ONE YEAR AGO WE LEFT FOR CHINA

365 days ago David and I left on a journey that we had no clue would make a mark on our lives in the way it did.  Sure we had adopted before and it was wonderful.  The hurdles that we endured were not so fun when adopting Luke and the ones we endured in getting Maran are now somewhat VAGUE. When we were living through them, however, they were gruelling and we thought we would honestly never make it through.  Truth be known the 'process' was much easier with Maran than it was with Luke because we didn't have as many hiccups.  It was simply 'luck of the draw' as this does not happen often during adoptions of any type.  SO ONE YEAR LATER David and I will still say that we were paid back for a somewhat simplistic paperwork process by having the 'travels that make you want to scream and yell like a wild fool'.  Our journey to Maran, albeit not easy and time consuming, was worth every ounce of what it took for us to get her.  We were delayed in San Francisco for many hours which caused us to miss connecting flights and essentially caused us to get to Beijing one day late.  So we paid for tours and hotels that we didn't get to go on which was fine.  We paid for another 'in case we get stuck here hotel' that we didn't stay in and so things like that just kept happening.  All in all we paid for three hotels that we never saw and two tours so ALL THINGS CONSIDERED NOT TOO BAD.  Looking back on it I can say it wasn't so bad but living it at the moment was just an inconvenience.  BUT AN INCONVENIENCE that was well worth it.  

Blessed we were to get to do so much and to have SAFE TRAVELS like we did.  Yes we were detained, delayed, told inaccurate information and all that but we survived and we made it in time to get our little girl. (Which the flight to go and get here was cancelled too).  So we got her and the rest is making history.  In a few days it will be GOTCHA DAY FOR MARAN.  365 days of pink laundry, little girl giggles and a child who adores her daddy more than anything.  A loving, caring and very nurturing toddler who is the life of the party is what she is.  She has touched us in many ways but she has touched many others in many ways too.  For this we are so happy.  Looking back at one year ago and our traveling journeys is fun and it has gone by so fast.  HOWEVER some days have been long! 

We are loving our family, loving life and loving what the future holds.  We are appreciative of the continued love and support that we get from our friends, family, neighbors, co-workers and the nice looks from strangers who see us at the mall.  We even appreciate the not so nice looks that we get from those who "don't understand" adoption and don't understand why we adopted from where we did.  It gives us the chance to smile at them and hope that maybe one day they will be enlightened to the fact that no matter where you are from or what you look like you deserve a home.  It is really that simple.  

In love with our children we are happy one year later to be a family who is living life to the fullest!

Hugs to all from "TEAM GEEZER"  (details on that later). 

 

Alice Parent's are ON THEIR WAY

I can't sleep thinking about Alice's parents -- Jennifer, Charlie and Charles on their way to China.  We pray for their trip to be as SMOOTH AS POSSIBLE.  We hope that our travel nightmares were enough for both families.  Of course we can laugh now but OOHH what a LONG 19 days it was.  Trying to find my desk right now but have some incredible pictures to post later... I PROMISE!  Please keep the Morrison's in your prayers as they go to get Maran's BFF, Alice in the orphanage.  (thankfully they got their TA while we were in China otherwise I am not sure I could have left Alice there although she is well taken care of). They will try to blog from China so follow them if you wish:  http://oursweetleap.blogspot.coom

 ********ok, thanks DIANA FREE STYLE MAMA *** let's get the blog name right! I would love to have a great excuse for making such a stupid error but I guess the lack of spell check in China has made me totally lazy!  SORRY GUYS!!!! Maybe because Maran woke at 1 am this morning and has been up ever since?  NOPE need a better excuse than that!  HA!

http://oursweetleap.blogspot.com/

30 Hours till we Leave for the AIRPORT!

We are still in the 'disbelief' mode.  Hard to believe we are about to travel.  The packing that was to be done Sunday is still not done, however the wonderful candles that were hauled all over the mall and that will now not be going to China are conveniently tucked away in the 'gift closet' and will become the trinkets of my friends this holiday season.  Normally the Christmas shopping is pretty much done by now but not this year.  Due to the business I am in I have always said "If it isn't done by September 1, it won't get done".  I used to be so bad that I wrapped the gifts in early October.  Then they became one more thing that had to be dusted.  Issues everywhere. 

We still have to call the credit card companies to let them know of our journey.  I have to go by the phone store to add the "EXTRA DATA" package to my phone for the month so we won't get gauged on all the extra data I will be receiving. (It's the Holiday Season so there's lots of e-mails going around).  The prescription for Cipro still needs to be picked up.  Shoot, they've probably returned it to stock by now since it has been so long.  The last three times I tried to pick it up the pharmacy was closed.  The most dreaded thing we still have to do is get Luke's flu shot.  We were unsuccessful at getting one of our nieces or nephews to do this daunting task so mommy gets the honors tomorrow!  Oh well.  Need to send my sister-in-law the information on the blog so she can blog for us if we are locked out.  Still haven't cooked those 19 meals I had planned to cook for my in-laws who are caring for Luke. I wonder if gift cards will be just as good?   There's always tomorrow!  Sweet dreams world... there's packing to be done!  HOLD ON MARAN...we're coming to get ya!

We've Called in the Troops!

Whoever said that you "Don't need friends" must have been a really lonely person or a person of super powers (I believe the former).  I can't imagine trying to do all that we have to do and leave in just 14 days.  Luke's 4th Birthday party is on the 9th so we have to prepare for that.  We will have a bouncy house in the back yard which means it's time for the annual 'once a year' you must really do the yard work well whether it is needed or not type mode.  Let's not forget that means washing the house (pressure wash), removing the dead plants (I do believe that things need to be TOTALLY DARN DEAD before removal...you just never know when vegetation wants to get a second wind).  Therefore the early summer planting of flowers must leave the grounds and become compost.  Still have to get Maran's room done.  The painter hasn't called me back so I have a small army of friends invading Saturday am for this daunting task.  Mind you none of us like painting and we are not that good at it but Luke's room turned out pretty darn good and we had a SUPER time.  Doing something you don't like is FUN though when it's for a precious little girl who will be brought home very soon.   David is almost done making the shelves that will go in her room. (I have asked for shelves all around the room at a high level so that all the American Girl dolls can be put on them)  I will also put on there my first teddy bear, my first doll (that I didn't behead for some reason...it was tough being such a tomboy) and some baby pictures of mommy and daddy.  Her bed is delivered tonight (we hope).  Her cooking kitchen (cute little wooden kitchen set up) will be assembled over the weekend.  David (HUBBY) will be out of town in Atlanta peddling for Cancer. (His sister --my sister-in-law is battling colon cancer right now).  So Peggy's Pedalers will be racking up the miles in Georgia while our home hopefully becomes transformed.  If only I had nothing to do next week then we would be fine but I have to get all things done at the office before my departure.  I am running on adrenaline and LOVE IT!  My voice is getting hoarse though so that's a little scary.  I am hardly ever sick but LOVE to pick up strep throat every so often.  Let's not go there.  Better get back to the "THINGS TO DO LIST".  I think I have it all listed and David adds a few more things to it.  Whheewww.... this is a wonderful feeling!!  I can't wait for our friends in Alabama to experience this!  Now..... off to have some fun.  May you be blessed!!

CA is RECEIVED!

Just when we were beginning to think that we had hit another snag (and believe me we have NOT HIT MANY with this adoption but we more than made up for it with Luke's for sure) we get the CA!  October 27th at 9 am.  THE COUNTDOWN TO MARAN begins!  After being on the phone with our friendly US AIR reps for about an hour we are attempting to nail down the details.  Thankfully we have many frequent-flyer points and even better is the fact that although I have not traveled A LOT this year I have traveled FAR so the points will help us.  Of course we are running into issues with the Fair going on at the same time.  The hotels are not DRAMATICALLY different in cost but will be more money.  At this point, I think cost is relative and I personally feel it is worth the cost to get her in our arms sooner than later.  Looks like we will miss Halloween with our little Snickerdoodle Luke but that is perfectly fine.  Nammy and Pop Pop will handle it in perfect order I am sure!  October has always been my favorite month of the year.  Luke's birthday is October 6.  I wanted to get married in October but that was when my dad was a professional golfer and his schedule just wouldn't allow for a wedding so we had to get married in August (earlier).  That's OK although both David and I do NOT like heat we had a blast at our wedding and it was indeed a true party thanks to my mom.  Maran's Gotcha Date will be in October (another reason to have a party as if we needed one to begin with) and my dad's Birthday is in October.  Add FALL to the mix and YOU GOT MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR, of course second only to the holidays.  I will spend this afternoon planning the trip and will post details later.  Looks like we will leave on October 13....a mere 15 days away!! SO MUCH TO DO SO LITTLE TIME... and to think you come to the "SO LITTLE TIME" part in the adoption process.   We still pray for all the others who are waiting on CA and all the other adoption acronyms. 

China Travel

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