Musings of a Whimsical Realist

This is the 2nd blog post highlighting our adoption trip to China (summarized from Facebook posts made while we were in the country).  November 6, 2015 We are safely in Guangzhou.  We arrived, got all our luggage (yay!!!), and met our new guide. As soon as we stepped outside . . . BAM! Humidity! Our guide mentioned that it was "very good" weather for them, so we had high hopes that at least we could take Baby out without having to put a sweater on her or risk getting a stink-eye. We managed the 40-minute drive by playing the "Jelly Belly Guessing Game." That is where Baby fed Daddy and Mommy Jelly Belly's in the dark, and we guessed what we got. And had to eat it. Kinda like Russian Roulette, 2-year-old style. We arrived at a GORGEOUS hotel! And our suite gives us enough room to entertain a toddler for one more week away from home. The next set of flights will be taking us home in a week! Until then, more adventures in Guangzhou. November 7, 2015 After

My last blog post was EIGHT MONTHS ago!  We were on the verge of heading to China, and I switched to Facebook for posting while we were there.  What is my excuse since we got back?  I am going to go with the golden oldie – parenting 4 children.  Having enough brain power to rub two thoughts together was a lacking commodity.  Summer vacation has FINALLY arrived, and so I will start with two blog posts (condensed from the original Facebook posts) highlighting our journey to China. October 31, 2015 (China Time) After 26 hours of travel, we've arrived safely in Nanchang!  We get our little girl in 16 1/2 HOURS! November 1, 2015 We got off the elevator and walked around to the lobby. I was scanning the clusters of seats for the other adoptive family (because, let's face it, white people are easy to spot around here). Instead, I saw HER! They were already here, and I saw Baby! Heart leaped! Breath stopped. The first couple of hours were amazing in their ease. Not a single t

I've now written enough blogs about adopting that it's time to organize them for someone who may be new to my blog and wants to read the archives in order.  I've labeled the adoption blogs {#} as well as listed them below! Additionally, I have now labeled all adoption blogs under "Adoption."  If you click on that link at the bottom of this post, it will pull up all adoption blogs in newest to oldest order. Blog Post #1   -- A Journey of a Thousand Miles: The Single Step {#1} Blog Post #2   -- Stepping Further: Part One {#2} Blog Post #3   -- Stepping Further: Part Two {#3} Blog Post #4   -- Down the Road We Go! {#4} Blog Post #5   -- Tiptoe or Leap? {#5} Blog Post #6   -- Hurry Up and Wait {#6}  Blog Post #7   -- Where Did That Wall Come From? {#7}  Blog Post #8   -- The Crack in the Wall {#8} Blog Post #9 -- Fork in the Road {#9} Blog Post #10   -- Here We Stand {#10} Blog Post #11   -- Moving Forward {#11} Blog Post #12  

Our China Itinerary [Note: Other than departure/arrive home days, this is in China time, 16 hours in the "future."] October 30 : Hubby and I fly out in the morning.  We fly into the future!  October 31 : We arrive in Nanchang in the evening.  A guide will meet us at the airport and help us check into our hotel. November 1 : Gotcha Day!!!  We will meet Baby for the first time at our hotel at 4:30; if we understand correctly, they will be bringing her directly to our room.  We do not know if we will get to meet her foster mom.  We will have a short time with whoever brings her to us, and then they leave her with us.  Yes, just like that!  We will spend the rest of the day getting to know her and calming her and hoping that we all get some sleep that night. November 2 : The next morning, we will fill out the paperwork at the local civil office.  We will be getting our Adoption Certificate. November 3-5 : Free Time (waiting for Baby’s passport).  We ended up with an

So we’ve had 5 weeks of fantastic things! September 11 : I woke up to a WONDERFUL email . . . our NVC (National Visa Center) letter had arrived.  That was the last piece of the puzzle for our Article 5 paperwork.  From that point, it was an estimated 4 weeks to TA (Travel Approval) and then ~2 weeks until we fly. September 16 : We were told that Article 5 pick-up would be on Monday the 21st.  It would go from the consulate to the CCCWA.  We were looking to be a little ahead of schedule! September 22 : We received our second grant award letter from Gift of Adoption !  [Our first grant was from Show Hope .] September 23 : We found out that our Article 5 pick-up had been delayed by a week.  It was a little ahead of schedule, and then it was a little behind.  Thus is the adoption process!  That put our estimated departure back to the last week of October. September 25 : WE’RE FULLY FUNDED!!!  We received a confirmation email that morning from the JSC Foundation , and between our

Dear Family and Friends:                                                                            After so much preparing, hoping and waiting – our precious little one is almost home!  Because we know you care for our child and our family, we want to share with you some information that we hope will best equip everyone around her to assist us in laying the strongest and healthiest foundation – emotionally, physically and spiritually. As we have been preparing to bring Baby home, we have researched bonding and attachment in children, especially those coming home through adoption.  For many children raised thus far in institutions, a natural trust of their parents has never been established and will take more time to form between her and us beginning the day we meet her.  We want her to first establish a healthy connection with us as her parents so it may overflow into relationships with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends!  At first, we will have a lot of structure, bound

We are on the edge of a series of adventures.   Our first international flight. Our first time off this continent. Our first adoption. Our first time flying (12 hours!) with a toddler. Our first time as a family of 6. Are we ever excited!  I mean, I have dreamed of this since I was 17 years old!  My first adoption blog talked about my dream in glowing color (purple, to be exact).  The wonder, the excitement, the joy of bringing home a little girl from China!  Those feelings are even more true today. And yet, a piece of my heart is absolutely, unequivocally terrified!  Deep-down, shaking-at-the-roots, want-to-sob terror.  Because in the last 17 months of research, planning, working, training, fundraising, dialoguing, networking, watching, learning, and waiting, I have been inundated with some harsh truths about adoption.  They all boil down to this simple formula: One of the best days of our life is going to be one of the worst of hers.   She doesn’t know that it is a goo