Our Flight Home

Hamming for the camera while we wait to board the plane.

We had an empty seat beside us. I could just eat him up he is so precious!!!!

Food....Can I have my own tray, Please?

Hummm....maybe I should have gotten what that guy got?

I'm not to sure about this American food....I think I'll just stick with my Chinese snow cake.

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I am OFFICIAL!!! I am now a citizen of the U.S.A. and also proud to be Chinese.

Wow!! I really like my sister, but what's with her hair? I've never seen hair this color before.

I think my brother is really proud of me. I think he is funny. I am ready to meet my other brother too.

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First time in my car seat. Lovin my tunes!!

I think I like it here!! I can get use to this.

(click to enlarge photos)*

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Our trip home was unbelievably wonderful. First we flew from Guangzhou to Hong Kong and Max did great. He loved looking out the window and visiting with the people behind us. Next was our long flight from Hong Kong to San Francisco, it was a little over 12 hours. Max was tired and slept all but about 2 hours and the 2 hours he was awake he was happy to sit in our laps and cuddle, and was ready to eat when the food cart came by. He did so well we didn't even have to pull out any of the MANY toys I brought to entertain him with. We landed in San Francisco and had about a 4 hour layover there, once we went through customs and found our terminal for our next flight to DFW Max was able to get down and play and run off a little energy he had stored. When we got on the plane headed for Big D, Max fell asleep while we were taxiing out getting ready to take off. He slept the entire 3 hour flight and I had to wake him up. It was 11:30 pm when we got to DFW and he was welcomed by his Jie Jie (Britney-big sister in Chinese) and his Bubba (Hayden), his GeGe (Mark-big brother in Chinese)wasn't able to fly in and is looking forward to seeing him in a couple of weeks. Britney and Hayden both went nuts over him and they think he is the best thing that ever was. DBU has a fall break so Hayden gets to spend a week spoiling Max. I shared with Hayden how much I already miss China and I told him that maybe we'll be going back before to long to get him another brother or sister and Hayden said NO!!, I ask why he was so negative about us adopting again. He said that he didn't think he could love another brother or sister as much as he loves Max. I thought that was so sweet and I remembered when I just had Britney I wondered if I could ever love another child like I loved her, but you do....God expands our hearts and gives you enough love to love them all. We got home around 3:30 am and didn't get to bed around 5 am but WE WERE HOME and it felt so good to be in a soft bed again. Max is HOME and we are LOVING it.

New Posts Coming Soon

We are just trying to get over jet lag and trying to get Mr. Max on US time instead of China time. He is such a snuggler.... See ya soon!

Click here to follow our journey as we travel to China.

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We will journal and post pictures daily.

Celebrate with us as we bring Max home.

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When you get to our travel website please sign the guestbook as often as you like. When we return home I will print off your comments and make a scrapbook for Max.

And We're Off!!

Get ready Max, Mommy and Daddy are on our way to bring you home!!

We're Nearly Packed

What???... Did I hear someone say there is a limit on luggage?

Happy Birthday Britney ***24***

This is my sweet Britney girl, she turned 24 years old today. She is in her last year of college, she LOVES school!! She will do her student teaching in January and will graduate in May. Britney runs cross country for UT-Tyler and is training to run a marathon in the spring. She is trying to decide what she wants to do after she graduates, you would think she would want to teach since that is what her degree is in, but she is not so sure of that. She is mulling a few things over in that sweet little head of hers. 1.) Grad school 2.) Move to China and teach beautiful little Chinese children. 3.) Move to Europe work as an Au Pair. 4.) this would be without any questions her #1 choice, but $$$ prevents this at this moment......move to England and go to Oxford University to Ravi Zacharias' School of Apologetics....Humm...I wonder if they have scholarships....Anyway...Britney is an amazing young woman that I admire so much, it will be exciting to see what the future holds for her. Britney, I LOVE you so much and I hope you had a wonderful birthday!!

we got a consulate appointment in september!!

We are so excited we got our confirmed CA, our in country travel itinerary and our official flight itinerary the same day. We will fly from DFW to CHICAGO OHARE(2hr.16min.) CHICAGO OHARE to BEIJING, CHINA(13hr.20min.) and then BEIJING to TAIYUAN, CHINA(1hr). Taiyaun is the capital of the province that Max is from. We will stay there several days and then fly south to Guangzhou.

(click to enlarge)

~ Our Itinerary ~

Sept.16 - Leave DFW at 6:55am
Sept. 17 - Arrive in Taiyuan at 6:35pm and stay in the Imperial Garden Hotel
Sept. 18 - Visit Jin Academy
Sept. 19 - Forever Family Day - Max Day!!!
Sept. 20 - Complete adoption proceedings
Sept. 21 - Free day and shopping
Sept. 22 - Visit Datong Social Welfare Institute
Sept. 23 - Visit Qiao Family Garden
Sept. 24 - Visit Yingze Park
Sept. 25 - Receive Max’s Chinese passport. Fly to Guangzhou and stay in White Swan Hotel.
Sept. 26 - Max's medical examination and visit Chan Academy
Sept. 27 - U.S. Consulate appointment
Sept. 28 - Attend oath-taking ceremony at the Consulate and receive U.S. visa
Sept. 29 - Depart for home and arrive DFW at 11:43pm

*** Our TA Has Arrived!!! ***

BEFORE YOU START VIDEOS PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE AND TURN OFF MUSIC.

We're doing the happy dance at our house today....click below and check it out.



CELEBRATION!!!! We're gonna celebrate and have a good time!!!!...click below and dance with us.

We got the call this morning telling us that our TA(travel approval) has arrived. Dillon(our agency) is asking for a CA(consulate appointment) for the last week in September. If we receive an appointment that means we will leave for China either Thursday the 13th or Friday the 14th, and will have Max in our arms either Sunday the 16th or Monday the 17th. OH HAPPY DAY!!!!

Max's Orphanage

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I received this email from friend that knows several families that adopted children out of Max's orphanage. It gives me great comfort to know he is so well taken care of. Here is what she had to say.

"We are so blessed that our children live there. Every parent that I know just adores the care their children received there. They have a real emphasis on personal attention and the nannies really seem to care about the children. The government officers in Taiyuan (the capital of Shanxi where the adoptions take place) always comment that the kids from Datong always have the best transitions. Also, many of the kids actually recognize their parents on adoption day because the nannies take great care to show them any family pictures that you send. I am not sure how much you know about Chinese adoptions in general but this is EXTREMELY rare! Usually the kids don't even get the care packages much less sit down with the nannies and look at pictures."

As you go on your way, may God go with you.
May He go before you to show you the way;
May He go behind you to encourage you;
Beside you to befriend you;
Above you to watch over you;
Within you to give you peace.

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I got this off of one of the letters our China Program Director sent out. I just love it so much and I came across it again just when I needed it.

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Thanks Denise