TIME LEFT TO PREPARE FOR CHINA TRAVEL & PARENTHOOD:
3 days and counting...
Today is a much better day. Actually, things started to improve by yesterday afternoon. We got out of the house (beautiful sunny day), helped my aunt and uncle move into their new house in Kansas City, and ran more pre-Noelle errands. Eric and I had some really great talks in the car (as is often the case) about the Lord and our future. Is was so nice to just be together. Then we ended the night with a visit to a bookstore and read for a while in the cafe (one of our all time fave things to do). It suddenly hit us that that was the last time we will do this as a foot-loose and fancy-free no-kids couple. Weird. But good.
Something else that made today such a good day was the Sunday morning service. One of the leaders in our church and his wife asked Eric and I come down front at the end of service. The entire congregation then surrounded us and laid hands on us to pray for Noelle and our trip. They made us feel so loved and cared for. As a pastor, Eric is often caught up with meeting the needs of his flock, but having our church family reach out to us in this way just warmed our hearts and moved us deeply. We are blessed beyond measure!
BTW, thank you so much for everyone who has posted or emailed me to offer their prayers and encouragement. You guys are just terrific, you know?
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Saturday, March 8, 2008
four days...and a funk
TIME LEFT TO PREPARE FOR CHINA TRAVEL & PARENTHOOD:
4 days and counting...
I'm feeling weird today, or 'in a funk', as my husband would say. I'm all weepy and emotional and scared and overwhelmed and just wanting to just go back to bed and forget all the tasks that still need to be completed before Wednesday. In some ways, I just wish the whole China trip was over with, and we were all back home settling into life as a family of three.
Any of you other pre- or post- adoptive parents feel this way just before The Big Adventure? THIS adoption is really happening. Maybe I'm a little bit in shock. After the years of praying for and desiring a family, and the many, many months of waiting, IT is happening. Parenthood, and all the responsibility it entails, is upon us.
Jesus, just hold me close. And hold me together.
(gonna go read me some Psalms - that always sets my heart and mind aright!)
4 days and counting...
I'm feeling weird today, or 'in a funk', as my husband would say. I'm all weepy and emotional and scared and overwhelmed and just wanting to just go back to bed and forget all the tasks that still need to be completed before Wednesday. In some ways, I just wish the whole China trip was over with, and we were all back home settling into life as a family of three.
Any of you other pre- or post- adoptive parents feel this way just before The Big Adventure? THIS adoption is really happening. Maybe I'm a little bit in shock. After the years of praying for and desiring a family, and the many, many months of waiting, IT is happening. Parenthood, and all the responsibility it entails, is upon us.
Jesus, just hold me close. And hold me together.
(gonna go read me some Psalms - that always sets my heart and mind aright!)
Friday, March 7, 2008
This is only a test
Not of the Emergency Broadcast System, but of another blog posting method I was told about today. Want to make sure everything is set before we leave.
(YAY! It worked!!)
(YAY! It worked!!)
Trip Itinerary
Kristen from AWAA sent us our itinerary today (pretty cool, huh?!). If you'd like to know where we will be each day, just follow this schedule. Just remember, China is now 13 hours ahead of Central Standard Time (due to this weekend's Spring Forward).
-Wednesday, March 12th
Depart from KCI to Chicago, then on to Beijing
-Thursday, March 13th
Arrive in Beijing
-Friday, March 14th
Beijing Tour: Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City and Hutong tour
-Saturday, March 15th
Beijing Tour: The Summer Palace and Great Wall
-Sunday, March 16th
Palm Sunday church service
Late afternoon flight to Hefei (we're finally getting to Noelle's city!)
-Monday, March 17th GOTCHA DAY!
Meet Noelle JiaZhen Johnson (this is what we've been waiting for!!!)
-Tuesday, March 18th
Civil Affairs Appointment (official adoption ceremony)
-March 19th –March 20th
Paperwork, Sight-seeing, & Shopping
-Friday, March 21st
Flight to Guangzhou (home of the US Consulate)
-Saturday, March 22nd
Noelle's Medical Exam and Paperwork Party
-Sunday, March 23rd
Easter Sunday church service and Shopping
-Monday, March 24th
Consulate Appointment
-Tuesday, March 25th
Pick up Noelle's Visa
-Wednesday, March 26th
Depart from Guangzhou, to Beijing, then on to the USA!
Arrive home via United Airlines at 9:38pm - yipee!!!
-Wednesday, March 12th
Depart from KCI to Chicago, then on to Beijing
-Thursday, March 13th
Arrive in Beijing
-Friday, March 14th
Beijing Tour: Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City and Hutong tour
-Saturday, March 15th
Beijing Tour: The Summer Palace and Great Wall
-Sunday, March 16th
Palm Sunday church service
Late afternoon flight to Hefei (we're finally getting to Noelle's city!)
-Monday, March 17th GOTCHA DAY!
Meet Noelle JiaZhen Johnson (this is what we've been waiting for!!!)
-Tuesday, March 18th
Civil Affairs Appointment (official adoption ceremony)
-March 19th –March 20th
Paperwork, Sight-seeing, & Shopping
-Friday, March 21st
Flight to Guangzhou (home of the US Consulate)
-Saturday, March 22nd
Noelle's Medical Exam and Paperwork Party
-Sunday, March 23rd
Easter Sunday church service and Shopping
-Monday, March 24th
Consulate Appointment
-Tuesday, March 25th
Pick up Noelle's Visa
-Wednesday, March 26th
Depart from Guangzhou, to Beijing, then on to the USA!
Arrive home via United Airlines at 9:38pm - yipee!!!
Blogging from China
As many of you know, Eric and I wish to share our journey in China with all of our family and friends via this blog. I have been told by many people, however, that blogging from China is sometimes very difficult. It seems that many folks are unable to access the blogger.com website. If that happens, some dear friends of ours, Danny and Lisa W. (who adopted their little girl from China last summer) will be posting our pictures and information to the blog via emails from us. (Thank you guys! You know how much we love you, right?!)
In regards to photos specifically, I was told by another adoptive parent today that any pictures we attempt to post from China may be blocked by the government. In this case, or if we just have an incredible volume of adorable Noelle photos we wish to share (duh!), we will attempt to post our pictures on Flickr.com. To make it easy for y'all, we will just put a link on the daily post that you can click on, which will take you directly to the photos (are you paying attention, Mom?). So to test this theory (remember...I'm self-taught at this whole blogging thing), please click the link below to see if you are taken to the Johnsons2China4Noelle Flickr photo page.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9876651@N05/
NOTE: If the author if this blog is unable to post pictures and information to said blog whilst residing in China, D & L have my permission to just make up a fabulous story for Noelle's fans to follow while we're away. :)
In regards to photos specifically, I was told by another adoptive parent today that any pictures we attempt to post from China may be blocked by the government. In this case, or if we just have an incredible volume of adorable Noelle photos we wish to share (duh!), we will attempt to post our pictures on Flickr.com. To make it easy for y'all, we will just put a link on the daily post that you can click on, which will take you directly to the photos (are you paying attention, Mom?). So to test this theory (remember...I'm self-taught at this whole blogging thing), please click the link below to see if you are taken to the Johnsons2China4Noelle Flickr photo page.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9876651@N05/
NOTE: If the author if this blog is unable to post pictures and information to said blog whilst residing in China, D & L have my permission to just make up a fabulous story for Noelle's fans to follow while we're away. :)
five days...
TIME LEFT TO PREPARE FOR CHINA TRAVEL & PARENTHOOD:
5 days and counting...
More organizing, more cleaning, more (re)packing, more running, more, more, more--
5 days and counting...
More organizing, more cleaning, more (re)packing, more running, more, more, more--
Thursday, March 6, 2008
six days...and a perm
TIME LEFT TO PREPARE FOR CHINA TRAVEL & PARENTHOOD:
6 days and counting...
Guess what I did this morning? Got a perm!!
Believe it or not, Eric talked me into it. For two reasons:
1) He knows how frustrated I've been for months with my hair. I've been just sick of it. It's been flat, icky and lifeless - time for a change!
2) He wants to get me out of the bathroom quicker in the mornings. ;-)
I don't blame the guy, though. I hate all the fussy things I feel I need to do to be presentable each day. (I'm starting to loathe hot curlers. Can I get a witness!?!) I wish I had the thick lustrous locks of a model, yet the Lord did not see fit to bless me thus. So, women like myself make do with what 'man' has created - the "Permanent Wave". (God bless the inventor, whoever he was!)
Besides all that, I'm having to come to grips with the fact that chasing an 18 month old around the house will leave little time for primping. Someday soon, after a long day of mommy-ing, I'll slump into a chair, flick dry crusted food off my pants, and sigh, "I was pretty once..."
;-)
~A big thanks to Amy C. at JP's Total Image - you are the sweetest ever and the cut and perm is fabulous!!~
6 days and counting...
Guess what I did this morning? Got a perm!!
Believe it or not, Eric talked me into it. For two reasons:
1) He knows how frustrated I've been for months with my hair. I've been just sick of it. It's been flat, icky and lifeless - time for a change!
2) He wants to get me out of the bathroom quicker in the mornings. ;-)
I don't blame the guy, though. I hate all the fussy things I feel I need to do to be presentable each day. (I'm starting to loathe hot curlers. Can I get a witness!?!) I wish I had the thick lustrous locks of a model, yet the Lord did not see fit to bless me thus. So, women like myself make do with what 'man' has created - the "Permanent Wave". (God bless the inventor, whoever he was!)
Besides all that, I'm having to come to grips with the fact that chasing an 18 month old around the house will leave little time for primping. Someday soon, after a long day of mommy-ing, I'll slump into a chair, flick dry crusted food off my pants, and sigh, "I was pretty once..."
;-)
~A big thanks to Amy C. at JP's Total Image - you are the sweetest ever and the cut and perm is fabulous!!~
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
seven days...
TIME LEFT TO PREPARE FOR CHINA TRAVEL & PARENTHOOD:
7 days and counting...
I'm off to run more errands today. I've got about 5 or 6 stops and am heading into "The City" for all of these errands (that's what we folks who live outside Kansas City call it; and actually I'll be mostly in Independence, MO but we just chunk all the larger outlying cities into the phrase "The City").
You really wanted to know all that, didn't you? :)
BTW, let me just say-- This packing thing is a super challenge. I really think we need to take a third suitcase. However, my dear, sweet, precious hubby informed me this morning, "No more suitcases!!" My eyebrows went up on that, so we very congenially decided to call United to see what they think... More on this later. ;-)
Later gaters--
7 days and counting...
I'm off to run more errands today. I've got about 5 or 6 stops and am heading into "The City" for all of these errands (that's what we folks who live outside Kansas City call it; and actually I'll be mostly in Independence, MO but we just chunk all the larger outlying cities into the phrase "The City").
You really wanted to know all that, didn't you? :)
BTW, let me just say-- This packing thing is a super challenge. I really think we need to take a third suitcase. However, my dear, sweet, precious hubby informed me this morning, "No more suitcases!!" My eyebrows went up on that, so we very congenially decided to call United to see what they think... More on this later. ;-)
Later gaters--
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
eight days...
TIME LEFT TO PREPARE FOR CHINA TRAVEL & PARENTHOOD:
8 days and counting...
So sorry, too busy to write. I'm on a roll with packing and organizing and such. 'Will get back to bloggin soon when I feel like I'm at a good resting point...
Hugs to everyone!
Jen
8 days and counting...
So sorry, too busy to write. I'm on a roll with packing and organizing and such. 'Will get back to bloggin soon when I feel like I'm at a good resting point...
Hugs to everyone!
Jen
Monday, March 3, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Noelle Turns 18 months!
Happy Half Birthday, Noelle!!!
Mommy and Daddy wish we could be there with you today to celebrate what a big girl you are becoming. We will be there very soon. We look forward to all the birthday celebrations ahead of us, when we will all be together.
We love you very much!
Hugs and kisses,
Your mom and dad
P.S. Don't forget - Jesus loves you, and He is always right there with you!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Benefit Concert Video
Here's the link to a YouTube video of the concert finale as posted by my student Natalie's mom Angie. Enjoy!
(I haven't actually seen it yet. Darn that dial-up! :( Let me know what you think!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyXNO5E_I9M
(I haven't actually seen it yet. Darn that dial-up! :( Let me know what you think!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyXNO5E_I9M
Future Topics
I must tear myself away from the computer now. I have open cabinet doors in the kitchen calling me back to my project from earlier this morning: My "move-the-sharp-objects-and-poisonous-liquids-to-a-higher-shelf and clean-this-mess-up-while-you're-at-it" project. My friend Dawn also dropped off some boxes today for other organizational tasks awaiting my attention.
I - MUST - GO - BAAAAACK...
When I do return to Cyber Land, I hope to write on the following topics:
-Noelle's Benefit Concert: The Compete Story (with pictures)**
-Lessons I've learned through this adoption journey
-God, Our Provider; God's Many Blessings
-Noelle's Awwww Sooooo Cute Little Girl Clothes (thank you friends!)
-Last Things (i.e. "The last time I will eat a bowl of ice cream without sharing." This topic is actually not my own, but my friend Lisa W. had a post on her blog like this, pre-Reagan. Very cute!)
-etc.
Disclaimer: The author of this blog has entered a deep wormhole of packing, shopping, baby proofing, organizing, cleaning, studying (toddler adoption issues, Chinese phrases, baby sign language, "What to Expect When You're Expecting: The Toddler Years", etc.), and much more. If she manages to briefly escape said wormhole, the posts found here may be thin, sparse, and poorly written. Blog topics mentioned above may or may not not be completely or accurately addressed until returning from a distant land with a living, breathing, giggling, pull the kittys' tails, running around the house, toddler in tow. And even then, especially then, the above discaimer ("...thin, sparse, poorly written...") shall still apply.
Just so you know.
:)
I - MUST - GO - BAAAAACK...
When I do return to Cyber Land, I hope to write on the following topics:
-Noelle's Benefit Concert: The Compete Story (with pictures)**
-Lessons I've learned through this adoption journey
-God, Our Provider; God's Many Blessings
-Noelle's Awwww Sooooo Cute Little Girl Clothes (thank you friends!)
-Last Things (i.e. "The last time I will eat a bowl of ice cream without sharing." This topic is actually not my own, but my friend Lisa W. had a post on her blog like this, pre-Reagan. Very cute!)
-etc.
Disclaimer: The author of this blog has entered a deep wormhole of packing, shopping, baby proofing, organizing, cleaning, studying (toddler adoption issues, Chinese phrases, baby sign language, "What to Expect When You're Expecting: The Toddler Years", etc.), and much more. If she manages to briefly escape said wormhole, the posts found here may be thin, sparse, and poorly written. Blog topics mentioned above may or may not not be completely or accurately addressed until returning from a distant land with a living, breathing, giggling, pull the kittys' tails, running around the house, toddler in tow. And even then, especially then, the above discaimer ("...thin, sparse, poorly written...") shall still apply.
Just so you know.
:)
Oh, the Stuff!
TIME LEFT TO PREPARE FOR CHINA TRAVEL & PARENTHOOD:
11 days and counting...
Yesterday Eric and I blazed through Kansas City running some errands and purchasing more baby items and things for the trip. Our first stop was 'The Compete Traveler' (awesome shop!) to purchase money belts, passport wallets, travel system packing envelopes (they squish LOTS of clothes in a tight space -cool!), No-Jet-Lag homeopathic tablets, and other odds and ends.
Neither one of us has ever traveled internationally (well, unless you count the fact that Eric was actually born in Icelend), so even aside from the whole first-time-parent thing, this China trip is quite the adventure for us. I also think the luggage size and weight limitations are bringing out the MacGyver in Eric. He's the packing KING! He's having way too much fun with his tape measure and angles and equations and stuff. (Don't forget the duct tape!)
Look out, China! Here come some more of those crazy photo-snapping touristy-type Americans heading your way!
(Nah, we'll be good...)
[Next international trip - Ireland! Right, honey?]
We also went to 'Gordman's' for their sales and a new suitcase. We purchased a nice, big expandable one with losts of extra compartments. It even swivels 360 degrees on its nifty wheels. I probably had a bit too much fun "trying it out" in the store... I also purchased a couple pairs of lightweight walking shoes so I can take on The Great Wall, The Forbidden City, downtown Hefei, etc. with the best of them. Eric will be trekking through China in his tough ol' Man-Boots, and he wanted me to surrender my cute (but cheap and uncomfortable) girly shoes for something practical. He's figuring on carrying Noelle on his back, but doesn't seem to want to carry me on his back as well. Dude! What gives??
Our last errand of the day took us to BabiesRUs for a couple last baby-proofing items and a seat protector for the car. We ended the evening by relaxing with friends at Barnes&Noble. Whew!! Next week we should be able to finish up our list with OTC's, snacks for the plane and hotel room, and other last minute items from Walmart and Target.
Then-- then-- then-- Oh my goodness! We'll be flying to CHHHIIIIINNNNNNNAAAAAAA!!!!
11 days and counting...
Yesterday Eric and I blazed through Kansas City running some errands and purchasing more baby items and things for the trip. Our first stop was 'The Compete Traveler' (awesome shop!) to purchase money belts, passport wallets, travel system packing envelopes (they squish LOTS of clothes in a tight space -cool!), No-Jet-Lag homeopathic tablets, and other odds and ends.
Neither one of us has ever traveled internationally (well, unless you count the fact that Eric was actually born in Icelend), so even aside from the whole first-time-parent thing, this China trip is quite the adventure for us. I also think the luggage size and weight limitations are bringing out the MacGyver in Eric. He's the packing KING! He's having way too much fun with his tape measure and angles and equations and stuff. (Don't forget the duct tape!)
Look out, China! Here come some more of those crazy photo-snapping touristy-type Americans heading your way!
(Nah, we'll be good...)
[Next international trip - Ireland! Right, honey?]
We also went to 'Gordman's' for their sales and a new suitcase. We purchased a nice, big expandable one with losts of extra compartments. It even swivels 360 degrees on its nifty wheels. I probably had a bit too much fun "trying it out" in the store... I also purchased a couple pairs of lightweight walking shoes so I can take on The Great Wall, The Forbidden City, downtown Hefei, etc. with the best of them. Eric will be trekking through China in his tough ol' Man-Boots, and he wanted me to surrender my cute (but cheap and uncomfortable) girly shoes for something practical. He's figuring on carrying Noelle on his back, but doesn't seem to want to carry me on his back as well. Dude! What gives??
Our last errand of the day took us to BabiesRUs for a couple last baby-proofing items and a seat protector for the car. We ended the evening by relaxing with friends at Barnes&Noble. Whew!! Next week we should be able to finish up our list with OTC's, snacks for the plane and hotel room, and other last minute items from Walmart and Target.
Then-- then-- then-- Oh my goodness! We'll be flying to CHHHIIIIINNNNNNNAAAAAAA!!!!
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