Happy Birthday Lulu #2

New Picture Received Today!
Also booked our flight thanks to the awesome and talented Anna!!!
Thanks Anna, we love you!

Happy Birthday LuLu

Today our daughter is turning ONE. I do not know what her day holds for her, or where she is today or who is feeding her and dressing her. I do not know if her birth mother and father are somewhere on the other side of the world wishing and hoping the same things that we are, for her today; wishing also that she could be with them and be the ones to comb her hair and bath her this morning, to feed her the early morning bottle and dress her in her special birthday clothes and go about buying things for her celebration and play with and love her and teach her new things and be all that a parent can be, as we do. I imagine they are!
We will celebrate her life today with a big birthday celebration and feast in honor of her and the anticipation of her coming home to us and will be surrounded with loving people who already love her so dearly.
Have a blessed day everyone!
Love, Kristy

Packing, Checklists and Progress

The Boy in Basket
Originally uploaded by Araleya

Well a lot's going on at our house, and we're feeling the stress. There hasn't even been time to catch you all up. But here's what's new. Tuesday, we got Travel Aprroval from China to pick up our daughter. So my mother and I headed out to shop our feet off. Boy did they ache. You should've seen us. The only frustrating, well just funny actually, part of shopping was after spending atleast 1/2 an hr. over in the infant medication area of Target, we stood looking at the bottles for another 1/2, trying to figure out which liners fit with which bottle, and what nipple to get that would fit the same bottle. Well, even though it was more than I need, we eventually decided to buy an assortment package, because at least we knew they all fit together, I HOPE!
Now that China has approved us to travel, we are waiting for our government to give us an appointment at the US Consulate in Guangzhou, then we should be able to book flights.
Yesterday, we got updated measurements for LuLu, and she's definitely had a growth spurt in the last 3 months. She has 4 teeth, where there were none, has gained almost 5 lbs. and grown a couple inches. She's looking like a size 6-9 mos for ht, 18 mos for weight and size 4 shoe. I'll bring a little of everything, and hope something fits her!
Today we got our Passports back from the Chinese embassy with our visa entries in them. I stalked the Fedex man once again, and was able to get them by noon.
We are making list, checking off lists, making new lists, and even have a list of lists to make sure I don't forget anything.
I chose this picture because I spent the day contemplating different carriers, from slings to snugli's, carseats to airplanes, and thought "how nice it'd be just to go back to the simplest things." Boy I am tired!
Love you all, thanks for your prayers!