For seven months I have been giddy about writing that cheesey comment! IT IS GO TIME - not even sure where it came from, but doesn't it just sound exciting???
GO TIME!!!
Although it really isn't because we have 3 hours and 40 minutes until we arrive at her orphanage, I can write IT IS GO TIME, because it is SO close!!!
I woke up at 4am with nerves flip flopping around in my stomach like a 25 cent bouncy ball at Old Navy. I am excited and thrilled, but also nervous for her... I hope she is happy about meeting us, I hope they have prepared her! Trusting that God my father has gone before us, I know it will all be fine! I just need my flesh to get on board with my heart!
I hear a certain 8 year old in the shower, he too must think it is GO TIME!!!
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek so excited Jessa, we are COMING!!!! NO really this time COMING!!!! One less orphan in the world, today!
17 March 2013
Steering Wheel, SAY WHAT?
We get to the airport in Tampa with our 4 suitcases, preweighed, and ready to go! We put our last one on the scale and it is whopping 7lbs over weight! WHAT ON EARTH? I was so frustrated! What were going to do? They were not accommodating at all, which befuddled me! We bought 6 tickets and only used 4 of our allowed checked bags! Can we use an average? NO DICE! So we took out Ziplocs full of Ramen noodles, Oatmeal, my hair dyer, and finally got down to the 50lb allowed weight! The lady behind the counter didn't seem to think it was such a big deal to stick 2lbs of oatmeal in my 6 year olds backpack, but I assured her it was heavier than she thought for a little girl that is light as a feather anyways, maybe I rolled my eyes at her too? But, we were off, and happy to be done with our debacle !
I questioned the overage a few more times as we had to move RAMEN NOODLES out of the way to get to anything else in my "momma carry on bag"!
But we made it to Beijing and really didn't think about it again, until Saturday morning! Jason was cleaning out the bag as we prepared for travel to Tianjin when he finds the CULPRIT!
Side story - you see the suitcase was new, because as we were walking out the door to leave for the airport the original suitcase broke! On the way to the airport, we stopped off at Ross for an el cheap O one. It was ugly, violet, and clearanced, it was perfect! LOL We stuck all of our things in the new one, zipped it up, and that was that!
Well it all made sense on Saturday. Seems that some numb skull knucklehead stuck a steering wheel cover down inside the zipper pouch of the suitcase, A SEVEN POUND STEERING WHEEL COVER TO BE EXACT! That thing was heavy, gaudy, and so totally RIDICULOUS THAT IT WAS IN MY SUITCASE HEADING TO CHINA!!!!
All we could do is laugh. I laughed even harder when I realized that the odd round dirt mark that was made on the front of the suitcase, was in fact NOT from rubbing up against a tire on the tarmac! It was from the steering wheel cover INSIDE of my suitcase!!!
I am not one to let things die very easily, so when my husband suggested that we leave it behind in the last hotel, I found a better solution! Let's give it to our driver in Beijing hahahaha, and so we did! Mr Roy is now the proud owner of a stolen steering wheel cover from Ross in Tampa! I wasn't surprised that Mr Roy didn't use the cover at all, I told the kids he would probably sell it! I mean, after all, it is not every day you get a gaudy steering wheel cover from the USA! (yes it was) I insisted that he take a picture with me and the cover, he thanked me 3 times in Mandarin, I think I made his WHOLE day :)
I questioned the overage a few more times as we had to move RAMEN NOODLES out of the way to get to anything else in my "momma carry on bag"!
But we made it to Beijing and really didn't think about it again, until Saturday morning! Jason was cleaning out the bag as we prepared for travel to Tianjin when he finds the CULPRIT!
Side story - you see the suitcase was new, because as we were walking out the door to leave for the airport the original suitcase broke! On the way to the airport, we stopped off at Ross for an el cheap O one. It was ugly, violet, and clearanced, it was perfect! LOL We stuck all of our things in the new one, zipped it up, and that was that!
Well it all made sense on Saturday. Seems that some numb skull knucklehead stuck a steering wheel cover down inside the zipper pouch of the suitcase, A SEVEN POUND STEERING WHEEL COVER TO BE EXACT! That thing was heavy, gaudy, and so totally RIDICULOUS THAT IT WAS IN MY SUITCASE HEADING TO CHINA!!!!
All we could do is laugh. I laughed even harder when I realized that the odd round dirt mark that was made on the front of the suitcase, was in fact NOT from rubbing up against a tire on the tarmac! It was from the steering wheel cover INSIDE of my suitcase!!!
I am not one to let things die very easily, so when my husband suggested that we leave it behind in the last hotel, I found a better solution! Let's give it to our driver in Beijing hahahaha, and so we did! Mr Roy is now the proud owner of a stolen steering wheel cover from Ross in Tampa! I wasn't surprised that Mr Roy didn't use the cover at all, I told the kids he would probably sell it! I mean, after all, it is not every day you get a gaudy steering wheel cover from the USA! (yes it was) I insisted that he take a picture with me and the cover, he thanked me 3 times in Mandarin, I think I made his WHOLE day :)
So that is that! We were bamboozled by a kindygartner, and had a good laugh in China! Good Stuff!
16 March 2013
Saturdays Adventure
We spent today touring The Forbidden City, took a Huotong Tour, and went to a traditional tea party! All very neat things and so glad we did each of them. The forbidden city was so intriguing because our guide was so knowledgeable and really liked to go into detail about each stopping point! We learned that the city was no longer used for emperors after 1911. The last emperor was allowed to live there until 1923. That was the end of the Ming Dynasty! Now I need to freshen up on my Chinese History to confirm these neat details, haha later! As we left the city we walked down a public path in order to get to our driver. Charlotte warned us that we would encounter begging along the way, and to ignore them. It sounds so harsh, but it is for the best. These people often times have disabilities and they are used as pawns to beg for money. Then their earnings are stripped from them, only allowing them a small amount. It was heart wrenching walking by an elderly lady with no leg, huge crutches holding her up. Also a man with no left arm and burns on 50% of his body, including his face. He was signing a song with a microphone that echoed for a very long way. The list goes on, and it was hard to walk by. I have heard stories about these types of scenarios in Guangzhou and it being very evident that they are being monitored by a man close by, the head of the trafficking ring probably. My kids were quiet, sad realities of this dark world. Your heart wants to help them, but helping them is not what you think. It would only go to enabling this disgusting scheme that is played daily by perfectly "healthy" human beings that are using these innocent souls as a means for their income. It is just inhumane. It is hard to move on from there...
I had to walk away from writing this for a little while to regroup my thoughts!
We went for lunch at a very teeny, hole in the wall, place. Jason insisted quietly that the driver stopped too early? haha It was a dumpling restaurant that our guide raved about. She was right, the dumplings were good, but when it comes to food it is hard to get past that visual exterior of the building that holds the food! We survived and then went on to tour the Huotong district, homes, and daily life of the people in the city. It was a very impoverished area, which ironically use to be the place to live hundreds of years ago! Today, there is no central heat or air, and in case you didn't know it gets COLD in Beijing!!! These people work hard though! They also have a joyful happiness about them. A memory I will cherish from Huotong is the simplicity of the people. They are very content pulling up a broken chair to join a card game in the middle of the street, hang laundry from a line that connects to their neighbors door, decorate their doorways for spring with paper lanterns. They are just neat people!
We finished our day with a traditional tea party. It was a cute little shop where they told us about the different kinds of tea, the healing benefits of each, it was a neat end to our day. I told them that their tea tasted much better than my tea bags do at home, they laughed at me! Apparently, the left over leaves are used for the bag kind, aka bottom of the barrel tea, HA!!
Tomorrow we will see the Summer Palace and Tienanmen Square! Then we will hop on a bullet train and head to Tianjin, AKA JESSA!!! We will get her on Monday morning, early! I can not believe the nerves that are fluttering around inside of me for that meeting! Just praying for her heart, that she knows us, likes us, doesn't grieve too hard for the life she knew.... This is BIG!
I had to walk away from writing this for a little while to regroup my thoughts!
We went for lunch at a very teeny, hole in the wall, place. Jason insisted quietly that the driver stopped too early? haha It was a dumpling restaurant that our guide raved about. She was right, the dumplings were good, but when it comes to food it is hard to get past that visual exterior of the building that holds the food! We survived and then went on to tour the Huotong district, homes, and daily life of the people in the city. It was a very impoverished area, which ironically use to be the place to live hundreds of years ago! Today, there is no central heat or air, and in case you didn't know it gets COLD in Beijing!!! These people work hard though! They also have a joyful happiness about them. A memory I will cherish from Huotong is the simplicity of the people. They are very content pulling up a broken chair to join a card game in the middle of the street, hang laundry from a line that connects to their neighbors door, decorate their doorways for spring with paper lanterns. They are just neat people!
We finished our day with a traditional tea party. It was a cute little shop where they told us about the different kinds of tea, the healing benefits of each, it was a neat end to our day. I told them that their tea tasted much better than my tea bags do at home, they laughed at me! Apparently, the left over leaves are used for the bag kind, aka bottom of the barrel tea, HA!!
Tomorrow we will see the Summer Palace and Tienanmen Square! Then we will hop on a bullet train and head to Tianjin, AKA JESSA!!! We will get her on Monday morning, early! I can not believe the nerves that are fluttering around inside of me for that meeting! Just praying for her heart, that she knows us, likes us, doesn't grieve too hard for the life she knew.... This is BIG!
Breakfast like this,every morning!
Karate Kid - must see it again now that we have been!
The dumpling spot....
15 March 2013
So tired!
Made it to Beijing safely! United's flight attendants don't hold a candle to Deltas, but it was overall a good flight! Our guide, Charlotte, met us at the airport and we took a 40 minute ride to our hotel. It is called Lee Garden Apartments, its lovely! We have a 2bedroom/2bath suite, kitchen, wash machine, perfect family stay here in BJ! Eating ramen for dinner and really hoping for a full nights rest! So tired! But we have a fun day planned tomorrow, I will press on! Here is a peak at our past 24! Thanks for praying <3
14 March 2013
Big Brother
Last year his world changed completely in an instant! Now we are heading back to China again and he is going to be a big brother!!! He is so excited about "teaching Jessa the alphabet!" or so he says! I was slightly concerned about how he would handle the return trip, but he seems to be handling the plan rides and China chatter just fine! He is an amazing little kid. I can't wait to see their 4 year old interactions!!! Take off in 3.5 hours!!!
13 March 2013
To the day....
Seven months ago tomorrow we saw Jessa's face for the first time! Seven months, to the day! I am just amazed when God does things like that! It is like He is stamping his big amazing seal of peace on whatever it is you're doing! I am thankful for those blessed reassurances that we are right where He wants us! The same happened with Jackzhen's adoption, except last year it was 9 months to the day! I am thankful for a two month reprieve this time, but just as amazed that He reminds us in little ways, "I got this!!!"
I got a text from a friend tonight that said this, "I can't believe what happened in under a year! So amazing. Jason's heart, finances, and paperwork?!!"
I think that it sums up so perfectly how completely and totally GOD is the orchestrator of this adoption, yet again! There is no way we could have done this so seamlessly on our own! But that is how God works! Zephaniah says that He delights in us, and I am living proof that He sure does! He may not always do what we want, the way we want, but can I just say, THANK YOU LORD, for not! I would have messed things up time and time again if He gave me what I thought I wanted/needed! So I will rest tonight with the peace that He has brought us here, in a modest seven month span, and I'n happy to go whereever else He leads us!!!
Tomorrow we board the first of two planes taking us to stand on the same ground as our Jessa! And it only took 7 months to get here! Awwwwesome <3
8/14/12-3/14/13
http://aldrich1999.blogspot.com/2012/04/9-months.html?m=0
I got a text from a friend tonight that said this, "I can't believe what happened in under a year! So amazing. Jason's heart, finances, and paperwork?!!"
I think that it sums up so perfectly how completely and totally GOD is the orchestrator of this adoption, yet again! There is no way we could have done this so seamlessly on our own! But that is how God works! Zephaniah says that He delights in us, and I am living proof that He sure does! He may not always do what we want, the way we want, but can I just say, THANK YOU LORD, for not! I would have messed things up time and time again if He gave me what I thought I wanted/needed! So I will rest tonight with the peace that He has brought us here, in a modest seven month span, and I'n happy to go whereever else He leads us!!!
Tomorrow we board the first of two planes taking us to stand on the same ground as our Jessa! And it only took 7 months to get here! Awwwwesome <3
8/14/12-3/14/13
http://aldrich1999.blogspot.com/2012/04/9-months.html?m=0
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