Is This Really Happening?

Well, it's a few days since we updated so here goes. Oh and this is Chris that is updating tonight...This past week is going pretty quick considering we're on the home stretch and we figured that these last few days would seem like weeks in themselves. To answer my own question I guess this is really happening as today our Visas, Plane Tickets, and Itinerary all arrived safely... phewie... the stress and anxiety are getting lessened each day and even though Ange still feels like she's gonna be sick we're doing fine. Thanks Ange for covering that off for us. We'll be feeling that way next week on Wednesday morning as we fly to Beijing. :o)

Tracy and I both finished off work this week and with so much to do I'm glad we did. My day on Tuesday ended with a pleasant suprise. The teams that I have been working with got together and put together a suprise shower, and even though Kev(my manager) had a hard time getting me off the phone(sorry for being such a conscientious employee) we did finally make it upstairs where everyone had gathered with a beautiful basket full of gifts for Madison. Had a hard time with the card as I'm pretty much a ball of mush right now. I cannot even get through an episode of Oprah!!!!! That little girl is wrapped around Daddy's finger and she's not even here yet. What am I gonna be like on Gotcha Day?

Our notice of Travelling to China has been sent and we'll probably be taking a drive tomorrow or Monday to pick it up. All is working out for us and, I have to say, some serious prayers over the past few weeks are getting answered.

For all those interested below is our Itinerary, the where, when and what we'll be doing while in China.
Dec 5 - Leave for China 5:55AM - Scott, Jenn, who is buying the coffee?
Dec 6 - Arrive in Beijing - what are we time travellers?? nothing like crossing a dozen or so time zones - oh the 'jet lag'..........
Dec 7 - recoup from the 'jet lag'
Dec 8 - SHOPPING!!!
Dec 9 - Meet and greet with the rest of our travel group
Dec 10 - This is where things start to get interesting-----we fly to NanChang at 11:55 with an arrival of 1:15 in the afternoon......then.........GOTCHA DAY!!!!! Yes that's right this is the day we will finally be united with Madi....WOW!!!
Dec 11 - Provincial Government Office: Registration , and Notarization

Dec 12 - Visit the Tengwang Temple

Dec 13 - Receive Madi's Adoption Documents

Dec 14 - Receive Madi's Passport and fly back to Beijing

Dec 15 - Children's photos, Group Picture, Beijing Zoo, and a visit to the Summer Palace

Dec 16 - A visit to one of the 'Wonders of the World' - The Great Wall

Dec 17 - Medical Exam for the Childern

Dec 18 - Silk Store, and Indoor Market... wouldn't Gerald love the haggling!!(Gerald is Tracy's Dad, one of Madi's Grampi's, and he loves the yard sales)

Dec 19 - Tiananmen Square & The Forbidden City

Dec 20 - Leave Beijing for Canada arriving at the Moncton Airport at 10PM

That's a whirl wind trip if I ever saw one and home in time for Christmas! This is going to be a Christmas of Memories for our Family and we cannot wait to be able to share Madi with you all!!

Chris

Final Preparations!

Well, as so many of you have pointed out, I've failed to post to my blog for over a week - so I'll make this a good one!

We've been quite busy with referral celebrations and a baby shower and getting paper work done and the nursery done all in preparation for travel on Dec 5th! Yup, you heard it right, Chris and I will be leaving with 6 other families to travel and get our children in early December. Due to the Christmas Holiday our agency has been scrambling to get things completed so we can travel early. It truly has been a miracle in the making that things are falling into place for us, although truthfully speaking it really has been an insanely crazy busy past week and a half.....certainly well worth the craziness though! I'm giving a shout out to FOI (our agency) for the exceptional work they are doing to facilitate this! THANKS!

We haven't yet received our full itinerary, all we know is the plane tickets are purchased for leaving on Dec 5th and returning home on Dec 20th. We'll post more information as soon as we have it.

Today I'm washing Madi's clothes and somewhat packing her suitcase trying to figure out what I've got left to purchase then heading out later today to do some shopping.

Here are a couple of pics of referral gifts we received from our wonderful friends! You guys are amazing and I don't know what we'd do without you. You've helped us through the many long months on this adoption journey and words can't describe what you mean to me! I can't post any pics yet of my shower because I'm waiting on my sister to send them to me :o) as soon as she does I'll post them. I'll also post pics of Madi's room once it's pulled together more. I've got gift bags all over the place and we are hopefully picking up her crib this weekend.





Take Care,
Tracy

****UPDATE****

As promised here are some pics of the wonderful gifts Madi received at her baby shower last Saturday. Thank you so much to everyone who came! It meant the world to celebrate the day with you! I was overwhelmed with everyone's generosity, you are all so thoughtful and giving - Madi is blessed to have you all in her life!!!!

The cake contributed by my Dad's company: Thanks Dad!

Preview of the gifts - yes it did take me a long time to open them!

All the wonderful gifts out on display, in the bag to the left of the picture is a super saucer and you can't see her car seat, I think there are even gifts stored under the table!!!!

Love,

Tracy

what a week!!!

I never expected this last week to be so busy! All last week we were sitting on the edge of our seats waiting for referral, so of course that meant little sleep and I don't think we have caught up on our sleep yet. What a whirlwind of emotions! We're ecstatic with our little Madi and now can't wait to hear when we will travel to bring her home. So again this week we are back to the edge of our seats waiting for that news!

Last night I went out with some very good friends to celebrate our referral and they overwhelmed me with beautiful gifts! I certainly wasn't expecting it....they like to spoil me that's for sure. I feel so blessed to have met such wonderful friends on this adoption journey.

Well, Chris and I have finally cleared out the room we will be using for Madi's nursery... yes girls you can applaud now....you know who you are...ha ha ha!..anyways the only thing left in here is the computer but we'll move that tomorrow, then up comes the carpet and in comes new flooring and the walls get a new coat of paint then we are ready to move in! Someone pinch me...is this really happening?

I'm going to leave you now with another picture of our sweet baby girl, Enjoy!

FINALLY....Here she is!!!!!

We would like to introduce you to our beautiful new addition Madison Yi-Xuan White, born February 11, 2007! Madi is from the Jiangxi Province. We are extremely excited together in this life adventure in becoming a Daddy and a Mommy. We cannot believe that we are now another step closer to our precious little Madi. We have a slight party going on if you can imagine so that's all for now.....Chris & Tracy

ok...next post will have the pictures!

I just wanted to send a quick note to let you all know that we still haven't received referral. We were hoping it would arrive in Moncton yesterday afternoon but no luck. Our Social Worker is in Frederiction today...go figure...so it will likely be sitting on her desk all day waiting for her to get back....so we'll have it tomorrow morning for sure.

I can share this much, only because the other families in our travel group have received their referrals, Madi is from the province of Jiangxi! I 'believe' in the Yingtan area.

I'll update tomorrow when I have the rest!

Next post....PICTURE!

We just heard from our Social Worker that our referral has landed in Fredericton and is being translated now...we may get it tomorrow, if not looks like Friday for sure!

My next post will be THE PICTURE!

Referrals are out....and WE ARE IN!!!!

OMG!!! I can't believe it. The cut off is Dec 8th, 2005 so that means WE ARE IN!!! Some people received their referrals on Friday of last week so we 'may' see our referral towards the end of this week....please...please....please! I will post again with 'THE PICTURE'!