One More Week Until Travel Day!!

We leave for China in one more week. Our travel visas arrived yesterday so the last thing to do is get all of our fresh crisp bills ready for our orphanage donation, etc. For those of you who want to follow our schedule here is our itinerary (remember that China is 12 hours ahead of our time):

September 11 - Leave Grand Rapids at 10:05 a.m. Arrive in Minneapolis at 10:40. We will meet up with Curt's mother at some point (she is traveling with us). Leave Minneapolis at 3:00 p.m. for the LOOONNNGGG flight to Tokyo arriving at 5:25 p.m. (13 hours ahead). Leave Tokyo at 6:35 p.m. and arrive in Beijing at 9:35 p.m. (on the 12th).
September 12 - Arrive in Beijing at 9:35 p.m. Travel to Days Hotel and Suites.
September 13 - Orientation meeting in morning. Acrobatic show in afternoon.
September 14 - Vist the Great Well and Cloisonne Factory
September 15 - Visit Tiananment Square, the Forbidden City and Hutong Tour.
SEPTEMBER 16 (FAMILY DAY!!) - Fly to Changsha (Hunan Province) in the morning & check in to the Dolton Hotel. We will meet Carissa for the first time in the afternoon.
September 17 - Adoptoin registration and notarization
September 18 - Free Day (probably shop!!)
September 19 - Visit Hunan Embroidery Factory & Yuelu Academy
September 20 - Visit Hunan Museum
September 21 - Visit Bayli Park
September 22 - Receive all the documents. Fly to Guanghzou and stay at the White Swan Hotel
September 23 - Medical Exam for the children
September 24 - Visa appointment (U.S. Consulate/Embassy)
September 25 - 3:00 p.m. go to the consulate to take the oath and pick up visa.
September 26 - 8:20 a.m. leave Guangzhou and fly to Tokyo arriving at 1: 55 p.m. Leave Tokyo at 3:25 p.m. (another LOOONNNGGG flight) and arrive in Minneapolis at 12:05 p.m. (Once we land in Minneapolis, Carissa will become a U.S. Citizen). Leave Minneapolis at 4:55 to finally return home to Grand Rapids at 7:17 p.m.

Since we have such a long lay over in Minneapolis, we will have time for Carissa to meet some of her Aunts and cousins that will be coming to the airport to see her. Hopefully customs won't be too bad, but even so we have almost about a 4 1/2 hour lay over in the airport to give us time to visit a little while.

We are very excited for this new chapter in our lives and hopefully we will be able to post while in China to keep everyone up to speed while we are gone. Thank you for your prayers and support during this three year adventure that will be ending and beginning soon!!