will be a better day. As Melissa told me once "You just don't give up do you Jen". NOPE!

I love and miss you lots,

Jennifer
Mom to four, wife to Roy

Gotcha!

She has a Hardin temper already! Bless her heart, her whole world has been turned upside down.

I will post more later.

Labor Pains

Less than an hour before I make that long and dangerous walk across the street to the Civil Affairs office. It's been over 2 years since we made that long elevator ride with Katie in our arms to finalize the adoption and now we are here again to bring another special gift home. Words can not describe the feeling that is rushing through my body. I had Roy to keep me calm at home and also last time but not today. I pray that the transition goes well for Olivia and she does not grieve to much. I know the pain that her foster mother feels today. I hope to send a package before I leave China to her and express our appreciation for all that she has done for Olivia over the last 2 years.

I will post more when I get back.

Love,
Jennifer

more pics of Nanchang and Hotel 03-08-08

sorry for the sideways pic, but I'm lucky to even post pics. Anyway my bathroom

Lovely view to the right of my room window

At least if i get sick I can play frogger accross the street fo help.

View from the left of my room

another view from the window

my bed, which I will sooooo sleep on tonight. It beats the Gloria hotel we stayed at in 2005 by a milestone. I complained about the heat being on at the Gloria and all they did was open a window. I had to ask for one of those oil heaters you plug in here. My heater is at home keeping our kids alive. I knew was good for more than a few things :0)

New schedule while in Nanchang

Okay here is the latest on my itentary.
03-09 Civil Department to meet Olivia at 3:30pm

03-10 Adoption finalization - photo/notary office for natualization/Security Department for Passport registration.

03-11 Emma checks on paperwork at notary office - free day for me

03-12 Free day for everyone - hoping to get to visist orphanage and sightsee in FengCheng. (Katie and Olivia's hometown)

03-13 Emma picks up notary books at notary office. free day for me

03-14 Get passport in the A.M. and leave for Guangzhou.

the schedule could change slightly from day to day. We shuld arrive in Guangzhou sometime after 2pm. This is the last part of the trip to finalize things with the US Consulate's office.

Jennifer

Pictures Day 1 Guangzhou

Novotel lobby Guangzhou

Shoe store at Novotel - right up Roy and Todd's alley!

Koy pond outside hotel lobby by breakfast bar.

Day 1 - Guangzhou and Nanchang - 03-07 to 03-08

Well it’s been a long ride but a good one. 30 + hours and I finally made it to CHINA!!! I arrived a little earlier than expected. I was pleasantly surprised by meeting a couple in my travel group on the flight in from Tokyo. The Maki’s are a wonderful couple and I look forward to getting to know them better next week when I return to Guangzhou for the last leg of the journey. There was also news from another travel family; the Strouts were delayed in Texas due to the snow storm. They were not sure if they would be able to catch a flight to China until late next week but was successful in getting a flight here late Sunday/Monday.
I was able to settle into the Novotel Hotel and make some quick calls home before going to bed. I did not get much sleep, I think I was worried about missing my flight to Nanchang this morning. The hotel was wonderful and I seem to be the main attraction at the breakfast buffet. I was thinking that I might have had something on my face or shirt by the looks of it. If I could only read adult minds. ?Hmmmmm? The airports are ran much differently here. I had to get my ticket one place, check my oversized/weighted luggage one place, pay for the overweight luggage another place and then run back to get my ticket after paying for the overage. It seems like I have lost weight after all that!
I should arrive in Nanchang around 2 A.M. Georgia time and settle in. I feel a Wal-Mart run in my near future before settling in early for a Great Day tomorrow (GOTCHA DAY) .
I still have no clue when Olivia will arrive tomorrow and not real sure about where. We met the officials from the orphanage in 2005 at the hotel but we could meet them at the Provincial Capital. As soon as I find out I will post the new schedule.
I sure do miss everyone at home. I spoke with Roy this morning and it seems my little man has missed me the most so far (not Roy, but Kolbe). I’m considering changing his name to “Dennis the Menace”. He gave Ms. Cathy a run for her money Friday after school. Roy was pretty upset after hearing how he was. I told him to love my little man and he will be better in a few days. Gage did well at Lisa’s yesterday and Katie is just Katie. You can take her anywhere and she adapts.


I would really like to thank Cathy and Lisa for taking the steps in caring for my babies while Roy is working this week and next. THANK YOU!!!! Thanks Cathy for helping me update my blog. I have been having trouble getting online to update my blog so Ms. Cathy you might need to copy and paste my postings with pics I send you. Your and Angel!!!! Lisa you are one brave woman to take care of my kids with the house up for sale. I have such wonderful friends my eyes are filled with tears as I write this. My family, friends and the church has been so good to me. I am truly blessed in many ways.

Jennifer (last day as a mommy to 3!)

I am posting blindly

I cannot view my blog nor post pics from here right now. I will try and post later this evening. I have so much to tell everyone. How exciting to get Olivia tomorrow China's time at 3:30pm (4:30 GA time). I should have some postings by 5 or 6 am Sunday morning.

I miss everyone and hope to see each and everyone of you soon.

Hugs and Kisses,

Jennifer

Hey Everyone,

Jen has landed safely in China and is catching up on sleep. Today is a free day, so she is headed for Walmart. She still doesn't have internet connection, so I will do a little updating here untill she is online. She is tired but sounds good. Kolbe and Katie had a great day at school. We had a dentist come to the Friendly Fireflies. Everybody got a goodie bag with tooth brush, tooth paste and floss. They all know how to brush and floss and are very excited.

Thanks

Cathy

I'll see you soon......

Well we finally have our travel itinerary. Roy has decided to stay home with the kids while I embark on the final leg of this adoption. Here is my schedule.

March 6th Leave Atlanta at 8:25 a.m.
March 7th Arrive in Guangzhou 10:30 p.m.(11:30 a.m. Atl time)Stay overnight at Novotel
March 8th Leave Guangzhou at 12:20 p.m. for Nanchang. Arriving at 1:45pm. Free day
March 9th GOTCHA DAY!!!!! This is the day I will have Olivia in my arms.
Complete paperwork that evening
March 10th Appointment with the provincial officials to finalize Olivia's adoption and prepare
for her passport for traveling to Guangzhou, China.
March 11th Free day. This is the day to visit the orphanage (if it is allowed by the local
officials). I would get to travel to FengCheng City about a 90 minute ride by car.
I am in hopes of this because this is where both Olivia and Katie are from.
March 12th Another free day unless we have all the paperwork processed and the passports
are available for pickup. This is usually the 3rd day after the adoption is finalized
but we could have them by the evening of the 12th.
March 13th Should arrive in Guangzhou in the afternoon.
March 14th Free day
March 15th Free day. Olivia will most likely have the PolyClinic appointment that afternoon.
March 16th Finalize all US Embassy paperwork for Visa home.
March 17th Happy Saint Patrick's Day!!!! US Embassy Appointment
March 18th Oath - swearing in for Olivia's American Citizenship. Passport/Visa's delivered.
March 19th Free day - most likely travel for the day to Hong Kong
March 20th Free day last minute shopping for items on my list.
March 21st Leave For HOME!!!! (March 20th US Date)
March 21st Arrive in Atlanta at 5;30 p.m.



Jennifer

WAITING

It seems the closer it gets the longer it takes. Our group was hoping for a "TA" word before Chinese New Year but it did'nt happen. So it looks like the earliest we will hear anything will be the week of the 18th. With this in mind we could still possibly travel at the end of the month if the agency gets a quick response (same day) on an exit interview. This is the final appointment for us to leave China. This determines what Olivia will have a temporary citizenship or a full citizenship. As it looks now, Roy will spend 1/2 the trip with me and Olivia should be able to come home on a complete Visa but if the paperwork is wrong for some reason and we need to redo a form and use the power of attorney then she will come home on a temporary visa and we have to readopt. Just pray this does not happen. Gage is getting excited and ready to leave and Kolbe is getting use to the idea of spending some time with some of his friends while mom and dad are away. Katie could care less.

This is everything in a nutshell.

Jennifer

LOA

We recieved our Letter of acceptance this past week on Olivia. Looks like we will be heading to China in the next 5 weeks. If CNY holds the Travel Announcement from comming as quickly as they have been it could be 6 weeks. So now we must scury around like little ants collecting up this and that. Our first big this is to get our money in order and make sure we have new bills. I traveled to our local branch this week to ask about ordering new money from the federal reserve. They do not do it now. How fun is this? Hmmm let's see not! I have to get our Visa's sent off for processing and a few other documents to havve notorized. Other than this we are hoping to be prepared for a 2 week notice.

I'll post more later,

Jennifer

I would never make it as a party planner

I have come to realization that the profession of a party planner is not for me. I helped my girlfriend plan her son's party last summer, which we were in a drought here in Georgia. What happened? We planned a pool party and it rained! Okay better yet, Katie's 3rd birthday party was scheduled for yesterday at 4p.m. and what happened? It SNOWED!!! So as it seems we will have a party at a local fast food restaurant with a playground during the week. If all goes well we could be traveling in the next 4 to 6 weeks. So I do not have time to reschedule Katie's gymnastics party for another weekend, plan Kolbe's 5th birthday party and still have enough brain cells left to make sure we have everything in order before we leave.

I finally talked Roy into getting Gage a passport so it looks like he will be going with us to China. I really think this will be a learning experience for him that he will never forget. I hope that it will tone down his wants and curb his "it's all about Gage" syndrome. I am working on making sure he minds his mouth in China. I told him to keep his opinions to himself and no public outbursts on what the food looks or tastes like. i have a feeling his pocket money will be gone in a 48 hour period so I think Roy and I are going to give him a daily limit and if there is anymore left he can carry it over to the next day. I hope this will trigger his brain to want to keep the money in his pocket for something really big at the end of the trip when we are in Guangzhou.

I think we might get some good news this coming week and we also received some updates on Ke Ke this past week. She is only 4 or 5 pounds lighter than Katie and less than 6 inches shorter than her too! Talk about twins. HA it's comical because I wanted Roy to agree on asking for twins in 2004/2005 process but he couldn't see that happening. So I guess God does have his own plans for you and sometimes those plans include the things you asked for most.

I guess this is all for now.

Hope to be updating everyone soon!

Jennifer

~~~Miss Katie Ting at 3~~~