12 days to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just 12 days left. We learned today that we have 13 families traveling in our group. We have been talking to several families and we are really looking forward to meeting them. We actually met one family a few years ago at Hannah's adoption reunion. They have been waiting a long time to be united with their daughter, who they have named "Hannah". We are very happy for them and glad to be traveling with them after all this time. Another family that we have been talking to is traveling at the same time, on the same flight, and staying at the same hotel in Guangzhou but is using a different adoption agency. We are happy to meet up with them as well. We hope to gain lifelong friendships like we did with Hannah's travel group.

13 days to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Less than 2 weeks to go. Today we received our itinerary. We hope you follow us on our journey to bring our daughter, Emily, home.


March 18-Leave South Bend to Chicago to Beijing
March 19-Arrive in Beijing. Stay at Kuntai Royal Hotel for 3 nights.
March 20-21-Tours to the Great Wall, Summer Palace & Forbidden City
March 22-Fly from Beijing to Guangzhou. Stay at the White Swan Hotel
March 23-Civil Affairs Bureau of Guangdong Province to unite with Emily
March 24-Complete the adoption registration and notarization procedure
March 25-Apply for Emily's passport
March 26–29 Free time to play with Emily/Shop.
(Have visa picture taken and medical exam performed for Emily on Friday)
March 30-Free time to lay with Emily/Shop. Pick up passport for Emily
March 31-Visa application documents submitted for Emily
April 1-Adoption oath taken at the U.S. Consulate. Receive Emily’s visa
April 2-Leave Guangzhou & fly to Beijing to Chicago to South Bend

14 days to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!

14 more days before we leave for China to pick up Emily. All the paperwork is done, we put in for our vacations, verified days with the house sitter, and purchased the tickets. We have not received the itinerary yet but should have it any day. We have been talking and getting to know our travel group. We have a conference call with our group and our adoption coordinator on March 12 for more specific information. All we can do now is wait.......... (and start packing!!!)

15 days to go!!!!!!

Our flight tickets to and from China were verified today. We are just waiting on our "inside travel" itinerary and hotel verifications, which should be coming this week yet. In just 15 days we will be heading 1/2 way around the world to meet with the new addition to the Chlebowski family. Hannah actually seems to be getting more excited now as the date is getting closer. She said she will miss us snuggling with her when she goes to bed. We just hope she does not grow up too much in the 2 weeks we are gone. Oh-how we love and will miss our "lil' snugglebug".

TIME TO START PACKING!!!

After a week of intense conversation with immigration to get our approval for Emily's adoption, we have finally received a consulate appoinment on March 31, 2009. We will be leaving March 18 and returning April 2. We will post the itinerary when we receive it next week.

Hannah gets 2nd place!!!

Hannah received 2nd place in the her school science fair this week for "Webby Web Web-How does a spider spin its web". GOOD JOB HANNAH!!! On the way home she said "Next year, Mama, I want to do-How a car works" UHOOHHHHH!!!!!

I-800 Approval received today!!!

Last night we found a ladybug in the house.
(Ladybugs are a chinese symbol for good-luck.)

I went to work today and told a friend that I had a dream last night that we received the I-800 today. At approximately 12:00 (noon) our Immigration officer requested information today from us. She was missing pg 8 of a 10 page form. So we completed this and waited ALL day to hear that the I-800 was approved. We received a fax of the approval at 6:45pm tonight. We scanned it and emailed it to our adoption coordinator by 7:00pm. We received an email stating it was on its way to Beijing!!! We are now awaiting for an appointment with the Chinese Consulate to complete the adoption in China. Once we know when the date is, we will know when we travel. We are hoping to make it on the next "adoption plane" out for Beijing on March 18!!! If we do not get to go with the March 18 group, then we can not travel until Aprl. Keep your fingers crossed (and say a prayer) that we will are able to make the March flight to bring our lil' Emily home soon.