Fun treasures of our trips!! 10 days until travel!

We are so ready to go to China! As many have read I packed over a month ago hoping for our TA much earlier than it actually arrived since our agency expected it in mid-July. The delay was very frustrating, but God's timing works best! We were able to re-arrange Keaton's doctor's appointments in October and give him a couple of weeks to adjust first. His nursery is ready and he will probably be overwhelmed with all of his stuff. We cannot wait to see what his favorite toys are. I hope is not afraid of monkeys because there are stuffed monkeys everywhere and we are taking one to China for the day we meet him. We are also taking other toys packed all through the suitcase and I am sure we will buy him more in China, but the fun part he will be able to pick them out!! I hope he does not pick out something too big to bring home! I would hate to have to pay shipping for a TOY! LOL! We always find some item on trips that are a challenge for Kevin to carry through customs (the big 50 lb+/- wooden stingray from Belize 2007 and the globe from China in 2004). If anyone knows us they may get a chuckle remembering those stories. The globe was hilarious, and we were able to check it in as luggage. The plan was just to hold it! We were in a group of 88 retirees including my grandmother on our honeymoon, and our globe was a funny topic for us all the day we left! The box made the globe look much bigger than it was as you can see in the picture.(see our early post for how we chose China- story of our honeymoon)

This time we will be carrying our biggest and best travel treasure of all times our sweet little boy that is a giant wiggle worm named KEATON through customs!!!!

China Travel dates!

We will be leaving for China Sept 7th or 8th , GOTCHA DAY Sept. 13th, and home on 25th! Making our flight arrangements today. Pray for safe travels!

First Cowboy boots!!!!

Keaton's first pair of cowboy boots!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry Tour

WE GOT OUR TA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We got our TA today!!! (ABOUT TIME) The agency said there were 6 families TA'S that arrived so we will be traveling in a group together. So excited!!!! Keaton's GOTCHA DAY is coming soon. We will post our dates as soon as they give us our consulate appointment!

Baby proofing the house and re-packing again today!

We started placing plug covers, testing the safety gate on the stairs, and Kevin now needs to put the cabinet door locks all over the house! Last minute things to prepare our return home with Keaton! I repacked everything again to make sure we have only one checked luggage and 2 carry on's for China! Packing only necessities so it will not be so difficult to carry Keaton and all of our stuff! I now have managed to leave some room for buying Keaton a few more things in China. If we have to we can buy a cheap suitcase in China like we did last time to bring more goodies home! Big advantage to only checking in one medium size suitcase in so we are allowed for one more for the return trip home if we need it. We did not wear half of our clothes we took in 2004 on our Honeymoon, and we know we can wash clothes if we need to on this trip. We are all ready to go now if we can just get our TA!

Going into our 9Th week waiting for TA!!!!!!

Apparently the statement from China last week "That our TA would arrive no later then next week" which was this week was not exactly true, because we still do not have it!!!! Our agency said some updates for them have to be taken with a grain of salt, so I guess they were right for now. I am sure there are several frustrated families waiting for their TA's also. When the usual average wait we were told was 4-6 weeks has now turned in to 9 weeks and no clue when it will be here it is getting very irritating. Hopefully it is in route as they said and it just did not arrive in the agencies hands yet as we had hoped.
Hope and pray the TA comes by next week so we can get to meet Keaton and bring him home very soon!! There is nothing we can do, but pray Keaton stays safe and we keep focusing on the fact it is God's timing not ours!

Enough venting for this week, and I hope we have better news next week!

The wait continues!!!!

We are going into our 8th week of waiting for our TA!! Our agency inquired and were told with no assured certainty our Travel Approval should arrive by next week at the latest!! Everyone continue to pray and keep your fingers crossed!