I have finally gotten a chance to write about the travel meeting that I
attended on Friday. Unfortunately, Steve was unable to attend because of
issues at work. :( None the less, the notes I took explained everything to
him, Carson and Hailey. Boy are they excited now!! :)
Basically, we went over the itinerary of the trip. Some folks have asked me
why we have to stay 2 weeks and if it is necessary. I don't believe 2 weeks
is long enough. My thoughts are that in Ruthie's eyes, these strange people
are about to come and take her from all she has ever known for 18 months
and get on a big plane and come back to where no one looks like her and
doesn't sound like her. That would be hard on anyone. Please pray for her
transition.
If I bore you, I apologize, but some of asked how our 2 week stay would be.
So, during the 2 weeks of our stay below is basically what we will be
doing. We will not know for sure until we get our confirmation of dates
from China.
Thursday - Leave U.S
Friday - skip a day (China is a day ahead of U.S.)
Saturday - arrive in Hong Kong, get on a train for 2 1/2 more hours and
head to Guangzhou
Sunday - rest and get ready for the remainder of the 2 weeks and of course
like any other vacation, visit Wal-Mart!
Monday - Gotcha Day - We will receive Ruthie Grace Sidan Boyd. We will pick
her up from the Civil Affairs office. Basically, imagine a big room with
lots of chairs (doctor's office) and waiting for someone to call your name.
We will walk over to the red curtain and will be handed Ruthie Grace by her
Nanny and the orphanage director. We will have about an hour to spend with
her and the Nanny, ask questions and get answers about Ruthie. We will
spend the remainder of the day with her without a guide. We will probably
stay in the hotel to get to know her, play and then go to dinner.
Tuesday - We will go back to the Civil Affairs office and complete some
more paperwork
Wednesday - sight seeing, shopping. Apparently in Guangzhou there are lots
of shops (tea, electronic, jewelry and furniture stores). Lots of places to
eat. The one thing that they told us was that we shouldn't eat anything on
a stick!! :) We will be going to the Guangzhou Zoo and Botantical Gardens.
The zoo apparently is a very nice zoo and has lots of animals, including a
dalmation dog and squirrel! :) That seems funny to us, but I am sure that
they rarely see them. A new friend of mine is currently in Guangzhou
picking up her little girl. She took lots of pictures of the animals and
they look well taken care of. The panda and white tiger are beautiful!!
Thursday - another day of sight seeing and shopping
Friday - We will be traveling 4 hours to visit Ruthie's orphanage, Maoming
Orphanage. Our guide will drive a "limo" a.k.a. van for us. All 5 of us
will be traveling with her. This will be a bitter sweet visit for us. I am
anxious to see what she has known for the past 18 months, her nanny, her
friends and where she laid her pretty head every night. I am forever
grateful for her parents for making the decision to not parent her so that
she would be given to a good family to be taken care of and loved! We will
be able to meet her friends and have pictures made with them and just see
their everyday life. After the orphanage visit, we will then go to her drop
off spot. This spot will be where she was abandoned when she was 2 days old
last February. She was dropped off under a pavilion in a box in the
freezing cold near a hospital. As it saddens my heart, I know Jesus wrapped
her with his warm arms!! :) As you may be thinking, "Why would you do that
to her?" "Why would you want to go back to where she was abandoned?" The
day will come when Ruthie will ask her dad and I all about her past. I want
to be able to tell her everything and be completely honest with her. I want
her to know it all. I know she will appreciate the loving family and home
she will grow to love dearly. I want her to also know that her parents are
not bad people, they just wanted better for her. So yes, this will be a
very emotional day.
Saturday - Medical visit. Ruthie will have her last medical check-up in
China.
Sunday - sight seeing and shopping
Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday - will be our final Consulate Appointment.
This is where everything becomes final. We sign lots of paperwork and
finally pick up her passport to travel back to the United States!! Other
days I am sure sightseeing and resting for our trip home.
We will be staying at The Garden Hotel and it is very nice! Our guide will
be helping us with translations, exchanging money with the bank in our
lobby of the hotel and many many other things. She will be my best friend
for 2 weeks!! There is a nice swimming pool and apparently it is mandatory
to wear swim caps! Ha! You really don't want to know what Steve had to say
about that!! It had something to do with a speedo! Not sure! :) Other than
the itinerary we discussed bonding and post adoption visits. Lifeline will
be a part of our family for the next 5 years. They will come and visit a
few weeks after we come home and continue to come and visit for 5 years to
come. Lifeline has been fabulous! They not only have a "J-O-B" to do, but
they love our family and others as well. They pray with us and they guide
us correctly. They pray for us to get everything back as soon as possible.
They have held our children. They have loved on them and told them that
they will be united with their forever family soon!!
Getting Ruthie will be like having a newborn in so many ways! We will
basically be starting over as she would as a newborn to get her comfortable
in her new home and surroundings. We know it is not going to be easy, but
we know we can get through it!! There will be good days and bad days, but
through it all, she is getting exactly what she needs!! PTL!! I am sure her
personality will reflect it all soon!!
I can't believe that it is almost time! She will be with her forever family
soon and will be loved so very much!! We pray that we will receive travel
approval this week and then our consulate appointment at the beginning of
next week. As soon as we get that information, then we will book our
flights. They say that typically you travel 2 weeks after you receive your
TA!! We have all prayed for this day to come and it will be here soon!!
Please pray for her mom and her nanny. As I know that her mom has no idea
what Ruthie is about to endure this or even cares, but just maybe the
prayers will open her heart and eyes to Jesus!! It is all because of her
that Ruthie is alive and has brought so many blessings upon us all!!
Ruthie's Nanny is one of the most admired ladies in the world to me right
now. She loves, care for, feeds, nurtures and plays with Ruthie! I just
pray that Ruthie will look at me as she does her Nanny. I will do the same
and I will make that promise to her. I can't wait to meet her to give her a
big hug and tell her thank you for taking care of our daughter. We made a
promise to God to let him guide us on this journey to bring Ruthie home and
give her a better life. We never thought that Ruthie's journey would better
our lives like it has today!
As soon as I get travel dates, they will go out immediately!!
Blessings & Love,
Julie
