What a wonderful dream!

Dear Annalisa,

Thank you for coming in my dreams last night. You must have known that mommy was getting a bit fearful about everything that's about to happen so you kept singing over and over "I love you, mommy!". You looked even more beautiful than the pictures and your voice was so soothing.

In just 10 days we'll finally be together!

Love,

Mommy!

Packing...

All this is now packed in diaper bag below:
Here's what I packed in the diaper bag:

2 PJs; 1 Change of clothes; 2 Pair of socks; 3 Bibs cloth; 4 Disposable bibs; 1 Bottle; 1 Thermos; Cheerios (packed in a hard plastic container); Comb, brush, Nail Clipper, nose aspirator; 1 Headband and 2 hair clipps; 2 Burp cloths; 1 Baby book (for emergencies); Disposable gloves; Sun Screen and bug wipes; Hand sanitizing wipes and gel; Alcohol wipes; Spoons; Gerber food (prune, sweet potatoe and banana); Pacifiers; Teething ring; Changing pad; Wipes; 2 size 2 diapers; 2 size 3 diapers, scented diaper bags; Baby lotion; Powder; 10 small packets of Infamil Lipid with Iron;

I also got all the meds packed:

I hope they don't inspect our bags...it's going to be hard to explain Airport Security why we are carrying all this stuff.

Goodbye Georgie Porgie!

I had to say goodbye to a really good friend today! My oldest cat, George! He was 20 years old!

It's hard to believe that he's gone. He has traveled with me throughout the world and kept my back warm every night for half of my life!

My life has changed so much in these past 20 years. I have moved from one continent to another; I have changed many jobs; I have met many people, lost touch with some and kept close to many others; I have moved to different cities and homes but he and his sister Martha (she passed away two years ago) were always there to see me through the good and the bad!

I was hoping he would hang on a little longer to meet Annalisa but he let me know it was time! He knew Annalisa was coming and that I'd be OK!

Goodbye Georgie Porgie, thank you for all the joy and companionship you so generously gave us!

Travel Dates Confirmed!

We finally heard back from our agency yesterday.

We have now firm travel dates (heck, I already bought the tickets!).

We leave Jacksonville Thursday November 3rd (my 42nd birthday)!

Fly to Chicago, over the North Pole and arrive in Beijing Friday November 4th late afternoon (it's about 20 hours total travel time but China is 12 hours ahead of us)!

We have no plans for Saturday (well, maybe a trip to a local street market I heard about)!

Sunday we tour Beijing: Temple of Heaven, Panda Zoo, Summer Palace;

Monday we join our travel group to tour the Great Wall, Tiananmin Square and the Forbidden City!

Tuesday November 8th we fly to Nanchang in the JiangXi province in SouthEast China where we'll finally be able to put our arms around Annalisa!

The next 5 days will be used to complete the adoption paperwork, bond, chill, tour the area!

We fly to Guangzhou in the GuangDong province in South China on November 14th to go to the American Consulate where we'll get Annalisa's Entry Visa to the U.S. (she'll be an American Citizen the second we touch American Soil)!

We'll be back in Jacksonville Friday November 18th just in time for Thanks Giving!