Flurry.

Any other year, it would be a flurry of pre-Christmas preparation in our lives. This year is quite different. Most of our days and evenings are spent juggling full-time jobs, preparing the house for Ella and sifting through Visa applications and care package deliveries to her orphanage. It is a flurry of emails and phone calls and translations.

In the next week, I will start the very serious job of reviewing and organizing the packing list. We are quite certain the journey will commence in January but what exact date has not been set. Our acceptance letter has been sent back to the CC@@. The CC@@, in turn, will issue a formal Notice of Coming letter (aka Travel Approval). This can take anywhere from 2-8 weeks. We're hoping against hope it falls somewhere in the middle.

We have a loose game plan of travel...
Detroit to Hong Kong for a few days alone to explore
Hong Kong to Kunming to meet up with the other two families adopting from our agency as well as our guide (7-8 day stay)
Kunming to Guangzhou (7-8 day stay)
Guangzhou to Detroit!

Upon arriving in Kunming, Ella will be in our arms within 24 hours of stepping off the plane. In some cases, it happens that same day. What a rush!

Blessings to you this Christmas. Health and happiness and joy to you in 2010.