sobo Posted November 9, 2005 Author Posted November 9, 2005 UPDATE! WOO HOO! We got our travel authorization on Monday (I've been out of the office and away from the Spray Factory for a few days)! We leave out of SeaTac on November 30, and will be touring a couple of touron sites in China for a week before we get Elaina. Our visa says we get back home on December 14, missing most, if not all, of the holiday travel bullshit that we ran into when we went to Vietnam (cheaper fares, too! ). Oh, and because of SARS and avain flu and generally shitty air quality in some of the cities we'll be visiting, we decided to leave little Nicholas here with Gramma for the duration. He's already had pneumonia three times in his short little life, and we thought (and his doc recommended) that he stay home if at all possible. Just thought you'd like to know. Gotta go; we've got a lot to do in the next three weeks! Quote
Stefan Posted November 9, 2005 Posted November 9, 2005 My brother-in-law and his wife are leaving Nov 18 to Dec 4 to pick up twin Chinese daughters. Congratulations! Quote
sobo Posted November 9, 2005 Author Posted November 9, 2005 My brother-in-law and his wife are leaving Nov 18 to Dec 4 to pick up twin Chinese daughters. Righteous! That is so sweet! Confer my congratulations to them! And Happy Trails! Quote
minx Posted November 9, 2005 Posted November 9, 2005 YAY sobo! can't wait to read the trip report! Quote
sobo Posted November 9, 2005 Author Posted November 9, 2005 We are prolly going to set up a website to upload our journals and photos, like we did when we went to get Nicholas. Don't know if the wife will have time to get it up and running before we leave. Here is the site for Nicholas's journey, from 2002/2003, if anyone's interested in reading it/looking at the pictures. Quote
sobo Posted November 15, 2005 Author Posted November 15, 2005 Now THIS is some happy news... NOT! We have to go to this very Consulate office in Guangzhou to get the baby's entry visa to the US. Not to mention, the Chinese officials choose your hotel for you for these adoption deals, so guess where we'll be staying? You guessed it, at "places where Americans are known to congregate or visit." Great, just fucking great! Quote
AlpineK Posted November 16, 2005 Posted November 16, 2005 I know where your coming from. I've had to deal with Chinese liaison officers. Once you've signed up for the deal they expect you to go for the full package. It doesn't matter how stupid it is you don't have a choice. In the end you'll have your kid though. Quote
Dechristo Posted November 16, 2005 Posted November 16, 2005 Congratulations, Slobo Don! ...we decided to leave little Nicholas here with Gramma for the duration. He's already had pneumonia three times in his short little life, and we thought (and his doc recommended) that he stay home if at all possible.Good move. I've had a cough (still) since returning from Korea in September. oh, and Happy Freakin' Birthday. Quote
sobo Posted November 16, 2005 Author Posted November 16, 2005 In the end you'll have your kid though. Yeah, unless I get blown up at the Consulate office. Or blown up in the Western hotel directly across the street from the Consulate office. The one where we have to stay if we want our kid. It's kinda creepy; like being a tornado chaser in a way. You know it can get pretty damn nasty in there, but you go in anyway... Well, if you hear about a bombing in Guangzhou next month and I don't log back on after the middle of December, at least you all will know what happened to us. Stefan, I'm worried for your BIL and his wife. I hope they get back safely and soon with their daughters. Quote
EWolfe Posted November 16, 2005 Posted November 16, 2005 You guys are awesome for doing this. All will go well with the love in your hearts. Quote
sobo Posted November 16, 2005 Author Posted November 16, 2005 Thank you, Erik. That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said about this thing. You're a fine human being. Quote
Ducknut Posted November 22, 2005 Posted November 22, 2005 Sobo Have a good trip and stay safe. Twas good to catch up over those beers. I was waiting for that train to come by and reset the beer prices. We want a full TR when you get back. Quote
sobo Posted November 23, 2005 Author Posted November 23, 2005 Thanks for the sentiments, Brad. Ya know, I don't think a train ever went by the whole time we were there. Unusual... The wife has set up a website for anyone who wants to follow our trip. We will be taking a laptop to write up our journals on a daily basis, and we will uploading to the site whenever we can get access to the internet conveniently. There's also a guestbook, if any of you all are into signing those kinda things. The kids' site is www.NicholasandElaina.com Looks like a lot of the site is working, but she may still be testing it... Quote
sobo Posted November 30, 2005 Author Posted November 30, 2005 Well, tomorrow is the Big Day. We head for China first thing in the morning, and hopefully we'll see you all back here after the middle of December. Please visit the kids' site (address in post immediately above - it's working perfectly now) and leave a message in the guestbook. Desn't have to be anything profound or drenched in scholarly wisdom; just a note would be great. We're taking our laptop, so we'll be uploading our journals to the kids' site on a daily basis, or at least as often as we can get an internet connection. That's gonna have to be my TR, because I seriously doubt that I'll have any time after we get back, what with TWO young'ns in tow! See you all next month! Quote
Doug Posted November 30, 2005 Posted November 30, 2005 Sobo, All the best to you and the Mrs. Our daughter turns 5 on Sunday. I've been reliving the whole adoption process in my head. What a great memory, it seems like a lifetime ago! Quote
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