Still the passports and Visas haven't arrived. I phoned the service this morning and was informed they were mailed out by U.P.S. on Friday.The home equity loan we took out to finance the trip is approved, but my husband and I have to sign the closing documents today in order for the funds to hit our account by the time we leave. We are required to give the Chinese orphanage $4,500 in clean, unmarked U.S. bills and can't use travelers checks or any other currency. Due to the timing of the disbursement of funds, this means I will likely be travelling forty five minutes to my bank to withdraw the funds on the same day that we have to travel. I had hoped to avoid this kind of jam-packing of schedules.
You know that dream that you have over and over again that you're trying to make a flight and as the hours and minutes tick-by, you're still packing and still packing and still packing and you can't get to the airport in time and you look down and you're not wearing pants? This is how I feel right now.
But it's all worth it. Georgia is excited to meet her sister. She calls her "Sissy." She's going to be a wonderful sister, I'm sure.
20 comments:
May it be a safe, successful, and rewarding adventure. I'll be thinking of you and the family.
Hey! Can you believe it's all happening so quickly?! I hope you got your passports OK. I'm counting down with you over here and thinking lots of good good wonderful thoughts about it all!
Looking forward to meeting your family of four this summer :)
Hi Pixie:
Thank you!
Mae:
The passports arrived today, whew!
I am excited for your trip to Seattle!
Yea!! The passports arrived! That is great news. One less thing to worry about. And I'm sure everything else will work out, and you'll be on that plane back from China with your new daughter in your arms before you know it. Until then, just breathe!
Okay (I've got so much to say, I have to number them!)
1. This is SOOO exciting. It'll all go well. You've got so many people thinking the way smooth for you.
2. In my defense, I told you I love handing out names to anything that'll sit still long enough to get one. Well, I've been working on these little cartoons about me, but I know I have to turn her into a fictional character. And I decided a bit ago to call her Pearl and the more I think of it, the more I like it. Ruby, I like - no, love. I love Ruby, too, but I don't think I'd make a very good Ruby. So. PEARL. Pearl's the point.
3. As we like to say around here, if you've got a one and a two, you need a three.
It's crazy this is all actually finally happening. I'm so excited for you.
oops. I actually HAD a number three because I forgot to include it in number two. Pearl. I vote for her to be called Pearl.
Oh, I really like Pearl; old-fashionish like Georgia and unique. You won't hear any of her peers answering to that either.
Christina:
Thanks for the heartfelt wishes. Yes, the passports arriving was a HUGE relief!
Timathon:
Yep, it got here pretty fast. Like being preggers except the gestation period was like 18 months!
Booda Baby:
So funny you should suggest Pearl! My mom called this afternoon and said, "you know, we'll be right by the Pearl River. Have you thought of Pearl as a name?"
Ruby has a special place in my heart. My best friends Mom growing up was named Ruby.
My mom also suggested Iris.
Katyess:
I wish you could come with me!
Oh crap, you're going to make me cry. I cannot believe this is finally happening - it's taken forever, but it's happening so fast!
Do you need me to call Elrod and tell him what he wants to name Song Song? If so, I'm on it.
Email me your flight times, etc. - I'm going to put you guys on Mom's prayer list (hers is powerful, mine sucks . . . duh).
Everything will be just great, because remember: you'll be packin' 450 large singles!
I've worked at banks for years. I was actually a Teller and Teller Supervisor all the way through college. It might be a good idea to go to the bank today and let them know that you are going to need clean, new bills. They can have them delivered from the federal reserve. Otherwise, you may go to the bank and find that they don't have totally clean bills.
The reason for the clean bill thing, I've learned, is that overseas, American currency is devalued when it has any marks on it. For example, if there is a mark from one of those counterfeit pens on it, a $100 bill will only exchange for $85. This is in Eastern Europe, though, but I suspect it's the same in China.
Most people don't think about the fact that most of the money that the bank operates with on a daily basis is money that is deposited by other customers. It usually smells like patchouli oil and looks like someone wiped their butt with it.
The Chinese don't trust their own currency! I am with Tim - get the clean bills lined up.
Pearl = P + earl. Ix nay for me, although you know how I love gem stones. How about Emerald? Esma?
Love and blessings to you all!
Katyess:
Don't cry! I doubt your prayer list sucks! (Do you pray like this, "uh, God. Hi. So, like, Leezer, and uh, my family and husband, yeah. So high-five. Bye."
Check in, I'll try to blog from China!
Jacob Teller Large Bills:
Thanks for the info. I went to the bank last week to make sure they'd have enough currency on hand, and they will. My husband is taking the money out of the account Friday morning, so I'll make sure he calls ahead (today) for the clean new bills!
About the pachouli and wiping of butts: I went to Pacific Lutheran University in the eighties, and for some reason there was huge number of students there from the Middle East - Saudi Arabia, probably Iraq, and once Katyess (frequent commenter) and I were in the library. I found a gum wrapper on the floor. I picked it up and, for some inexplicable reason, I sniffed it. "Hmmm" I said, "B.O. and pachouli. This gum wrapper belonged to a Saudi."
Good times.
Expat:
Emerald? Nah. Walnut? Pecan?
Peanut. She is Chinese after all.
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