We have our dates! (Now to find hotels & flights)

We received an email from our agency over the night that our appointments in Nanjing and Guangzhou are scheduled!  We now have a time frame and we are researching hotels, flights and all the other details.  Yesterday was also an important day as we received our UPS package with original documents from both governments that are necessary to finalize the adoption.

What we know so far is...

Monday, April 8th we travel to Nanjing (2 hours north of Suzhou by car)
Tuesday, April 9th we sign papers making our daughter an official McClintock
Tuesday, April 16th we fly to Guangzhou (which is north of Hong Kong) and complete our daughter's medical exam
Wednesday, April 17th is our daughter's US consulate appointment
Thursday, April 18th our daughter's US Visa should be ready by 3:30 pm
Friday, April 19th earliest day to return to the US
Monday, April 22nd our daughter's first doctor's appointment with her specialist

I also know that we are super excited!!  Today I started packing.  I needed to pull things out of my "not-so-secret" hiding place for Easter and that led to me grouping gifts to take back to the US.  Then I decided I might as well pull together the special outfits (oh yes, there will be matching dresses for all three girls) and group them together.  We will be experiencing a wide range of climates and temperatures over the next month.

I remembered seeing a friend, who was getting ready to move back to the US, labeling the outside of all of her suitcases with masking tape and the contents of the suitcases.  So smart!  I've started my Nanjing, Guangzhou, gifts for the US and US suitcases.

US clothes

That is gifts for "US" as in United States of America, not
"us".  We're already getting the best gift!

Guangzhou

Nanjing & Adoption thank-you gifts

What I didn't know, or at least know to expect, were some of the other emotions that I've experienced this week.  Monday was my last day to lead our Girl Scout troop for this school year and my sweet Scouting moms gave me a card and a tote bag.  Tuesday I told my three speech & language students that I wouldn't be seeing them again until next school year.  Wednesday it occurred to me that my older daughters may benefit from having a "going away" party with their classmates and that we wouldn't be a part of the end-of-school festivities.  And, these parties need to happen within the next two weeks! There are other details about registering the older girls for school in the fall, going through my "piles" (that's how I organize) and getting the apartment ready for our absence.

It is our current plan that all five of us will return to the US together and that the girls (heehee, all 3 girls-love saying that!) and I will stay in Illinois all summer and return to China at the beginning of August.  We don't know what our daughter's recovery will look like, how many follow-up appointments she may have and we've decided that it is best if we remain in the US.  That means 3 1/2 months away from our home in Suzhou and many weeks apart from Jamie.  Of course it is for the best reason possible, but there are still many emotions that go along with trying to pack for a three-month stay overseas.  I told my mom that I hadn't spent more than two consecutive weeks at her house in the last 13 years; this could be a big adjustment for us all!

So, pull out your US flags, your cameras and tissues...we'll see you soon!