Friday, November 28, 2008

The Pieces Are Falling Into Place

We hope that everyone is enjoying the holiday weekend. And as those left-over pieces of pie fill your plates, the final pieces of our travel plans are coming into place.
Our passports came back today, which is a relief! We also received our home study update in the mail today. It had been one year since it was written, so Holt had to send use a revised one to go to Viet Nam with us.
A great gift yesterday was our in-country agenda and schedule of events. We arrive next Saturday and are free to explore Saigon on Sunday. Monday morning we go to the Child Wellness Center (CWC) in Binh Duong to visit our daughter for the first time! We though, sadly do not get to take her with us until Tuesday morning. Ugh! Once we depart the CWC on 12/9 and our G&R Ceremony is complete with the government officials, we head to the airport and fly to Ha Noi. On the morning of 12/10 we apply for her passport. We then are totally free to explore the beauty of northern Viet Nam with Sophie until 12/17. That day we pick-up her passport and go for her health check. 12/18 we go to the US Embassy for her visa interview (Final I-600). Then on 12/19 in the afternoon we return to the Embassy to get her visa which then allows us to leave and leave for home on 12/20!!!
We are almost all packed and ready to go. Hope this week flies by!!!

11 comments:

Valorie Leonard said...

It really is happening! Does it feel "real" yet?

Anonymous said...

It is all just falling into place as per HIS plan.
I just can't believe that I am finally going to see "My Littlest" grandbaby. What a Christmas this will be for everyone!

XXXOOO

Anonymous said...

It defintely will be a wonderful Christmas! Getting to spend Christmas with our first grandchild and our kids will be the best. No matter how impatient we get in life Gods timing is always best and I am truly thankful for all He does for us.

Love you
Grandma and Granddad

Anonymous said...

I know it will be hard to leave your little one at the orphanage after you visit. Been there, done that. But, my encouragement to you is to take as many pictures as you can and have a long list of questions to ask. When you pick up Sophie, things will go so fast and you want to have those pictures and video, if you can for future reference. Also, take your gifts for the orphanage and kids on the first day. One less thing to take with you on the G&R day. Blessings to you on your journey,
God's timing is perfect for you and Sophie!
Kim Crawford
Mom to Evan from BD March/07

M is for Mama said...

Will you get to blog while there? Does your hotel have internet access? We will be waiting here for updates!

Congrats again Mom & Pop!

Would love to see you guys when you are in Tulsa again,

Melissa, Chris & the girls

Stevens Family said...

OMGness, so, so excited!!! Every time a family is preparing to travel, has thier G&R and is traveling it brings me back all over again. Nothing in the whole world beats this!! I can't wait to see your beautiful daughter in your arms at last.

J and J said...

Isn't it a great feeling to get the passports back. I remember feeling a little sick until I had them back in our hands.

This week will fly by although probably not as fast as you would like.

PS- You will LOVE the Somerset Westlake. We did not stay in one in HCMC but I am sure you can not go wrong there either.

Anonymous said...

I am so excited. Matt has always been our Christmas Baby, but now we will have two. By the way Sophie looks just like her Aunt Debbie, Dark hair and dark eyes. ha! x0x0x0

everything we need is enough said...

I can not wait to follow your journey!! Take lots of pictures :)

Cathy said...

GREAT NEWS GUYS!!! Your schedule brings back some wonderful memories! We wish we were going with you! Please blog as often as possible, we'll be looking several times a day! Love, T, C, and E

LawMommy said...

I am glad things are coming together for you guys. It might be better that you get to meet her the day before the G&R. We spent two days at Holt's child caring center in DaNang before we took Lana with us, and I think it really helped for her to meet us and get used to us. (It was not easy, but, as hard as it was, I think it helped that we didn't show up and then leave with her, she got the chance to meet us and spend some time with us first.)

Best wishes for safe travel!