Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Now It's Time to Get Serious!!!!
The official Itinerary for our trip arrived today!! We meet Sienna Grace at 10:30am on Monday, March 1st. That is 8:30pm on Sunday, February 28th for all of my Central Time Friends and Family! Can I humbly ask you to pencil in, "PRAY FOR SIENNA GRACE" at that appointed time! I got a little teary when I saw our schedule. That is the same time Jeff and I had to be in the lobby of our hotel to meet Ruby Mei, almost two years ago! Praying for the same peace we felt that morning!!So now it is time for Jeff and I to really kick it into gear. I am not a big pack ahead traveler, but I do have my list started!!! My main goal is to get all of the movies off of our video camera hard drive, and 1460 photos off of my laptop and over to my external drive!! I am going to need the space in China! And, to get Sienna's website done (ok started!) I may even start that tonight!!!
For any of your readers, that have spent time in Changsha, please let me know if there is anything we must do or see. Or, anything you think Ainsley would enjoy. We will have the weekend there before we meet Sienna. Our guide is going to be Amy, and she will take us to the museum and to Lieshi Park once we have our new daughter! We also found out we will be traveling with another family with a 9 year old girl. And, they are adopting an older girl too!!
I am so excited for Ainsley to have some potential travel group friends too! And, I am sure Sienna will love hanging out with the big girls!
We head to Guangzhou on the 5th, and Sienna has her TB test on Saturday morning. Prayers for to her results to be negative will be much appreciated! Assuming everything goes according to plan, Sienna Grace will become a U.S. Citizen officially on March 12th when her feet hit the ground at LAX!
While in China, Kim is going to be my scribe here on the blog. She will post mostly photos, maybe some video, and any prayer requests we may have... I am going to use "My Adoption Websites" to really journal our trip like we did for Ruby. I will share that address when it is done.
I have a feeling the next month will go quickly, as we prepare for #3!!
Blessings,
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Blogs I Try to Keep Up With!
-
God's Got Her3 weeks ago
-
Melting into July~4 weeks ago
-
Destin Day 45 years ago
-
-
The Fourth7 years ago
-
What I have read lately7 years ago
-
-
{Happy Birthday to you...}8 years ago
-
-
Flood Part 4: Shelter Living9 years ago
-
-
Celebrating 2 Years With "Sweet Colin"11 years ago
-
Hilton Head ~ 201412 years ago
-
-
DON'T EVER QUIT !!!12 years ago
-
31 comments:
Exciting! I followed your journey to Ruby Mei on your My Adoption site. I am so excited to "watch" you pick up Sienna Grace. Waiting for our daughter was so dang hard but your blog was one of my daily doses of hope. Thank you! We have been home with our girl for just over a year, what an amazing blessing our kids are.
Amy
Wow, a friend for Ainsley and for Sienna. God is watching over you. Amy is a terrific guide. She was with our travel friends from Chicago and we went along with her to the park one day. What an amazing journey it's been so far, and so looking forward to your trip and watching that amazing moment when you finally get to meet your new daughter!
I love that you are using 'My Adoption Websites" again, as that is how we first connected with your family when you journeyed to your sweet RubyMei, and realized we lived less than an hour apart. Such a small world, huh!?! I remember how much we (Breanna and I) would check in daily to see if there were new photos and updates of Ruby. We were hooked!! And you already know it was your blog that began turning our sights towards China. Such a neat connection, and look where we both are now. God is SO good!
Speaking of HIM!! ~ I LOVE that your day and time of meeting Sienna is the same as when you you met Ruby... God is just creative like that! He so enjoys knitting things together...I think He has fun with us, just seeing if we're paying close attention to those details! :)
Calendar is marked...you KNOW I'll be pray'in!!
love you,
~ Tanya
We really might be in Changsha at the exact same time, so I'm anxious to read your comments to see some neat things to do in that city!
Praying your planning and packing goes so smoothly!
So excited for you as you nest and pack for your trip. So much to look forward to and God is working the details together perfectly. I can't wait to watch your journey and pray for the day when we are there again too. Have written Pray for Sienna Grace on my calendar and will pray for you all. Blessings today!
Sharon
Oh that song gives me big time goosebumps! And I'm absolutely envious of you...does that mean I'm ready for another one? Hmm! Lol! Seriously, my prayers are with you all.
What an amazing journey to your beautiful Sienna!
God bless you.
Jill xx
Diana...how exciting...we stayed at the Dolton in Changsha when we met Lucy...and I had a friend tell me about a place just up from the hotel, where Ainsley could be dressed in traditional Chinese clothes and they do her hair and makeup...the pics i had seen were so cute...it might be fun for your little model! We also visited the Academy , Embroidery factory, and the museum...other than that we spent lots of time in the hotel playroom and the indoor swimming pool. Oh...If you are staying at the Dolton... Food Street (upstairs) has great food.... they have a bowling alley too!!!
So excited to follow your journey and will definitely be praying over your family!
P.S. Ruby's picture is adorable, LOVE the pigtails:)
So excited for you and your family! I have marked my calendar and will be praying away. :) In Changsha you have to go the embroidery factory...it's amazing! Also, there is a huge ferris wheel in Changsha. I did not go on it (I'm a chicken) but, several people from our group took a ride and loved it. We stayed at the Grand Sun hotel and there was an excellent restaurant across the street that severed "spicy beans" and "flying pie"...delicious!!! Enjoy every minute!
It's on my calendar. I join you in prayer and cannot wait to see and hear all about your trip. Let the countdown begin...make your girls a paper chain!!!
How exciting!
We were in Changsha in April/May '09, and Amy was our guide! (Tell her Dan, Brandi & Kalia say hi!)
We went to the embroidery museum & Martyrs Park, but mostly we just enjoyed walking around the city on our own.
We stayed at the Dolton....which is WONDERFUL! They have tons of stuff to do, and we were never bored (bowling, table tennis, swimming pool, massages, etc...) The restaurant on the 2nd floor is DELICIOUS! And all the staff are great!
We have tons of pics on our travel blog if you're interested (www.welcomekalia.blogspot.com)
Enjoy your time in Changsha!
I know your Feb will go so fast! Can't wait to see China thru Ainsey's eyes!
Hi Diana -- Just beyond thrilled for you guys!! We will have Sienna's picture on our fridge & we will be praying!!!!! Hannah's knows exactly who Ruby is and she will certainly know Sienna, as well!
Love to you from CA --
Debbie
You will defintely be in my thoughts and prayers. I feel so honored to share this special journey with you here in bloggy land!
February 28th at 8:30pm - or 9:30pm for your East Coast friends;) - got it!! Prayers will be flooding your way and your family has been in my daily thoughts since I heard about sweet Sienna!!
So excited for you guys (so I can't possibly imagine what you feel like)!!
Blessings and Prayers, Ashley
I am sure time will fly (feb. is a short month). I will pray for safe travels and transition.
8:30 February 28th- on the calendar:)
So excited for you!
Diana, Haven't visited you in a while but saw Kim's post about about your adoption. Please know that we will be praying for you and your family especially Sienna Grace! Your story is amazing and I love how God weaved it all together! He's pretty good at stuff like that :)
Many blessings and safe travels!
Kim and Katiebug
Congratulations, Diana!! I'm so excited for you and your beautiful family. And that picture of Ruby... oh my - so adorable!
I am so excited for you and your family. I cannot wait to follow your journey back to China. What an amazing moment it will be for you when she is placed in your arms. Congratulations to you!
It is all so exciting and becoming so real. I am so excited how all of the God's little details are falling into place.
Oh, my! That is the sweetest photo!
So excited to follow along on your My Adoption Website!
Not only is the date "penciled on the calendar, but also in my heart! "First a Pearl, then TWO Rubies" have definitely left a "mark" on my heart! I can't wait to "journey" w/you to Sienna and with Kim @ 3Peanuts being your "scribe" also makes it EXTRA special!
Diana, this is so exciting. I am so happy for you and your family!
Can't wait to follow along!
Jill :)
That's so exciting! It will be here before you know it. Those dates are very significant for us, too (Kerry was born Feb 28, 2008 and was abandoned March 1st). Thanks for letting us all "follow along". I can't wait see Sienna with her forever family =).
Hi Diana we may be receiving our daughters at the same time in China:) We have tentative travel dates to be in Taiyuan on Feb 28 and we will receive Gabriella Grace, 2, on March 1 as well:) Our article 5 went to the CCAA a week ago and our agency feels we will have TA in the next week or two and we can travel with our antcipated dates:) We may see each other in Gungzhou:)
We are a former AWAA family and I followed your journey to Ruby Mei, and have been somewhat lurking since then! Anyway, Amy was our guide in Changsha for our first adoption of AnnaClaire, and I just wanted to let you know she is WONDERFUL. You will be in very good hands! Since that trip 3 years ago, we have been back to China for another daughter and are currently in the process of 2 more adoptions from China.
I can't wait to see Sienna in your arms!
Blessings,
Pam
www.andthentherewereseven.blogspot.com
Diana
We were in China one year ago today, and adopted our Ashley from Hunan!
One resturant recommendation is "Fire Palace" it was the BEST FOOD WE HAD IN CHINA! Seriously, we could have eaten there everyday! The same things others have said, embroidery museum (I bought Ashley a hankerchief with blue embroidery for her "something blue" on her wedding day!) and the large park. We were there with our 7 year old and she did great. Bring their suits and swim, we did that every day. The ferris wheel is HUGE and looked very scary :) Can't wait to follow your journey!
So excited for you!!! So, so excited!
Just stumbled on your blog. Your daughter is beautiful and I can't wait to follow your journey to Sienna. We are adopting a little boy from Beijing and it looks like we'll be in GZ at the same time. OUr CA is on March 9th and we're heading to LAX on March 12 too!