This Song..

Ok... so I was trying to use song titles for almost all my blog titles... but right now my brain is complete and total MUSH... Rachel is sound asleep... I gave her some Motrin because all our little ones appear to have colds... lots of coughing and stuffy noses... She has been an absolute DREAM... she hasn't cried at all, has laughed with us a lot, and the absolute best feeling in the world was when I held her and she put her little arms around my neck and held on like she knew me... I haven't stopped crying and smiling at the same time...

Tomorrow we have to be out of her very early in the morning. We finalize all the paperwork and hand over the bulk of our money... Oh... and she is in size 2 diapers that still look a little big, and the 9 mos PJ's I put her in are big too... only not so much in the length...

She stands up in the crib and she has 2 teeth on the bottom and a 3rd coming in on top (which would account for the stuffy nose, but I don't think the cough would be connected.. Mom, you tell me!)

so here are a few more pictures...

Words Get in the Way

I am just so beyond words right now... I could not be happier. My daughter and her daddy are both napping at the moment... I'm getting ready to go up to a meeting room for paperwork...

So without futher adue... May I present... Ms. Rachel MeiLi Evonne Shaw... and family!!!

More to follow but I have to run to do more paperwork!!!

Glass Hotel

We made it through our first full travel day! It is around 9:30pm and we are in our hotel in Hong Kong. My ankles look like they belong on the Michellin Man... I am so swollen from all the airplane rides... but we are HERE!!!!

Tomorrow morning we have to be at the airport at 7am for our next flight... THE flight... we leave for Changsha!!! WOOHOO....

I already spoke to Kim on Skype tonite. Tried to call mom, but got the answering machine! and Marla must not be near the computer... but this place is really nice... apparently it was just built a year ago. very fancy.. there is even a shopping mall downstairs!

Well, this has to be short because they charge for internet here and I only bought an hour to call people... Tomorrow I will hpefully be in the room at a reasonable hour and I will have LOTS of pictures to post!!!

Love all,

Eight Miles High

Today I tested Skype with Marla & Kim. This is going to be SO cool... it worked really great with Kim and pretty well with Marla... I think that one was because of her camera... but she is actually going to buy a new web cam...
I'm just about done packing. really all that is left is the carry on stuff. That and what my girlfriend Lorie brought me today. She came over with her sister and her 2 gorgeous little girls. She adopted them both from China too. They were absolutely adorable!!! Anyway, she brought stuff for us to take on the trip, so I have to get that into the bags. Then Margie & Charlie came over for a last minute goodbye and final instructions for all the stuff they need to know about the house. They are staying here while we are gone. They also brought Rachel the cutest little cup with her name on it! Beautiful bright colors... YEAH...
I spent most of today on the phone! everyone calling to say bon voyage... it was not what I intended, since I had so much cleaning up to do... but I decided I will continue working throughout the evening, and whatever I don't get to I will just dump into a garbage bag and it will wait till we get home!
Right now I'm going to print out our boarding passes for tomorrow's flights. then I have to pack up the laptop and start getting the last minute stuff done. Tommy just left to get Kentucky Fried Chicken for dinner.. Forgot to tell him what I wanted! I sure hope he remembers I don't do legs...
Ok, so this should be the last post probably until we get to China, but if there is time I may post tomorrow from Newark... we'll see.
Wow... it's really happening! YIPPEE

You've Got a Friend

You know... I left work feeling really down. I was just so hurt... But I walked out of there without anyone from my shift saying anything, and just got in my car and didn't look back. I headed off to meet my ladies group for an emergency meeting... I was the emergency! LOL.. they wanted to say bon voyage... and boy did they! I am SO grateful for the friends I have... they are so awesome... The girls gave me a beautiful gift to wear on the trip (so that I know they are with me the whole time). It is a gorgeous mother & child necklace. They made me feel SO much better!!!
So to Kim, Nancy, Donna & Rita.... I just want ALL of you to know how special you are to me.... and know that I love you all very much... Rachel is going to have some awesome aunties!!! :-) Thanks for being there... oh and Kim... NOTICE THE COLOR!!! LOL.... just for you, shopper girl!

For Once in my Life

55.86 hours until we are on a plane. Even more important, 111 hours to go until we are holding our precious daughter. Wow... that is just so... I can't even describe it. After waiting 3 long years, it is just a matter of hours... I'm gonna be a mom... did I say wow?
No major events today. Went to AT&T to get a new phone for Tommy, but they didn't have any freebies (he doesn't want any bells or whistles... just a phone) so we will wait until we get back to get that for him. Then I hit Target looking for an inflatable bath tub to bring to China. They only had the big one with the giant duck head, which I did not want. Guess I'll have to run all the way out to Babies R Us for the one they have. I did pick up an inflatable "baby pool" from Target which I will take if I can't get the other one. It is really too big to fit in a bathtub, but it will do in a pinch.
Tonite is my last night at work YIIIIPPPPPEEEEE!!!!! I'm actually kinda hurt. They did nothing for my last night. Considering all the birthdays & showers I've done around here, I was kinda thinking maybe SOMETHING... but nope... not so much as a card... I sure wish I could stay home for good... Funny, but I think I told someone months ago that I didn't think anyone would do anything when I left... but in the back of my mind (or my heart), I guess I had hoped... oh well... you never know, right? Well, I won't be thinking of this place for the next 5 months...

Psycho Killer - Qu'est-ce que c'est?

I am starting to firmly believe in the old adage "whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger..."
Today was hell... got a call at noon from our credit union. I was expecting their call because today was when my new money was going to be delivered so they were calling me to pick it up... or so I thought... but NO... instead they are calling me to tell me that despite all the promises and assurances they gave me not 2 days ago, they could NOT get the new money... I blew my top... I got hysterical... I cried, screamed, cried some more... and all they said was "sorry". So I called the main HQ in Tampa... freaked out some more on the phone with them... told them it was doubly aggravating having to listen to their message on hold, which kept repeating how much they value their members and value our trust... yeah right... ok, so I call my girlfriend Kim... my savior... I'm hysterical crying to her on the phone... I asked her to take the end of the alphabet and I had already started the beginning and we would meet in the middle and call every freakin bank in the county until I got enough new bills... well, she stops me and says her mom works at a credit union up in Punta Gorda... SO... she calls her mom, they have new bills, we are taking a road trip to PG... so I go to my credit union branch on Santa Barbara (because if I go into the one on Del Prado, I would do some serious physical harm to them) and I'm going to withdraw $6000 to take up to Punta Gorda... while I'm in line, my phone rings... its the main office in Tampa... they found new bills for me but they are not at the Del Prado branch... they are in the Santa Barbara branch! I tell her I'm standing in the Santa Barbara branch... she tells me to ask for Joanne.. so I do... they have my money in an envelope in the back... all in new bills, no marks, no folds... just like I need. So I call my girlfriend and tell her the road trip is off... and now I need Valium!!!! or ice cream... LOL... Nothing like a little excitement/aggravation to start my day!
BUT... we did get some GOOD news... we got an updated itinerary from the agency... seems we are NOT going to get our daughter on the 11th... we are actually getting her on the 10th!!! the same day we arrive in Changsha!!!
We get in around 11am, go to the hotel, unload, and have to be at the civil affairs office at 3:30pm!!!! WOOHOO!

Riders On The Storm

Another day closer... only now I have something NEW to worry about... Hurricane season is kicking us where it hurts. We are closely watching out for Hurricane Ike. It is currently out in the Atlantic at a Category 4. It's expected to become a 5 by tomorrow night. By Monday, it should be in the Bahamas. If I'm figuring correctly, we should not have a problem flying out, but now I'll be worrying about the house and all the animals... I'm also calling American Airlines constantly to make sure they don't cancel our flight... I'm thinking of flying up to NJ on Sunday instead, just to be certain we won't have any issues... but that means losing the cost of the tickets we already have, PLUS paying for a hotel at the airport... not to mention losing an entire day of cleaning the house and getting ready... I don't care much for that idea either... Ok... just going to think good, positive thoughts. I know... Tina will step in and kick Ike outa there! :-)
This morning I stopped at the Urgent care clinic... I'm pretty sure I've got a sinus infection. Well, the Doc said it was allergies and gave me perscriptions for nasal spray and antihistimine... but I did get her to give me a script for Cipro for the trip... so it wasn't a complete waste...
Went to my parents for dinner and for dad to do my hair... he added the highlights this time too! :-)
Tomorrow... more packing, less panic... I hope!

Funny How Time Flies

Today was the run to the bank to get a cashier's check for our agency. Then to the post office to get it out Priority mail... we had to get our in-china flight fees paid by Thursday...
So while I was at the bank, had a minor panic attack when they told me they are HOPING to get our money in by Thursday (the brand new bills we have to take for all the China expenses - like the orphanage donation, etc... ) She PROMISED me they would have it and I did not have to be nervous... she told me to have faith... these days, that is easier said than done! I told her she's literally got my life in her hands! We'll see what happens...
I still have WAY too much to do before Monday. I was running way far behind today (forgot Tommy had started to clean Fred's tank and when I came home from the bank run I realized he was still in the bathtub and the tank was still 1/4 full of cruddy water! had to finish that before I could take my nap!) and since I was running so late, had to cancel having dad do my hair... well, he will do it tomorrow instead.
Still have to finish packing Tommy's clothes - he promised to have them all laid out for me for tomorrow. Not to mention digging thru the mountain of JUNK on the dining room table. OY... I'm tired~! LOL.

Fly Away from Here

Today was a packing day. I finished packing my bag and it weighed in at 40 lbs. Just where I wanted it to be. Now I'm waiting for Tommy to pull out all the clothes he wants to take so I can pack his bag and see what other baby stuff I can get in there too... looks like we will have plenty of room. Especially since we will be buying a new bag while we are in China for all the stuff we will be buying there... mostly clothes for Rachel, and a few gifts to give her over the coming years...
Unfortunately, I'm also feeling really crummy today... my head hurts, and I feel totally run down like I'm getting a cold... I REFUSE TO GET SICK!!!
Tomorrow (Tuesday) I'm going to dad's to get my hair done and start my final week of work. Actually, only 4 more nights of work before I am OUTA THERE... 5 months... how cool is that?
But I really have to get moving on the cleaning around here... There is a pile of stuff on the dining room table that will take over if I don't get it GONE... LOL... well, I work best under pressure, I guess.