HAPPY BIRTHDAY my sweet boy

TODAY IS LIANG'S 6th BIRTHDAY

We have new pics sent Monday.

travel dates

I forgot to mention, we are keeping our original travel dates. We will leave Atlanta for Guangzhou on the 9th, arrive on the 11th. Stay at the Victory Hotel (for some rest) the 11th and 12th,and see the sights in Guangzhou. On the 13th Fly to Zhengzhou and meet Liang, adoption on the 14th, fly back to Guangzhou on the 15th for medical appt. Stay at the White Swan the 15th-21st. Do paperwork/rest on the 16th, back to medical on the 17th, sight seeing on the 18th, visa interview on the 19th, Oath on the 20th, pick up visa and leave for Los Angeles on the 21st, arrive in Atlanta and the 22nd.

good news

We leave in 11 days. I have been packing (and re-packing) for the last week. I had 2 suitcases to check and 3 carry-ons, plus Paul's bags, so I had to downsize by one checked bag. I do not want to lug all of those bags around. All we have left to pack is Paul's bag (he will be gone for two weeks before we leave).All of our hotels are booked, and I got our airline seat assignments today. We also received a bit of good news last Friday. We are going to meet Liang and take custody of him at his orphanage in Xinxiang on the 13th. Adoption is still the 14th. I am very happy that we will be able to visit where he has been living for the past 6 years. If Liang can show us around, it may help with his bonding to us. I am so excited to meet my son, I can't wait to hug him and tell him I love him.

A great thing happened today. A complete stranger (the carpet cleaner), was here today and saw the pics of Liang hanging in our living room. He asked me, how long it took for MY SON'S cleft lip surgery to heal. Someone called him my son and it felt great. I have thought of him as my son since we were matched, but it was hard to convince others (family) to feel the same way. I had the biggest smile on my face and went on blabbing all about him.

Will post more before we leave. I am waiting for an updated photo from WACAP. ~Heather

Change of Plans

Well, one might think I should be used to plans changing because I am a military wife, however this was not so easy. We were called yesterday, and told that we would not meet our son until Wed, Oct 14th. We could change our plane tickets and arrive in China 2 days later than planned. So we are probably going to leave Sun, Oct 11th, arrive on the 13th in Guangzhou, spend the night then fly to Zhengzhou and adopt our son. Then back to Guangzhou on the 15th for all other appts. We still leave China on the 21st, home on the 22nd. I am still waiting for a new photo to post. Goodnight to all.

Our son Xiao Liang, d.o.b. Sept 30th 2003

The travel plans

We should be leaving on October 9th, arriving in Hong Kong Oct 10th, train ride to Guangzhou, and then flight to Zhengzhou Oct 11th, meet Liang on Oct 12th. After the adoption we fly back to Guangzhou on the 15th, medical exam on the 16th, and maybe a relaxing weekend. Then everything else on the 19th, 20th, and 21st. We then take a train to Hong Kong, spend the night, and fly home on the 22nd with our new son. Wow, I am tired just writing about it.

The Catch Up

Since I have just started this blog, I better get everyone updated. This is the journey to our son, Xiao Liang. In April 2008 my husband, Paul, and I decided it was the right time to add to our beautiful family of six children. However, we were going to adopt this time, and he/she would be an older special needs child. We started researching on the internet. After a lengthy 2 months of reviewing different countries, we decided to adopt from China. Our first application for a child was going great, and then just as we thought we were going to be chosen as her parents, another couple applied and was chosen. We were devastated, however we felt this meant that there was another child who needed us. We started the search again. We did our homestudy in July, and then fell in love with the profile of a little 4 year old boy. We applied for him through WACAP in August, and were matched in September. Then started the lengthy paperwork process. In November we received word that the CCAA approved us and Xiao Liang was officially put on hold for us. Over the next eight months we did more and more paperwork. Finally, on SEPTEMBER 9th, 2009, we received our TA. We could know book our flights. We are scheduled to meet our son on October 12th.