Coming down…

Wow – it has been 2 weeks since we got ‘the call.’ It has just flown by. We’ve been busy doing the post-referral paperchase: filling out more forms, getting our social worker’s signature on a bunch of stuff, doing VISA applications, etc. etc. We were able to ship all of it off on Friday and so now there is nothing to do but wait, prepare and pack!
Our travel arrangements were confirmed yesterday. We leave on May 4 and will be returning home on May 19. We are going one day early so that we have a bit of time to get over our jet lag. The trip will go something like this:

May 4 – leave Canada
May 5 – arrive in Beijing
May 6 – hang out and sleep
May 7 – Fly to Guangdong (don’t know the city yet)
May 8 – Charlotte officially becomes part of our family!!!!
May 9 to 13 – complete adoption paperwork and sightsee in province
May 14 – return to Beijing
May 15 – 18 – complete immigration paperwork and sightsee in Beijing
May 19 – fly home

People keep asking how we can possibility wait until May to travel to get Charlotte. Honestly, right now we have so much to do before we go that I am happy to have some time. Unlike many prospective parents, we have done NOTHING to prepare for this baby. Partially this is because we already have 90% of the baby gear we need, and partially is because I was never convinced it would really happen (and maybe a little superstitious about too much advance preparation).
I imagine by April most everything will be checked off the ‘to do’ list, and then I will feel anxious to get going. For now we are just busy gearing up for the trip of a lifetime.

We’re off to Toronto this weekend and will meet up with some of the people in our travel group. Should be fun!