UP AND BLOGGING!! for now.

Just got things worked out for now. We hope this will work till we get home. Kim will start blogging in the morning I am sure. We had a very busy day and her and Olivia are very tired. All is well. Look for updates later today. Terry

BLOG SPOT BLOCKED!

Greetings from the Allens via SanDee Moore! I spoke with Kim today and all is well. She is unable to post to her blog right now due to some type of internet blockage in China. Not sure if it will work later so I will keep everyone updated as I receive info from them. They are in China and all is well. Liv was very excited and ready to get going! They are hoping to be able to post some pictures today after some sightseeing. If anyone can figure it out...Terry will! Keep them in your prayers and I will update when I hear from them again. Lucas is staying with us and doing great! He got to play in his first Dinwiddie Varsity soccer game today!!!!

Leaving on a jet plane!

     So excited to be boarding that plane tomorrow! Keep us in your prayers and please pray that this will be a easy transition for Sophia.  She will probably cry and be afraid and we are prepared for that. We just hope that she is healthy and she learns to trust us and be comfortable letting us care for her.  Thanks to all of our friends and family who has stood behind us, supported us and sometimes cheered us on. We are so grateful.

Travel Itinerary for China

Wed. March 20
     Fly from Richmond to Chicago to Beijing (14 hours).

Thurs. March 21
     Arrive in Beijing 3:40 pm. Check-in at the hotel.

Fri. March 22
     Visit the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and see an acrobat show.

Sat. March 23
     Visit The Great Wall and the Summer Palace.

Sun. March 24
     Flight to Nanchang. Check-in at the hotel. Really hoping this will be Gotcha Day but we have been told it is most likely Monday. :(

Mon. March 25
       We will most likely GET SOPHIA AT 9AM!!!!!!! 3pm appt. at the Civil Affairs office to complete adoption paperwork.

Tues. March 26
     Visit Sophia's orphanage in Yifeng (2 1/2 hours away).

Wed. March 27
     Train(3 hours) to Changsha, Hunan. Visiting Olivia's orphanage and finding spot.

Thurs. March 28
     Take train back to Nanchang, Jiangxi

Fri. March 29
     Pick up notary paperwork. Fly to Guangzhou, Guangdong. Check-in at the hotel.

Sat. March 30
     Sophia's medical check-up, visa photo and visa paperwork.

Sun. March 31
          Tour

Mon. April 1
     U.S. Consulate interview and oath

Tues. April 2
     Pick up Sophia's visa

Wed. April 3
      Fly HOME  from Guangzhou to Beijing to Newark to Richmond.
   


   

TA means TRAVEL APPROVAL!!!!

     We received the call today from our adoption agency. We are waiting for our Consulate appointment to be made and this will determine the day we can leave for China. Hopefully we will know for sure tomorrow or Friday of the exact day. We are very excited to finally know that we will have Sophia by the end of the month. :)

18 mos. today!

     I can't believe I am actually typing this. We have stared at and fallen in love with her picture for 5 months now.  I am so heavy hearted knowing that Sophia is still in China waiting for us.  This wait has just about gotten the best of me. I thought for sure that we would be in China by now.  This wait is certainly a test in patience and my patience is wearing thin.  We have paper-chased, visited with a SW too many times to count, had our home and lives picked through with a fine tooth comb, been fingerprinted like 5 times, updated documents over and over, and finally are waiting for that LAST STEP before boarding that China bound plane.
    I have prayed so much I'm beginning to think that God in heaven is saying "yea, yea I know Kim, blahdy , blahdy  blah. I have to often catch myself and remember that I AM NOT IN CONTROL!  Do you realize how hard that is? I like things a certain way, in a certain time frame. I have planned, organized, shopped and I AM READY LORD!!
    We are trying to get there Sophia...hang on sugar dumplin, not much longer now.

Our Little Miss

New Updated Pictures of little miss Sophia!

We received these today! So happy to see her smiling.