Crunch

We're moving in slow motion today.  Missed ferry, wait at the border,  hours of gridlock.  5km an hour through all of Seattle.  Stopped for a pee break, got back on the i5 and promptly got hit by another car.  Double arg.  Got the guys insurance info.  Had this happen 20 years ago and it was a major hassle dealing with arbitrators going between insurance agencies from both countries.  No one was hurt or scared.  Other guy was coming off a 33 hour shift and didn't see us.  His car looks worse than ours.   Small consolation.

We just stopped for dinner at a Wendys in Yakima.  Back on the road, traffic is much lighter, full moon is out and we'll go until Eric is tired.

After the traffic nightmare of today I won't be much help with relieving Eric of any driving.  Just passed another accident, mini van creamed by a semi.  Feeling lucky our incident was so minor.

Oh, and little missy just is not a great traveler.  Very whiney.   Wants to go home.  Hot then cold then hot again.  Fingers crossed she'll settle once we find a hotel.

On our way.

We missed the ferry by 3 cars.  Spent two hours in the car waiting for the next one.  Nutella saved the day :').

Obligatory ferry pictures.

Still no news!

I can't fathom why it is so hard to get an update.  Still no travel dates.  I did talk to the agency yesterday and let them know Jia would now be coming with us and requested the Gloria hotel in Nanchang.  Also let them know we'd be in the USA for a bit. 

Mom and Dad were willing to keep Jia but we feel Jia isn't quite ready for that big of a seperation.  Also, it will be so great for Luk to have her there. The only extra cost for her is the flights.  To take Lili and Fei would double our in China costs.

We're all packed for Disney.  Leaving in the morning.  I'm not as fond of road trips as the rest of my family.   So although I'm excited about the trip I get into the car with some fear too.

The closet project killed some time and helped keep me sane while we wait for news of Luk.

Jia loved playing in the piles I kept making ;)

I've been using my phone for photos and using a blogger app.  Hoping this will be all I need for China.  Finally figured out how to add more than one photo.

Guess where we are?!

Doesn't get much more exciting than this!

Thanksgiving

So much to be thankful for today.

We're all packed for Disneyland.  Closets are all cleaned and sorted.  I've gathered every thing I think we might need for China and Luk's room is done.

It's a gorgeous warm sunny day, we're at a park meeting friends for a walk and play.  It's all good.

Jia's Gotcha Day!

Jia's Gotcha Day today, I told her the story this morning about the day our beautiful baby Du Xiao Yu was placed in our arms.  She really seemed to listen today and she totally 'got' that she gets to pick out dinner tonight.  We're having noodles.  Big surprise hey?!  She asked if I'd take her to school today and she told her teachers it was her gotcha day.  So sweet.

Here are the pictures I posted from three years ago. 

Our first glimpse.

Finally holding her!  Five years of waiting!

One very happy Mommy and one pretty scared baby.

Back in our room.  She still loves to moosh her cheek into mine.

Yup, she peed on me right away. 

Cutest little thing ever.

Smiles on the first night!!

First or many bottles with us.

Soooo many times we had to help her get her feet back in the crib. 

Jia and Eric are at home right now putting together our crib for Luk.

 

 

No news

No news on Luk.  Still waiting for TA, travel approval.  Still no word on tentative travel dates.  Just assuming at this point that it should be November. 

We've been busy gathering and packing for Disneyland and China.  I've also been cleaning closets.  No idea why now, but it feels good to have everything sorted.  Purging.  Luk's room is well underway.  Details left to deal with in there, the fun decorating stuff.  I love walking in there to all of the blue and the furniture in place.  Makes the process feel more real.  Jia likes to visit his room too, she goes and sits in his little blue chair and talks about how it's not her room.  She is being a good sport about the new brother, lets hope this attitude holds! 

Jia and Fei helped build Luk's bed.  So cute.  And yes, Jia did manage to screw the supports down on her own.  Jia helped me clear space in my bedroom for Luk's crib this morning.  Then she asked if she could help build that too :)

 

The airplane light fixture is awesome!  Still some details to add, will post better pictures after the weekend.