After a restless sleep, Michael's finding place!!

After a restless sleep, Meg and I enjoyed a fabulous breakfast buffet, switched my hotel room - to a king size room and then left to explore the city. Our first stop? Michael's finding place!! It was only a 15 minute cab ride. We found the gated neighborhood and then had to locate the actual building. It was only about 1-2 buildings from the entrance, and I was glad to find out that it was actually a health clinic!! His paperwork did not specify this fact! I was relieved that he was found here, it makes me feel like his birthparents wanted him to get proper care. We walked around the neighborhood. Meg said that it appeared to be a typical middle class neighorhood. She also said that it was likely that his birth parents didn't live there but maybe one or both of them worked there, and maybe still do (imagine having to pass every day the place where you left your child). Anyway, we walked around and were even able to see the police station where Michael was taken after he was found. He spent a couple of weeks in their custody before he was sent to the orphanage.

Next we decided that we needed some pampering. So we went to Starbucks and then Meg had a pedicure and I had a 45 minute back, neck and shoulder masssage. It was wonderful! I felt so relaxed after that. Well, at least until we went to Carrefour (a huge store, like Walmart). It was absolutely crazy!! NEVER go there on a Sat. afternoon!! We bought a few things including a stroller for Michael! Yikes!! We then dragged this big stroller box to the place that Meg has been staying with friends - the Finish Diplomatic Compound!! She sure has some interesting friends!! We got back to the hotel, checked out the pool, put the stroller together and then freshened up for dinner. We met Michael (our guide) and the 2 other families in my group that just arrived today and we went out for the infamous Peking Duck. It was delicious!!! The entire meal was absolutely yummy!! Now I am full and tired. I guess I just need to go to bed so that I will be well rested to meet my son in the morning!! All of us (the 3 families) are worried about our poor children - their little worlds are about to be rocked. The other 2 families are both adopting 7 year-olds (one boy and one girl). Please pray for all of their health and emotional well-being!! Next post - pictures of our son!!

See below for pictures...

Well, I MADE IT!!!

Well, I MADE IT!!! I cannot tell you how happy I am to be in China right now!! The pre-trip has been one of the most stressful things that I have gone through!! But, due to God's grace (and a few miracles that He allowed), I am in my son's city - BEIJING!! I left Atlanta on Thurs. 7/09 at 2:20 pm and flew to Tokyo. After a 2 hour layover, we left for Beijing and arrived here at about 10:20 pm (10:20 am ET). The trip over was very easy and safe. My wonderful husband worked some magic and I was able to fly business class all the way to China - praise God! It was great! I was able to stretch out and get some sleep - as well as watch a couple of movies. I am now in the Yuyang Hotel and it is very nice. I am in a room with 2 single beds since I thought that Meg might be staying with me, but that has changed. She has a place not far from here so she will stay there and come hang with me during the day. So after breakfast, I am going to see if I can switch to a room with a king size bed. Hopefully that won't be a problem - with Meg on my side, she will get it done!! When I arrived at my hotel, I hooked up my computer and was able to "see" my family via Skype. It was so good to see them, I miss them so much! I so wish that things had been different and that they were able to come, but now I just need to stay positive and get our son home!! I can't believe that in a little more than 24 hours he will be in my arms!! What a miracle - God is good!! Oh, so far I have avoided quarantine! I forgot to put my Tylenol in my carry-on (people have been taking it an hour before landing just to make sure they don't have an elevated temperature), but I passed the hazmat temperature scan drug-free!! Oh - there is a temperature scanner at the entrance to my hotel!! Let's just hope that after walking around Beijing in 100+ degree weather and then stepping into the hotel, that I don't register a fever! Talk about pressure!! Thank you for all of your prayers - I would appreciate if you would keep them up - they seem to be working!! Please pray specifically for my son's physical and emotional health - thank you and God bless!!

AMEN!!!

Prayers have been answered!! I am going to China as scheduled!!! Thank you to all of my prayer warriors!!! Next post will be from Beijing!!! PRAISE GOD!!!!

I NEED PRAYERS!!

Without going into specific details (mainly because I am just overwhelmed and numb at this point), there is a chance that I won't be able to leave on Thurs. I know that with God anything is possible, I am just praying that His will be done. Having said that, I would appreciate you all to pray for this MASSIVE mountain to be moved. In order for me to be able to keep my scheduled flight, a true miracle needs to happen - I have no doubt that God can do it, I just hope that He chooses to do this!

Leaving on Thursday!

I cannot believe it is finally time to meet our son!! I am leaving on Thursday and will be in Beijing on Friday night at 10:30 pm. I will have a day and a half to get settled and get prepared to meet Michael on Sunday the 12th at 2 pm (2 am ET)! More good news? I will be flying to Beijing in style - business class all the way!! Now, I wasn't able to get business class on the way home, but I will be so excited to get home I really won't care!! Plus, Michael will have a seat and he won't take up as much room as another adult. I am hoping that there will be less people in business class, and therefore, less of a chance of being exposed to swine flu! I have bought all of the supplements that my naturopath has recommended to boost my immunity and keep me H1N1 free - let's pray that it works!! I am looking forward to meeting Meg at the airport - she will be staying with me at a hotel for the first few days. After our official appointments are finished, I will then stay at Meg's apartment until I fly to Guangzhou on the 21st. I am still praying that everything will work out and I can arrive home on the 25th as scheduled!! I will be so ready to come home and unite my entire family together! Steve will be taking the girls to visit my parents while I am gone so tomorrow I will be packing all of our suitcases so that we can enjoy our last 2 days together - relatively stress free?! Please pray for safe travels (for all of us), Michael's physical and emotional health, no quarantine for me, and for Steve and the girls - thank you!!!!

Life has been crazy!!

I am sorry that I have left you hanging...things have been quite a mess! We did get our travel approval (see previous post), but we have yet to travel. We were unable to make the necessary appointments in China due to the swine flu. So, for a couple of weeks we waited - and nothing. Well, last week things started to open up again and yes, we have our travel dates!! I will be meeting our son on July 12 - PRAISE GOD!! While we are glad that we are finally going to bring him home, it is coming at a price. Our original plan was for Steve, Danielle and me to travel together to bring him home. I was good with this plan and was hoping beyond hope that it would work out. Unfortunately, it will not. Our new plan is for me to go to China - alone. Due to the H1N1 virus, things are quite tight in China, and we don't feel that we can risk taking Danielle. IF one of us were to have a fever when we land, we could be put in quarantine. IF a person sitting within 3 rows of us (in either direction) tests positive for swine flu, we could be put in quarantine. IF while in quarantine, one of us tests positive for swine flu, that person could be separated from the rest of the family and hospitalized - they could even put Danielle in the hospital without us going with her. Do I really think that this will happen? No...but we can't take that risk. So, our plan is for Steve to stay home with our 3 little ones, while I travel half way around the world to bring our son home. I am so sad that it has come to this. I have been praying that we could all go as planned - especially Steve, but we have to do what is best for all of our children - and we both can't leave Danielle for 2 weeks. That is why we decided that I need to go. If Steve were to go, Michael would bond with him, and then when they return home and Steve leaves for work, Michael may feel abandoned again. We can't have that. Since I am a stay-at-home mom, we decided that it would be best for me to go so that I can bond with Michael and learn about his wants and needs and so that we have a relationship before he meets his crazy sisters!! Steve and I have prayed about this and feel at peace with our decision. Steve is disappointed that he can't go, but he knows that we need to best meet the needs of all of our children. He is an awesome dad and I know that our girls will be well taken care of, but I sure am going to miss them like crazy!! Please pray for us - we can use all the help that we can get! I promise to update more over the next few weeks. China here I come!!!